Technology

After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Red Cross sent text messages across the country with health tips, locations of aid and safety reminders. A similar system is being used in Sierra Leone to combat Ebola.

The Red Cross Is Using Text Messaging To Take Down Ebola

12:44pm October 27, 2014

by Eleanor Klibanoff

Working with the government, the Red Cross sends 2 million texts a month to people in Sierra Leone, reminding them to wash their hands, take their temperature and protect themselves from Ebola.

Patients with certain kinds of brain damage can wind up with locked-in syndrome: they may be able to think just fine, but are unable to communicate their thoughts to others. A recently published case study shows that a non-invasive brain-computer interfac

From Brain To Computer: Helping 'Locked-In' Patient Get His Thoughts Out

10:08am October 27, 2014

by NPR Staff

"When I first saw him he had a little bit of eye movement and that was really the only way he could communicate," says Eric Sellers, who helped a patient use a brain-computer interface to communicate.

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A small solar-powered tree, invented by Israeli energy entrepreneur Michael Lasry, stands at the edge of natural greenery.

World News

Israel's Solar-Powered 'Trees': For Smartphones And Community

7:35pm October 25, 2014

by Emily Harris

The man-made trees are designed to create a public space where people can gather and re-charge a battery — their own and their smartphone's.

Apple Pay is promoted on signs placed at the cash register of a Whole Foods supermarket in New York.

Tech Week: Voice Mail Hang-Ups, Apple Pay And Zuckerberg's Chinese

5:52am October 25, 2014

by Elise Hu

In this week's roundup, Apple rolls out its mobile payment system but confronts a security test in China, the problem with voice mail messages and Mark Zuckerberg shows off his Mandarin.

Religion

The Yarmulke Comes To 3-D Printing

12:07pm October 24, 2014

by Lauren Katz

Using math and imagination, a college professor creates a new kind of kippah.

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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The Fairfax County 911 Center in Virginia takes calls during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It was relatively easy to locate callers when most people used landlines. But most 911 calls now come from cellphones, which can pinpoint a callers' location only within

National

Calling 911 On Your Cell? It's Harder To Find You Than You Think

6:57pm October 23, 2014

by Lucy Perkins

If you call 911 from inside a tall building, emergency responders may have difficulty finding you. Cellphone GPS technology currently doesn't work well indoors — but the FCC hopes to change that.

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Direct Relief has been shipping medical supplies to West Africa.

This May Be The Largest Private Donation To Fight Ebola

5:05pm October 23, 2014

by Linda Poon

Philanthropist Paul Allen is giving at least $100 million to support health care workers battling Ebola. Here's a look at his goals — and at contributions from other charitable groups.

In a photo released by Tsinghua University in Beijing, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks with students there on Wednesday.

World News

Mark Zuckerberg Shows Off His Mandarin Chinese Skills

2:18pm October 23, 2014

by Elise Hu

The Facebook co-founder and CEO spoke at Tsinghua University in Beijing for about 30 minutes. In Mandarin. His audience liked it.

A new Pew study finds that of all online environments, only online gaming is viewed as "starkly" more welcoming for men.

National

Pew: Gaming Is Least Welcoming Online Space For Women

11:16am October 23, 2014

by Elise Hu

The Pew Research Center's first study on online harassment shows it happens to most Internet users. But gender disparities are starkest in online gaming.