Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Houston Students to Speak to NASA Astronaut on International Space Station

Students from Hartsfield Elementary 4-H Club of the Houston Independent School District in Texas will speak with a NASA astronaut currently living and working aboard the International Space Station.

February 28, 2017
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NPR News: Why Are More Young Americans Getting Colon Cancer?

Why Are More Young Americans Getting Colon Cancer?
Data suggests that the rate of colon cancer among people under 50 is on the rise, but there are lots of possible explanations for that. Scientists say teasing out the truth will be tricky.

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NPR News: Why Are More Young Americans Getting Colon Cancer?

Why Are More Young Americans Getting Colon Cancer?
Data suggests that the rate of colon cancer among people under 50 is on the rise, but there are lots of possible explanations for that. Scientists say teasing out the truth will be tricky.

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Monday, February 27, 2017

NPR News: SpaceX Announces Plans To Send Two Customers To The Moon

SpaceX Announces Plans To Send Two Customers To The Moon
It would be the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since the days of Apollo. The mission would be manned and financed by two private, anonymous customers.

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NASA Statement About SpaceX Private Moon Venture Announcement

NASA statement on SpaceX’s announcement Monday about a private space mission around the moon.

February 27, 2017
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NPR News: SpaceX Announces Plans To Sent Two Customers To The Moon

SpaceX Announces Plans To Sent Two Customers To The Moon
It would be the first time humans have traveled beyond low-Earth orbit since the days of Apollo. The mission would be manned and financed by two private, anonymous customers.

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NPR News: What's The Environmental Footprint Of A Loaf Of Bread? Now We Know

What's The Environmental Footprint Of A Loaf Of Bread? Now We Know
New research calculates the greenhouse gas emissions involved in making bread, from wheat field to bakery. The vast majority of emissions come from one step in the process: farming.

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NPR News: What's The Environmental Footprint Of A Loaf Of Bread? Now We Know

What's The Environmental Footprint Of A Loaf Of Bread? Now We Know
New research calculates the greenhouse gas emissions involved in making bread, from wheat field to bakery. The vast majority of emissions come from one step in the process: farming.

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NPR News: What's The Leading Cause Of Wildfires In The U.S.? Humans

What's The Leading Cause Of Wildfires In The U.S.? Humans
More than 8 in 10 fires are started by people. Researchers say humans are not only causing the vast majority of wildfires, they're extending the normal fire season around the U.S. by three months.

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NPR News: To Keep Teens Safe Online, They Need To Learn To Manage Risk

To Keep Teens Safe Online, They Need To Learn To Manage Risk
Teens should be included in efforts to mitigate their online risks, researchers say, but apps focus more on parents controlling access by monitoring and blocking sites.

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NPR News: Photographer Builds A 'Photo Ark' For 6,500 Animal Species And Counting

Photographer Builds A 'Photo Ark' For 6,500 Animal Species And Counting
National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore is on a mission to document every captive animal species in the world. He talks about getting an arctic fox to hold still, and Photoshopping out poop.

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NPR News: Your Name Might Shape Your Face, Researchers Say

Your Name Might Shape Your Face, Researchers Say
Do you look like a Joy? Genes and culture may make it more likely that names and faces align. But researchers say people also may adjust their expressions to match social expectations of their name.

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NPR News: Your Name Might Shape Your Face, Researchers Say

Your Name Might Shape Your Face, Researchers Say
Do you look like a Joy? Genes and culture may make it more likely that names and faces align. But researchers say people also may adjust their expressions to match social expectations of their name.

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NPR News: A Medicine That Blunts The Buzz Of Alcohol Can Help Drinkers Cut Back

A Medicine That Blunts The Buzz Of Alcohol Can Help Drinkers Cut Back
Naltrexone was approved to treat alcohol disorders more than 20 years ago. But many doctors still don't know that when combined with counseling it can help people resist the urge to drink too much.

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NPR News: A Medicine That Blunts The Buzz Of Alcohol Can Help Drinkers Cut Back

A Medicine That Blunts The Buzz Of Alcohol Can Help Drinkers Cut Back
Naltrexone was approved to treat alcohol disorders more than 20 years ago. But many doctors still don't know that when combined with counseling it can help people resist the urge to drink too much.

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Sunday, February 26, 2017

NPR News: Fearing Climate Change Policy Under Trump, STEM Group Works To Get Scientists Elected

Fearing Climate Change Policy Under Trump, STEM Group Works To Get Scientists Elected
Scientists across the country are planning to go to Washington — and take office. Shaughnessy Naughton is the founder of 314 Action a non profit that helps scientists run for office.

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NPR News: Astronomers Find 7 Potentially Habitable Planets

Astronomers Find 7 Potentially Habitable Planets
Astronomers have discovered a solar system full of potentially habitable planets. Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, which searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.

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NPR News: Why It's Been So Warm On The East Coast

Why It's Been So Warm On The East Coast
The east coast saw record-breaking high temperatures this past week. Meteorologist Bob Henson talks with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro about what's behind the early spring weather.

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NPR News: Dentists Work To Ease Patients' Pain With Fewer Opioids

Dentists Work To Ease Patients' Pain With Fewer Opioids
After minor surgeries, many dentists used to reflexively prescribe quick-acting opioids to relieve a patient's pain. Now they're learning to counsel patients about better, less addictive alternatives.

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Saturday, February 25, 2017

NPR News: Explaining The Sizzling Sound Of Meteors

Explaining The Sizzling Sound Of Meteors
Scientists recently published a paper explaining why some meteors create strange sounds. NPR's Scott Simon talks with researcher Bill Sweatt about what creates this "sizzling" sound.

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NPR News: A Taste For Pork Helped A Deadly Virus Jump To Humans

A Taste For Pork Helped A Deadly Virus Jump To Humans
People were dropping dead in Malaysia, and no one could figure out why their brains were swelling. A young scientist solved the mystery. Then he had to get people to believe him.

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NPR News: Explaining The Sizzling Sound Of Meteors

Explaining The Sizzling Sound Of Meteors
Scientists recently published a paper explaining why some meteors create strange sounds. NPR's Scott Simon talks with researcher Bill Sweatt about what creates this "sizzling" sound.

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NPR News: When You Love An Old Dog, Managing Care Can Be A Challenge

When You Love An Old Dog, Managing Care Can Be A Challenge
Aging dogs often need extra medical care. But there comes a time to be realistic about what can and can't be done, veterinarians say. The pet's comfort is paramount.

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Friday, February 24, 2017

NPR News: VX: The Nerve Agent Used To Kill Kim Jong Nam Is Rare And Deadly

VX: The Nerve Agent Used To Kill Kim Jong Nam Is Rare And Deadly
A colorless, odorless liquid, similar in consistency to motor oil, VX kills in tiny quantities that can be absorbed through the skin. It is among the deadliest chemical weapons ever devised.

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NASA Wind Tunnel Tests Lockheed Martin’s X-Plane Design for a Quieter Supersonic Jet

Supersonic passenger airplanes are another step closer to reality as NASA and Lockheed Martin begin the first high-speed wind tunnel tests for the Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) X-plane preliminary design at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

February 24, 2017
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NPR News: Advice From Patients On A Study's Design Makes For Better Science

Advice From Patients On A Study's Design Makes For Better Science
Increasingly, advocates for patients are in the room when big medical studies are designed. They demand answers to big questions: "Will the results of this study actually help anybody?"

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NPR News: Advice From Patients On A Study's Design Makes For Better Science

Advice From Patients On A Study's Design Makes For Better Science
Increasingly, advocates for patients are in the room when big medical studies are designed. They demand answers to big questions: "Will the results of this study actually help anybody?"

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NPR News: Mildred Dresselhaus, 'Queen Of Carbon' And Nanoscience Trailblazer, Dies At 86

Mildred Dresselhaus, 'Queen Of Carbon' And Nanoscience Trailblazer, Dies At 86
The daughter of poor immigrants, Dresselhaus became science royalty for her work with carbon materials. Along the way she opened opportunities for female scientists that didn't exist when she started.

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NPR News: PHOTOS: The Final Hours Of A Dakota Access Pipeline Protest Camp

PHOTOS: The Final Hours Of A Dakota Access Pipeline Protest Camp
On Thursday morning, law enforcement cleared out the Oceti Sakowin camp in North Dakota, ending a months-long protest against the completion of the nearby Dakota Access Pipeline.

