Research News

Romanesco broccoli, as seen by a 3.2 billion pixel camera. Scientists chose to take a picture of the broccoli because of its fractal shape.

Science

California Scientists Build A Camera To Take Pictures Of Huge Swath Of Sky

7:54am September 09, 2020

by Joe Palca

Scientists and engineers in California are building a unique 3.2 billion pixel camera for a telescope under construction in Chile. The camera has taken its first test pictures — of broccoli.

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COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Paused, Due To Illness In One Volunteer

9:43pm September 08, 2020

by Joe Palca

A large study of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been put on hold after one of the volunteers became ill.

An STS-125 crew member onboard the space shuttle Atlantis snaps a still photo of the Hubble Space Telescope following grapple of the giant observatory by the shuttle.

Science

The Hubble Space Telescope Still Works Great — Except When It Doesn't

1:39pm September 08, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

None of us is perfect, and sometimes the Hubble Space Telescope just flat-out points to the wrong spot in the sky. This has been happening more than ever in the last couple of years.

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A recent survey found 62% of people in the U.S. with anorexia experienced a worsening of symptoms after the pandemic hit. And nearly a third of Americans with binge-eating disorder, which is far more common, reported an increase in episodes.

Eating Disorders Thrive In Anxious Times, And Pose A Lethal Threat

10:06am September 08, 2020

by Yuki Noguchi

Eating disorders strike nearly 1 in 10 Americans, with the second-highest death rate of all psychiatric disorders. The pandemic's food insecurity, stockpiling and stress are triggering flare-ups.

Science

Researchers Find A Drug That Could Allow Astronauts Spend Years In Space

4:46pm September 07, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

An experimental drug let mice spend a month in the International Space Station's near-zero gravity without losing mass. It could help people spend years in space without major health consequences.

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Researchers Say Fresh Air Can Prevent Aerosol Transmission Of The Coronavirus

4:27pm September 07, 2020

by Pien Huang

There's increasing evidence that the coronavirus can linger and spread through the air in crowded indoor rooms. Researchers say infectious clouds can be dispersed with fresh air.

Young Voter Engagement In This Year's Election

5:17pm September 05, 2020

NPR's Michel Martin explores how young voters may impact November's election with researcher Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg.

This negative-stained transmission electron micrograph depicts the ultrastructural details of an influenza virus particle, or virion.

Flu Season Looms And Scientists Wonder How Flu And COVID-19 Might Mix

7:55pm September 03, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

There's a lot that scientists don't know about how viral infections can interact. But researchers are eager to figure out how coronavirus infections might affect flu infections and vice versa.

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Science

Study: How The Power Of Facebook And Google Affects Local Communities

5:49am September 03, 2020

NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Pat Garofalo of the American Economic Liberties Project, about the progressive group's study indicating Facebook and Google are harming local journalism.

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Patients with a fast-progressing form of ALS who got daily doses of an experimental two-drug combination called AMX0035 scored higher on a standard measure of function than patients who didn't get the drug.

Drug Combination Slows Progression Of ALS And Could Mark 'New Era' In Treatment

7:44pm September 02, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists say new drugs are on the way for patients with ALS. The latest is a two-drug combo that appears to slow the progression of the fatal nerve disease with a modest but meaningful benefit.

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