Science

Sound World Solution's hearing device lets a user customize its settings using a Bluetooth connection and a smartphone.

To Make Hearing Aids Affordable, Firm Turns On Bluetooth

10:38am July 02, 2013

by John Ydstie

Traditional hearing aids can be too expensive for many people. But a new type that uses Bluetooth technology costs only about $300. The company that makes the new devices aims to reach millions of people around the world who need hearing aids but have trouble paying for them.

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Participants in the Becoming a Man (BAM) program gather for a session in the gym at Little Village Academy in Chicago. BAM focuses on mentoring at-risk boys to prevent them from turning to violent crime.

Therapy Helps Troubled Teens Rethink Crime

10:30am July 02, 2013

by Shankar Vedantam

Many violent crimes are hastily planned and poorly considered, researchers at the University of Chicago's Crime Lab find. Training troubled teens to slow down and put a more benign spin on what they imagine the other guy is thinking significantly reduced the kids' likelihood of committing a crime.

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Harry Kaplan practices pitching during Home Run Baseball Camp at Friendship Recreation Center in June. Kaplan's arm is stretched long and toward the ground as his hips are faced away from the catcher. A chimp, in contrast, could never throw a fastball.

Science

Pitch Perfect: Why Our Shoulders Are Key To Throwing

5:01pm June 27, 2013

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Being able to throw stones with power and precision must have been fun for humans' early ancestors. It was essential, too, since we lack the the fangs and claws of other predators. A recent study suggests the ability to fire rocket fastballs depends on shoulder anatomy that chimps don't share.

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New Bugs In Florida Stymie Researchers, Threaten Crops

5:34am June 27, 2013

by Greg Allen

Researchers usually identify natural predators or parasites to combat invasive bugs like the brown marmorated stink bug and the psyllid. But after not finding immediate solutions, they are turning to pesticides and nutrient sprays.

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In the current New Yorker, Michael Specter explores the conflict among some people who suffer from Lyme disease, and the doctors who study it.

'The Lyme Wars' That Tiny Ticks Have Wrought

4:50pm June 26, 2013

Since Lyme disease was first identified in the late 1970s, it has become the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the country. Journalist Michael Specter talks about his New Yorker article on the disease and its controversial history.

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President Obama unveils his plan on climate change Tuesday at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The president laid out his plan to reduce carbon pollution and to prepare the country for the impacts of climate change.

Obama's Climate Strategy Doesn't Require Congressional Approval

7:06pm June 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

The sweeping plan calls for the Environmental Protection Agency to tighten carbon dioxide emissions on power plants and is designed to foster cleaner forms of electricity. The initiative also aims to help the nation cope with droughts and other weather related changes that are already happening.

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Congress Not Likely To Pass Sweeping Climate Legislation

6:10pm June 24, 2013

by Jennifer Ludden

As President Obama prepares to unveil his executive strategy on climate change, we look at the politics of the issue in Congress.

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Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick joined state officials, clean energy advocates and union representatives to break ground for the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal.

Can An Old Massachusetts Fishing Port Light The World Again?

4:21pm June 24, 2013

by Asma Khalid

Once known as the City That Lit the World, New Beford's whale oil powered candles and lamps around the country. Now, the Massachusetts city wants to become an energy capital again, but this time with offshore wind.

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Tawny Crazy Ants Invade Southern States

10:59am June 22, 2013

Tawny crazy ants are invading ecosystems and homes in states including Texas and Florida, wiping out other ant species and overwhelming homeowners. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to Texas A&M research scientist Robert Puckett, who says the ants are "ecological steamrollers" that reproduce so fast they are nearly impossible to get rid of.

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Science

Beaming Internet to the Boondocks, Via Balloon

11:17am June 21, 2013

Rather than relying on cell towers, phone lines, or fiber optics, Google plans to beam 3G-speed Internet to the world's most inaccessible corners using helium balloons. The experiment is called "Project Loon." Leader Mike Cassidy talks about the project's first step: providing balloon Internet to New Zealand and the 40th parallel south.

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