Milky Way over Shipwreck

What happened to this ship? It was carried aground by a giant storm that struck the coast of Argentina in 2002. The pictured abandoned boat, dubbed Naufragio del Chubasco, wrecked near the nearly abandoned town of Cabo Raso (population: 1). The rusting ship provides a picturesque but perhaps creepy foreground for the beautiful sky above. This sky is crowned by the grand arch of our Milky Way and features galaxies including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, stars including Canopus and Altair, planets including Mars and Neptune, and nebulas including the Lagoon, Carina, and the Coal Sack. The mosaic was composed from over 80 images taken in early September. A 360-degree interactive panoramic version of this image is also available. The adventurous astrophotographer reports that the creepiest part of taking this picture was not the abandoned ship, but the unusual prevalence of black and hairy caterpillars. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gJKk0t

NPR News: Antarctic Beetle Species Discovery Doubles As Birthday Gift To Scientists' Mentor

Antarctic Beetle Species Discovery Doubles As Birthday Gift To Scientists' Mentor
Ball's Antarctic Tundra Beetle was small and brown, and it has been extinct for millions of years. The scientists who discovered it named it in honor of another beetle scientist's 90th birthday.

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NPR News: Antarctic Beetle Species Discovery Doubles As Birthday Gift To Scientists' Mentor

Antarctic Beetle Species Discovery Doubles As Birthday Gift To Scientists' Mentor
Ball's Antarctic Tundra Beetle was small and brown, and it has been extinct for millions of years. The scientists who discovered it named it in honor of another beetle scientist's 90th birthday.

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NPR News: Are Food Allergies On The Rise? Experts Say They Don't Know

Are Food Allergies On The Rise? Experts Say They Don't Know
Despite assumptions that peanut and other allergies are becoming more common in the U.S., experts say they just don't know. One challenge: Symptoms can be misinterpreted and diagnosis isn't easy.

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NPR News: Are Food Allergies On The Rise? Experts Say They Don't Know

Are Food Allergies On The Rise? Experts Say They Don't Know
Despite assumptions that peanut and other allergies are becoming more common in the U.S., experts say they just don't know. One challenge: Symptoms can be misinterpreted and diagnosis isn't easy.

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NPR News: Deforestation Of The Amazon Up 29 Percent From Last Year, Study Finds

Deforestation Of The Amazon Up 29 Percent From Last Year, Study Finds
Brazil's National Institute for Space Research found that more than 3,000 square miles of forest cover were lost between August 2015 and July 2016 — a substantial increase over the year before.

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NPR News: Glowing Human Cells May Shed Light On Sickness And Health

Glowing Human Cells May Shed Light On Sickness And Health
Researchers who developed a collection of human stem cells with glowing internal structures have begun sharing them with colleagues. The glow reveals the secret workings of cells.

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NPR News: Glowing Human Cells May Shed Light On Sickness And Health

Glowing Human Cells May Shed Light On Sickness And Health
Researchers who developed a collection of human stem cells with glowing internal structures have begun sharing them with colleagues. The glow reveals the secret workings of cells.

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NPR News: What Food Stamps And Drunk Driving Stats Have To Do With Each Other

What Food Stamps And Drunk Driving Stats Have To Do With Each Other
Researchers have discovered that there are fewer drunk driving fatalities on days of the month when millions of Americans receive food stamps. Figures show the deaths go down significantly.

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NPR News: Short Answers To Big Questions: What Is Dark Matter?

Short Answers To Big Questions: What Is Dark Matter?
NPR blogger Adam Frank answers your questions about dark matter. What is it? And how do we find it?

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NPR News: Congress Poised To Pass Sweeping Law Covering FDA And NIH

Congress Poised To Pass Sweeping Law Covering FDA And NIH
The House could vote Wednesday on a vast bill that stretches nearly a thousand pages and holds changes large and small for the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.

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NPR News: Congress Poised To Pass Sweeping Law Covering FDA And NIH

Congress Poised To Pass Sweeping Law Covering FDA And NIH
The House could vote Wednesday on a vast bill that stretches nearly a thousand pages and holds changes large and small for the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.

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NPR News: 6 Potential Brain Benefits Of Bilingual Education

6 Potential Brain Benefits Of Bilingual Education
Kids are showing reading gains in dual-language classrooms. There may be underlying brain advantages at work.

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Arp 240: A Bridge between Spiral Galaxies from Hubble

Why is there a bridge between these two spiral galaxies? Made of gas and stars, the bridge provides strong evidence that these two immense star systems have passed close to each other and experienced violent tides induced by mutual gravity. Known together as Arp 240 but individually as NGC 5257 and NGC 5258, computer modelling and the ages of star clusters indicate that the two galaxies completed a first passage near each other only about 250 million years ago. Gravitational tides not only pulled away matter, they compress gas and so caused star formation in both galaxies and the unusual bridge. Galactic mergers are thought to be common, with Arp 240 representing a snapshot of a brief stage in this inevitable process. The Arp 240 pair are about 300 million light-years distant and can be seen with a small telescope toward the constellation of Virgo. Repeated close passages should ultimately result in a merger and with the emergence of a single combined galaxy. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gyc9wh

NASA’s ISS-RapidScat Earth Science Mission Ends

NASA’s International Space Station Rapid Scatterometer (ISS-RapidScat) Earth science instrument has ended operations following a successful two-year mission aboard the space station. The mission launched Sept. 21, 2014, and had recently passed its original decommissioning date.

November 28, 2016
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NPR News: Texas, Oklahoma Divided Over How To Handle Earthquakes Linked To Oil Drilling

Texas, Oklahoma Divided Over How To Handle Earthquakes Linked To Oil Drilling
Oklahoma and Texas have been experiencing a rash of human-caused earthquakes. It happens when oil and gas wastewater gets pumped underground in the wrong places and disrupts faults. Oklahoma officials have cracked down on wastewater injection; Texas is apparently uninterested in doing much. That could mean a lot more quakes given that the country's biggest oil reservoir has just been discovered in west Texas.

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NPR News: Encore: Scientists Discover Centuries-Long Lifespan Of Greenland Shark

Encore: Scientists Discover Centuries-Long Lifespan Of Greenland Shark
The longest-living vertebrate known to science is a shark that can live centuries. This story originally aired on Aug. 11, 2016 on All Things Considered.

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NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Hurricane Microsatellites Launch

Media accreditation now is open for the launch of NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission, currently scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12.

November 28, 2016
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NPR News: Big Data Coming In Faster Than Biomedical Researchers Can Process It

Big Data Coming In Faster Than Biomedical Researchers Can Process It
There's a plethora of projects to gather data about the brain, various kinds of cancer and every type of cell in the body. But researchers are struggling to keep up with the information explosion.

