Research News

Hunter-Gatherers Don't Get More Sleep Than We Do, Study Finds

9:02pm October 15, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A new study shows people living in hunter-gatherer societies don't get any more sleep than people in the more modern world, despite living without TVs, computers, cell phones and other electronic distractions.

Queue Listen Now

Up Late? Looks Like Our Paleo Ancestors Didn't Sleep Much Either

4:03pm October 15, 2015

by Angus Chen

It's tempting to think that our forebears got lots of blissful snooze time. But modern-day hunter-gatherers aren't getting more than 6.5 hours a night, researchers say. And that's without smartphones.

Dietary Supplements Send Thousands To ERs Yearly

6:42pm October 14, 2015

by Rob Stein

More than 23,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms each year after taking dietary supplements, an analysis shows. Most cases are linked to weight-loss products or energy-boosting supplements.

Queue Listen Now

The Ebola virus can linger in the semen of male survivors for up to nine months.

How Long Can Ebola Linger In The Semen Of Male Survivors?

5:59pm October 14, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

New research finds that the virus can be present far longer than expected — and that there could be a continuing risk of transmission through sexual contact.

Using an instrument they've named the HOLODEC, for Holographic Detector for Clouds, scientists can now see in fine detail the way air and water droplets mix at a cloud's wispiest edge.

What's At The Edge Of A Cloud?

4:07pm October 14, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists soared through clouds with a new instrument that takes 3-D pictures of the edge. What they learned about the size and density of droplets surprised them and might lead to better forecasts.

Queue Listen Now

Researcher Hunter Gehlbach found that helping students and teachers find things in common improved academic outcomes.

In The Classroom, Common Ground Can Transform GPAs

9:50am October 14, 2015

by NPR Staff

The Hidden Brain podcast explores the connections between students and teachers. It turns out finding things in common between pupils and instructors could be a tool for closing the achievement gap.

Queue Listen Now

A new study published in the <em>Annals of Internal Medicine</em> adds to the evidence that drinking a moderate amount of wine can be good for your health.

A Glass Of Wine A Day May Help Control Type-2 Diabetes

9:25am October 14, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that a glass of red wine with dinner lowers blood sugar and improves cholesterol among people with diabetes.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Two Scientists Launch A Dark Room Experiment To Cure Lazy Eye

10:17am October 11, 2015

Several years ago, two scientists locked themselves in a light-free room for a week to test a treatment they believed could cure amblyopia, or lazy eye. Now, they're recruiting more people to try it.

Queue Listen Now

Only about a third of U.S. hospitals offer women breast-feeding help after they leave the hospital, according to report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hospitals Still Don't Give Moms Enough Support For Breast-Feeding

1:39pm October 08, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Although an increasing number of U.S. hospitals and other birthing centers now encourage women to breast-feed and teach them how, other common practices by staff can hinder moms from sticking with it.

Two Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize In Physics For Neutrinos Discoveries

7:01pm October 07, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

Arthur McDonald of Canada and Takaaki Kajita of Japan were awarded Nobel Prize in Physics Tuesday for discovering that subatomic particles called neutrinos can switch from one kind to another. NPR has more about the win and how it could change physics in a big way.

Queue Listen Now