Science

COVID Cases Finally Are Falling. Experts Worry Variants Could Erase That Fast

8:01am February 06, 2021

by Rob Stein

The Biden administration must do more to identify and track three fast-spreading mutations of the COVID-19 virus, researchers say. Clearer CDC guidelines for masks and reopening would help too.

Africa's Hit Science Show For Kids Is Coming To The U.S.

10:48am February 05, 2021

by Amy Fallon

African TV execs say it's unlike any show for kids that's been produced and broadcast on the continent — especially with its focus on women presenters and scientists.

Science

Lucy Cooke: How Did Slowness Become The Sloth's Secret To Survival?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

It's easy to see why sloths have become icons of laziness. But zoologist Lucy Cooke says behind their leisurely pace is a marvelous evolutionary advantage that is the secret to their survival.

Queue Listen Now

Nagin Cox speaks at TEDxBeaconStreet 2016. Photo: John Werner http://www.johnwernerphotography.com/Commnuity/TEDxBeaconStreetPix/TEDxBeaconStreet-2016

Science

Nagin Cox: What Does Time On Mars Teach Us About Time On Earth?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

NASA engineer Nagin Cox lives on Earth but works on Mars time, where days are longer and time works differently. Her work with the rovers has entirely changed the way she thinks about time on Earth.

Queue Listen Now

Matt Walker speaks at TED2019: Bigger Than Us. April 15 - 19, 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED

Matthew Walker: Why Is It Essential To Make Time For Sleep?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

Sleep is crucial for our health — and there are alarming consequences when we don't get enough. Matthew Walker explores the many benefits of a full night of sleep, and how to make sleep a priority.

Queue Listen Now

A dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in New York, 2020. Johnson & Johnson is the third vaccine candidate to apply for emergency use authorization from the FDA. The vaccine requires a single dose and doesn't require ultra-cold temperatures for storage.

Johnson & Johnson Applies For Emergency Use Authorization For COVID-19 Vaccine

8:47pm February 04, 2021

by Dustin Jones

The company's vaccine has shown to be 85% effective against severe forms of the disease. Patients will only need to receive one shot instead of two, as with other vaccines already in use in the U.S.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says President Biden told him from the outset: "We're going to make some mistakes along the way. We're going to stumble a bit. And when that happens, we're not going to blame anybody. We're just going to fix it.

Dr. Fauci On Vaccinations And Biden's 'Refreshing' Approach To COVID-19

2:03pm February 04, 2021

by Terry Gross

The administration is in its early days, but the infectious disease expert says he's encouraged by the new president's attitude about the pandemic. Science, Fauci says, is "going to rule."

Queue Listen Now

Long lines and computer isues are making it more difficult for some people to get the vaccine. These Floridians hope to snag one of 800 doses available at a vaccine site in Fort Myers.

'Just Cruel': Digital Race For COVID-19 Vaccines Leaves Many Seniors Behind

12:38pm February 04, 2021

by Will Stone

Glitchy websites, jammed phone lines and long lines outside clinics are complicating the vaccine rollout. And older Americans and those without caregivers and computer skills are at a disadvantage.

What Role Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine Will Play In Ending The Pandemic

4:36pm February 03, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Judy Twigg, a political scientist with Virginia Commonwealth University, about Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and the role it will play in ending the pandemic.

Queue Listen Now

A technician adjusts the oxygen tanks for medical use at a Columbia University field hospital in April of 2020. The surging waves of cases of COVID-19 around the U.S. have led to shifting surges in demand by hospitals for extra oxygen.

Oxygen Industry Scrambles To Keep U.S. Patients With COVID-19 Breathing

2:59pm February 03, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

Supply shortages of oxygen for hospitals have plagued many countries, but the U.S. has averted the most dire — partly because the industry figured out new ways to share resources and anticipate needs.

Queue Listen Now