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NPR News: Big Data Coming In Faster Than Biomedical Researchers Can Process It

Big Data Coming In Faster Than Biomedical Researchers Can Process It
There's a plethora of projects to gather data about the brain, various kinds of cancer and every type of cell in the body. But researchers are struggling to keep up with the information explosion.

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NPR News: Kale Is About To Have An Identity Crisis

Kale Is About To Have An Identity Crisis
To develop a new variety of kale tailored to American palates, plant researchers are surveying consumer attitudes on the leafy green. The takeaway so far? "Be less like kale."

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NPR News: Kale Is About To Have An Identity Crisis

Kale Is About To Have An Identity Crisis
To develop a new variety of kale tailored to American palates, plant researchers are surveying consumer attitudes on the leafy green. The takeaway so far? "Be less like kale."

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NASA Television to Air International Space Station Cargo Ship Launch, Docking

A Russian cargo spacecraft is set to launch Thursday, Dec. 1, to deliver more than two and a half tons of food, fuel and supplies to the International Space Station crew. Coverage on NASA Television and the agency’s website begins at 9:30 a.m. EST ahead of the 9:51 a.m. (8:51 p.m. Baikonur time) launch.

November 28, 2016
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NPR News: Some Assembly Required: New Space Telescope Will Take Shape After Launch

Some Assembly Required: New Space Telescope Will Take Shape After Launch
The James Webb Space Telescope is undergoing its final series of tests in NASA workshops. It's designed to take even grander images than the Hubble telescope. But deploying it will be a major feat.

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NPR News: Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It

Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It
It's the most common learning disability, yet it's still hard to answer the question: What is it? An NPR reporter who has dyslexia talks with other people — young and old — in search of answers.

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NPR News: As Batteries Keep Catching Fire, U.S. Safety Agency Prepares For Change

As Batteries Keep Catching Fire, U.S. Safety Agency Prepares For Change
The Consumer Product Safety Commission grabbed the spotlight in recalls of hoverboard scooters and Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 phones. It's a tiny agency with a vast oversight of thousands of products.

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NPR News: CDC Study: Babies Of Mothers With Zika Didn't Show Symptoms For Months

CDC Study: Babies Of Mothers With Zika Didn't Show Symptoms For Months
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found some of the babies didn't show symptoms of microcephaly for months. NPR's Linda Wertheimer talks to the CDC's Dr. Denise Jamieson.

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NPR News: Haiti Still Reels From Hurricane Matthew, One Month On

Haiti Still Reels From Hurricane Matthew, One Month On
Haitians voted for a new president this week and are hoping the winner can help speed the recovery. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Reuters correspondent Makini Brice.

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NPR News: Army Corps Of Engineers Issue Dec. 5 Leave Deadline To Pipeline Protesters

Army Corps Of Engineers Issue Dec. 5 Leave Deadline To Pipeline Protesters
The Army Corps of Engineers has told a Native American tribe in North Dakota and its supporters that it will close down a camp housing protesters against a major oil pipeline in the state.

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Apollo 17 VIP Site Anaglyph

Get out your red/blue glasses and check out this stereo scene from Taurus-Littrow valley on the Moon! The color anaglyph features a detailed 3D view of Apollo 17's Lunar Rover in the foreground -- behind it lies the Lunar Module and distant lunar hills. Because the world was going to be able to watch the Lunar Module's ascent stage liftoff via the rover's TV camera, this parking place was also known as the VIP Site. In December of 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours on the Moon, while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead. The crew returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than from any of the other lunar landing sites. Cernan and Schmitt are still the last to walk (or drive) on the Moon. via NASA http://ift.tt/2fyv60M

NPR News: In New Jersey, Kids Help Dig For Fossils In An Unlikely Place

In New Jersey, Kids Help Dig For Fossils In An Unlikely Place
Each week, hundreds of kids gather behind an unassuming shopping center in New Jersey. They're digging for fossils with a real paleontologist.

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NPR News: Who Invented Agriculture First? It Sure Wasn't Humans

Who Invented Agriculture First? It Sure Wasn't Humans
Ants in Fiji farm plants and fertilize them with their poop. And they've been doing this for 3 million years, much longer than humans, who began experimenting with farming about 12,000 years ago.

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Ring Scan

Scroll right and you can cruise along the icy rings of Saturn. This high resolution scan is a mosaic of images presented in natural color. The images were recorded in May 2007 over about 2.5 hours as the Cassini spacecraft passed above the unlit side of the rings. To help track your progress, major rings and gaps are labeled along with the distance from the center of the gas giant in kilometers. The alphabetical designation of Saturn's rings is historically based on their order of discovery; rings A and B are the bright rings separated by the Cassini division. In order of increasing distance from Saturn, the seven main rings run D,C,B,A,F,G,E. (Faint, outer rings G and E are not imaged here.) Four days from now, on November 29, Cassini will make a close flyby of Saturn's moon Titan and use the large moon's gravity to nudge the spacecraft into a series of 20 daring, elliptical, ring-grazing orbits. Diving through the ring plane just 11,000 kilometers outside the F ring (far right) Cassini's first ring-graze will be on December 4. via NASA http://ift.tt/2fbgea1

NPR News: Clean Energy Analyst: Renewables Are 'Here To Stay' Under Trump Presidency

Clean Energy Analyst: Renewables Are 'Here To Stay' Under Trump Presidency
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Amy Myers Jaffe, executive director of energy and sustainability at the University of California, Davis, about the future of renewable energy under the Trump administration.

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NPR News: Researchers Explore The Struggle Of Recognizing Faces

Researchers Explore The Struggle Of Recognizing Faces
Being able to recognize faces is a crucial part of life. But why are some of us so good or bad at it, and how skilled at it are we on average? The answers might surprise you.

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NPR News: TV Chef Alton Brown Shares Tips On The Science Of Thanksgiving Dinner

TV Chef Alton Brown Shares Tips On The Science Of Thanksgiving Dinner
There are tons of tips on how to cook that Thanksgiving dinner, many of them rooted in science. Alton Brown, the showman of food TV, runs through why we stuff the turkey after it's cooked, why gravy should be kept in a thermos, and why canned cranberries are the devil.

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NPR News: Dakota Access Pipeline Protests Continue On Thanksgiving Day

Dakota Access Pipeline Protests Continue On Thanksgiving Day
Opponents of a 1,200-mile oil pipeline from North Dakota are marking this Thanksgiving Day at the site of a planned river crossing near Lake Oahe. Protesters say the pipeline could damage local drinking water sources and Native American heritage sites. The pipeline's developers say the project will have big economic benefits.

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NPR News: Gotham, The Humpback Whale: The Hudson River's New Resident

Gotham, The Humpback Whale: The Hudson River's New Resident
New York City is not known for whale watching. But there's a new resident in the Hudson River: Gotham, the Humpback Whale. NPR's Audie Cornish talks to Paul Sieswerda, president of Gotham Whale.

