Research News

Arthritic Elephant At National Zoo Gets Pachyderm Pedicures And Giant Teva Boots

7:44pm September 07, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Veterinarians at the Smithsonian's National Zoo have turned to an unconventional therapy for an arthritic 41-year-old Asian elephant — shoes. The talented animal also knows how to play the harmonica.

Facebook can be fun, research suggests, except when it stirs up envy or depression.

Facebook And Mortality: Why Your Incessant Joy Gives Me The Blues

2:02pm September 07, 2016

by Jon Brooks

Has the social media site been good for our mental health or not? The evidence isn't straightforward, researchers say, despite lots of study. How Facebook makes you feel may depend on how you use it.

Science

Social Science Researchers Explore 'Unethical Amnesia'

8:12am September 07, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Researchers find that one reason some people cheat over and over again is because we all tend to suffer from "unethical amnesia" — our minds are prone to forgetting the bad stuff we've done.

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How A Baseball Batter's Brain Reacts To A Fast Pitch

9:07am September 03, 2016

NPR's Scott Simon talks with neurophysiologist Jason Sherwin about his research into how a baseball batter processes an incoming fastball.

When your dog looks like she's listening to you, she really is.

Science

Who's A Good Girl? Your Dog, Who Understands More Than You Might Think

7:59am September 03, 2016

by Scott Simon

A team of Hungarian scientists has determined dogs can understand words, not just tone. NPR's Scott Simon says it may mean we should rethink our entire relationship with our furry friends.

How GMOs Cut The Use Of Pesticides — And Perhaps Boosted It Again

3:23pm September 01, 2016

by Dan Charles

There's new and detailed data on the impact of genetically modified crops on pesticide use. Those crops replaced insecticides, and, at first, some herbicides. But herbicide use has rebounded.

Science

Want To Make Better Predictions? Researchers Explore How

6:19am September 01, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Analyzing an event by breaking it down into details might seem like a good way to predict the outcome, but social science research suggests that when most of us do it, we make worse predictions.

POLL: Most Americans Want Congress To Make Zika Funding A High Priority

5:07am September 01, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

That's what 76 percent said in a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey. Half the respondents also said they'd be uncomfortable traveling to places in Florida where mosquitoes are spreading Zika.

Experimental drugs that clear clumps of proteins from the brains of Alzheimer's patients haven't panned out yet.

Test Of Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Finds Progress Against Brain Plaques

6:31pm August 31, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Researchers have failed repeatedly in their efforts to slow or halt Alzheimer's disease. But there are hints that an experimental drug can do what previous medicines could not.

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Their Masters' Voices: Dogs Understand Tone And Meaning Of Words

4:51pm August 30, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

When humans talk to dogs, the canine brains seem to separate the meaning of the words from the intonation used and to analyze each aspect independently.