Science

Abortions are legal in India. But many are performed by traditional midwives, called dais. Sometimes a dai rubs herbs on a woman's stomach or gives her plants to eat.

What Drives Abortion: The Law Or Income?

1:33pm January 30, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

About 5 million women worldwide are admitted to hospitals each year because of complications after an abortion. But the key to stopping these injuries may have nothing to with changing the law.

Dr. Frances Jensen is a professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

Why Teens Are Impulsive, Addiction-Prone And Should Protect Their Brains

1:26pm January 30, 2015

New research shows that teenagers' brains aren't fully insulated, so the signals travel slowly when they need to make decisions. Neuroscientist Frances Jensen, who wrote The Teenage Brain, explains.

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Clean Water Services held a brewing competition in Sept. 2014, inviting 13 homebrewers to make beer from its purified wastewater (as well as water from other sources). Now the company is asking the state for permission for brewers to use its wastewater pr

Why Dump Treated Wastewater When You Could Make Beer With It?

11:33am January 30, 2015

by Cassandra Profita

An Oregon company has developed a high-tech process for turning sewage into pure drinking water. Now it's asking the state for permission to give its recycled water to a group of home brewers.

Augustine Goba (right) heads the laboratory at Kenema Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. He and colleagues analyzed the viral genetics in blood samples from 78 Ebola patients early in the epidemic.

Could This Virus Be Good For You?

10:46am January 30, 2015

by Richard Harris

Scientists studying HIV and Ebola have noticed another virus hitching along for the ride in some blood samples. Now they're trying to figure out whether the lurker helps the body fend off disease.

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Science

Companies Wanting Immediate Sales Should Pass On Super Bowl Ads

9:50pm January 29, 2015

by Shankar Vedantam

Researchers asked this question: Is a company better off spending big money for a Super Bowl ad or buying several spots for that same amount of money at a less expensive time of the year?

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Environmental groups cited Wendy's as "Poor" in the area of packaging sustainability. One reason is that the chain still uses black plastic bowls, which cannot be recycled.

Food Industry Drags Its Heels On Recyclable And Compostable Packaging

6:46pm January 29, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

A new report from two environmental groups reviewed the recyclability and compostability of packaging from 47 food companies. It found few examples of companies that have prioritized waste reduction.

Genetically modified rice plants are shown in a lab in 2006. A new report from Pew Research shows a wide gap between perceptions of safety of GM foods between scientists and the general public.

Scientists, General Public Have Divergent Views On Science, Report Says

6:20pm January 29, 2015

by Scott Neuman

A Pew Research Center study shows that the two groups disagree most strongly on the safety of GM foods, the use of animals in research, climate change and human evolution.

Allagash Brewing microbiologist and head of quality control Zach Bodah's favorite microscope picture of Brettanomyces (taken in house). The culture comes from Confluence Ale and is a blend of the Allagash house yeast and Brett yeast.

Brewers Gone Wild: Taming Unpredictable Yeast For Flavorful Beer

1:16pm January 29, 2015

by Andrea Shea

A handful U.S. craft brewers are reviving an age-old way of making beer that was practically unthinkable a decade ago. Welcome to the wacky world of Brett, a local yeast that can impart funky flavors.

Chef James Corwell's nigiri sushi rolls made with Tomato Sushi, a plant-based tuna alternative, in San Francisco.

Will Environmentalists Fall For Faux Fish Made From Plants?

1:15pm January 29, 2015

by Alastair Bland

A handful of chefs and food companies are experimenting with fish-like alternatives to seafood. But the market is still a few steps behind plant-based products for meat and dairy.

A Sierra Nevada red fox was photographed twice in recent weeks, thanks to a remote motion-sensitive camera.

Science

Rare Fox Takes A Walk In The Park, And Yosemite Staff Cheer

9:00am January 29, 2015

by Bill Chappell

It's been nearly 100 years since a sighting of a Sierra Nevada red fox was documented in Yosemite National Park, according to park staff.