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NPR News: Heritage Turkeys Make A Comeback, But To Save Them We Must Eat Them

Heritage Turkeys Make A Comeback, But To Save Them We Must Eat Them
They're descended from birds brought by British settlers that mated with turkeys native to the U.S. These birds taste much more like the turkeys that were on the table in the 17th century.

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NPR News: Research On Chinese Haze Helps Crack Mystery Of London's Deadly 1952 Fog

Research On Chinese Haze Helps Crack Mystery Of London's Deadly 1952 Fog
Atmospheric scientists, pinning down chemical processes behind Beijing's pollution, discovered an explanation for the unusually toxic smog that killed thousands of people in London in December 1952.

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NPR News: Your Dog Remembers Every Move You Make

Your Dog Remembers Every Move You Make
Our canine pals remember lots of facts, like where to find the food bowl. Now there's evidence they also have aspects of "episodic memory," which allow them to relive experiences and events.

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NPR News: Your Dog Remembers Every Move You Make

Your Dog Remembers Every Move You Make
Our canine pals remember lots of facts, like where to find the food bowl. Now there's evidence they also have aspects of "episodic memory," which allow them to relive experiences and events.

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NPR News: Senior Citizens Study: How Money Makes For Better Brain Functioning

Senior Citizens Study: How Money Makes For Better Brain Functioning
Research indicates that people who got more in social security payments — as a result of a congressional formula glitch in the 1970s — appear to have lower risks of developing Alzheimer's disease.

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Plutos Sputnik Planum

Is there an ocean below Sputnik Planum on Pluto? The unusually smooth 1000-km wide golden expanse, visible in the featured image from New Horizons, appears segmented into convection cells. But how was this region created? One hypothesis now holds the answer to be a great impact that stirred up an underground ocean of salt water roughly 100-kilometers thick. The featured image of Sputnik Planum, part of the larger heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio, was taken last July and shows true details in exaggerated colors. Although the robotic New Horizons spacecraft is off on a new adventure, continued computer-modeling of this surprising surface feature on Pluto is likely to lead to more refined speculations about what lies beneath. via NASA http://ift.tt/2ghUTco

Real People Behind Hidden Figures, Stars Join NASA to Mark Anniversary, Celebration of Diversity

NASA will kick off a yearlong centennial celebration for its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, with events Thursday, Dec. 1 highlighting the critical work done by the African American women of Langley’s West Computing Unit, a story told in the book and upcoming movie Hidden Figures.

November 22, 2016
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NASA Selects Launch Services for Global Surface Water Survey Mission

NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Launch is targeted for April 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

November 22, 2016
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NPR News: Scientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth's Surface Act Like Liquid

Scientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth's Surface Act Like Liquid
The asteroid smashed into Earth. And from miles under the Earth's surface, rock hurtled upward to a height twice that of Mount Everest and then collapsed outward to form a ring of mountains.

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NPR News: Scientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth's Surface Act Like Liquid

Scientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth's Surface Act Like Liquid
The asteroid smashed into Earth. And from miles under the Earth's surface, rock hurtled upward to a height twice that of Mount Everest and then collapsed outward to form a ring of mountains.

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NPR News: Eat It, Don't Leave It: How London Became A Leader In Anti-Food Waste

Eat It, Don't Leave It: How London Became A Leader In Anti-Food Waste
In the English capital, apps and small-scale businesses abound that let restaurants and food vendors share leftovers with the public for free, and otherwise reduce the amount of edibles they toss.

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NPR News: Watch Earth's History Play Out On A Football Field

Watch Earth's History Play Out On A Football Field
If our planet's 4.5-billion-year existence were laid out on a 100-yard timeline, when and where would humans first show up? Good question. NPR's Skunk Bear hits the gridiron for a reality check.

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NPR News: When The Kids Go Vegan, It Can Be A Recipe For A Stressful Holiday Meal

When The Kids Go Vegan, It Can Be A Recipe For A Stressful Holiday Meal
For parents with kids on special diets, be it vegan, paleo or gluten-free, holidays can mean more anxiety than fun. The solution lies in working together with their children to plan the perfect meal.

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NASA TV News Conference, Media Availability with Next Space Station Crew

NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, who are targeted to launch to the International Space Station in March, will participate in a news conference at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The news conference will air live on NASA Television.

November 22, 2016
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NPR News: When The Kids Go Vegan, It Can Be A Recipe For A Stressful Holiday Meal

When The Kids Go Vegan, It Can Be A Recipe For A Stressful Holiday Meal
For parents with kids on special diets, be it vegan, paleo or gluten-free, holidays can mean more anxiety than fun. The solution lies in working together with their children to plan the perfect meal.

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NPR News: Scholars Delve Deeper Into The Ethics Of Artificial Intelligence

Scholars Delve Deeper Into The Ethics Of Artificial Intelligence
What happens when you make robots that are smart, independent thinkers — and then try to limit their autonomy? A $10 million gift is aimed at answering such questions at Carnegie Mellon University.

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NPR News: Dementia Risk Declines, And Education May Be One Reason Why

Dementia Risk Declines, And Education May Be One Reason Why
The prevalence of Alzheimer's and other dementias declined by almost 3 percent from 2000 to 2012, a study finds. That could be due to people getting more education, and better health overall.

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NPR News: Dementia Risk Declines, And Education May Be One Reason Why

Dementia Risk Declines, And Education May Be One Reason Why
The prevalence of Alzheimer's and other dementias declined by almost 3 percent from 2000 to 2012, a study finds. That could be due to people getting more education, and better health overall.

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NPR News: For Many Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters, The Fight Is Personal

For Many Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters, The Fight Is Personal
The Dakota Access Pipeline protests attract people from all over the world. They all oppose the construction of the oil pipeline, and they come for many personal reasons, too.

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NPR News: Several Cities Convert To LED Street Lights In Conservation Efforts

Several Cities Convert To LED Street Lights In Conservation Efforts
Many cities are converting to LED street lights. The move can help restore darker skies and make stars visible again, and they also save energy and money. But some LEDs emit light that disrupts sleep.

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NPR News: WATCH: Drone Footage Shows Aftermath Of New Zealand Quake

WATCH: Drone Footage Shows Aftermath Of New Zealand Quake
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook New Zealand more than a week ago. Scientists investigating the damage have recorded mesmerizing footage of the cracks in the ground that the quake left behind.

