Science

A view inside Grotta Paglicci, in southern Italy, with wall paintings. Scientists say a 32,000-year-old stone found inside the cave was used to grind flour.

Paleo People Were Making Flour 32,000 Years Ago

5:56pm September 14, 2015

by Jeremy Cherfas

Research into an ancient stone found in a cave in Italy shows Paleolithic hunter-gatherers were grinding oats and other grains for flour. It's the earliest evidence yet of food processing in Europe.

Japan's Mount Aso, on the main southern island of Kyushu, erupts on Monday, spewing black smoke and ash more than a mile into the sky.

WATCH: Japanese Volcano Erupts

3:34pm September 14, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Mount Aso, one of the country's most active volcanoes, unexpectedly erupted on Monday, spewing ash for miles. No injuries or damage were immediately reported.

Researchers say poor sleep quality, too much sleep and too little sleep all play a role in heart health.

Good Quality Sleep May Build Healthy Hearts

1:48pm September 14, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Too much sleep, too little sleep or disrupted sleep may put people at risk for heart disease. A study finds a link between poor quality sleep patterns and a buildup of calcium in the arteries.

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Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka gestures after landing near the town of Dzhezkazgan (Zhezkazgan), Kazakhstan, on Saturday.

Russian Cosmonaut Returns From Record-Breaking Space Mission

5:02pm September 12, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Gennady Padalka, who spent several months aboard the International Space Station, has now spent more time in space than any human, clocking more than 2.4 years in space on five missions since 1998.

"[Phones are] really a magic portal that allows you to go into another dimension of space and time." — Amber Case

Science
Arts

Are Our Devices Turning Us Into A New Kind Of Human?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Anthropologist Amber Case says our technology is changing us into cyborgs. She argues we have become a screen-staring, button-clicking new version of Homo sapiens.

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"What if our devices could sense how we felt and reacted accordingly, just the way an emotionally intelligent friend would?" — Rana el Kaliouby

Science
Arts

Will Our Screens Soon Be Able To Read Our Emotions?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Despite their powerful computing capability, our screens have no way of knowing how we feel. Computer scientist Rana el Kaliouby says that's about to change.

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"Drone operators or analysts watching the video — even if they're not physically there, we've seen them suffer from PTSD or burnout." — P.W. Singer

Science

How Are Screens Changing The Face Of War?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Today airstrikes involve generals dictating — and soldiers carrying out — orders behind screens. Strategist P.W. Singer describes how screens have complicated the nature of war.

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"I don't want you in the frame. I don't want you in the window. I want you through the window. I want you on the other side, in the world, inhabiting the world." — Chris Milk

Science
Arts

What Happens When We Step Inside The Screen?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Filmmaker Chris Milk uses cutting-edge technology to create a film experience that immerses the viewer. He explains how virtual reality has allowed him to create the "ultimate empathy machine."

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"Sometimes we spend more time imagining how our screens will change the future than really understanding how our screens are changing us right now." — Guy Raz

Science

How Are Our Screens Changing Us Now?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

Host Guy Raz raises the curtain on a special two-part TED Radio Hour episode, exploring an uneasy moment in our evolution when we are becoming more and more dependent on our screens.

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"The one thing that a child never says or never thinks when ... they interact with typical passive media is 'I did it'." — Dimitri Christakis

When It Comes To Kids, Is All Screen Time Equal?

9:13am September 12, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Pediatrician Dimitri Christakis explains how different forms of screen time affects kids and their ability to learn and develop.

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