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NASA to Hold Media Teleconference Today on Study to Add Crew to First Orion, Space Launch System Mission

NASA will discuss plans for an ongoing study to assess the feasibility of adding a crew to Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, during a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST today, Friday, Feb. 24. The call will stream live on NASA’s website.

February 24, 2017
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NPR News: Kevin Jones: Can Embracing Uncertainty Lead To Better Medicine?

Kevin Jones: Can Embracing Uncertainty Lead To Better Medicine?
Sometimes, doctors just don't have the answers. Surgeon Kevin Jones says having the humility to acknowledge this leads to better medicine.

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NPR News: Naomi Oreskes: Why Should We Believe In Science?

Naomi Oreskes: Why Should We Believe In Science?
In school, we're taught we should trust science because the scientific method leads to measurable results and hard facts. But Naomi Oreskes says the process of inquiry doesn't end there.

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NPR News: Eric Haseltine: Can The Past Guide Us To Future Scientific Breakthroughs?

Eric Haseltine: Can The Past Guide Us To Future Scientific Breakthroughs?
Trained as a neuroscientist, Eric Haseltine always asks questions. He's identified four concepts that lead to scientific breakthrough. One of them: acknowledging we're not the center of the universe.

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NPR News: Liz Coleman: How Do We Teach College Students To Ask Big Questions?

Liz Coleman: How Do We Teach College Students To Ask Big Questions?
Former Bennington College President Liz Coleman believes higher education is overly-specialized & complacent. She says we need to encourage students to ask bigger questions and take more risks.

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NPR News: Kevin Jones: Can Embracing Uncertainty Lead To Better Medicine?

Kevin Jones: Can Embracing Uncertainty Lead To Better Medicine?
Sometimes, doctors just don't have the answers. Surgeon Kevin Jones says having the humility to acknowledge this leads to better medicine.

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NPR News: Naomi Oreskes: Why Should We Believe In Science?

Naomi Oreskes: Why Should We Believe In Science?
In school, we're taught we should trust science because the scientific method leads to measurable results and hard facts. But Naomi Oreskes says the process of inquiry doesn't end there.

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NPR News: Michael Stevens: How Do You Find Smart Answers to Quirky Questions?

Michael Stevens: How Do You Find Smart Answers to Quirky Questions?
When Michael Stevens is confronted with a quirky question, he responsibly searches for the answer and posts it to YouTube — inviting millions of people to follow his journey of discovery.

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NPR News: Could A Bumblebee Learn To Play Fetch? Probably

Could A Bumblebee Learn To Play Fetch? Probably
Scientists found that bumblebees are nimble learners, especially when there's a sugary reward at the end. No wonder they're such good pollinators.

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NPR News: Could A Bumblebee Learn To Play Fetch? Probably

Could A Bumblebee Learn To Play Fetch? Probably
Scientists found that bumblebees are nimble learners, especially when there's a sugary reward at the end. No wonder they're such good pollinators.

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NPR News: Chemical Weapon Found On Body Of North Korean Leader's Half-Brother

Chemical Weapon Found On Body Of North Korean Leader's Half-Brother
Malaysian police said VX nerve agent — classified as a weapon of mass destruction — was found on Kim Jong Nam's body. South Korea says North Korea ordered the hit.

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Thursday, February 23, 2017

Seven Worlds for TRAPPIST 1


Seven worlds orbit the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, a mere 40 light-years away. In May 2016 astronomers using the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) announced the discovery of three planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system. Just announced, additional confirmations and discoveries by the Spitzer Space Telescope and supporting ESO ground-based telescopes have increased the number of known planets to seven. The TRAPPIST-1 planets are likely all rocky and similar in size to Earth, the largest treasure trove of terrestrial planets ever detected around a single star. Because they orbit very close to their faint, tiny star they could also have regions where surface temperatures allow for the presence of liquid water, a key ingredient for life. Their tantalizing proximity to Earth makes them prime candidates for future telescopic explorations of the atmospheres of potentially habitable planets. All seven worlds appear in this artist's illustration, an imagined view from a fictionally powerful telescope near planet Earth. Planet sizes and relative positions are drawn to scale for the Spitzer observations. The system's inner planets are transiting their dim, red, nearly Jupiter-sized parent star. via NASA http://ift.tt/2l3gV3h

NPR News: PHOTOS: The Final Hours Of A Dakota Access Pipeline Protest Camp

PHOTOS: The Final Hours Of A Dakota Access Pipeline Protest Camp
On Thursday morning, law enforcement cleared out the Oceti Sakowin camp in North Dakota, ending a months-long protest against the completion of the nearby Dakota Access Pipeline.

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NASA Invites Media to Next Test of Orion Spacecraft Parachutes

NASA is inviting media to attend a test of the Orion spacecraft’s parachutes on Wednesday, March 8, at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Orion is scheduled for its second airdrop test, in a series of eight, to qualify the parachute system for crewed flights.

February 23, 2017
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NPR News: To Test Zika Vaccines, Scientists Need A New Outbreak

To Test Zika Vaccines, Scientists Need A New Outbreak
It's a bit of a paradox, but researchers say they need Zika virus to re-emerge this year so they can test vaccines designed to defeat it.

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NPR News: To Test Zika Vaccines, Scientists Need A New Outbreak

To Test Zika Vaccines, Scientists Need A New Outbreak
It's a bit of a paradox, but researchers say they need Zika virus to re-emerge this year so they can test vaccines designed to defeat it.

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NPR News: SpaceX Cargo Craft Is Now In Space Station's Grip, One Day After Aborted Docking

SpaceX Cargo Craft Is Now In Space Station's Grip, One Day After Aborted Docking
NASA had originally planned for the Dragon craft to reach the space station three days ago. It has

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NPR News: Poverty Plus A Poisonous Plant Blamed For Paralysis In Rural Africa

Poverty Plus A Poisonous Plant Blamed For Paralysis In Rural Africa
Some African countries have long witnessed mysterious outbreaks of paralysis. Affected regions are poor and conflict-ridden, where people's main food is a bitter, poisonous variety of cassava.

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NPR News: Should Scientists March? U.S. Researchers Still Debating Pros And Cons

Should Scientists March? U.S. Researchers Still Debating Pros And Cons
A "March for Science" is set for April 22 in Washington, D.C., to show support for evidence-based public policy. But some worry the march will be seen as partisan, and may even undermine sound policy.

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NPR News: Should Scientists March? U.S. Researchers Still Debating Pros And Cons

Should Scientists March? U.S. Researchers Still Debating Pros And Cons
A "March for Science" is set for April 22 in Washington, D.C., to show support for evidence-based public policy. But some worry the march will be seen as partisan, and may even undermine sound policy.

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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Daphnis and the Rings of Saturn


What's happening to the rings of Saturn? Nothing much, just a little moon making waves. The moon is 8-kilometer Daphnis and it is making waves in the Keeler Gap of Saturn's rings using just its gravity -- as it bobs up and down, in and out. The featured image is a wide-field version of a previously released image taken last month by the robotic Cassini spacecraft during one of its new Grand Finale orbits. Daphnis can be seen on the far right, sporting ridges likely accumulated from ring particles. Daphnis was discovered in Cassini images in 2005 and raised mounds of ring particles so high in 2009 -- during Saturn's equinox when the ring plane pointed directly at the Sun -- that they cast notable shadows. via NASA http://ift.tt/2lLhtzc

NASA Women ‘Introduce a Girl to Engineering' Event set for Thursday

NASA celebrates National Engineer Week and Girl's Day with a series of events.

February 22, 2017
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NPR News: After Making History In Space, Mae Jemison Works To Prime Future Scientists

After Making History In Space, Mae Jemison Works To Prime Future Scientists
For the first African-American woman in space, her path to spaceflight and beyond includes trying to pave the way for more girls of color to follow in her footsteps.

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NPR News: Protesters Leave Dakota Access Pipeline Area; Some Stay And Are Arrested

Protesters Leave Dakota Access Pipeline Area; Some Stay And Are Arrested
The governor of North Dakota had set Wednesday as the evacuation deadline for the largest protest camp. The Trump administration is allowing the pipeline to be built, despite the protests.

