Science

Martin Luther King, Jr., photographed in 1961.

The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger

5:08pm February 20, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Martin Luther King Jr. dealt with anger in both his personal life and life's work. He often tried to turn his anger into constructive action, but he did occasionally struggle with that balance.

Genetically modified "gene drive" mosquitoes feed on warm cow's blood. Scientists hope these mosquitoes could help eradicate malaria.

Scientists Release Controversial Genetically Modified Mosquitoes In High-Security Lab

12:10pm February 20, 2019

by Rob Stein

The insects were created, using CRISPR, to carry a powerful "gene drive." The mosquitoes could provide a potent weapon against malaria, but they raise fears about unpredictable environmental effects.

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Chinese scientist He Jiankui speaks at a human genome editing summit in Hong Kong on Nov. 28, 2018. He announced an experiment on twins that raised a range of ethical questions and prompted China's government to vow to punish him.

Gene-Editing Scientist's 'Actions Are A Product Of Modern China'

4:26pm February 19, 2019

by Rob Schmitz

Chinese experts say the country's economic, social and political environment played a major role in shaping He Jiankui, the scientist who led controversial research altering the DNA of human embryos.

Science

Israel Heads To The Moon

7:30am February 18, 2019

by Brendan Byrne

A spacecraft named Beresheet is set to be Israel's first spacecraft to land on the moon. It came about because Israeli scientists lost a contest — but continued with the work anyway.

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Science

There's A Gap Between Perception And Reality When It Comes To Learning

7:30am February 18, 2019

by Shankar Vedantam

Increasingly, people feel they can master tasks simply by watching instructional videos like the kind you find on YouTube. But sometimes the gap between perception and reality can be deep and wide.

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Their research is still in early stages, but Kristin Myers (left), a mechanical engineer, and Dr. Joy Vink, an OB-GYN, both at Columbia University, have already learned that cervical tissue is a more complicated mix of material than doctors ever realized.

Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer

7:30am February 18, 2019

by Alison Kodjak

Remarkably little is known about the fundamentals of how a woman carries a baby inside her. Two Columbia University researchers aim to change that, to reduce the number of kids born too soon.

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NASA astronaut Anne McClain, attends her final exam at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Centre outside Moscow on Nov. 14, 2018.

Science

'Every Day Is A Good Day When You're Floating': Anne McClain Talks Life In Space

1:34pm February 17, 2019

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Kindergartners from Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C., help NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro field questions to McClain, who's an astronaut serving on the International Space Station.

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Science

Volunteers Fight Bad Science

8:12am February 17, 2019

James Heathers is a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University, who looks for mistakes for fun. He speaks to NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks about errors published in scientific papers.

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An American coot flies over Brooklyn's Prospect Park Lake on Feb. 5.

Science

Talkin' Birds: The Great Backyard Bird Count

7:07am February 17, 2019

Bird lovers around the world are counting birds this weekend for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which provides valuable data for avian research.

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An artist's concept shows a NASA Mars exploration rover on the surface of Mars. The twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity were launched in 2003 and arrived at sites on Mars in January 2004.

Science

Opinion: Good Night Oppy, A Farewell To NASA's Mars Rover

8:00pm February 16, 2019

by Scott Simon

NASA's admission this week that the agency has lost contact with a Mars rover brings an end to a compelling story of usefulness and resilience.

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