Science

These soybeans were damaged in 2017 by dicamba, a popular weedkiller that's prone to drifting into neighboring fields. Some farmers in the state are defying efforts by regulators to strictly limit use of the chemical.

Despite A Ban, Arkansas Farmers Are Still Spraying Controversial Weedkiller

2:47pm October 09, 2018

by Dan Charles

Many farmers are defying efforts by regulators to strictly limit the use of dicamba, a popular weedkiller that's prone to drifting into neighboring fields.

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As a counselor, Niasha Fray saw firsthand the obstacles black women face in breast cancer treatment. She's now program director of the Duke Center for Community and Population Health Improvement.

Why Are Black Women Less Likely To Stick With A Breast Cancer Follow-Up Treatment?

1:33pm October 09, 2018

by Mara Gordon

Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. One reason may be that they face economic and cultural barriers to taking the medications that can prevent recurrence.

What It Would Take To Avert The Dire Situation Described In The U.N. Climate Report

7:29pm October 08, 2018

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Andrew Jones of the nonprofit Climate Interactive about why he thinks people should fight to reverse the climate change trend, despite recent bleak projections.

Co-Author Of United Nations' Climate Report Discusses Group's Findings

5:35pm October 08, 2018

The United Nations' scientific panel released a report that paints a dire picture of the world in 2040. NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with one of the co-authors, Professor William Solecki.

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Ancient Maya ruins at Tikal in northern Guatemala, near the border with Belize. Researcher Heather McKillop explains that Maya sites like Tikal could have been popular marketplaces to trade salt and other commodities.

Ancient Maya: Astrologists, Farmers ... And Salt Entrepreneurs?

3:00pm October 08, 2018

by Rachel D. Cohen

Evidence from a site in Belize shows the Maya not only had large-scale salt-producing operations along the coast, they were also using salt to preserve fish for their extensive trade networks.

Smog blankets Santiago, Chile, in June. A U.N. report warns that even a 1.5-degree C increase in global temperatures will cause serious changes to weather, sea levels, agriculture and natural eco-systems.

Climate Report Warns Of Extreme Weather, Displacement of Millions Without Action

12:58pm October 08, 2018

by Christopher Joyce

A scientific panel, convened by the U.N., lays out a challenging path to keep the global climate from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius — the red line for dangerous consequences.

Some apps, like CBT-I Coach, use proven scientific methods to help people manage their underlying sleep challenges.

Some Apps May Help Curb Insomnia, Others Just Put You To Sleep

5:13am October 08, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

People struggling with insomnia often turn to apps to help them fall asleep. But scientists say only some apps use proven methods that can help address the underlying causes of sleeplessness.

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Science

How Fruit Became So Sugary

8:07am October 07, 2018

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with food journalist Frederick Kaufman about how humans have bred fruit to be more sugary.

Sans Forgetica: A Font To Remember

7:57am October 06, 2018

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with typography lecturer Stephen Banham of RMIT University about a new font he helped develop to assist people in remembering what they've read.

Science

Anil Seth: How Does Your Brain Construct Your Conscious Reality?

10:48am October 05, 2018

by NPR/TED Staff

When we look around, it feels like we're seeing an objective reality. But neuroscientist Anil Seth says everything we perceive, from objects to emotions, is an act of informed guesswork by the brain.

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