Science

The 1st All-Civilian Space Mission Into Orbit Is Preparing For Takeoff

6:15pm September 15, 2021

by Brendan Byrne

The first all-civilian space mission into orbit is expected to take flight from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday evening. Private company SpaceX is running the mission — not NASA.

View from above (dorsal view) of the new soldier fly named after RuPaul, Opaluma rupaul.

Science

A Shimmering Rainbow Fly Has Been Named In Honor Of RuPaul

3:20pm September 15, 2021

by Sharon Pruitt-Young

The colorful, iridescent soldier fly in question has "legs for days," Australian researcher Bryan Lessard said. He hopes that pop culture names will help attract attention for vulnerable species.

Josh Hodas and partner Serena Delgadillo cast their votes in the historic Los Angeles Union Station Ticket Hall on Monday.

The Most Important Things To Know About California's Recall Election Today

9:36pm September 14, 2021

Tuesday is the final day for California voters to decide whether to keep Gov. Gavin Newsom. From those trying to replace him to whether the recall election is constitutional, we have the details.

An artist's impression of a woolly mammoth in a snow-covered environment.

Scientists Say They Could Bring Back Woolly Mammoths. But Maybe They Shouldn't

5:47pm September 14, 2021

by Scott Neuman

A company formed by Harvard genetics professor George Church, known for his pioneering work in genome sequencing and gene splicing, hopes to genetically resurrect woolly mammoths.

If You're Brave Enough — An Injection Of Pufferfish Toxin Could Treat 'Lazy Eye'

4:52pm September 14, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

The visual impairment known as "lazy eye" can be treated in kids by covering their other eye with a patch. Scientists may have found a way to treat adults with the condition using a pufferfish toxin.

Macaques check out a camera in Galtaji Temple in Jaipur, India. Monkeys have been known to sneak into swimming pools, courts and even the halls of India's Parliament. One attorney told author Mary Roach about a macaque that infiltrated a medical institute

Monkey Thieves, Drunk Elephants — Mary Roach Reveals A Weird World Of Animal 'Crime'

2:35pm September 14, 2021

by Dave Davies

Roach researched animal misbehaviors for her new book, Fuzz. Though animals are all but charged with crimes when they run afoul of human values, she learns, they often have the last laugh.

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Firefighters battle the Caldor Fire this month along Highway 89 west of Lake Tahoe in California.

How A Blistering Housing Market Could Be Making Wildfires Even More Dangerous

12:04pm September 14, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

California homes are burning. Why are they still increasing in value in regions prone to fire?

Homes that were sold by the Department of Housing and Urban Development between January 2017 and August 2020 are in federally designated flood zones at almost 75 times the rate of all homes sold nationwide in that period. New Jersey is one hot spot. Here,

Science

The Federal Government Sells Flood-Prone Homes To Often Unsuspecting Buyers, NPR Finds

4:04pm September 13, 2021

The Department of Housing and Urban Development disproportionately sells homes in flood-prone areas, NPR finds. Housing experts warn that this can lead to big losses for vulnerable families.

Weeks after getting sick from COVID-19, Kathleen Hipps is still experiencing symptoms, even though she was fully vaccinated.

What We Know About Breakthrough Infections And Long COVID

10:19am September 13, 2021

by Rob Stein

As the delta variant causes more vaccinated people to get "breakthrough infections," concerns are rising that even the vaccinated could develop long COVID symptoms in rare cases.

Ben Elliott gets barreled at the BSR Surf Resort, where artificial waves are attracting world-class talent.

Surfers Are Trading Natural Waves For Artificial Ones In Waco, Texas

7:01am September 12, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

The surf is always up in Waco, Texas, thanks to an artificial wave so good it's attracting top professionals and casual riders. It's a sign of just how far the technology of wave making has come.