Science

Free Enterprise Lens Opens Climate Change Conversation For Conservatives

7:57am December 05, 2015

Former congressman Bob Inglis became passionate about climate change while in Congress. He tells NPR's Scott Simon there's a way to make fixing climate change palatable to his party: make it about the power of free enterprise.

Queue Listen Now

U.N. Delegates Confront The Cost Of Stopping Climate Change

7:23pm December 04, 2015

by Christopher Joyce

Climate conferences over the past decade have foundered on finance, especially on who's going to pay for the huge cost of shifting away from fossil fuels. Most difficult is the disconnect between developing countries, who want money from the rich countries, and the reluctance by those rich countries to agree to open-ended commitments. Moreover, getting risk averse private investors into the new green energy market is turning into a big obstacle in Paris.

Queue Listen Now

The British astronaut Tim Peake says he'll be running the London Marathon virtually — from around 250 miles above the Earth's surface.

A Man, A Plan ... To Run A Marathon In Space

6:38pm December 04, 2015

by Bill Chappell

"The London Marathon is a worldwide event. Let's take it out of this world," says British astronaut Tim Peake, who will run the course virtually, on a treadmill in the International Space Station.

#NPRreads: Jihadist Culture, Turkish Delight And A Christian Abortion Provider

6:36pm December 04, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Also this week: How classic video games are teaching computers to learn.

Atlanta's Mayor Highlights Local Effects Of Climate Change At Paris Summit

3:27pm December 04, 2015

by Molly Samuel

Atlanta's mayor wants to convince businesses that the city is a regional leader on climate change initiatives. But, in a city whose efforts are contradicted by its state, how much can the mayor do?

Queue Listen Now

Nobel laureate David Baltimore of Caltech speaks to reporters at the National Academy of Sciences international summit on human gene editing, on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of scientists and ethicists from around the world debating how to deal wi

Scientists Debate How Far To Go In Editing Human Genes

3:27pm December 04, 2015

by Rob Stein

The unusual meeting was called to consider a ban on certain uses of a new technique that can make precise changes in DNA. The main concern is altering genes in human sperm, eggs and embryos.

Queue Listen Now

Effort To Build The World's Biggest Telescope Hits A Big Snag

1:44pm December 04, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

Project officials say they're assessing what to do after Hawaii's Supreme Court invalidated their building permit.

Bangladesh is facing drought, cyclones and floods. This expanse of water, photographed in September 2014, was a field the month before. It's in the Kalashuna village in Gaibandha district.

They Need Millions — Make That Billions — To Cope With Climate Change

11:43am December 04, 2015

by Vicky Hallett

Developing countries are often located in the parts of the world that are most vulnerable. Here's what's on their wish list at the Paris conference.

Science

Federal Jury Hands Down Rare Conviction For Coal Executive

8:07pm December 03, 2015

by Ashton Marra

A federal jury has convicted former Massy Energy CEO Don Blankenship for conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards at the site of a 2010 explosion that killed 29 people.

Queue Listen Now

Federal prosecutors said Don Blankenship operated Massey Energy as a "lawless enterprise." He's seen here leaving a federal courthouse in Charleston, W.Va., on Nov. 17, when the jury began deliberations.

Former Coal CEO Blankenship Found Guilty Of Conspiracy In Mine Disaster Case

2:10pm December 03, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was acquitted of two other counts, meaning he'll face far less than the potential 30-year prison sentence prosecutors had sought.