Science

Freshwater shrimp from the species Gammarus pulex like this one, collected in Suffolk County in the U.K., were found to have traces of cocaine.

Traces Of Cocaine, Pesticides Detected In U.K. Shrimp

8:26pm May 02, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

Scientists collected freshwater shrimp at 15 locations in Suffolk. Shrimp from all of the sites were found to have detectable amounts of cocaine, and many had other drugs or pesticides.

Decoding Da Vinci

4:12pm May 02, 2019

Happy death day to the illustrious painter and inventor.

'Hacking Darwin' Explores Genetic Engineering — And What It Means To Be Human

11:54am May 02, 2019

by Marcelo Gleiser

The waters of genetic meddling are murky; in a new book, technology futurist Jamie Metzl reviews where we've been in the past as a guideline for where we might be headed.

Psychiatry's shift toward seeing mental health problems as an illness to be treated with a pill hasn't always served patients well, says Harvard historian and author Anne Harrington.

How Drug Companies Helped Shape A Shifting, Biological View Of Mental Illness

8:43am May 02, 2019

by Terry Gross

Mind Fixers, by historian Anne Harrington, takes a hard look at the ways the marketing of a new pill to treat a mental disorder can change the way the condition is defined and treated.

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A view of the state capitol in Montgomery, Ala. A sweeping abortion bill passed the state House Tuesday, and is expected to win final passage in the Republican majority Senate.

Alabama Lawmakers Move To Outlaw Abortion In Challenge To Roe V. Wade

11:36pm May 01, 2019

by Debbie Elliott

The House overwhelmingly passed a bill Tuesday that could become the country's most restrictive abortion ban. It would make it a crime for doctors to perform abortions at any stage of a pregnancy.

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The Xiahe mandible was originally found in 1980 in Baishiya Karst Cave. Researchers say the bone is 160,000 years old and came from a Denisovan.

Denisovans, A Mysterious Kind Of Ancient Humans, Are Traced to Tibet

11:36pm May 01, 2019

by Christopher Joyce

Until now, the only Denisovan remains came from a cave in Siberia. The new find is "much more complete," one expert says.

Sorting Out Plastics At The Grocery Store

11:46am May 01, 2019

by Rebecca Davis

Every visit to the grocery store it seems we're faced with more and more plastic packaging. We visit a grocery store with a recycling expert who has some tips.

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Once it is safe to remove the spent fuel from the pool, it's stored outside in metal casks. They are lined up on a concrete base, behind razor wire and against a hillside near the power plant.

As Nuclear Waste Piles Up, Private Companies Pitch New Ways To Store It

11:48am April 30, 2019

by Jeff Brady

Nuclear power plants around the country are running out of room to store spent fuel. Federal plans for a permanent disposal site are stalled, so private companies come up with their own solutions.

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MMR — the modern combination vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella — provides stronger, longer-lasting protection against measles than the stand-alone measles vaccine typically given in the U.S. in the early 1960s.

Measles Shots Aren't Just For Kids: Many Adults Could Use A Booster Too

7:31pm April 29, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

With U.S. measles cases at record highs, doctors say adults who got vaccinated prior to 1968 should consider getting revaccinated to make sure they and their neighbors are protected.

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The Jasons, a group of scientists who advise the U.S. government, have developed technologies such as a laser that can help reduce atmospheric distortion. The Air Force uses it to better photograph passing spy satellites.

After Pentagon Ends Contract, Top-Secret Scientists Group Vows To Carry On

10:22pm April 25, 2019

by Geoff Brumfiel

The 60 or so members of the Jasons are normal academics by day. But each summer, they come together to study tough problems for the military, intelligence agencies and other parts of the government.

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