Science

Four Tropical Cyclones At Once: How Unusual Is That?

7:25am March 17, 2015

by Christopher Joyce

Four tropical cyclones have been sweeping through the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. One slammed into the island nation of Vanuatu. Having four cyclones at once is rare but not unheard of.

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Feces contain digested food residue and a wide variety of microorganisms, mostly bacteria, that are adapted to life in the intestines. The gases the microbes produce could help doctors and scientists track and understand changes related to health.

Before The Gas Is Passed, Researchers Aim To Measure It In The Gut

8:40am March 16, 2015

by Angus Chen

As people's health waxes or wanes because of stress or disease, their intestinal ecosystems change, too. It may be possible someday to diagnose disease by analyzing the gas the microbes make.

A mother feeds her new baby at the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. About 1 in 7 women in South Sudan die from causes related to pregnancy.

How Far Has The Health Of Moms Come Since 1995?

7:03am March 15, 2015

by Nurith Aizenman

The rate of women worldwide who die in childbirth has dropped by more than 40 percent over the past two decades. But does this rosy global health statistic overstate the extent of change?

A man stands in front of a blackboard illustrating the pi number.

Science

The 'Math Guy' Presents 5 Facts About 3.14

11:35pm March 14, 2015

by NPR Staff

Want to impress the guests at your local Pi Day celebration this Saturday (3/14/15, hopefully at 9:26)? Pick up some tidbits of mathematical trivia from Keith Devlin.

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Guardian Editor Pledges To Bolster Coverage Of Climate Change

5:20pm March 14, 2015

NPR's Scott Simon talks with Alan Rusbridger, editor of The Guardian, about his recent column detailing his personal motivation for intensifying the paper's focus on climate change coverage.

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Science

Pi Day Isn't Just Magical, It's Mathematics. And There's Pie!

10:04am March 14, 2015

by L. Carol Ritchie

Math geeks are excited about 3-14-15, this year's Pi Day. The San Francisco Exploratorium will celebrate with a pizza-pi-dough-tossing contest, a pi parade and special pie. Mmmm, pie. Or is it pi?

Science
Arts

Making Pies For Pi Day: Think Inside The Circle

6:03pm March 13, 2015

by Doreen McCallister

As math lovers know, it's almost Pi Day. And what better way to celebrate than by rolling out the dough? An NPR editor known for her experimental baking shares some of her favorite recipes.

Planet: bottom of a glass containing half-and-half, water and food coloring. Moons: bottom of a glass containing coconut milk, water and food coloring. Stars: salt, cinnamon, baking powder and Tums.

Science
Arts

Behold! The Cosmos Created From The Contents Of A Kitchen

12:13pm March 13, 2015

by Poncie Rutsch

From spices, flour, milk, water and food coloring, a photographer creates startlingly realistic-looking images of space. These photos are convincing enough to impress an astrophysicist.

The leatherback sea turtle was prepared for its release back into the Atlantic on Thursday.

After Rescue, Massive Sea Turtle Released Into Atlantic

8:01pm March 12, 2015

by Bill Chappell

A rare 475-pound leatherback sea turtle "immediately responded to treatments" of fluids, vitamins and antibiotics after it was rescued in South Carolina on Saturday.

The moon Ganymede (right) orbits the giant planet Jupiter in this artist's rendering. Scientists say a saline ocean lurks under the moon's icy crust.

Science

Moon River? No, It's An Ocean On One Of Jupiter's Moons!

4:41pm March 12, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists announced in a NASA teleconference that the biggest moon in our solar system has a salty ocean hidden below its icy surface.