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NASA Establishes New Public-Private Partnerships to Advance U.S. Commercial Space Capabilities

NASA is partnering with eight U.S. companies to advance small spacecraft and launch vehicle technologies that are on the verge of maturation and are likely to benefit both NASA and the commercial space market.

February 22, 2017
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NPR News: Key Moments In The Dakota Access Pipeline Fight

Key Moments In The Dakota Access Pipeline Fight
An overview of multiple legal challenges and protests since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers considered approving a section of the pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota.

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NPR News: Nick Dupree Fought To Live 'Like Anyone Else'

Nick Dupree Fought To Live 'Like Anyone Else'
The disability rights activist campaigned to have the rules changed in the state of Alabama so he could continue receiving nursing care at home and other support past the age of 21.

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NPR News: Behold: 4 New Species Of Tiny Frogs Smaller Than A Fingernail

Behold: 4 New Species Of Tiny Frogs Smaller Than A Fingernail
Scientists in India say the frogs are actually fairly common but have eluded discovery likely because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and unusual calls.

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NASA Telescope Reveals Largest Batch of Earth-Size, Habitable-Zone Planets Around Single Star

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star. Three of these planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have liquid water.

February 22, 2017
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NPR News: Astronomers Find 7 Earth-Sized Planets Around A Nearby Star

Astronomers Find 7 Earth-Sized Planets Around A Nearby Star
Some of the planets could be home to liquid water, but it remains unclear whether life could exist on such strange worlds.

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NPR News: Apollo 11 Space Capsule Is Going On Another Mission

Apollo 11 Space Capsule Is Going On Another Mission
The capsule called Columbia hasn't left the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., since 1976. It's heading out on tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

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NPR News: SpaceX Cargo Craft Fails To Dock With Space Station, Will Try Again

SpaceX Cargo Craft Fails To Dock With Space Station, Will Try Again
The private spaceflight company launched its Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday only to have the rocket's cargo capsule encounter an error in its navigation system on Wednesday during a docking attempt.

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NPR News: GOP Seeks Reduction In Health Law's 10 Essential Benefits

GOP Seeks Reduction In Health Law's 10 Essential Benefits
The woman set to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told senators that maternity coverage should be optional in individual and small group plans. Other services could be cut entirely.

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NPR News: Cannibalism: It's 'Perfectly Natural,' A New Scientific History Argues

Cannibalism: It's 'Perfectly Natural,' A New Scientific History Argues
It's gruesome, but from a scientific standpoint, there's a predictable calculus for when humans and animals go cannibal, a new book says. And who knew European aristocrats ate body parts as medicine?

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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

NPR News: Are Cyborgs In Our Future? 'Homo Deus' Author Thinks So

Are Cyborgs In Our Future? 'Homo Deus' Author Thinks So
Yuval Noah Harari expects we'll soon engineer our bodies in the same way we design products. "I think in general medicine ... will switch from healing the sick to upgrading the healthy," he says.

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NPR News: Researchers Failed To Tell Testosterone Trial Patients They Were Anemic

Researchers Failed To Tell Testosterone Trial Patients They Were Anemic
Low levels of iron in the blood may indicate a serious but treatable medical condition if caught early, but patients in a testosterone trial were not informed, a bioethicist finds.

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NPR News: Researchers Failed To Tell Testosterone Trial Patients They Were Anemic

Researchers Failed To Tell Testosterone Trial Patients They Were Anemic
Low levels of iron in the blood may indicate a serious but treatable medical condition if caught early, but patients in a testosterone trial were not informed, a bioethicist finds.

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NPR News: Does Studying Economics Make You Selfish?

Does Studying Economics Make You Selfish?
Social science research finds that students who are taught classical economics about how humans act in their rational self-interest become more likely to act selfishly after learning those lessons.

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NPR News: Does Studying Economics Make You Selfish?

Does Studying Economics Make You Selfish?
Social science research finds that students who are taught classical economics about how humans act in their rational self-interest, become more likely to act selfishly after learning those lessons.

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NPR News: The Next Pandemic Could Be Dripping On Your Head

The Next Pandemic Could Be Dripping On Your Head
Bats, birds and tourists love a good cave. And so do viruses. Scientists say this mixture could trigger a deadly outbreak.

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Monday, February 20, 2017

NPR News: On the Knife's Edge: Using Therapy To Address Violence Among Teens

On the Knife's Edge: Using Therapy To Address Violence Among Teens
We hear a lot about senseless violence: people who lose their lives or their freedom over a stolen backpack, or perceived slight. Two researchers think social science might help prevent these crimes.

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NPR News: On the Knife's Edge: Using Therapy To Address Violence Among Teens

On the Knife's Edge: Using Therapy To Address Violence Among Teens
We hear a lot about senseless violence: people who lose their lives or their freedom over a stolen backpack, or perceived slight. Two researchers think social science might help prevent these crimes.

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NASA to Host News Conference on Discovery Beyond Our Solar System

NASA will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 22, to present new findings on planets that orbit stars other than our sun, known as exoplanets. The event will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

February 20, 2017
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NPR News: New Research Shows How 'Atmospheric Rivers' Wreak Havoc Around The Globe

New Research Shows How 'Atmospheric Rivers' Wreak Havoc Around The Globe
The idea of plumes of moisture curling above our heads might seem beautiful, but new research shows atmospheric rivers to be among the most damaging of weather systems.

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NPR News: Can Poetry Keep You Young? Science Is Still Out, But The Heart Says Yes

Can Poetry Keep You Young? Science Is Still Out, But The Heart Says Yes
Scientific evidence showing health benefits from engaging in the arts is still weak. But Los Angeles students in their 80s say their poetry class gives them joy, solace, community and a voice.

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NPR News: Can Poetry Keep You Young? Science Is Still Out, But The Heart Says Yes

Can Poetry Keep You Young? Science Is Still Out, But The Heart Says Yes
Scientific evidence showing health benefits from engaging in the arts is still weak. But Los Angeles students in their 80s say their poetry class gives them joy, solace, community and a voice.

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Sunday, February 19, 2017

Black Sun and Inverted Starfield


Does this strange dark ball look somehow familiar? If so, that might be because it is our Sun. In the featured image from 2012, a detailed solar view was captured originally in a very specific color of red light, then rendered in black and white, and then color inverted. Once complete, the resulting image was added to a starfield, then also color inverted. Visible in the image of the Sun are long light filaments, dark active regions, prominences peeking around the edge, and a moving carpet of hot gas. The surface of our Sun can be a busy place, in particular during Solar Maximum, the time when its surface magnetic field is wound up the most. Besides an active Sun being so picturesque, the plasma expelled can also become picturesque when it impacts the Earth's magnetosphere and creates auroras. via NASA http://ift.tt/2kMhDlo

NASA Cargo Headed to Space Station Includes Important Experiments, Equipment

Major experiments that will look into a range of scientific disciplines from human health to atmospheric conditions on Earth are on their way to the International Space Station following liftoff at 9:39 a.m. EST aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

February 19, 2017
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NPR News: WATCH LIVE: 'All Systems Go' For SpaceX Launch At NASA's Historic Pad

WATCH LIVE: 'All Systems Go' For SpaceX Launch At NASA's Historic Pad
SpaceX scrubbed an attempt Saturday to launch a rocket from NASA's Launch Complex 39A, site of the shuttle program and the mission that first sent humans to the moon. Watch as they try again Sunday.

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NPR News: Why NASA Is Exploring An Alien World In Antarctica

Why NASA Is Exploring An Alien World In Antarctica
Covered in ice and filled with bubbling lava, the Antarctic volcano Mount Erebus is the perfect proxy for an alien world. That's why NASA's Aaron Curtis travels there to test space exploration robots.

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NPR News: NASA Announces Winners In 'Space Poop Challenge'

NASA Announces Winners In 'Space Poop Challenge'
Even astronauts have to go number two. NASA recently asked the public for suggestions on how to better deal with poop in spacesuits.

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NPR News: Can Changing When And What We Eat Help Outwit Disease?

Can Changing When And What We Eat Help Outwit Disease?
I'm fasting intermittently as part of a research study, to see if changing my gut microbiome affects my multiple sclerosis. But maybe living on Peanut Chews isn't the best strategy.

