Technology

Traditional Mayan figures made by artisan Nicolas Chavez in Guatemala and sold on Novica's website.

World News

A Site Where Traditional Artisans Can Sell Their Works To The World

12:17pm February 02, 2016

by Laura Sydell

Novica, a website that bills itself as the Etsy of the developing world, features more than 18,000 artisans from remote areas to whom the company has paid out more than $66.5 million.

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Rubik's Cube-Solving Robot Set To Break Guinness World Record

5:12pm February 01, 2016

by Frank Morris

Some Kansas City software developers built what they believe is the world's fastest Rubik's Cube-solving robot. They built it in their spare time, partly because one of the guys wanted something to do with his new 3-D printer. Their machine can sort out a scrambled Rubik's Cube in just a little over one second. That's much faster than the second fastest robot and not quite five times faster than the quickest "human speed solver." A judge from the Guinness Book of World Records will judge the robot.

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White House To Request $1 Billion For Cancer 'Moonshot'

4:35pm February 01, 2016

by Laura Wagner

President Obama plans to ask Congress for $755 million in cancer-research funding in his 2017 budget. That's in addition to $195 million already approved in 2016.

UmmaGawd (Tommy Tibajia), a pilot in the Drone Racing League, flies his quadcopter in an abandoned power plant in New York.

Sports

A Video Game IRL: Drone Racing League Aims To Be NASCAR In The Air

8:58am January 31, 2016

by NPR Staff

Goggles and onboard cameras put pilots and spectators in the cockpit as the drones race at high speeds through crazy courses. The Drone Racing League's first season kicks off next month in Miami.

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Facebook's policy change means individual users will no longer be able to arrange gun sales on the site. Licensed retailers will not be affected.

National

Facebook Announces Ban On Private Gun Sales

1:53pm January 30, 2016

The company, which has set limits on the arrangement of private gun sales since 2014, will now prohibit posts about such sales on Facebook and Instagram. Licensed dealers will not be affected.

Project Nourished's virtual eating gizmos. From left: An atomizer that releases the scents of a food; a virtual reality headset; a a device that mimics the chewing sounds transmitted from a diner's mouth to their ear drums; a cocktail glass with built-in

Science
Arts

We Sampled The Gastronomic Frontier Of Virtual Reality

7:25pm January 29, 2016

by Noah Nelson

Project Nourished uses a variety of tricks to fool the mind into thinking it's eating. The goal: to let us consume our favorite tastes without unwanted extras — like food allergens or just calories.

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After knee surgery, David Larson, 66, of Huntington Beach, Calif., experienced pain in a calf muscle. His answer to an automated email from the doctor led to the diagnosis and treatment of a potentially dangerous blood clot.

Health & Safety

The Doctor's Computer Will Email You Now

5:47pm January 29, 2016

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

Though it may sound like an oxymoron, "automating empathy" is becoming a catchphrase in health care. The goal is to help doctors engage with patients cheaply and with minimal effort. Does it work?

Beyonce performs onstage in 2013 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Can't Buy A Ticket To That Concert You Want To See? Blame Bots

7:36pm January 28, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

A report from New York's attorney general points to abusive practices in the market for live-event tickets on sites such as StubHub. Computer programs snap up seats faster than humans can.

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The World Changers group brainstorms on what to do to clarify their message of Islam.

American Muslims Tackle Terrorism With Teens' Best Tool: The Internet

2:42pm January 28, 2016

by Paola Marizan

These millennials and teenagers no longer want to stay silent. They are using what they know best — the Internet — to counter the Islamic State's propaganda.

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Rachel Star Withers says that video blogging about schizophrenia and depression has helped her manage the disorders.

Would You Tell The World You Have Schizophrenia On YouTube?

4:38pm January 27, 2016

by Angus Chen

Rachel Star Withers decided to let people know what was going on inside her head: the hallucinations, the voices. She says going public has helped her deal with schizophrenia and helps others, too.