Research News

An artist's rendering of DNA double helix molecules and chromosomes.

Critics Lash Out At Chinese Scientists Who Edited DNA In Human Embryos

12:34pm April 24, 2015

by Rob Stein

By editing the genes in embryos in the lab, Chinese scientists showed that it's possible to change hereditary traits that cause a blood disorder. But the work also created unintended mutations.

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A color-enhanced cerebral MRI showing a glioma tumor.

Thoughts Can Fuel Some Deadly Brain Cancers

7:03pm April 23, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

A doctor-scientist's long quest to help children with a rare form of brain cancer has led to the discovery that high levels of brain activity can make glioma tumors grow faster.

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3-D Printers Are Changing The Way People Think About Manufacturing

9:52am April 22, 2015

by Joe Palca

At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, the future of manufacturing is taking shape. At the lab, 3D printers offer some unique design opportunities as well as interesting challenges.

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NPR intern Poncie Rutsch takes a crack at making a big sound.

Why Knuckles Crack

9:39pm April 21, 2015

by Rob Stein

A little MRI video seems to settle the decades-old debate about that loud pop of the joints: It's all about bubbles. But imagine an air bag inflating, not the bursting of a balloon.

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Setting The Record Straight On The Phrase 'Gateway Drug'

7:08pm April 20, 2015

Denise Kandel coined the term, often associated with marijuana, in a research paper 40 years ago. But her work suggested nicotine, not pot, was most likely to lead to the use of harder drugs.

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Students' Work Ethic Affected By Peer Groups, Desire To Be Popular

3:57pm April 20, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Teachers can become frustrated when students don't seem to try hard when it comes to schoolwork. There's a surprising explanation of why some students might not be putting their best effort forward.

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Science

Why Handsome Men May Be At A Disadvantage When It Comes To Hiring

7:49am April 20, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Researchers have known that beautiful people have advantages. But experiments find that in many hiring and evaluation decisions, being a good looking man can be a distinct disadvantage.

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Young schoolgirls receive new notebooks and textbooks at a refugee camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. Many girls in Pakistan still don't receive an education.

See Priya Cook: Gender Bias Pervades Textbooks Worldwide

11:07am April 19, 2015

by Maanvi Singh

In almost every corner of the world, women are either completely written out of school books, or they're portrayed in stereotypical, subservient roles, a report says. What will it take to fix this?

Science

Gazing Into Those Puppy-Dog Eyes May Actually Be Good For You

6:25pm April 18, 2015

by Geoff Brumfiel

Gazing into your dog's eyes apparently triggers happy feelings in both parties - suggesting that dogs really may love us back. (This piece originally aired on All Things Considered on April 16, 2015.)

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Science

Why Is Condom-Use Suddenly Dropping Among College Sophomores?

8:28pm April 17, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Research at multiple universities shows the decline in safe sex is concentrated among students from low-income families. But why are these students less likely to practice safe sex?

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