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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Penumbral Eclipse Rising


As seen from Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida, planet Earth, the Moon rose at sunset on February 10 while gliding through Earth's faint outer shadow. In progress was the first eclipse of 2017, a penumbral lunar eclipse followed in this digital stack of seaside exposures. Of course, the penumbral shadow is lighter than the planet's umbral shadow. That central, dark, shadow is easily seen on the lunar disk during a total or partial lunar eclipse. Still, in this penumbral eclipse the limb of the Moon grows just perceptibly darker as it rises above the western horizon. The second eclipse of 2017 could be more dramatic though. With viewing from a path across planet Earth's southern hemisphere, on February 26 there will be an annular eclipse of the Sun. via NASA http://ift.tt/2kJzVUb

NPR News: Have Spare Time? Try To Discover A Planet

Have Spare Time? Try To Discover A Planet
Astronomers think there's an undiscovered planet lurking in the far reaches of the solar system, and they're asking the public's help to find it.

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NPR News: WATCH LIVE: SpaceX Launch Marks A Milestone For NASA's Historic Pad

WATCH LIVE: SpaceX Launch Marks A Milestone For NASA's Historic Pad
From the Apollo 11 mission that first took humans to the moon, to the decades-long space shuttle program, Launch Complex 39A has quite a past. Now, NASA's dusting it off for the start of a new era.

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NPR News: When Their Food Ran Out, These Reindeer Kept Digging

When Their Food Ran Out, These Reindeer Kept Digging
Reindeer are thought to face a grim future as climate change threatens lichen, a key winter food source. But on one Alaskan island, reindeer have found a new food source, making scientists hopeful.

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NPR News: 'Are We Alone?' Churchill Concludes It's Likely Life Circles Other Suns

'Are We Alone?' Churchill Concludes It's Likely Life Circles Other Suns
In an essay written in 1939, Winston Churchill pondered the possibility that there might be life elsewhere in the universe. The document was recently rediscovered in a museum in Fulton, Mo.

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Friday, February 17, 2017

Polar Ring Galaxy NGC 660


NGC 660 is featured in this cosmic snapshot. Over 40 million light-years away and swimming within the boundaries of the constellation Pisces, NGC 660's peculiar appearance marks it as a polar ring galaxy. A rare galaxy type, polar ring galaxies have a substantial population of stars, gas, and dust orbiting in rings strongly tilted from the plane of the galactic disk. The bizarre-looking configuration could have been caused by the chance capture of material from a passing galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris eventually strung out in a rotating ring. The violent gravitational interaction would account for the myriad pinkish star forming regions scattered along NGC 660's ring. The polar ring component can also be used to explore the shape of the galaxy's otherwise unseen dark matter halo by calculating the dark matter's gravitational influence on the rotation of the ring and disk. Broader than the disk, NGC 660's ring spans over 50,000 light-years. via NASA http://ift.tt/2lqfIr5

NPR News: In Massachusetts, Coastal Residents Consider How To Adapt To Climate Change

In Massachusetts, Coastal Residents Consider How To Adapt To Climate Change
Living by the shore in the age of climate change means managing risk. In the community of Nahant, Mass., residents are trying to decide how to adapt.

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NPR News: Senate Confirms Scott Pruitt To Lead Environmental Protection Agency

Senate Confirms Scott Pruitt To Lead Environmental Protection Agency
Scott Pruitt is promising an aggressive rollback of regulations at the Environmental Protection Agency. NPR takes a look at what he's likely to target and the challenges he will face.

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NPR News: Scientific Conference Planners Concerned About Immigration Policy

Scientific Conference Planners Concerned About Immigration Policy
There's increasing concern among planners of science and technical conferences about the Trump administration's immigration restrictions. Many groups signed a letter asking Trump to rescind the order.

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NPR News: How Hermann Rorschach's 'Inkblots' Took On A Life Of Their Own

How Hermann Rorschach's 'Inkblots' Took On A Life Of Their Own
These days, you're more likely to come across the concept of a Rorschach test in a cultural context than a clinical one. In a new book, author Damion Searls traces the history of the famous inkblots.

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NPR News: Oroville Dam Reached Capacity Faster Than Previous 16 Years

Oroville Dam Reached Capacity Faster Than Previous 16 Years
The Oroville dam is the tallest in the country and has a capacity of 3,537,577 acre feet. It went over capacity last week causing massive evacuations and bringing attention to its damaged spillways.

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NASA’s Juno Mission to Remain in Current Orbit at Jupiter

NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter, which has been in orbit around the gas giant since July 4, 2016, will remain in its current 53-day orbit for the remainder of the mission.

February 17, 2017
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NASA to Televise International Space Station Cargo Ship Launch, Docking

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Russian cargo spacecraft delivering almost three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the International Space Station beginning at 12:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 22.

February 17, 2017
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Thursday, February 16, 2017

NPR News: A Daughter Of Coal Country Battles Climate Change — And Her Father's Doubt

A Daughter Of Coal Country Battles Climate Change — And Her Father's Doubt
In southwestern Pennsylvania, collapsed mining and steel industries led to economic and environmental downturn. A divided father and daughter work to find common ground to save their hometown.

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NASA Selects Proposals for First-Ever Space Technology Research Institutes

NASA has selected proposals for the creation of two multi-disciplinary, university-led research institutes that will focus on the development of technologies critical to extending human presence deeper into our solar system.

February 16, 2017
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NPR News: Is That A Brown Recluse Spider Bite Or Skin Cancer?

Is That A Brown Recluse Spider Bite Or Skin Cancer?
Skin lesions are often misdiagnosed as a brown recluse spider bite when they're actually a tick bite or MRSA or even skin cancer. Here's how to tell the difference.

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NPR News: Yahoo Warns More Users That Their Private Information May Have Been Stolen

Yahoo Warns More Users That Their Private Information May Have Been Stolen
The company is warning some users that intruders might have accessed their accounts by using forged cookies in a 2014 hack. It is the latest in a series of revelations about account security breaches.

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NPR News: Crop-Protecting Fungicides May Be Hurting The Honey Bees

Crop-Protecting Fungicides May Be Hurting The Honey Bees
Bees have been dying in unprecedented numbers. A new study has found that fungi-destroying chemicals may make it harder for bees to metabolize their food. And if they can't get energy, they can't fly.

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NPR News: Crop-Protecting Fungicides May Be Hurting The Honey Bees

Crop-Protecting Fungicides May Be Hurting The Honey Bees
Bees have been dying in unprecedented numbers. A new study has found that fungi-destroying chemicals may make it harder for bees to metabolize their food. And if they can't get energy, they can't fly.

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NPR News: Germ History: Milkmaids Inspire Vaccines, But The Germs Keep Coming

Germ History: Milkmaids Inspire Vaccines, But The Germs Keep Coming
After milkmaids helped discover vaccination, we spent the next 150 years learning how to keep ourselves safe from germs. By the 1960s, we thought the battle was finally over. If only!

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NPR News: In West Bank, Israeli And Palestinian Archaeologists Both Lay Claim To Heritage

In West Bank, Israeli And Palestinian Archaeologists Both Lay Claim To Heritage
The military's archaeology unit conducts excavations but keeps some information about the digs secret. "This approach raises suspicions," says an Israeli archaeologist who favors greater transparency.

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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

NPR News: Broad Institute Wins Big Battle Over CRISPR Gene-Editing Patent

Broad Institute Wins Big Battle Over CRISPR Gene-Editing Patent
CRISPR technology is already worth billions of dollars, investors say. This ruling seems to affirm the biggest piece of the pie goes to the Broad, over patent rival University of California, Berkeley.

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NPR News: For Food Manufacturers, 'Sell By' Labels May Have Reached Their Expiration Date

For Food Manufacturers, 'Sell By' Labels May Have Reached Their Expiration Date
Those "expiration" labels on packaged food may confuse consumers and dupe them into throwing good food in the trash. Two major food industry associations want to change that and are proposing reforms.

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NASA to Air Prelaunch Briefing, Launch of Next Space Station Resupply Mission

NASA provider SpaceX is scheduled to launch its 10th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station no earlier than 10:01 a.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 18. Live coverage of the launch will begin at 8:30 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

February 15, 2017
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NPR News: Another Big Health Insurer Loosens Rules For Covering Addiction Treatment

Another Big Health Insurer Loosens Rules For Covering Addiction Treatment
Doctors treating people addicted to opioids often need approval from insurers before giving drugs that ease withdrawal. The delay can be risky for patients. Insurers are starting to come around.

