NPR News: Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited

Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited
The comet could be older than our solar system. The comet is also distinct because nickel vapor was detected in the gas surrounding it.

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NPR News: This week's Short Wave news roundup

This week's Short Wave news roundup
Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave talk about spider web architecture, storytelling and memory, and why more TV pixels may not translate to a better viewing experience.

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NPR News: Toads have found their way to 6 out of the 7 continents ... so far

Toads have found their way to 6 out of the 7 continents ... so far
Toads have made their way to just about every corner of the world, even potentially Antarctica, something deemed unthinkable in the past. What's behind this vast toad migration?v

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NPR News: Scientists thought this fossil was a teen T. rex. Turns out it's a new tyrannosaur

Scientists thought this fossil was a teen T. rex. Turns out it's a new tyrannosaur
A new look at the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex was not the only tyrannosaur roaming the land.

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NPR News: Scientists thought this fossil was a teen T. rex. Turns out it's a new tyrannosaur

Scientists thought this fossil was a teen T. rex. Turns out it's a new tyrannosaur
A new look at the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil reveals that Tyrannosaurus rex was not the only tyrannosaur roaming the land.

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NPR News: To save a giant snail, New Zealand targets the non-native critters that eat it

To save a giant snail, New Zealand targets the non-native critters that eat it
The giant snails of New Zealand are big, slimy, and at risk. Park rangers in New Zealand have spent over a decade trying to save them, and now, they're getting results.

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NPR News: An Alzheimer's pill appears to protect some in a high-risk population

An Alzheimer's pill appears to protect some in a high-risk population
A new study is reviving hope that a twice-daily pill can slow down Alzheimer's in people whose genes put them at high risk for the disease.

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NPR News: An Alzheimer's pill appears to protect some in a high-risk population

An Alzheimer's pill appears to protect some in a high-risk population
A new study is reviving hope that a twice-daily pill can slow down Alzheimer's in people whose genes put them at high risk for the disease.

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NPR News: A spider scientist makes the case for why we should love arachnids

A spider scientist makes the case for why we should love arachnids
NPR's Ailsa Chang goes on a nighttime hike in search of spiders, with Lisa Gonzalez of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

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NPR News: Sheep, soldiers, and grains: Studying the physics of crowds

Sheep, soldiers, and grains: Studying the physics of crowds
In Pamplona, where the bulls run, a scientist studies the physics of crowds.

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NPR News: California euthanizes 4 gray wolves after 'unprecedented' surge in livestock kills

California euthanizes 4 gray wolves after 'unprecedented' surge in livestock kills
California wildlife officials have been working to mitigate the impact of the state's rebounding wolf population on its ranchers. The Northern California wolves that were euthanized had become dependent on cattle for food.

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NPR News: A Virginia vineyard finds a creative way to battle the spotted lanternfly invasion

A Virginia vineyard finds a creative way to battle the spotted lanternfly invasion
A vineyard in Virginia has turned pest control into a pastime, arming visitors with electric fly swatters to protect its vines from lanternflies. Randi B. Hagi with member station WMRA reports on its fly swatting competition.

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NPR News: Research finds lizards who lose their limbs not only survive but thrive

Research finds lizards who lose their limbs not only survive but thrive
New research shows that despite losing limbs, some lizards are able to thrive.

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NPR News: Coffee-driven deforestation is making it harder to grow coffee, watchdog group says

Coffee-driven deforestation is making it harder to grow coffee, watchdog group says
In Brazil's coffee-producing areas, more than 42,000 square miles of forest have disappeared over about two decades, says Coffee Watch. Deforestation leads to drought, which harms crop yields.

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NPR News: What killed Napoleon's army? Scientists find clues in DNA from fallen soldiers' teeth

What killed Napoleon's army? