Science

'You Are Getting Sleepy,' Said The Scientist To The Fruit Fly

12:45pm May 19, 2016

by Bret Stetka

Research on sleep-deprived fruit flies identified specific brain cells that can trigger sleep. The finding of these sleep circuits in insects could help scientists better understand human insomnia.

Brad Duerstock demonstrates the RoboDesk.

For Wheelchair Users, A RoboDesk For Electronic Devices

12:11pm May 19, 2016

by Stan Jastrzebski

An Indiana inventor hopes his tray mount will help bridge gaps in education tech and eliminate some of the stigma associated with coming to class in a wheelchair.

Guy Davies, an inspector of the Florida Division of Plant Industry, shows an orange that is showing signs of "citrus greening." The disease is caused by a bacterium carried by the Asian citrus psyllid.

Can A Tiny Wasp Save The Citrus Industry?

10:52pm May 18, 2016

by Amanda Solliday

Citrus greening, spread by a ravenous pest, has destroyed millions of acres of fruit and cost billions in damage. Fortunately, these pernicious peewees are prime prey for another parasitic predator.

Gerald Franklin, who was diagnosed with autism as a child, is now lead developer for a website that matches workers with prospective employers. Job-related videos, he says, can help people with special needs showcase their talent.

Autism Can Be An Asset In The Workplace, Employers And Workers Find

8:47pm May 18, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

Roughly 40 percent of young adults with autism spectrum disorder aren't finding jobs. But some employers are now recruiting adults on the spectrum as an untapped talent pool of focused workers.

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In Search For Cures, Scientists Create Embryos That Are Both Animal And Human

6:51pm May 18, 2016

by Rob Stein

Researchers experimenting with chimeric embryos say they could develop into adult pigs, sheep or cows with human organs that one day might be suitable for transplantation in people.

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Debnath Mondal was attacked by a tiger in 2010. He continues to work as a guard in the national park in the Sundarbans.

Experts Fear Climate Change Will Lead To More Tiger Attacks In The Sundarbans

2:26pm May 18, 2016

by Ari Shapiro

Deep in the world's largest mangrove forest, which spans India's border with Bangladesh, rangers protect wild Bengal tigers. Rising seas may have rangers and tigers competing for a place to live.

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Worker Javier Alcantar tends to crops at the Monsanto Co. test field in Woodland, Calif., in 2012.

GMOs Are Safe, But Don't Always Deliver On Promises, Top Scientists Say

11:03am May 18, 2016

by Dan Charles

A new report from the National Academy of Sciences knocked down some pro-GMO claims, such as that they've boosted crop yields, and urged federal agencies to change the way these foods are regulated.

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Debendra Tarek, 80, inspects a handful of salt-resistant rice in his home on the tidal island of Ghoramara, which is shrinking quickly because of climate change.

Salt-Resistant Rice Offers Hope For Farmers Clinging To Disappearing Islands

11:01am May 18, 2016

by Ari Shapiro

Climate change is reshaping land and lives in India's Sundarbans region, where paddies are being overrun by saltwater. But resilient varieties of rice may let vulnerable families stay a while longer.

Teenage boys and men are more likely to use urban parks, a study finds, probably because the facilities cater to their interests.

Girls And Older Adults Are Missing Out On Parks For Recreation

9:50am May 18, 2016

by Katherine Hobson

A survey of parks in 25 major cities find that they're used mostly by young children and teenage boys. Walking loops and other options that would appeal to women are in short supply.

James Cason, the mayor of Coral Gables, Fla., says elected officials on the coast should be thinking at least as much about the local effects of climate change as about trash collection and parking.

Rising Sea Levels Made This Republican Mayor A Climate Change Believer

5:50pm May 17, 2016

by Christopher Joyce

Already, neighborhoods flood more often in Coral Gables, Fla., and water has seeped up from beneath low-lying buildings and yards. Mayor James Cason wants his city prepared for the economic fallout.