How Can A Monotonous Job Be Meaningful?
Psychologist Barry Schwartz says our current thinking about work focuses too much on paychecks and too little on ways we can find fulfillment — even in jobs many might consider mundane.
Science
What Pushes Us To Work Hard — Even When We Don't Have To?
Behavioral economist Dan Ariely says we work hard not because we have to, but because we want to. He examines the intrinsic values we need to feel motivated to work.
How Do You Break Into an Industry While Breaking All the Rules?
What's in a name? For tech entrepreneur Dame Stephanie Shirley, bidding contracts under the name "Steve" enabled her to launch and grow a freelance software company with a virtually all-female staff.
Drought Is Driving Beekeepers And Their Hives From California
A lack of crops for bees to pollinate has California's beekeeping industry on edge. Some are feeding their colonies pricey processed bee food or moving their hives out of state to forage.
How 'The Martian' Became A Science Love Story
The movie about a stranded astronaut is being hailed for its scientific realism. Andy Weir, who wrote the book the film is based on, is a longtime computer programmer who sees romance in numbers.
Research On Fetal Tissue Draws Renewed Political, Scientific Scrutiny
Critics say research on fetal tissue is no longer needed to answer crucial medical questions. But National Institutes of Health officials and other scientists say alternatives don't yet measure up.
The Big-Money Effort To Turn The GOP Greener
Republican entrepreneur Jay Faison tells NPR's Robert Siegel why his foundation, ClearPath, brought together GOP pollsters to help find a way to get Americans to take climate change seriously.
Why NASA Didn't Just Send Over A Rover To Look For Water On Mars
One reason is that it would take the Curiosity rover about a year to get there, even with no obstacles and no traffic. But the other reason might surprise you.
Journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates Among 2015 MacArthur 'Genius' Award Winners
Representing fields from chemistry to poetry, the 24 MacArthur Foundation Fellows will each receive $625,000 over the next five years.
California Cities Face Hidden Downside Of Water Conservation: Lost Revenue
Californians have really stepped up water conservation due to the drought. Some cities are selling almost half as much water as they normally do. But there's a big downside for water agencies — lost revenue. People using less water means major budget shortfalls.