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NPR News: The Trump Presidency's Potential Impact On Climate Change

The Trump Presidency's Potential Impact On Climate Change
ProPublica senior reporter Andrew Revkin discusses President Trump's possible cuts to the EPA, as well as the potential impact of pulling out of the Paris climate accord.

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NPR News: Space Poop Problem-Solvers Take Home Cash Prizes From NASA

Space Poop Problem-Solvers Take Home Cash Prizes From NASA
NASA was looking for help from the public in solving a very specific challenge: How to deal with poop in a spacesuit. The winners included doctors, a dentist, a product designer and an engineer.

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NPR News: Feeling Way More Stressed Out? You're Not Alone

Feeling Way More Stressed Out? You're Not Alone
A January poll finds that people's stress levels have spiked since August, with two-thirds of people saying they're worried about the future of the nation.

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NPR News: Oroville Dam Evacuations Lifted As Officials Say Structure Can Withstand Next Storm

Oroville Dam Evacuations Lifted As Officials Say Structure Can Withstand Next Storm
People who live downstream of the Northern California dam were allowed to return to their homes more than two days after the structure's concrete spillways suffered serious water damage.

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NPR News: Researchers Examine Race Factor In Car Crashes Involving Pedestrians

Researchers Examine Race Factor In Car Crashes Involving Pedestrians
Cars are less likely to stop when people of color step into intersections, a study says. That may partly explain why there are higher levels of pedestrian deaths among racial minority communities.

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NPR News: Researchers Examine Race Factor In Car Crashes Involving Pedestrians

Researchers Examine Race Factor In Car Crashes Involving Pedestrians
Cars are less likely to stop when people of color step into intersections, a study says. That may partly explain why there are higher levels of pedestrian deaths among racial minority communities.

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NPR News: Don't Think Your Bias Can Boss You Around? David Byrne Says Think Again

Don't Think Your Bias Can Boss You Around? David Byrne Says Think Again
The musician and multimedia artist has created an immersive experience designed to make people aware of their implicit biases. It's called "The Institute Presents: NEUROSOCIETY."

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NPR News: Don't Think Your Bias Can Boss You Around? David Byrne Says Think Again

Don't Think Your Bias Can Boss You Around? David Byrne Says Think Again
The musician and multimedia artist has created an immersive experience designed to make people aware of their implicit biases. It's called "The Institute Presents: NEUROSOCIETY."

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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

The Rosette Nebula


Would the Rosette Nebula by any other name look as sweet? The bland New General Catalog designation of NGC 2237 doesn't appear to diminish the appearance of this flowery emission nebula. Inside the nebula lies an open cluster of bright young stars designated NGC 2244. These stars formed about four million years ago from the nebular material and their stellar winds are clearing a hole in the nebula's center, insulated by a layer of dust and hot gas. Ultraviolet light from the hot cluster stars causes the surrounding nebula to glow. The Rosette Nebula spans about 100 light-years across, lies about 5000 light-years away, and can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). via NASA http://ift.tt/2ksUEf4

NPR News: Scientific Panel Says Editing Heritable Human Genes Could Be OK In The Future

Scientific Panel Says Editing Heritable Human Genes Could Be OK In The Future
The National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences say a long-standing taboo on editing human genes could be lifted — even if the changes can be carried through to future generations.

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NPR News: Scientific Panel Says Editing Heritable Human Genes Could Be OK In The Future

Scientific Panel Says Editing Heritable Human Genes Could Be OK In The Future
The National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences say a long-standing taboo on editing human genes could be lifted — even if the changes can be carried through to future generations.

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NPR News: Iron Age Potters Carefully Recorded Earth's Magnetic Field — By Accident

Iron Age Potters Carefully Recorded Earth's Magnetic Field — By Accident
The planet's magnetic field is weakening. Scientists aren't sure why, but studying ancient jars could help them find out. The ceramics provide a remarkable window onto Earth's magnetic past.

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NPR News: Iron Age Potters Carefully Recorded Earth's Magnetic Field — By Accident

Iron Age Potters Carefully Recorded Earth's Magnetic Field — By Accident
The planet's magnetic field is weakening. Scientists aren't sure why, but studying ancient jars could help them find out. The ceramics provide a remarkable window onto Earth's magnetic past.

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NPR News: From Vector To Zoonotic: A Glossary For Infectious Diseases

From Vector To Zoonotic: A Glossary For Infectious Diseases
The world of infectious diseases has more than a few words and phrases you might want to know more about. We've got definitions for 11 key terms.

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NPR News: Why Killer Viruses Are On The Rise

Why Killer Viruses Are On The Rise
If you think there are more dangerous infectious diseases than ever, you're right. Here's why.

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NPR News: Why Killer Viruses Are On The Rise

Why Killer Viruses Are On The Rise
If you think there are more dangerous infectious diseases than ever, you're right. Here's why.

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Monday, February 13, 2017

Cloud Swirls around Southern Jupiter from Juno


Juno just completed its fourth pass near Jupiter. Launched from Earth in 2011 and arriving at Jupiter just last July, robotic Juno concluded its latest elliptical orbit around our Solar System's largest planet 11 days ago. Pictured here from that pass is a new high-resolution image of the southern hemisphere of Jupiter featuring a mesmerizing tapestry of swirling cloud systems. The terminator between day and night cuts diagonally across the bottom, meaning that the Sun is positioned off the top right. Large Oval BA is visible in orange on the far right. Reasons for the details and colors of Jupiter's cloud swirls are currently unknown. Juno's planned six year mission will study Jovian giant in new ways, including trying to determine if beneath its thick clouds, Jupiter has a solid core. via NASA http://ift.tt/2kol3KK

NPR News: Hookup Culture: The Unspoken Rules of Sex on College Campuses

Hookup Culture: The Unspoken Rules of Sex on College Campuses
Research suggests that college students are not having more sex than their parents were a generation ago. But sociologist Lisa Wade says the culture around sex has changed dramatically.

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NPR News: 90 Percent Of Fish We Use for Fishmeal Could Be Used To Feed Humans Instead

90 Percent Of Fish We Use for Fishmeal Could Be Used To Feed Humans Instead
Currently, one-fourth of all fish caught globally goes to produce fishmeal and fish oil for farmed seafood, pigs and chickens. A lot of it is "food grade" and could be feeding the world's hungry.

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NPR News: 90 Percent Of Fish We Use for Fishmeal Could Be Used To Feed Humans Instead

90 Percent Of Fish We Use for Fishmeal Could Be Used To Feed Humans Instead
Currently, one-fourth of all fish caught globally goes to produce fishmeal and fish oil for farmed seafood, pigs and chickens. A lot of it is "food grade" and could be feeding the world's hungry.

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NASA Announces Awards to Develop Oxygen Recovery Technologies for Future Deep Space Missions

NASA has selected two proposals for the development of oxygen recovery technologies that could help astronauts breathe a little easier on deep space, long-duration missions. The agency will invest as much as $2 million and 24 months for the development of each proposal into a complete and integrated system for NASA testing.

February 13, 2017
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NPR News: Pollution Has Worked Its Way Down To The World's Deepest Waters

Pollution Has Worked Its Way Down To The World's Deepest Waters
Tiny creatures in the Mariana Trench have high levels of industrial contamination. The new findings suggest that even Earth's most remote locales feel the effects of human beings.

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NPR News: A Brain Tweak Lets Mice Abstain from Cocaine

A Brain Tweak Lets Mice Abstain from Cocaine
Scientists have created addiction-resistant mice by altering the reward system in their brains. The findings shed light on the biochemistry of addiction.

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NPR News: A Brain Tweak Lets Mice Abstain from Cocaine

A Brain Tweak Lets Mice Abstain from Cocaine
Scientists have created addiction-resistant mice by altering the reward system in their brains. The findings shed light on the biochemistry of addiction.

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NPR News: To Save The Planet, Give Cows Better Pasture

To Save The Planet, Give Cows Better Pasture
What's the single most important thing that the world's farmers could do to reduce global warming? Give cattle — especially in the tropics — faster-growing, more nutritious pasture.