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NGC 4414: A Flocculent Spiral Galaxy

How much mass do flocculent spirals hide? The featured true color image of flocculent spiral galaxy NGC 4414 was taken with the Hubble Space Telescope to help answer this question. The featured image was augmented with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Flocculent spirals -- galaxies without well-defined spiral arms -- are a quite common form of galaxy, and NGC 4414 is one of the closest. Stars and gas near the visible edge of spiral galaxies orbit the center so fast that the gravity from a large amount of unseen dark matter must be present to hold them together. Understanding the matter and dark matter distribution of NGC 4414 helps humanity calibrate the rest of the galaxy and, by deduction, flocculent spirals in general. Further, calibrating the distance to NGC 4414 helps humanity calibrate the cosmological distance scale of the entire visible universe. via NASA http://ift.tt/2gsbMns

NPR News: At 56, Peggy Whitson Becomes Oldest Female Astronaut

At 56, Peggy Whitson Becomes Oldest Female Astronaut
On the mission, she's projected to once again become the U.S. astronaut with the most time spent in orbit.

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NPR News: Climate Scientist Ponders Trump Presidency's Effect On Climate Change Progress

Climate Scientist Ponders Trump Presidency's Effect On Climate Change Progress
Donald Trump wrote in a tweet that global warming is "nonexistent." NPR's Rachel Martin talks to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe about what Trump's presidency will mean for climate policy.

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NPR News: Evangelical Scientist Fears Trump Presidency Will Derail Climate Change Progress

Evangelical Scientist Fears Trump Presidency Will Derail Climate Change Progress
Donald Trump wrote in a tweet that global warming is "nonexistent." NPR's Rachel Martin talks to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe about what Trump's presidency will mean for climate policy.

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NPR News: Florida Keys Approves Trial Of Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Zika

Florida Keys Approves Trial Of Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Zika
In the Florida Keys, no cases of locally-transmitted Zika have been reported, but officials have decided to go ahead with trials of a genetically modified mosquito to combat the spread of the disease.

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NASA Successfully Launches NOAA Advanced Geostationary Weather Satellite

NASA successfully launched for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the first in a series of highly advanced geostationary weather satellites Saturday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

November 20, 2016
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NPR News: A Trump Reversal On Obama's Arctic Oil Drilling Ban Won't Be Easy

A Trump Reversal On Obama's Arctic Oil Drilling Ban Won't Be Easy
The Obama Administration has removed the Arctic Ocean from any new off shore oil and gas leasing for the next 5 years. Environmentalists wanted the move due to concerns over climate change.

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NPR News: Heavy Screen Time Rewires Young Brains, For Better And Worse

Heavy Screen Time Rewires Young Brains, For Better And Worse
Bombarding young mice with video and audio stimulation changes the way the brain develops. But some scientists think those sorts of brain changes could protect kids from stressing out in a busy world.

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NPR News: Heavy Screen Time Rewires Young Brains, For Better And Worse

Heavy Screen Time Rewires Young Brains, For Better And Worse
Bombarding young mice with video and audio stimulation changes the way the brain develops. But some scientists think those sorts of brain changes could protect kids from stressing out in a busy world.

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Philadelphia Perigee Full Moon

A supermoon sets over the metropolis of Philadelphia in this twilight snapshot captured on November 14 at 6:21am Eastern Standard Time. Within hours of the Moon's exact full phase, that time does correspond to a lunar perigee or the closest point in the Moon's elliptical orbit around our fair planet. Slightly bigger and brighter at perigee, this Full Moon is still flattened and distorted in appearance by refraction in atmospheric layers along the sight-line near the horizon. Also like more ordinary Full Moons, it shines with the warm color of sunlight. Joined by buildings along the Philadelphia skyline, the perigee full moonlight is reflected in the waters of the mighty Cooper River. via NASA http://ift.tt/2f7q2wQ

NPR News: No New Federal Oil And Gas Leases In The Arctic Ocean For The Next Five Years

No New Federal Oil And Gas Leases In The Arctic Ocean For The Next Five Years
The Obama administration has removed Arctic locations from planned oil and gas leases for the next 5 years. Ten of the 11 approved lease areas are in the Gulf of Mexico.

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NPR News: As Marrakech Climate Talks End, Worries Remain About U.S. Pullout

As Marrakech Climate Talks End, Worries Remain About U.S. Pullout
Negotiators had hoped the meeting would be the first step in implementing last year's Paris agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the U.S. election has cast their plans into doubt.

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NASA Awards Space Studies Board Contract

NASA has awarded a sole-source contract to the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine of Washington to conduct studies on questions of national importance within the domain of NASA science and technology programs relating to space science, Earth science, and biological and physical science in space.

November 18, 2016
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NPR News: New Weather Satellite Provides Forecasts For The Final Frontier

New Weather Satellite Provides Forecasts For The Final Frontier
The GOES-R satellite is scheduled to enter orbit Saturday. It'll sit 22,000 miles above the Americas, monitoring weather on the planet — and in space.

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New Crew Launches to Space Station to Continue Scientific Research

Three crew members representing the United States, Russia and France are on their way to the International Space Station after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:20 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 17 (2:20 a.m. Nov. 18, Baikonur time).

November 17, 2016
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NPR News: What Defines The Perfect Meal?

What Defines The Perfect Meal?
Professor Charles Spence studies what makes for a great eating experience. He says it's far more dependent on 'the everything else' that surrounds the meal, rather than the food itself.

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NPR News: Chemists Recreate Deadly Frog Poison In The Lab

Chemists Recreate Deadly Frog Poison In The Lab
The toxin comes from tiny frogs in Colombia — the ones that pack a punch on the tip of poisonous darts. In the past, research on poisons like this has led to some pretty amazing drug discoveries.

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NPR News: Chemists Recreate Deadly Frog Poison In The Lab

Chemists Recreate Deadly Frog Poison In The Lab
The toxin comes from tiny frogs in Colombia — the ones that pack a punch on the tip of poisonous darts. In the past, research on poisons like this has led to some pretty amazing drug discoveries.

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NPR News: Greenland's Getting Warmer, But Farmers There Are Struggling More Than Ever

Greenland's Getting Warmer, But Farmers There Are Struggling More Than Ever
Warming and longer summers in Greenland have raised hopes for expansion of agriculture on the island. But the summers have been drier, causing a decline in the number of sheep farms on the island.

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NPR News: USGS Announces Its Largest Oil And Gas Discovery Ever

USGS Announces Its Largest Oil And Gas Discovery Ever
The agency says the so-called Wolfcamp shale in Texas contains 20 billion barrels of oil and 16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that are recoverable by hydraulic fracturing and other means.

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NASA Receives Sixth Consecutive Clean Audit Opinion

NASA has received an unmodified audit opinion on its Fiscal Year 2016 (FY 2016) financial statements, marking the sixth consecutive year of “clean” opinions. The agency has released its FY 2016 Agency Financial Report (AFR), which provides details on its financial results and performance highlights.

November 16, 2016
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US Cargo Ship Set to Depart Space Station, Live NASA TV Coverage

One month after launching from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft is set to leave the International Space Station at 8:20 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 21. Live coverage of the spacecraft departure will begin at 8 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

November 16, 2016
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NPR News: Fossil Fuel Opponents Face New Challenges Under Donald Trump

Fossil Fuel Opponents Face New Challenges Under Donald Trump
Under President Obama, fossil fuel opponents successfully blocked the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Now the keep-it-in-the-ground movement faces new challenges with the election of Donald Trump.

