Science

Researcher Svante Pääbo, was able to extract a complete genome from this ancient human leg bone.

A 45,000-Year-Old Leg Bone Reveals The Oldest Human Genome Yet

12:32pm October 24, 2014

by Geoff Brumfiel

The DNA in this ancient Siberian leg bone shows that the man had Neanderthal ancestors — yet more proof that humans and Neanderthals interbred. And he lived much farther north than expected.

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The problem isn't just that fake cures are worthless, doctors say. Fraudulent claims also give some people the false sense that the product can protect them from getting sick.

FDA Cracks Down On Fake Ebola Cures Sold Online

11:59am October 24, 2014

by Lauren Silverman

The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to companies marketing products claimed to be cures for Ebola. One firm says it will drop such claims — but it's still selling the product.

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Even versions of Zi Xiu Tang Bee Pollen labeled "genuine" and "anti-counterfeit" have been found to contain the drug sibutramine, which was supposed to come off the U.S. market in 2010 for safety reasons.

Banned Drugs Still Turning Up In Weight-Loss Supplements

9:04am October 23, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

Just because the Food and Drug Administration recalls a supplement because it contains dangerous substances doesn't mean the product disappears from the market.

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Science

Is There Really Such A Thing As A 'Trophy Wife'?

8:51am October 23, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

The idea of a "trophy wife" is common in popular culture: Attractive young women trade beauty for status by "marrying up" and finding wealthy husbands.

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Reconstruction of Deinocheirus mirificus.

Bigger Than A T. Rex, With A Duck's Bill, Huge Arms And A Hump

8:24pm October 22, 2014

by Christopher Joyce

Scientists first figured the claw-tipped, giant arm bones found in 1965 belonged to an ostrichlike dinosaur. But its recently recovered skull looks more like a dino designed by a committee — of kids.

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Science

Sunken U-Boats Off North Carolina Coast A Significant Find For Historians

6:28pm October 22, 2014

The North Carolina coast may be the last place you'd think to find a sunken German submarine from World War II. But that's what Joe Hoyt — a nautical archeologist — found on a recent expedition to the ocean floor. Robert Siegel talks to him about the underwater battle site there.

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Ebola Vaccine Could Start Testing In Africa By January

10:22am October 22, 2014

by Richard Harris

The World Health Organization says two vaccine candidates now undergoing small-scale tests of dosage and safety in people might be ready for broader deployment in Africa by early 2015.

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The cruise ship Carnival Magic floats behind a catamaran off Cozumel, Mexico on Oct. 17. The ship skipped a planned stop there Friday, the cruise line says, after Mexican authorities delayed granting permission to dock.

When Reassuring Isn't: The Rush To Test Cruise Passenger For Ebola

10:41am October 21, 2014

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Galveston, Texas, officials meant well when they tested a passenger while she was still at sea. But some say airlifting a blood sample in a Coast Guard helicopter was needlessly alarming.

Why Are The Great Lakes On The Rise?

6:03pm October 20, 2014

Host Audie Cornish talks with Drew Gronewold, a hydrologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, about why water levels in lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron are rising.

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Researchers say there's plenty the beef industry can do to use less land and water and emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But producers may need to charge a premium to make those changes.

Do We Need A New 'Environmental Impact' Label For Beef?

4:49pm October 20, 2014

by Eliza Barclay

Labels like "organic" and "grass-fed" don't capture the beef industry's true environmental impact, researchers say. Why not have a label that assesses water use, land use and greenhouse gas emissions?