Science

Geology enthusiasts gather at a (formerly) noteworthy curb in Hayward, Calif., in May 2012. The curb was once straight; the shifting Hayward Fault pulled it apart.

California Town Fixes Crooked Curb, Breaks Geologists' Hearts

9:09pm July 06, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

A misaligned curb in Hayward, Calif., was a popular destination for geology field trips. For decades it had reflected the shift of a major fault in the San Francisco area. But it has lost its appeal.

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In California, Fixing A Curb Destroyed The 'Holy Grail Of Seismology'

6:34pm July 06, 2016

One curb in Hayward, Calif., has been shifting for decades. David Schwartz, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, describes how fixing the curb has affected the geology community.

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Researchers Examine Why Tylenol Affects Empathy

7:58am July 06, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Nearly one quarter of all Americans reach for a bottle of Tylenol every week to take the edge off a headache, fever or toothache. Experiments suggest it might also have another effect on you.

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'The New York Times' Investigates An Ailing Clean Coal Project

6:38pm July 05, 2016

The Kemper Project is an electrical generating station currently under construction in Kemper County, Miss. The plant has been held up as a model of the Obama administration's efforts to promote new, clean energy technologies, but the project is two years behind schedule, still not operational, and more than $4 billion over budget. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Ian Urbina of The New York Times about the Kemper Project and the administration's clean energy policy.

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20 Years Ago, A Cloned Sheep Named Dolly Was Born

4:53pm July 05, 2016

Twenty years ago today, the world's first cloned mammal was born — a sheep named Dolly.

Planetary scientists have many worlds they'd like to visit, including Saturn's moon Titan, which has lakes of liquid methane on its surface.

What Comes Next For NASA After Juno? Not Much

4:53pm July 05, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Enjoy Juno's trip to Jupiter — after that we'll see a little gap in planetary science missions from the U.S. That's because a NASA budget crunch several years ago left fewer missions in the pipeline.

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NASA's Juno Probe Enters Jupiter's Orbit

4:30pm July 05, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Fran Bagenal, a member of the science team on NASA's historic Juno mission to Jupiter.

News Assistant Max Nesterak tries to quit smoking using social science research.

Can Social Science Help You Quit Smoking For Good?

12:10am July 05, 2016

by NPR Staff

One of Hidden Brain's producers tries to quit smoking using three interventions drawn from social science research.

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When it named this mission, NASA acknowledged its difficulty. Juno was a Roman goddess, the agency notes, "who was Jupiter's wife, and who could also see through clouds."

By Jove: NASA Set To Put Juno Craft Into Jupiter's Orbit Monday Night

2:54pm July 04, 2016

by Bill Chappell

"It's getting very real," says a leader of the mission to put a spacecraft into orbit around the large planet whose radiation and dust particles pose dangerous challenges.

Women go through a lot in the delivery of a healthy baby. But in most cases, doctors say, an episiotomy needn't be part of the experience.

Episiotomies Still Common During Childbirth Despite Advice To Do Fewer

8:00am July 04, 2016

by Jocelyn Wiener

Overall rates of the surgical snip have declined nationally in the past decade. But, despite advice, some hospitals and certain doctors still routinely cut the vagina to ease a baby's birth.