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Colorado Students to Speak with NASA Astronaut on Space Station

Students in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, will have the opportunity to speak with a NASA astronaut currently living and working aboard the International Space Station at 12:40 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 18. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

November 16, 2016
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NPR News: To Get Disability Help In Kansas, Thousands Face A 7-Year Wait

To Get Disability Help In Kansas, Thousands Face A 7-Year Wait
Nick Fugate has a cognitive disability, but held a job and was independent for years. Then he lost his dishwashing job and learned there are long delays getting help he needs from Medicaid in Kansas.

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NPR News: Feelings Toward A Partner Affect Brand Buying Decisions, Study Says

Feelings Toward A Partner Affect Brand Buying Decisions, Study Says
Here's news that could be of interest to marketers: Research shows people frustrated in a relationship sometimes deal with their feelings by buying and consuming brands their partners hate.

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NPR News: Feelings Toward A Partner Affect Brand Buying Decisions, Study Says

Feelings Toward A Partner Affect Brand Buying Decisions, Study Says
Here's news that could be of interest to marketers: Research shows people frustrated in a relationship sometimes deal with their feelings by buying and consuming brands their partners hate.

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NPR News: In Southwest China, A 'Very Large Eyeball' Peers Into Deep Space

In Southwest China, A 'Very Large Eyeball' Peers Into Deep Space
The new telescope will help discover new galaxies and will observe the hydrogen clouds from which stars and planets are born. But not everyone's happy. 9,000 locals were displaced to make room for it.

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NPR News: How 'Broken Windows' Helped Shape Tensions Between Police And Communities

How 'Broken Windows' Helped Shape Tensions Between Police And Communities
As the mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani was a proponent of a controversial policing philosophy that calls for police to go after small crimes in hopes of preventing bigger problems.

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NPR News: Biomedical Researchers Ponder Future After Trump Election

Biomedical Researchers Ponder Future After Trump Election
The federal government spends more than $30 billion a year to fund the National Institutes of Health. How will a new administration affect academic research? What about pharmaceutical research?

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NPR News: Biomedical Researchers Ponder Future After Trump Election

Biomedical Researchers Ponder Future After Trump Election
The federal government spends more than $30 billion a year to fund the National Institutes of Health. How will a new administration affect academic research? What about pharmaceutical research?

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NPR News: A Twist On 'Involuntary Commitment': Some Heroin Users Request It

A Twist On 'Involuntary Commitment': Some Heroin Users Request It
Some Massachusetts opioid users are so desperate to quit the drug habit that they are asking judges to lock them up and require treatment. But critics question whether courts should play this role.

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NPR News: Female Panther Crosses Florida River, Humans Applaud

Female Panther Crosses Florida River, Humans Applaud
The endangered Florida panther has only bred south of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973. Now, a female has turned up on the north side, and it could be a good thing for the future of the species.

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NASA Updates 2017 International Space Station Crew Assignments

NASA and its international partners have updated the assignments for several crew rotations to the International Space Station in 2017. The changes reflect a switch in assignments for some NASA astronauts, as well as a reduction in the number of Russian cosmonauts on some missions.

November 15, 2016
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NPR News: WATCH: Mantis Shrimp's Incredible Eyesight Yields Clues For Detecting Cancer

WATCH: Mantis Shrimp's Incredible Eyesight Yields Clues For Detecting Cancer
Cancer cells, it turns out, reflect light in a particular, polarized way that mantis shrimp can see. A tiny camera based on the shrimp's eye might help doctors better visualize tumors during surgery.

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NPR News: WATCH: Mantis Shrimp's Incredible Eyesight Yields Clues For Detecting Cancer

WATCH: Mantis Shrimp's Incredible Eyesight Yields Clues For Detecting Cancer
Cancer cells, it turns out, reflect light in a particular, polarized way that mantis shrimp can see. A tiny camera based on the shrimp's eye might help doctors better visualize tumors during surgery.

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NPR News: Skygazers Await The First Supermoon Since 1948

Skygazers Await The First Supermoon Since 1948
NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Sarah Noble, lunar scientist at NASA, about the supermoon, which is when the moon is at the closest point to Earth along its orbit.

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NASA Awards Contract for Atmospheric Science, Data Assimilation Support

NASA has awarded the Support for Atmospheres, Modeling, and Data Assimilation (SAMDA) contract to Science Systems and Applications, Inc., of Lanham, Maryland. This contract will support the atmospheric science and data assimilation research conducted by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

November 14, 2016
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NPR News: Grapefruit And Salt: The Science Behind This Unlikely Power Couple

Grapefruit And Salt: The Science Behind This Unlikely Power Couple
Ad campaigns of the first and second World Wars sold Americans on this surprising pairing. Despite a rocky history of breakups, the chemistry between these two flavors cannot be denied.

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Super Moon vs Micro Moon

What is so super about tomorrow's supermoon? Tomorrow, a full moon will occur that appears slightly larger and brighter than usual. The reason is that the Moon's fully illuminated phase occurs within a short time from perigee - when the Moon is its closest to the Earth in its elliptical orbit. Although the precise conditions that define a supermoon vary, tomorrow's supermoon will undoubtedly qualify because it will be the closest, largest, and brightest full moon in over 65 years. One reason supermoons are popular is because they are so easy to see -- just go outside at sunset and watch an impressive full moon rise! Since perigee actually occurs tomorrow morning, tonight's full moon, visible starting at sunset, should also be impressive. Pictured here, a supermoon from 2012 is compared to a micromoon -- when a full Moon occurs near the furthest part of the Moon's orbit -- so that it appears smaller and dimmer than usual. Given many definitions, at least one supermoon occurs each year, with another one coming next month (moon-th). However, a full moon will not come this close to Earth again until 2034. via NASA http://ift.tt/2fvYgeM

NPR News: 'Minibrains' Could Help Drug Discovery For Zika And For Alzheimer's

'Minibrains' Could Help Drug Discovery For Zika And For Alzheimer's
Each lab-grown cluster of human cells fits on a pin's head, but contains some of the cell types and circuitry of a real brain. The structures already are offering insights into how Zika attacks.

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NPR News: 'Minibrains' Could Help Drug Discovery For Zika And For Alzheimer's

'Minibrains' Could Help Drug Discovery For Zika And For Alzheimer's
Each lab-grown cluster of human cells fits on a pin's head, but contains some of the cell types and circuitry of a real brain. The structures already are offering insights into how Zika attacks.

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NPR News: DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk

DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk
People with unlucky genes but good health habits were half as likely to develop heart disease as those who had an unhealthful lifestyle and genes that increased their heart risk, a study found.

