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A/B Testing Goes Mainstream: Used By Stores, Campaigns, Even Schools

5:47am December 29, 2015

by Steve Henn

As our world moves more and more into the digital realm, industries that used to be aligned with art and craft are becoming more scientific. Design in particular is increasingly done by the numbers.

Gene Editing Tool Hailed As A Breakthrough, And It Really Is One

6:48pm December 28, 2015

by Joe Palca

A tool for modifying genes is spreading through the biomedical research world like wildfire. As part of the series Joe's Big Idea, NPR's Joe Palca explores why CRISPR-Cas9 is becoming indispensable.

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The harmless mite Demodex folliculorum, seen here in an electron microscope image, lives in the follicles of eyelashes.

Our Parasites And Vermin Reveal Secrets Of Human History

12:08pm December 24, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

The mites that live on our faces may help reveal where our ancestors came from. It wouldn't be the first time that creepy crawlies have revealed something more than skin deep about the human past.

Millet isn't just one grain but, rather, a ragbag group of small-seeded grasses. Hardy, gluten-free and nutritious, millet has become an "it" grain in recent years.

Science

Millet: How A Trendy Ancient Grain Turned Nomads Into Farmers

6:13pm December 23, 2015

by Jeremy Cherfas

Hardy, nutritious and gluten-free, millet has become an "it" grain in recent years. Research reveals our ancestors relied on it: Millet was central to the rise of agriculture and farming communities.

A critic says filing for FDA approval to exclusively sell a drug that's been available for years is "akin to trying to patent a ladder." It also may push the price of the drug beyond the reach of many patients.

FDA Approval Could Turn A Free Drug For A Rare Disease Pricey

10:26am December 23, 2015

by Alison Kodjak

Jacobus Pharmaceutical freely gives its experimental drug to patients with a rare disease. Now a rival wants FDA approval to sell its own version — and expects to charge at least $37,500 per year.

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Age takes a toll on our internal clocks.

As Aging Brain's Internal Clock Fades, A New Timekeeper May Kick In

2:51pm December 22, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Everyone has a set of genes that keeps the body on a 24-hour rhythm. As we get older, though, the main clock can malfunction. Researchers say a backup clock may try to compensate.

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Minority Teens May Need An Extra Vitamin D Boost

2:28pm December 22, 2015

by Tara Haelle

It's hard for anyone to get enough of the sunshine vitamin in the wintry North, and dark-skinned teens may be especially prone to a deficiency, doctors find. A weekly supplement can help.

Science

How Emotional Responses To Terrorism Shape Attitudes Toward Policies

11:28am December 22, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Scientists have been studying reactions to terrorist events, and how those reactions shape public policy. They found emotional response to terror attacks is often out of proportion to actual risk.

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"Our main conclusion was really that there is something about punctuation that seems to be used and understood in a different way than text messages," professor Celia Klin says.

Science

You Should Watch The Way You Punctuate Your Text Messages — Period

5:14am December 21, 2015

by NPR Staff

These days, every character counts — nowhere more than at the end of your text messages. Researchers have found that punctuating a text with a period can make it seem as if you're being insincere.

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Robin Wright's fictional character Claire Underwood in the Netflix series House of Cards is a favorite of TV critics and fans. But the demographics of real U.S. women who have abortions are very different from the TV character's.

On TV, Women Who Have Abortions Are Younger, Whiter And Wealthier

11:38am December 18, 2015

by Lisa Aliferis

An analysis of TV shows finds that fictional characters getting abortions are better off than the average American who has an abortion, and are also less likely to already be raising children.