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NPR News: Signs Of Hope At Oroville Dam, After Water Overflowed Emergency Spillway

Signs Of Hope At Oroville Dam, After Water Overflowed Emergency Spillway
Lake Oroville's water level has finally dropped below its record high, after residents scrambled to comply with an evacuation order Sunday.

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NPR News: This Heatless Habanero Packs All Of The Flavor With None Of The Burn

This Heatless Habanero Packs All Of The Flavor With None Of The Burn
Some breeders vie to grow ever more mouth-burning peppers. The guy behind the Habanada had a different goal: a habanero with no heat all. The aromatic, melon-like result is winning over top chefs.

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NPR News: Depression Strikes Today's Teen Girls Especially Hard

Depression Strikes Today's Teen Girls Especially Hard
A study tracking depression rates among U.S. teens from 2005 to 2014 finds an increase — especially among girls. A steady diet of harsh judgements from social media may play a role, researchers say.

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NPR News: Depression Strikes Today's Teen Girls Especially Hard

Depression Strikes Today's Teen Girls Especially Hard
A study tracking depression rates among U.S. teens from 2005 to 2014 finds an increase — especially among girls. A steady diet of harsh judgements from social media may play a role, researchers say.

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Sunday, February 12, 2017

Comet 45P Passes Near the Earth


A large snowball has just passed the Earth. Known as Comet 45P/Honda–Mrkos–Pajdušáková", or 45P for short, the comet came 10 times closer to Earth yesterday than the Earth ever gets to the Sun. During this passage, the comet was photographed sporting a thin ion tail and a faint but expansive green coma. The green color is caused mostly by energized molecules of carbon. Comet 45P became just bright enough to see with the unaided eye when it came closest to the Sun in December. Now, however, the comet is fading as it heads back out to near the orbit of Jupiter, where it spends most of its time. The kilometer-sized nucleus of ice and dirt will return to the inner Solar System in 2022. via NASA http://ift.tt/2kGZb0R

Saturday, February 11, 2017

NPR News: Remembering The 'Edutainer' Who Made Statistics Come To Life

Remembering The 'Edutainer' Who Made Statistics Come To Life
He called himself an "edutainer." His gift was bringing statistics about the world to life. Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin remembers Swedish statistician Hans Rosling, who died this week.

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NPR News: Saving The Planet, One Burger At A Time: This Juicy Patty Is Meat-Free

Saving The Planet, One Burger At A Time: This Juicy Patty Is Meat-Free
Pat Brown was a renowned biomedical researcher. But he left that to tackle what he saw as the biggest problem facing Earth: animal agriculture. His solution: a veggie burger so beef-like it bleeds.

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Friday, February 10, 2017

NPR News: Look Up! Astronomer Details Upcoming Trifecta Of Celestial Activity

Look Up! Astronomer Details Upcoming Trifecta Of Celestial Activity
First, go outside, then look up! There's a trifecta of celestial activity Friday night, says astronomer Jackie Faherty, plus another sky watching tip.

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NPR News: EPA Staff Pulled From Alaska Summit After Trump Team Orders

EPA Staff Pulled From Alaska Summit After Trump Team Orders
The White House transition team told about half of the Environmental Protection Agency officials scheduled to attend an Alaska climate and environment conference to stay home. The EPA cites travel costs, but some of those kept away live right in Anchorage.

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NPR News: 1,000 Years Ago, Corn Made This Society Big. Then, A Changing Climate Destroyed Them

1,000 Years Ago, Corn Made This Society Big. Then, A Changing Climate Destroyed Them
The Mississippian American Indian culture rose to power after 900 A.D. by farming corn. Now, new evidence suggests a dramatic change in climate might have led to the culture's collapse in the 1300s.

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NPR News: Can The Internet Help You Get The Right Diagnosis?

Can The Internet Help You Get The Right Diagnosis?
Doctors told Jen Brea that her symptoms were psychosomatic, so she filmed herself and turned to the Internet for guidance. She describes how her online community helped her find the right diagnosis.

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NPR News: When Does Medicine Leave Women Behind?

When Does Medicine Leave Women Behind?
Men and women experience some diseases differently. Doctor Paula Johnson says this is alarming — because most treatments were designed for men, not women.

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NPR News: What's Race Got to Do with Medicine?

What's Race Got to Do with Medicine?
Doctors often take a patient's race into account when making a diagnosis--or ruling one out. Professor Dorothy Roberts says this practice is both outdated and dangerous.

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NPR News: Is Pain A Symptom Or A Disease?

Is Pain A Symptom Or A Disease?
Doctors are often puzzled when pain lives on after the underlying cause goes away. Medical professor Elliot Krane explains why it can makes sense to think of chronic pain as a disease.

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NPR News: What Happens When You Have A Disease Doctors Can't Diagnose?

What Happens When You Have A Disease Doctors Can't Diagnose?
Jen Brea's doctors thought her fatigue and neurological symptoms were psychosomatic — but she knew that wasn't quite right. She shares her journey to find the right diagnosis.

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Thursday, February 9, 2017

NPR News: A Forgotten Group Of Grains Might Help Indian Farmers – And Improve Diets, Too

A Forgotten Group Of Grains Might Help Indian Farmers – And Improve Diets, Too
Once a staple in India, millets have fallen out of fashion in recent years. Now, faced with water shortages, one Indian state is re-introducing these drought tolerant cereals to people's diets.

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NPR News: Archaeologists Excavate 12th Cave They Say Once Housed Dead Sea Scrolls

Archaeologists Excavate 12th Cave They Say Once Housed Dead Sea Scrolls
A team from the U.S. and Israel says it has found evidence that another cave in Qumran was used to store Dead Sea Scrolls, the ancient manuscripts dating back to the time of Jesus.

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NPR News: In Studying Sick Fish, Scientists Trace History Of Fevers

In Studying Sick Fish, Scientists Trace History Of Fevers
Carp are a major food source, but they've been plagued by viruses. Scientists now say they have a simple solution. And along the way, they hit on an ancient commonality between fish and people.

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NPR News: In Studying Sick Fish, Scientists Trace History Of Fevers

In Studying Sick Fish, Scientists Trace History Of Fevers
Carp are a major food source, but they've been plagued by viruses. Scientists now say they have a simple solution. And along the way, they hit on an ancient commonality between fish and people.

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NPR News: While Others Saw Refugees, This German Professor Saw Human Potential

While Others Saw Refugees, This German Professor Saw Human Potential
Carmen Bachmann, a professor in Leipzig is building an online network to help political refugees who are scientists or social scientists connect with professional peers in Germany — their new home.

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NPR News: When Man's Best Friend Is The Worst At Truffle Hunting

When Man's Best Friend Is The Worst At Truffle Hunting
Truffles are a culinary delicacy that sell for big bucks — and some dogs have long been bred specifically to sniff them out. But could any old dog be trained to pick up this lucrative new trick?

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NPR News: How Biases Affect Stock Analyst Predictions

How Biases Affect Stock Analyst Predictions
Research shows that financial analysts have biases in things like gender and names when it comes to evaluating companies.

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NPR News: How Biases Affect Stock Analyst Predictions

How Biases Affect Stock Analyst Predictions
Research shows that financial analysts have biases in things like gender and names when it comes to evaluating companies.

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Wednesday, February 8, 2017

NPR News: Video: From Measles To Syphilis, How We Created The Golden Age Of Germs

Video: From Measles To Syphilis, How We Created The Golden Age Of Germs
Ten thousand years ago, many of our deadly human diseases didn't exist. What happened?

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NPR News: Crab Teases Anemone, Anemone Splits In Two, Crab And Anemone Live On

Crab Teases Anemone, Anemone Splits In Two, Crab And Anemone Live On
Researchers have found the first known case of one animal, a boxer crab, stimulating another animal, a sea anemone, to reproduce asexually.

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NPR News: Crab Teases Anemone, Anemone Splits In Two, Crab And Anemone Live On

Crab Teases Anemone, Anemone Splits In Two, Crab And Anemone Live On
Researchers have found the first known case of one animal, a boxer crab, stimulating another animal, a sea anemone, to reproduce asexually.