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NPR News: DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk

DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk
People with unlucky genes but good health habits were half as likely to develop heart disease as those who had an unhealthful lifestyle and genes that increased their heart risk, a study found.

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NPR News: Closest Supermoon Since 1948 Arrives Monday: Tips On Seeing And Photographing It

Closest Supermoon Since 1948 Arrives Monday: Tips On Seeing And Photographing It
It's the nearest supermoon in almost 70 years — and we won't see another like it until 2034. You have three chances to see the moon at its biggest, on Sunday and Monday.

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NPR News: For First Time Since 1948, Supermoon Rises On Monday

For First Time Since 1948, Supermoon Rises On Monday
NPR's Rachel Martin talks to astronomer Jackie Faherty about Monday's supermoon. It will be the closest the moon has been to Earth since 1948.

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NGC 891 vs Abell 347

Galaxies abound in this well-chosen field of view that spans about 1 degree on the sky toward the northern constellation Andromeda. At top right is large spiral galaxy NGC 891, 100 thousand light-years across and seen almost exactly edge-on. About 30 million light-years distant, NGC 891 looks a lot like our own Milky Way with a flattened, thin, galactic disk. Its disk and central bulge are cut along the middle by dark, obscuring dust clouds. Scattered toward the lower left, and beyond a foreground of Milky Way stars, are members of galaxy cluster Abell 347. Nearly 240 million light-years away, Abell 347 shows off its own large galaxies in the sharp telescopic image. They are similar to NGC 891 in physical size but located almost 8 times farther away, so Abell 347 galaxies have roughly one eighth the apparent size of NGC 891. via NASA http://ift.tt/2erleHn

NPR News: Is Birdfeeding Just, Well, For The Birds?

Is Birdfeeding Just, Well, For The Birds?
What do birds like to chow down on anyway? And what to do with pesky squirrels? NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Talkin' Birds host Ray Brown about birdfeeding.

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NPR News: Name Of A Vietnam Veteran Killed By Hepatitis C Added To 'The Wall'

Name Of A Vietnam Veteran Killed By Hepatitis C Added To 'The Wall'
Members of the military are more than twice as likely to have hepatitis C as the general public. For many, including Jim McGough, the virus takes its final toll decades after they are first infected.

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NPR News: Trump's Plan For Clean Coal Could Put The Brakes On Natural Gas

Trump's Plan For Clean Coal Could Put The Brakes On Natural Gas
President-elect Donald Trump's energy plan includes a promise to develop clean coal. Clean coal is a technology that has struggled for years and is unlikely to be competitive with cheap natural gas.

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NPR News: Trump's Victory Elevates Hopes For People In Coal Country

Trump's Victory Elevates Hopes For People In Coal Country
Coal country is celebrating Donald Trump's victory. Support for Trump was strong from Appalachia to Wyoming, and now that he has been elected, people have high hopes about what he, and the Republican Congress, can do to turn around coal's fortunes.

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NPR News: Chinese Construction Workers Set Off Dynamite And Uncover 'New' Dinosaur Species

Chinese Construction Workers Set Off Dynamite And Uncover 'New' Dinosaur Species
Workmen building a high school in southern China were blasting through bedrock – and when the dust settled, they found they had uncovered a well-preserved dinosaur skeleton.

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NPR News: Hey, Baby, Meet Peanuts: How And When To Safely Introduce The Food

Hey, Baby, Meet Peanuts: How And When To Safely Introduce The Food
Giving infants peanut puree as one of their first solid foods can help prevent peanut allergies, research has shown. To do that safely, start early — and only after checking with your doctor first.

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NPR News: Hey, Baby, Meet Peanuts: How And When To Safely Introduce The Food

Hey, Baby, Meet Peanuts: How And When To Safely Introduce The Food
Giving infants peanut puree as one of their first solid foods can help prevent peanut allergies, research has shown. To do that safely, start early — and only after checking with your doctor first.

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NPR News: How Contestants' Social Security Numbers Could Affect 'Jeopardy' Wagers

How Contestants' Social Security Numbers Could Affect 'Jeopardy' Wagers
Researchers have found an unconscious bias in the way contestants play the game show Jeopardy.

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NPR News: Why Seabirds Love To Gobble Plastic Floating In The Ocean

Why Seabirds Love To Gobble Plastic Floating In The Ocean
New evidence suggests that for a lot of birds, plastic actually smells like food. The reason for that involves a common kind of algae floating in the ocean and a "chemical scream."

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NASA Awards Contract for Flight Operations Support

NASA has awarded contracts to nine companies to provide specialized engineering, aeronautics, and manufacturing support for Flight Operations Directorate work, facilities, and aircraft at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

November 10, 2016
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NPR News: Can't Hurry Love: Rare Snail Finds Romance After Global Search

Can't Hurry Love: Rare Snail Finds Romance After Global Search
A genetic fluke stood in the way of love for a lonely and unique snail named Jeremy. But thanks to a public appeal, the snail has hopefully found a mate — or maybe even two.

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NPR News: Why Seabirds Love To Gobble Plastic Floating In The Ocean

Why Seabirds Love To Gobble Plastic Floating In The Ocean
New evidence suggests that for a lot of birds, plastic actually smells like food. The reason for that involves a common kind of algae floating in the ocean and a "chemical scream."

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NPR News: Brain Scientists Trace Rat Ticklishness To Play Behavior

Brain Scientists Trace Rat Ticklishness To Play Behavior
Why and when tickling makes us laugh is still mysterious. But researchers who studied what happens in rat brains when they're tickled say they emit ultrasonic giggles, too — when in the mood for fun.

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NPR News: Brain Scientists Trace Rat Ticklishness To Play Behavior

Brain Scientists Trace Rat Ticklishness To Play Behavior
Why and when tickling makes us laugh is still mysterious. But researchers who studied what happens in rat brains when they're tickled say they emit ultrasonic giggles, too — when in the mood for fun.

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Next Space Station Crew Set for Launch Nov. 17, Watch Live on NASA TV

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, and Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) will launch Thursday, Nov. 17, for a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station.

November 10, 2016
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NPR News: In Ancient Trash Heaps, A Whale Hunting Puzzle Emerges

In Ancient Trash Heaps, A Whale Hunting Puzzle Emerges
New DNA evidence from a 4,000-year-old dumpster along the coast of Greenland suggests the paleo-Inuit or Saqqaq culture ate large amounts of whale. But how?

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NPR News: In Ancient Trash Heaps, A Whale Hunting Puzzle Emerges

In Ancient Trash Heaps, A Whale Hunting Puzzle Emerges
New DNA evidence from a 4,000-year-old dumpster along the coast of Greenland suggests the paleo-Inuit or Saqqaq culture ate large amounts of whale. But how?

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NPR News: Trump Has A Chance To Pull U.S. Out Of Climate Accord

Trump Has A Chance To Pull U.S. Out Of Climate Accord
During the campaign, the president-elect said climate change is not real, and he rejected last year's international agreement to cut greenhouse gases.

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M63: The Sunflower Galaxy from Hubble

One of the bright spiral galaxies visible in the north sky is M63, the Sunflower Galaxy. M63, also catalogued as NGC 5055, can be found with a small telescope toward the constellation of Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici). The featured picture from the Hubble Space Telescope exhibits the center of M63, complete with long winding spiral arms glowing blue from a few bright young stars, emission nebulae glowing red from hot ionized hydrogen gas, and dark dust in numerous filaments. M63 interacts gravitationally with M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy) and several smaller galaxies. Light takes about 35 million years to reach us from M63, and about 60,000 years to cross the spiral galaxy. Stars in the outer regions of the Sunflower Galaxy rotate about the center at a speed so high that, given the matter seen and assuming normal gravity, they should fly off into space. The fact that the stars remain indicates the presence of sort of invisible, gravitationally-binding, dark matter. via NASA http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap161109.html

NPR News: Monkeys Regain Control Of Paralyzed Legs With Help Of An Implant

Monkeys Regain Control Of Paralyzed Legs With Help Of An Implant
Two monkeys with spinal cord injuries were able to move after a wireless implant restored the connection between brain and legs. But any help for people will be years away, researchers say.

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NPR News: Monkeys Regain Control Of Paralyzed Legs With Help Of An Implant

Monkeys Regain Control Of Paralyzed Legs With Help Of An Implant
Two monkeys with spinal cord injuries were able to move after a wireless implant restored the connection between brain and legs. But any help for people will be years away, researchers say.

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NPR News: Climate Conference Aims To Put Paris Agreement Into Action

Climate Conference Aims To Put Paris Agreement Into Action
Leaders from 195 nations are meeting in Morocco to come up with specific plans for carrying out a worldwide plan to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

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NPR News: How The Brain Powers Placebos, False Memories And Healing

How The Brain Powers Placebos, False Memories And Healing
Erik Vance didn't see a doctor until he was 18 years old; he grew up in a Christian Science family. As a science journalist, he explores how the mind affects the body's response to pain and disease.

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NPR News: Pairing Wine And Cheese? Science Says White May Be A Better Choice Than Red

Pairing Wine And Cheese? Science Says White May Be A Better Choice Than Red
A new technique that examines the evolution of taste suggests that the strong flavor of red wine may dominate the taste of some cheeses, while white varieties may be more versatile and refreshing.

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NPR News: Pairing Wine And Cheese? Science Says White May Be A Better Choice Than Red

Pairing Wine And Cheese? Science Says White May Be A Better Choice Than Red
A new technique that examines the evolution of taste suggests that the strong flavor of red wine may dominate the taste of some cheeses, while white varieties may be more versatile and refreshing.

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NPR News: Should I Trust Wikipedia With My Health?

Should I Trust Wikipedia With My Health?
Some doctors lambaste Wikipedia for errors in its medical pages. But there are many physicians, science teachers and researchers working overtime to make the crowdsourced health content better.

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NPR News: Should I Trust Wikipedia With My Health?

Should I Trust Wikipedia With My Health?
Some doctors lambaste Wikipedia for errors in its medical pages. But there are many physicians, science teachers and researchers working overtime to make the crowdsourced health content better.

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NPR News: Still Have Leftover Halloween Candy? Use It For Science!

Still Have Leftover Halloween Candy? Use It For Science!
No need to risk sugar shock, folks. We've got a whole bunch of experiments you can do with leftover candy that are possibly more fun than eating it.

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Inverted City Beneath Clouds

How could that city be upside-down? The city, Chicago, was actually perfectly right-side up. The long shadows it projected onto nearby Lake Michigan near sunset, however, when seen in reflection, made the buildings appear inverted. This fascinating, puzzling, yet beautiful image was captured by a photographer in 2014 on an airplane on approach to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The Sun can be seen both above and below the cloud deck, with the latter reflected in the calm lake. As a bonus, if you look really closely -- and this is quite a challenge -- you can find another airplane in the image, likely also on approach to the same airport. via NASA http://ift.tt/2frZ98z

NPR News: Climate Change: The Forgotten Issue Of This Year's Election

Climate Change: The Forgotten Issue Of This Year's Election
Most scientists agree, climate change is perhaps the most serious issue facing our planet today. And yet, it's uniquely difficult for us to wrap our heads around. Hidden Brain explores why.

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NPR News: Astrophysicist Takes Deep Dive Into The Science Of 'Doctor Strange'

Astrophysicist Takes Deep Dive Into The Science Of 'Doctor Strange'
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to astrophysicist Adam Frank about his role as physics and philosophy adviser on Marvel's newest movie, Doctor Strange, which opened last Friday.

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NPR News: Giant Snowballs Wash Up On Siberian Beach

Giant Snowballs Wash Up On Siberian Beach
The masses of balls that appeared along 11-miles of coast in western Siberia were snowy and icy. Some of them were small, and some were quite large.

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NASA Small Satellites Set to Take a Fresh Look at Earth

Beginning this month, NASA is launching a suite of six next-generation, Earth-observing small satellite missions to demonstrate innovative new approaches for studying our changing planet.

November 07, 2016
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NPR News: Earthquake Shakes Oklahoma Oil Storage Hub

Earthquake Shakes Oklahoma Oil Storage Hub
The magnitude 5.0 quake damaged buildings in Cushing, Okla., the largest commercial crude oil storage center in North America. No damage to oil storage facilities or nearby pipelines was reported.

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NPR News: Testing Begins On An Experimental Zika Vaccine With Inactivated Virus

Testing Begins On An Experimental Zika Vaccine With Inactivated Virus
Scientists are racing to create a vaccine against the Zika virus. The latest effort being tested uses inactivated virus, a technique that has been used successfully to fight other diseases.

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NPR News: Testing Begins On An Experimental Zika Vaccine With Inactivated Virus

Testing Begins On An Experimental Zika Vaccine With Inactivated Virus
Scientists are racing to create a vaccine against the Zika virus. The latest effort being tested uses inactivated virus, a technique that has been used successfully to fight other diseases.

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NPR News: Poverty Wages For U.S. Child Care Workers May Be Behind High Turnover

Poverty Wages For U.S. Child Care Workers May Be Behind High Turnover
The high cost of child care is a strain for many families in the U.S., yet child care workers average less than $10 an hour. This strain on workers hurts babies and toddlers, too, researchers say.

