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Science

Research: Black Judges Are Reversed On Appeal More Than White Judges

8:01am July 12, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

President Obama has tried to diversify the federal judiciary by appointing more black judges. Data show black federal district judges are overturned on appeal 10 percent more often than white judges.

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About 70 percent of Earth is covered by clouds at any given moment. Their interaction with climate isn't easy to study, scientists say; these shape-shifters move quickly.

Climate Change May Already Be Shifting Clouds Toward The Poles

6:38pm July 11, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists who have been tracking cloud patterns over the past two decades say the shifts they're seeing seem to correlate closely with what's predicted by computer models of Earth's changing climate.

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A team of archaeologists work at the excavation site in the coastal Israeli city of Ashkelon on June 28.

Long Buried By Bad Reputation, Philistines Get New Life With Archaeological Find

8:17pm July 10, 2016

by Colin Dwyer

They're one of the Hebrew Bible's greatest villains, but not much is known about the ancient Philistines. An uncovered cemetery, which researchers say is the first of its kind, could change all that.

Hope Still Races Ahead Of Evidence In Magnet Treatment For Autism

7:00am July 09, 2016

by Robin Marantz Henig

A few people with high-functioning autism say they've been briefly helped by exposure to transcranial magnetic stimulation. But there's a cost, one mother found, to getting ahead of the science.

What An Hour Of Emotion Makes Visible

1:24pm July 08, 2016

by Alix Spiegel

Kim was an accomplished doctor with plenty of friends. But a few pulses from an electromagnet to her brain at age 54 made her reconsider how she sees herself — and the world.

This synthetic stingray is made of gold, silicone and live muscle cells from a rat. Scientists use pulses of light to guide its propulsion.

Synthetic Stingray May Lead To A Better Artificial Heart

6:33pm July 07, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Using gold, silicone and heart cells from a rat, scientists have made a tiny artificial stingray. The engineering involved in propelling it could help make a heart that's more than a mechanical pump.

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Science

Researchers Examine Why Tylenol Affects Empathy

7:58am July 06, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Nearly one quarter of all Americans reach for a bottle of Tylenol every week to take the edge off a headache, fever or toothache. Experiments suggest it might also have another effect on you.

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Women go through a lot in the delivery of a healthy baby. But in most cases, doctors say, an episiotomy needn't be part of the experience.

Episiotomies Still Common During Childbirth Despite Advice To Do Fewer

8:00am July 04, 2016

by Jocelyn Wiener

Overall rates of the surgical snip have declined nationally in the past decade. But, despite advice, some hospitals and certain doctors still routinely cut the vagina to ease a baby's birth.

This illustration show's NASA's Juno mission approaching Jupiter. Juno used distant stars to chart its course across the void.

'Star Trackers' Help Juno Find Its Way

8:05am July 03, 2016

by Joe Palca

Space navigation is tricky. There's no up or down, no left or right, and no road signs. This device uses stars to help determine if a spacecraft is off course. It takes nifty pictures, too.

Juno Space Probe Is Set To Enter Jupiter's Orbit On Monday

7:00am July 03, 2016

by Joe Palca

The craft is designed to glean data from Jupiter that could also help us learn how Earth formed. But first, Juno has to get into orbit — determined by a crucial half-hour of firing by its main engine.