Science

A woman wears a face shield to protect against COVID-19 at a taxi stand in Soweto, South Africa, where an omicron variant is causing a COVID-19 surge.

If you've had omicron before, are you safe from infection by the new variants?

7:09pm May 04, 2022

by Michaeleen Doucleff

New versions of omicron are circulating in the United States and South Africa. Two new studies shed light on the potential for future surges — and the risk factor if you've already had omicron.

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NASA's Perseverance rover took this "selfie" next to a rock where it drilled for samples. NASA wants to bring samples collected by this rover back to Earth.

Science

NASA is bringing rocks back from Mars, but what if those samples contain alien life?

12:58pm May 04, 2022

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

NASA and the European Space Agency are gearing up to bring home a pristine sample of Martian rock. But given the small chance of life on the red planet, they have to grapple with safety questions.

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Even when IVF is covered by insurance, high bills, surprises and hassles abound

5:00am May 04, 2022

by Phil Galewitz

Only 15 states require insurance to cover in vitro fertilization, a pricey path to parenthood. But expensive procedures and drugs can lead to unexpected bills even for the fortunate who are insured.

Google doodle honoring inventor Elijah McCoy.

Google honors the Black inventor who likely inspired the phrase 'the real McCoy'

5:46pm May 02, 2022

by Joe Hernandez

Elijah McCoy, the revolutionary Black inventor who was born 178 years ago today, came up with an idea for an automatic lubricator that kept engines oiled while they ran.

Why it took nearly 100 years for umami to be globally accepted as a distinct flavor

4:37pm May 02, 2022

A Japanese chemist identified umami in the early 1900s, but it took a century for his work to be translated into English. NPR's Short Wave podcast looked into why it took so long to be recognized.

A Colorado inmate involved in the culling of poultry at a farm as part of a pre-release program has the first human case of avian flu in the United States. Here, cage-free chickens walk in a fenced pasture at an organic farm near Waukon, Iowa, in October

The first human case of avian flu in the U.S. is reported in Colorado

4:02pm April 29, 2022

by Rina Torchinsky

The patient, an inmate in a pre-release program, was involved in culling poultry presumptively infected with H5N1 bird flu at a farm. The virus, while deadly for birds, poses a low risk to humans.

Oyster harvester Johny Jurisich empties a dredge filled with oysters onto his boat near Texas City, Texas.

Oyster reefs in Texas are disappearing. Fishermen there fear their jobs will too

11:31am April 29, 2022

by Katie Watkins

Texas closed most public oyster reefs for harvesting, dealing a blow to the fishing industry. "It's taken a big toll on me," says Johny Jurisich, whose family has worked in the business for decades.

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A border collie in northern England chases after a flock of sheep to herd them. A new study finds that only about 9% of the variation in an individual dog's behavior can be explained by its breed.

Science

Your dog is a good boy, but that's not necessarily because of its breed

7:41pm April 28, 2022

by Becky Sullivan

A new study based on thousands of DNA sequences and owner surveys finds that less than 10% of a dog's behavior — like howling, herding or retrieving — can be explained by its breed.

Is sucking carbon from the air the key to stop climate change? Some scientists say so

5:27pm April 28, 2022

by Lauren Sommer

With the climate getting hotter, scientists are finding that cutting fossil fuels may not be enough. Carbon dioxide emissions may need to be vacuumed right out of the air.

Moderna says its vaccine appears to be about 51 percent effective for children ages 6 months to less than 2 years, and 37 percent effective for those ages 2 to less than 6 years.

Moderna asks FDA to authorize first COVID-19 vaccine for very young children

7:00am April 28, 2022

by Rob Stein

The company says a low-dose version of its vaccine triggers an immune response in children ages 6 months to less than 6 years equivalent to what has protected older children and adults.