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NPR News: Newly Discovered Gecko's Giant Breakaway Scales Help It Flee Predators

Newly Discovered Gecko's Giant Breakaway Scales Help It Flee Predators
This species is a master escape artist. It's extremely fast. It can lose its tail and grow a new one. And most unusually, it can shed its huge scales to get out of sticky situations.

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NPR News: Newly Discovered Gecko's Giant Breakaway Scales Help It Flee Predators

Newly Discovered Gecko's Giant Breakaway Scales Help It Flee Predators
This species is a master escape artist. It's extremely fast. It can lose its tail and grow a new one. And most unusually, it can shed its huge scales to get out of sticky situations.

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Tornado Recovery Efforts, Assessments Ongoing at NASA’s Michoud

Teams at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans worked overnight and are continuing Wednesday with assessment and recovery efforts following a tornado strike at the facility Tuesday.

February 08, 2017
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NPR News: An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet: Bald Eagles Prey On Farmer's Chickens

An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet: Bald Eagles Prey On Farmer's Chickens
Picture an organic farm, with thousands of free-range chickens roaming wide-open land. Now picture it from above, from the vantage of a soaring bald eagle. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet.

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NPR News: 'It's Just A Mess.' New Orleans Residents Clean Up After Tornadoes

'It's Just A Mess.' New Orleans Residents Clean Up After Tornadoes
Tornadoes injured dozens of people as they moved through southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday. In New Orleans East, the National Guard was helping clear streets of debris and downed electrical wires.

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NPR News: VIDEO: 'Edutainer' Hans Rosling, Who Taught Us About The World, Has Died

VIDEO: 'Edutainer' Hans Rosling, Who Taught Us About The World, Has Died
With facts, toys and good humor, the Swedish doctor and statistician helped people understand what numbers tell us about the world.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Tornado Recovery Underway at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility

Recovery efforts are underway at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, which was impacted by a tornado at 11:25 a.m. CST Tuesday. All 3,500 employees at the facility have been accounted for, with five sustaining minor injuries.

February 08, 2017
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NPR News: Army Corps Of Engineers Grants Easement For Dakota Access Pipeline

Army Corps Of Engineers Grants Easement For Dakota Access Pipeline
The Army Corps of Engineers has granted the final easement needed to finish the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, according to a court filing Tuesday.

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NPR News: Army Approves Dakota Access Pipeline Route, Paving Way For The Project's Completion

Army Approves Dakota Access Pipeline Route, Paving Way For The Project's Completion
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will allow the pipeline to cross under the Missouri River, cutting short an environmental impact assessment and removing the final barrier to construction.

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NPR News: MAP: Find Out What New Viruses Are Emerging In Your Backyard

MAP: Find Out What New Viruses Are Emerging In Your Backyard
Over the past 60 years, the number of new diseases cropping up in a decade has almost quadrupled. "We're in a hyperinfectious world," says one scientist.

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NPR News: After Tornadoes Hit In And Around New Orleans, Wall Of Storms Moves East

After Tornadoes Hit In And Around New Orleans, Wall Of Storms Moves East
The National Weather Service says multiple tornadoes touched down in southern Louisiana on Tuesday, and severe weather moving east threatened other southern states.

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Texas Students to Speak to NASA Astronaut on International Space Station

Students from the Weslaco Independent School District in Weslaco, Texas, will speak with a NASA astronaut currently living and working aboard the International Space Station at 12:05 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 9. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

February 07, 2017
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NPR News: Women With Breast Cancer Miss Out On Recommended Genetic Testing

Women With Breast Cancer Miss Out On Recommended Genetic Testing
Most women with breast cancer say they want testing to know if they carry BRCA gene mutations that increase cancer risk, but only around half of women at high risk actually get tested.

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NPR News: Women With Breast Cancer Miss Out On Recommended Genetic Testing

Women With Breast Cancer Miss Out On Recommended Genetic Testing
Most women with breast cancer say they want testing to know if they carry BRCA gene mutations that increase cancer risk, but only around half of women at high risk actually get tested.

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NPR News: The A1C Blood Sugar Test May Be Less Accurate In African-Americans

The A1C Blood Sugar Test May Be Less Accurate In African-Americans
People with sickle cell trait, which includes about 10 percent of African-Americans, can get higher readings on a common blood glucose test. That could lead to diabetes treatment they don't need.

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NPR News: The A1C Blood Sugar Test May Be Less Accurate In African-Americans

The A1C Blood Sugar Test May Be Less Accurate In African-Americans
People with sickle cell trait, which includes about 10 percent of African-Americans, can get higher readings on a common blood glucose test. That could lead to diabetes treatment they don't need.

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NPR News: Scientists Get Down And Dirty With DNA To Track Wild Pigs

Scientists Get Down And Dirty With DNA To Track Wild Pigs
Wild hogs inflict $1.5 billion in damage on U.S. property each year. But biologists can now track the elusive animals via tiny bits of DNA the swine leave behind in puddles and ponds.

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NPR News: Scientists Get Down And Dirty With DNA To Track Wild Pigs

Scientists Get Down And Dirty With DNA To Track Wild Pigs
Wild hogs inflict $1.5 billion in damage on U.S. property each year. But biologists can now track the elusive animals via tiny bits of DNA the swine leave behind in puddles and ponds.

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Monday, February 6, 2017

NPR News: Chile's President Says Cataclysmic Wildfires Are Largely Under Control

Chile's President Says Cataclysmic Wildfires Are Largely Under Control
States of emergency were lifted for some parts of the country as efforts turned to recovering from wildfires that killed at least 11 people and drew firefighting resources from at least 15 countries.

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NPR News: Are We Eating Our Fleece Jackets? Microfibers Are Migrating Into Field And Food

Are We Eating Our Fleece Jackets? Microfibers Are Migrating Into Field And Food
Fleece jackets and pullovers have transformed our experience of the outdoors. But the little, tiny synthetic fibers that fleece is made of could also be ending up in our diets.

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NPR News: Carnivorous Plants Around The Globe Use Similar Deadly Tricks

Carnivorous Plants Around The Globe Use Similar Deadly Tricks
Pitcher plants have evolved independently on three different continents. But new research shows they use many of the same tools to catch and eat their prey.

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NPR News: When Old Medicine Goes Bad

When Old Medicine Goes Bad
With drug prices climbing, you may be tempted to keep unused pills and cough syrups past their expiration date. Don't do it, pharmacists warn. And get all medicine out of the bathroom cabinet now.

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NPR News: Prion Test For Rare, Fatal Brain Disease Helps Families Cope

Prion Test For Rare, Fatal Brain Disease Helps Families Cope
Scientists now have a fairly noninvasive way to test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare form of dementia. A similar test, they say, might offer earlier diagnoses of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

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NPR News: When Old Medicine Goes Bad

When Old Medicine Goes Bad
With drug prices climbing, you may be tempted to keep unused pills and cough syrups past their expiration date. Don't do it, pharmacists warn. And get all medicine out of the bathroom cabinet now.

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NPR News: Prion Test For Rare, Fatal Brain Disease Helps Families Cope

Prion Test For Rare, Fatal Brain Disease Helps Families Cope
Scientists now have a fairly noninvasive way to test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare form of dementia. A similar test, they say, might offer earlier diagnoses of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

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Sunday, February 5, 2017

NPR News: Going Crazy From Annoying Sounds Is An Actual Medical Condition

Going Crazy From Annoying Sounds Is An Actual Medical Condition
Ew, noisy chewing! Ack, clickety pens! If those sounds drive you crazy, you're not alone, and it turns out it's an actual medical condition called misophonia.

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NPR News: Travel Ban Keeps Scientists Out of the Lab

Travel Ban Keeps Scientists Out of the Lab
The Trump administration's travel ban is preventing some researchers from returning to the U.S. Scientists fear this could negatively impact collaborations and international scientific meetings.

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Saturday, February 4, 2017

NPR News: 'Pretty Disgusting Snot-Like Spit' Lets Frogs Catch Their Prey

'Pretty Disgusting Snot-Like Spit' Lets Frogs Catch Their Prey
Frog tongues are super soft and wrap around their prey while secreting a sticky spit that changes consistency. Alexis Noel of Georgia Tech tells NPR's Scott Simon how she studied the amphibians.

