Science

Science

A Natural Particle Accelerator, Far Above The Planet

1:03pm March 01, 2013

In 1958, James Van Allen described two belts of radiation that surround Earth. Daniel Baker says that when a satellite was launched to study the belts in 2012, it saw a third belt form, which lasted for about a month before being blasted away by an interplanetary shock wave.

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A natural gas drilling rig just east of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. A new decade-long study finds the region's Barnett Shale formation has sufficient gas reserves to last another 25 years.

Texas Study Points To A Longer Natural Gas Boom

6:59pm February 28, 2013

by Wade Goodwyn

A new study of the Barnett Shale formation in Texas shows that the natural gas reservoir there will last for at least another two decades. "Turns out, what we learned is that there's a lot of good rock left to drill," says geology professor Scott Tinker, the study's author.

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Younger Women Have Rising Rate Of Advanced Breast Cancer, Study Says

8:19am February 27, 2013

by Richard Knox

Only about 800 women younger than 40 get the kind of breast cancer that has spread to bones or other organs by the time it's diagnosed. But that number tripled in a generation, and scientists are left wondering what's the cause.

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For some kids who grow up in poverty, the bond developed with Mom is especially important in dealing with stress.

To Spot Kids Who Will Overcome Poverty, Look At Babies

6:25am February 27, 2013

by Alix Spiegel

Researchers say that the heartbeats and breathing of babies may help identify the kids most likely to struggle with poverty later on. Biology matters, the scientists say, but so does baby's relationship with Mom.

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Increased Humidity From Climate Change Could Make It Harder To Tolerate Summers

7:23pm February 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

It's not just the heat — it's the humidity. Health experts actually apply that principle to workers, soldiers and sportsmen who toil outside and in places that lack air conditioning. A study in Nature Climate Change says that global warming will noticeably reduce the amount of time people can spend working and playing safely outside.

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Pediatricians Urged To Treat Ear Infections More Cautiously

6:40pm February 25, 2013

by Rob Stein

The new guidelines for treating childhood ear infections are intended to reduce unnecessary antibiotics use. They say doctors should look at the eardrum to make sure a child really has an ear infection, instead of relying on symptoms. And if the child doesn't have severe symptoms, see if the ear gets better on its own.

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Dennis Roseman (left) and Jamie Manganello pull in a swordfish off the coast of Florida. The Day Boat Seafood company went through a complicated process to become certified as a sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council.

For A Florida Fishery, 'Sustainable' Success After Complex Process

1:19pm February 25, 2013

Environmentalists, together with the Marine Stewardship Council, say that Day Boat's story reflects the good that the MSC system can do. But critics say the vigorous certification process is inconsistent.

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This map shows data reported by users of the mPING app during Friday's blizzard in the Northeast.

This App Uses The Power Of You To Report The Weather

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by NPR Staff

A new smartphone app allows users to document falling precipitation in their location. The mPING app aims to help weather officials program radar to determine exactly what's falling near you. For example, is it hail or mixed rain?

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An official with the Korea Meteorological Administration shows a seismic image of a tremor caused by North Korea's nuclear test, in Seoul on Tuesday.

Did North Korea Test A 'Miniature' Nuclear Bomb?

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

North Korea's latest nuclear weapons test is much more powerful than the previous two, according to estimates made by instruments that measure seismic waves from the blast. But it's hard to verify North Korea's claim that the test was of a miniaturized nuclear weapon.

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A Ford Focus electric concept car with a home charging unit on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., in January.

Flipping The Switch: What It Takes To Prioritize Electric Cars

10:48am February 24, 2013

by Dana Farrington

Estonia now has the world's first nationwide electric car charger network. What would the U.S. have to do to make a similar leap?

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