Research News

A blue whale (and human diver) swimming off the coast of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, in April 2011.

Earwax From Whales Keeps Record Of Ocean Contaminants

8:07am March 20, 2014

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Layers of wax in the marine mammals' ears can be read like tree rings, scientists say, recording a whale's age and also information about pollutants in the water the whale swam through.

Queue Listen Now

The botulism toxin comes from Clostridium botulinum bacteria, seen here in a colorized micrograph.

Why Scientists Held Back Details On A Unique Botulinum Toxin

3:51pm March 18, 2014

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Journals usually require researchers to reveal genetic sequences for a toxin that is the subject of a scientific paper. The requirement was waived for a new botulinum toxin because of security risks.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Ripples In Space Could Point To The Universe's Beginnings

5:24am March 18, 2014

by Geoff Brumfiel

Physicists say they've discovered a faint signal from just moments after the universe began. If confirmed, it could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos. But not everyone is convinced.

Queue Listen Now

Science

The '60s Are Gone, But Psychedelic Research Trip Continues

10:00am March 10, 2014

by NPR Staff

Since the 1970s, hallucinogens have been classified as Schedule I drugs, indicating they have no medical use. But researchers say there are benefits and that work must continue.

Queue Listen Now

Military Conflict Decisions: Why Weakness Leads To Aggression

9:59am March 10, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

Can a behavioral economics theory explain military standoffs such as the one in Crimea? Research on military conflicts shows that weakness, not strength, often leads to aggression.

Queue Listen Now

Researchers Debate Effectiveness Of Snow Helmets

7:43am February 26, 2014

by Fred Bever

More Americans are wearing safety helmets when they ski or snowboard. The helmets prove their worth in preventing relatively minor injuries, and may help to reduce the severity of brain injuries.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Are More Eccentric Artists Perceived As Better Artists?

9:29am February 21, 2014

A study finds part of the reason people love Lady Gaga and Vincent Van Gogh is that these are very eccentric artists, and people have strong, unconscious stereotypes that eccentric artists are better.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Study: Stereotypes Drive Perceptions Of Race

2:27pm February 11, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

Governments, schools and companies keep track of your race. The statistics are used to track the proportion of blacks and whites who graduate from school. They tell us how many people identify themselves as Native American or Asian. They help us measure health disparities. But there's a problem with all those statistics — and the deeper way we think about race.

Queue Listen Now

The world's biggest trees, such as this large Scots pine in Spain's Sierra de Baza range, are also the world's fastest-growing trees, according to an analysis of 403 tree species spanning six continents.

An Old Tree Doesn't Get Taller, But Bulks Up Like A Bodybuilder

9:12am January 17, 2014

by Richard Harris

An aging tree's girth is good for the planet, scientists say, because it helps it suck more carbon dioxide out of the air. "It's as if, on your favorite sports team, you find out the star players are a bunch of 90-year-olds," one ecologist says.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Study: Mass Shootings Are On The Rise Across U.S.

10:21am January 10, 2014

David Greene talks to criminologist J. Pete Blair of Texas State University, and Terry Nichols of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, about a new study showing a dramatic increase in mass shootings in the U.S. since 2008.

Queue Listen Now