Science

With CDC Help, Puerto Rico Aims To Get Ahead Of Zika

6:55pm February 26, 2016

So far, the U.S. territory has reported 117 Zika cases, including five pregnant women. But health officials say the real test will come when April and May rains bring more mosquitoes.

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Monarch butterflies mass on a tree branch in the Cerro Chincua mountain at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Cerro Chincua, central Mexico.

Report: More Pollinator Species In Jeopardy, Threatening World Food Supply

3:55pm February 26, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

About 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species such as bees and butterflies are facing extinction, according to the global assessment.

Scientists say they still have a lot to learn about Zika before they'll have a vaccine ready for people.

Why Scientists Hope To Inject Some People With Zika Virus

6:55pm February 25, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

There's no vaccine yet, but Zika researchers are racing to find a good candidate. After testing it in animals, checking for effectiveness in humans might include injecting Zika into healthy people.

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Beam Me Up, Scotty? Turns Out Your Brain Is Ready For Teleportation

6:42pm February 25, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

The brain usually relies on our senses to navigate. But researchers found that when people experienced virtual teleportation, their brains still managed to keep them on course.

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A farmer applies fertilizer to soybeans in Kasbeer, Ill. Scientists say one significant source of nitrogen pollution is fertilizer that leaks off of fields growing corn and soybeans to feed meat and dairy animals.

Why Your Hamburger Might Be Leading To Nitrogen Pollution

2:09pm February 25, 2016

by Julia Rosen

Many farmers who grow corn and soybeans to feed livestock use too much nitrogen fertilizer, which can cause a host of environmental problems. To fix them, scientists say we should eat less meat.

Each year, between 8,000 and 9,000 people nationwide complain to the government about nursing home evictions, according to federal data. That makes evictions the leading category of all nursing home complaints.

Nursing Home Evictions Strand The Disabled In Costly Hospitals

12:57pm February 25, 2016

by Ina Jaffe

Federal rules mostly prohibit nursing homes from refusing to readmit residents after a hospital stay. But states rarely enforce the regulations. Some California families are now suing the state.

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Whoops! 12 Tales Of Accidental Brilliance In Science

6:00pm February 24, 2016

by Adam Cole

You nominated 300 cool stories of scientific surprise for Skunk Bear's Golden Mole Award. Our shortlist has it all: circuits painted with light, imperceptible genitalia, and a terrifying frog.

The National Park Service says this year's wildflower bloom is the best one Death Valley has seen in years.

Death Valley's Harsh Desert Blanketed With Wildflower 'Super Bloom'

5:29pm February 24, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

Death Valley, Calif., one of the hottest places in the world, is in bloom with more than twenty species of desert wildflowers. It's the biggest bloom the park has seen in a decade.

Oil Producing Nations Struggle To Cope With Falling Prices

4:38pm February 24, 2016

by John Ydstie

U.S. consumers are enjoying extremely low gasoline prices, but the big drop in oil prices is causing hardship in nations that depend on oil production to fund their governments and social programs. NPR takes a look at which oil producing countries are hurt most and how they're coping.

Burnout and low pay can make it tough to retain counselors in the field of addiction services. "You take on your clients' pain," explains one former counselor.

Shortage Of Addiction Counselors Further Strained By Opioid Epidemic

4:30pm February 24, 2016

by Emily Corwin

Counselors in the field of substance abuse rehabilitation earn roughly $40,000 a year, surveys show, and the work can be emotionally draining. Employee turnover is high, and likely to get worse.

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