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NPR News: 'Pretty Disgusting Snot-Like Spit' Lets Frogs Catch Their Prey

'Pretty Disgusting Snot-Like Spit' Lets Frogs Catch Their Prey
Frog tongues are super soft and wrap around their prey while secreting a sticky spit that changes consistency. Alexis Noel of Georgia Tech tells NPR's Scott Simon how she studied the amphibians.

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NPR News: Chasing A Dream Built On Dairy, This Emperor Of Milk Came Home

Chasing A Dream Built On Dairy, This Emperor Of Milk Came Home
For one of the biggest and most successful dairymen in America, success was based in part on crossing cultural boundaries. Now, he has returned home to continue building his empire of milk.

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Friday, February 3, 2017

Milky Way with Airglow Australis


Captured last April after sunset on a Chilean autumn night an exceptionally intense airglow flooded this scene. The panoramic skyscape is also filled with stars, clusters, and nebulae along the southern Milky Way including the Large and Small Magellanic clouds. Originating at an altitude similar to aurorae, the luminous airglow is due to chemiluminescence, the production of light through chemical excitation. Commonly recorded with a greenish tinge by sensitive digital cameras, both red and green airglow emission here is predominately from atmospheric oxygen atoms at extremely low densities and has often been present in southern hemisphere nights during the last few years. Like the Milky Way on that dark night the strong airglow was visible to the eye, but seen without color. Mars, Saturn, and bright star Antares in Scorpius form the celestial triangle anchoring the scene on the left. The road leads toward the 2,600 meter high mountain Cerro Paranal and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescopes. via NASA http://ift.tt/2jKOpmn

NASA Highlights Science Launching on Next SpaceX Cargo Mission

NASA will host a media teleconference at 3 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 8, to discuss research investigations launching aboard the next SpaceX commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station. Among the investigations are experiments with potential to fight human disease and a new autonomous spacecraft docking technology for testing.

February 03, 2017
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NPR News: 'Bat Bot' Flying Robot Mimics 'Ridiculously Stupid' Complexity Of Bat Flight

'Bat Bot' Flying Robot Mimics 'Ridiculously Stupid' Complexity Of Bat Flight
Robotics experts at Caltech and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have created a robot that mimics the flight patterns of bats, including swerving and diving.

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NPR News: 'Bat Bot' Flying Robot Mimics 'Ridiculously Stupid' Complexity Of Bat Flight

'Bat Bot' Flying Robot Mimics 'Ridiculously Stupid' Complexity Of Bat Flight
Robotics experts at Caltech and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have created a robot that mimics the flight patterns of bats, including swerving and diving.

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NPR News: Mayans Have Farmed The Same Way For Millennia. Climate Change Means They Can't

Mayans Have Farmed The Same Way For Millennia. Climate Change Means They Can't
Climate change has brought erratic rainfall and poor harvests to Mexico's Yucatán peninsula, forcing local Mayan farmers to modernize their centuries-old farming practices.

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NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Next Orbital ATK Cargo Resupply Mission

NASA has opened media accreditation for the next Orbital ATK launch of a commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Cygnus spacecraft is targeted to launch March 19, during a 30-minute window that opens at approximately 10:56 p.m. EDT.

February 03, 2017
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Thursday, February 2, 2017

NGC 1316: After Galaxies Collide


An example of violence on a cosmic scale, enormous elliptical galaxy NGC 1316 lies about 75 million light-years away toward Fornax, the southern constellation of the Furnace. Investigating the startling sight, astronomers suspect the giant galaxy of colliding with smaller neighbor NGC 1317 seen just above, causing far flung loops and shells of stars. Light from their close encounter would have reached Earth some 100 million years ago. In the deep, sharp image, the central regions of NGC 1316 and NGC 1317 appear separated by over 100,000 light-years. Complex dust lanes visible within also indicate that NGC 1316 is itself the result of a merger of galaxies in the distant past. Found on the outskirts of the Fornax galaxy cluster, NGC 1316 is known as Fornax A. One of the visually brightest of the Fornax cluster galaxies it is one of the strongest and largest radio sources with radio emission extending well beyond this telescopic field-of-view, over several degrees on the sky. via NASA http://ift.tt/2jAxVC0

NPR News: WATCH: In Hawaii, A 'Firehose' Of Lava Pours Into The Ocean

WATCH: In Hawaii, A 'Firehose' Of Lava Pours Into The Ocean
Researchers in Hawaii have captured dramatic footage of a tube of red-hot lava plummeting down a cliff into the ocean, sending fragments of lava and clouds of grey smoke into the sky.

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Media Invited to See NASA Air Traffic Management Technology in Action

NASA is in Washington state to test a new aircraft technology that could help airlines reduce air traffic delays and air traffic controller workloads. Media are invited to learn about the new software during an in-flight test Thursday, Feb. 9.

February 02, 2017
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NPR News: More Than 70 Arrests In North Dakota As Pipeline Detractors Weigh Legal Action

More Than 70 Arrests In North Dakota As Pipeline Detractors Weigh Legal Action
Proponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline say final federal permission for the project is assured. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says the Army must complete an environmental review already underway.

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NPR News: Why Eating The Same Food Increases People's Trust And Cooperation

Why Eating The Same Food Increases People's Trust And Cooperation
All over the world, people say they make friends by "breaking bread together." Social science research explores why sitting down to eat together makes people feel closer.

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NPR News: Why Eating The Same Food Increases People's Trust And Cooperation

Why Eating The Same Food Increases People's Trust And Cooperation
All over the world, people say they make friends by "breaking bread together." Social science research explores why sitting down to eat together makes people feel closer.

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NPR News: CDC Seeks Controversial New Quarantine Powers To Stop Outbreaks

CDC Seeks Controversial New Quarantine Powers To Stop Outbreaks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants more flexibility in deciding whom to quarantine and why. But critics say the changes the agency has proposed raise civil liberties questions.

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Wednesday, February 1, 2017

NPR News: VIDEO: When Humans Got Cozy, Germs Got Deadly

VIDEO: When Humans Got Cozy, Germs Got Deadly
Our first germs didn't do much damage, until we gave up our hunter-gatherer ways and started farming. Episode 1 of a three-part animated miniseries on the battle between humans and germs.

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NPR News: World's Most Destructive Stone Marten Goes On Display In The Netherlands

World's Most Destructive Stone Marten Goes On Display In The Netherlands
The carcass of a marten that shut down the $7 billion Large Hadron Collider last year is the most recent addition to a Dutch exhibit of animals that have had notable interactions with humans.

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NPR News: Moon Express Reaches Finals In Google Lunar Xprize Competition

Moon Express Reaches Finals In Google Lunar Xprize Competition
The Silicon Valley company, Moon Express, is now a finalist in the $30 million Google Lunar Xprize competition. The company will attempt to place a spacecraft on the moon that could travel on its surface and transmit high definition images. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Naveen Jain, one of the founders of Moon Express, about the competition and the future of private space exploration and research.

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NPR News: With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch

With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch
While a large number of the concussions in soccer come from players knocking skulls, heading the ball poses its own threat, a study finds.

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NPR News: With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch

With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch
While a large number of the concussions in soccer come from players knocking skulls, heading the ball poses its own threat, a study finds.

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NPR News: U.S. Increases Firefighting Aid To Chile As More Than 70 Blazes Rage

U.S. Increases Firefighting Aid To Chile As More Than 70 Blazes Rage
At least 13 countries have sent money, equipment and people to help fight wildfires that have killed at least 11 people, including four firefighters.

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NPR News: Why The Arctic Apple Means You May Be Seeing More GMOs At The Store

Why The Arctic Apple Means You May Be Seeing More GMOs At The Store
The fruit is one of the first GMOs to be marketed directly to consumers, not at farmers. It's headed to test markets this month. And it's a sign of how the science of genetic engineering is evolving.

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NPR News: Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Lot Of Them, It Turns Out

Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Lot Of Them, It Turns Out
You'd think it would be a simple matter of looking at genes from Mom and Dad. But scientists say they've already found more than 700 variants that affect height and are still counting.

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NPR News: Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Lot Of Them, It Turns Out

Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Lot Of Them, It Turns Out
You'd think it would be a simple matter of looking at genes from Mom and Dad. But scientists say they've already found more than 700 variants that affect height and are still counting.

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