Solved: The Mystery Of The Bearded Chickens
Hip humans aren't the only ones growing outrageous facial hair. Some chickens do, too. And now, geneticists in China have discovered the cause.
Science
Insect Named For Ruth Bader Ginsburg Is Step Toward Equality Of The 6-Legged Sexes
A newly identified praying mantis species, Ilomantis ginsburgae, is named for the Supreme Court justice. The species is also — unusually — identified by traits specific to the female, not the male.
Bats In The Bedroom Can Spread Rabies Without An Obvious Bite
When a Wyoming woman fell ill, no one suspected that she could have rabies from a bat in her bedroom. Health officials say sleeping in a room with a bat is a rabies risk because bites are hard to see.
Duke Researchers Discover A New Class Of Pain Reliever
Researchers at Duke University have discovered a potential new class of pain relievers that could someday treat patients with a variety of conditions more effectively.
Bad Day? An Astrophysicist Explains Why 'It Just Doesn't Matter'
One of the things that being an astrophysicist has given Adam Frank is real perspective. You think your day is bad? Your smallness should make you realize it just doesn't matter, since we're such a small speck in the universe.
Digging Up The Roots Of Modern Waste In Victorian-Era Rubbish
Some archaeologists excavate Roman ruins. Others dig up garbage. In England, a project is underway to study what people threw out in Victorian times, to learn about the start of the consumer era.
She's A Man-Eater, And That's OK With Male Orb-Weaving Spiders
Usually in nature, the females choose the males they mate with. But researchers say a type of male orb-weaving spider selects the female — which will cannibalize him afterward.
Doctor Outlines Plan To Battle Antibiotic Resistance In 'The Washington Post'
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Ezekiel Emanuel, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, about his opinion piece in the Washington Post that argues the cheap price of antibiotics has led to their overuse and has also discouraged drug companies from developing new antibiotics.
Study: Judges Treat Juveniles Of The Same Race As Themselves More Harshly
Researchers studying racial bias examined juvenile court cases between 1996 and 2012 and found judges are more likely to send juveniles of their own race to jail and for longer sentences.
Details On Death Certificates Offer Layers Of Clues To Opioid Epidemic
Deaths from opioid overdoses are on the rise, and we know that because of data on death certificates. States determine who fills them out and what information they record. And that can vary widely.