Research News

Placebos are commonly thought of as fake treatments that people think are real. But they may be helpful even if you know they're fake.

Is A Placebo A Sham, If You Know It's A Fake And It Still Works?

3:35pm October 27, 2016

by Katherine Hobson

Most research on placebos involves people who think they're getting an active treatment, but aren't. But they may also work when people know full well they're getting a sham treatment.

Randy Shilts attended a screening of And the Band Played On on Aug. 31, 1993, at the Academy Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Researchers Clear 'Patient Zero' From AIDS Origin Story

5:43pm October 26, 2016

by Michaeleen Doucleff

A Canadian flight attendant had been blamed by media for years for bringing HIV to the U.S. A new study proves that's impossible. The virus that took hold came from Haiti in the early 1970s.

Joseph Blackman, a Miami-Dade County mosquito control inspector, at work in Miami. Mosquitoes infected with Zika are now spreading the illness in at least four different parts of the city, according to federal health officials.

Zika May Be In The U.S. To Stay

5:18pm October 26, 2016

by Greg Allen

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now urges pregnant women to "consider postponing travel to all parts of Miami-Dade County." Zika is on the way to becoming an endemic disease in the U.S.

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Sociologist Brooke Harrington says that for the world's wealthiest people, many of the laws and rules followed by the rest of us simply don't apply.

Science

'Double Bind' Explains The Dearth Of Women In Top Leadership Positions

11:25am October 26, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Women in power often have to choose between being seen as likeable but incompetent, or competent but cold. We explore what's known as "double bind" — assumptions about men, women and leadership.

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Cori Bargmann is applying her training as a neuroscientist to shaping the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's ambitious agenda.

Applying A Silicon Valley Approach To Jumpstart Medical Research

6:28pm October 25, 2016

by NPR Staff

Neuroscientist Cori Bargmann is leading the new Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's $3 billion effort to cure or prevent "all diseases" by the end of this century. She talks about that daunting task.

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Hundreds of people flocked to the United States Botanic Garden to see (and smell) a corpse flower in full bloom.

What's In It For The Corpse Flower To Smell Like Death?

7:00am October 25, 2016

by Adam Cole

The corpse flower is a botanical rock star — prized by botanic gardens around the globe. In a new video, NPR's Skunk Bear explores the biology of the stinky giant, which thrives by playing dead.

Newborn baby is shown sleeping on a bed. A new report says it's much safer for a baby to sleep alone on a crib with no pillows or blankets.

Pediatricians Release New Guidance For Preventing Sudden Infant Deaths

6:27pm October 24, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Infants should sleep in the same room as their parents for the first six months of their lives, and ideally, the entire first year. That's a key recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

New research finds small self-serving lies can make people comfortable with larger deceptions.

Science

How Small Fibs Lead To Big Lies

5:46pm October 24, 2016

by Rebecca Hersher

A new study finds evidence of "a gradual escalation of self-serving dishonesty," in which small lies pave the way for larger deceptions.

Can you prevent mental illnesses like schizophrenia or anxiety by taking a vitamin supplement?

Can Mental Illness Be Prevented In The Womb?

6:00am October 22, 2016

by Bret Stetka

Researchers are exploring changes in prenatal nutrition to lower risks for future mental disorders. The work is preliminary, but there is ample precedent for maternal diet affecting children's health.

Pediatricians realize parents need strategies beyond "Put down that phone!"

No Snapchat In The Bedroom? An Online Tool To Manage Kids' Media Use

4:34pm October 21, 2016

by Katherine Hobson

The American Academy of Pediatrics has launched more liberal guidelines on children's media use. They're offering parents an online tool to help manage the what, where and when of family screen time.