Science

'Dark Archives' Explores The Use Of Human Skin In Bookbinding

3:34pm October 21, 2020

by Connor Goodwin

Megan Rosenbloom tells readers an adventurous tale of how her morbid curiosity brought her across an ocean to investigate the origins, motivations and techniques behind this macabre practice.

Lachlan Barilleau, 5, enjoys catching insects in his backyard in Central, near Baton Rouge, La.

Science

Living In Harm's Way: Why Most Flood Risk Is Not Disclosed

5:33pm October 20, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

About 15 million properties in the U.S. are prone to flooding, but patchwork and ineffective disclosure laws mean most people get little to no information about flood risk before they move.

Queue Listen Now

Recruiting patients for medical studies has been challenging during the pandemic, especially older people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

A Big Alzheimer's Drug Study Is Proceeding Cautiously Despite The Pandemic

4:15pm October 20, 2020

by Jon Hamilton

Researchers launched a major study of an experimental Alzheimer's drug this summer. They also learned a lot about how to protect participants who must make frequent visits to a medical center.

Queue Listen Now

Mental health advocates say 988, a simple three-digit number, will be easier for people to remember in the midst of a mental health emergency.

New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies

2:54pm October 20, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

President Trump has signed a bipartisan bill creating a three-digit hotline for mental health emergencies. Mental health advocates say it'll bring mental health crisis response into the 21st century.

Queue Listen Now

This mosaic image of asteroid Bennu is composed of 12 images collected on Dec. 2, 2018 by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from a range of 15 miles.

Science

If This NASA Spacecraft Can Avoid 'Mount Doom,' It Might Nab A Bit of Asteroid

6:20pm October 19, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

NASA is getting ready to collect its first sample from an asteroid ever. The rocks and dust could help us understand potentially dangerous space rocks and the history of the solar system.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture team tracked the Asian giant hornet for about an hour earlier this month, before losing her signal in a forest.

Science

Foiled Again: Murder Hornet Eludes Washington State Scientists

9:50pm October 17, 2020

An Asian giant hornet fell off researchers' radar during their latest attempt to find its nest. The team is racing to exterminate the invasive species before it devastates U.S. bee populations.

Queue Listen Now

Social workers know "compassion fatigue" is a risk of the job, and have learned ways stay healthy and empathetic.

Helping Hands Need A Break, Too: How To Lend Support Without Burning Out

7:00am October 17, 2020

These days, there are hundreds of reasons to open your heart to others, but it's easy to get exhausted. Try these tips honed by social workers for staying healthy and empathetic.

For eight years, a box of Twinkies sat in Colin Purrington's basement until last week when he finally opened them. Varying levels of mold had developed on the snack cakes, and he eventually sent them to two West Virginia University scientists to study the

A Disturbing Twinkie That Has, So Far, Defied Science

8:45am October 16, 2020

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A Twinkie stored in a basement for eight years has been transformed by fungi, giving scientists something unusual to ponder and probe.

Queue Listen Now

Jim Hudspeth: How Do We Hear — And How Do We Lose Our Ability To Hear?

7:49am October 16, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

Over 30 million people in the U.S. have hearing loss. Neuroscientist Jim Hudspeth explains how the ear's thousands of hair cells function to amplify sound—and how they can be damaged but not repaired.

Queue Listen Now

Rebecca Knill speaks at TED@WellsFargo, February 5, 2020, at the Knight Theater in Charlotte, NC. Photo: Ryan Lash / TED

Rebecca Knill: Technology Has Come So Far—When Will Our Mindset Catch-Up?

7:49am October 16, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

As a deaf person, Rebecca Knill is anti-noise and "neutral" on sound. She explains how technology allows her to hear what she wants to hear, and asks why our mindset about ability hasn't caught up.

Queue Listen Now