Research News

Science

How Being Busy Affects Our Motivation

12:59pm April 26, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

There's an old saying: If you want to get something done, ask a busy person. Researchers find that busy people are more motivated to complete tasks after missing a deadline than their non-busy peers.

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Airbnb host Synta Keeling rents two bedrooms in her house in Washington, D.C.'s predominantly black Anacostia neighborhood.

#AirbnbWhileBlack: How Hidden Bias Shapes The Sharing Economy

12:10am April 26, 2016

The sharing economy is making online transactions far more personal, which can lead to some unintended consequences.

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A new study finds that babies fed rice cereals and other rice-based snacks have higher concentrations of arsenic in their urine.

Babies Who Eat Rice Cereal Have Higher Arsenic Levels, Study Finds

3:49pm April 25, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Multiple studies have found that rice-based foods contain traces of arsenic. Now a study finds babies fed rice cereals and other rice-based snacks have higher concentrations of arsenic in their urine.

A map of the Amazon shelf showing the newly discovered reef structures in yellow.

Reef Larger Than Delaware Found At The Mouth Of The Amazon River

3:37pm April 23, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

The reef is unusual because it lies in muddy waters, and scientists had only seen hints of its existence until recent research expeditions. They say it's already in danger because of oil drilling.

The World Resources Institute says you don't have to bid burgers bye-bye in order to reduce the environmental footprint of what you eat. For Americans, cutting back on beef (but not eliminating it altogether) could go a long way, it says.

For Earth Day, Report Has News To Ease A Meat-Lover's Conscience

10:21pm April 22, 2016

by Maria Godoy

The World Resources Institute says you don't have to bid burgers bye-bye in order to reduce the environmental footprint of what you eat. Americans cutting back on beef could go a long way, it says.

Earlier this week, NIH temporarily halted work in the cell therapy lab of Dr. Steven Rosenberg, chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute, pending a review of safety standards there.

Task Force Calls For More Safety Oversight At NIH Research Hospital

2:10pm April 22, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

NIH Director Francis Collins has stopped research at two leading labs for now. But an independent board of experts wants even more oversight to ensure that patient safety is the top priority.

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Part of your brain doesn't sleep as deeply when you're in a new place.

Half Your Brain Stands Guard When Sleeping In A New Place

6:46pm April 21, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

No wonder we don't feel rested after a first night in a new place: Half of our brain has stayed alert while the other half enjoyed deeper sleep, a study finds. We really have been half-asleep.

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The Solar Impulse 2 airplane, piloted by Bertrand Piccard, gains altitude after taking off from Kalaeloa Airport in Kapolei, Hawaii during a test and training flight in April.

Experimental Solar-Powered Plane Takes Flight After 9-Month Delay

1:13pm April 21, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Solar Impulse 2 is attempting to circumnavigate the world using only the sun's power. It has been grounded in Hawaii for maintenance and is now on a three day journey heading to California.

Demographers can use average life expectancy of a population as a clue to underlying changes in health and culture.

Life Expectancy Drops For White Women, Increases For Black Men

9:50am April 20, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Suicide, drug abuse and alcohol have started to shorten the lives of white women, a U.S. report on data from 2013 to 2014 suggests. Life-expectancy for many black men went up from 71.8 years to 72.2.

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The Clinical Center on the campus of the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Md., is an internationally renowned hospital where patients are also research subjects.

NIH Halts Some Research Amid Concerns Over Contamination And Safety

6:54pm April 19, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

The National Institutes of Health shut down some clinical trials and two production facilities over concerns that safety rules haven't been followed, but it says no patients appear to have been hurt.