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Starburst Cluster in NGC 3603

A mere 20,000 light-years from the Sun lies NGC 3603, a resident of the nearby Carina spiral arm of our Milky Way Galaxy. NGC 3603 is well known to astronomers as one of the Milky Way's largest star-forming regions. The central open star cluster contains thousands of stars more massive than our Sun, stars that likely formed only one or two million years ago in a single burst of star formation. In fact, nearby NGC 3603 is thought to contain a convenient example of the massive star clusters that populate much more distant starburst galaxies. Surrounding the cluster are natal clouds of glowing interstellar gas and obscuring dust, sculpted by energetic stellar radiation and winds. Recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope, the image spans about 17 light-years. via NASA http://ift.tt/2erW06L

NPR News: Voices From North Dakota Pipeline Protestors

Voices From North Dakota Pipeline Protestors
In North Dakota the Army Corps of Engineers met with Native American leader hoping to avoid more clashes between police and Dakota Access Pipeline protesters.

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NPR News: Manure Happens, Especially When Hog Farms Flood

Manure Happens, Especially When Hog Farms Flood
When Hurricane Matthew hit North Carolina last month, it flooded dozens of manure lagoons at hog farms. Environmentalists say it shows that these farms are too risky for the state.

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NPR News: First Cases Of New, Infectious Fungus Reported In U.S.

First Cases Of New, Infectious Fungus Reported In U.S.
The fungus Candida auris has infected hospitalized patients with weakened immune systems or other serious conditions. Four of the seven patients died, but it's unclear if the fungus was the cause.

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NPR News: Are We Wrong To Think We're Right?

Are We Wrong To Think We're Right?
Our biases lead us to amend the facts. Writer Julia Galef explains how we can have better judgement by developing more empathy and testing our own beliefs.

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NPR News: Are We Wrong To Think We're Right?

Are We Wrong To Think We're Right?
Our biases lead us to amend the facts. Writer Julia Galef explains how we can have better judgement by developing more empathy and testing our own beliefs.

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NASA Announces Media Briefing on New Hurricane Mission

NASA will hold a media briefing at 1 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 10, to discuss the upcoming Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission, a constellation of eight microsatellites that will gather never-before-seen details on the formation and intensity of tropical cyclones and hurricanes.

November 03, 2016
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NPR News: Male Birth Control Study Killed After Men Complain About Side Effects

Male Birth Control Study Killed After Men Complain About Side Effects
Science has failed yet again to come with with hormonal birth control for men. The most recent study was stopped because the men weren't willing to put up with side effects like mood swings and acne.

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NPR News: Texas Medicaid Cuts Hit Rural Disabled Kids Especially Hard

Texas Medicaid Cuts Hit Rural Disabled Kids Especially Hard
State lawmakers cut $350 million in Medicaid funding to early childhood intervention therapists last year to help pay for tax cuts. Now rural toddlers are finding it hard to get vital treatment.

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NPR News: Deforestation Opponents Enlist Powerful Ally: Big Food. But There's A Catch

Deforestation Opponents Enlist Powerful Ally: Big Food. But There's A Catch
Hundreds of food companies have promised to keep their suppliers from cutting down forests. A global coalition of environmental groups is watching to see if the companies are keeping their promises.

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NPR News: Study: NFL Referees A Influenced By Coaches' And Players' Sideline Yelling

Study: NFL Referees A Influenced By Coaches' And Players' Sideline Yelling
A new study shows referees are much more likely to make calls that favor the team whose coaches and players are on the sideline closest to the potential penalty.

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NPR News: Teen Night Owls Struggle To Learn And Control Emotions At School

Teen Night Owls Struggle To Learn And Control Emotions At School
Findings provide new evidence pushing back school start times, to let adolescents sleep and wake up when it's more natural, researchers say. It's going to bed late that creates problems.

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NPR News: Teen Night Owls Struggle To Learn And Control Emotions At School

Teen Night Owls Struggle To Learn And Control Emotions At School
Findings provide new evidence pushing back school start times, to let adolescents sleep and wake up when it's more natural, researchers say. It's going to bed late that creates problems.

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NPR News: Army Corps Of Engineers Considers Rerouting Dakota Access Pipeline

Army Corps Of Engineers Considers Rerouting Dakota Access Pipeline
President Obama says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering rerouting the Dakota Access Pipeline to address Native American concerns.

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NASA to Hold Media Call on New Small Satellite Missions to Study Earth

NASA will host a teleconference at 2:30 p.m. EDT Monday, Nov. 7, to preview several Earth science missions using small satellites heading into space, starting this year, to help us better understand our home planet.

November 02, 2016
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NPR News: Science Rewards Eureka Moments, Except When It Doesn't

Science Rewards Eureka Moments, Except When It Doesn't
An easier way to edit genes, called CRISPR-Cas9, is revolutionizing biomedical research. But as patents and big prizes hover, some contributors to the discovery aren't getting much credit.

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NPR News: Science Rewards Eureka Moments, Except When It Doesn't

Science Rewards Eureka Moments, Except When It Doesn't
An easier way to edit genes, called CRISPR-Cas9, is revolutionizing biomedical research. But as patents and big prizes hover, some contributors to the discovery aren't getting much credit.

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NPR News: Lessons From Two War Zones Make A Difference In Medic Training

Lessons From Two War Zones Make A Difference In Medic Training
Nearly every medic in the U.S. military is now trained in San Antonio. Shaped by combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, that training has evolved to improve care and save more lives.

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NPR News: New Report Suggests Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet Plunged Into Sea

New Report Suggests Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet Plunged Into Sea
A new analysis of debris found from the plane suggests it was not attempting an emergency landing.

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NPR News: Why Tobacco Companies Are Spending Millions To Boost A Cigarette Tax

Why Tobacco Companies Are Spending Millions To Boost A Cigarette Tax
The tobacco giant is supporting its first cigarette tax — 60 cents more per pack. But some health groups oppose Missouri's ballot measure, as do some education groups that would benefit from the tax.

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NPR News: CRISPR's Million-Dollar Question: Who Gets Credit For The Gene-Editing Discovery

CRISPR's Million-Dollar Question: Who Gets Credit For The Gene-Editing Discovery
It has been called the biggest biotech breakthrough of our time. Now, patents and Nobel prizes loom, but many scientists in many labs contributed — some that continue to toil in obscurity.

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NPR News: CRISPR's Million-Dollar Question: Who Gets Credit For The Gene-Editing Discovery

CRISPR's Million-Dollar Question: Who Gets Credit For The Gene-Editing Discovery
It has been called the biggest biotech breakthrough of our time. Now, patents and Nobel prizes loom, but many scientists in many labs contributed — some that continue to toil in obscurity.

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NPR News: Alaskan 'Ice Monster' Sparks Imaginations Online

Alaskan 'Ice Monster' Sparks Imaginations Online
An employee with the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska took a video of undulating ice in the Chena River — and added a creepy soundtrack. Facebook users took care of the rest.

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NPR News: $151 Million Settlement Deal Reached Over West Virginia Water Poisoning

$151 Million Settlement Deal Reached Over West Virginia Water Poisoning
A federal judge has tentatively signed off on the agreement between local residents and two companies over a 2014 chemical spill that contaminated drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people.

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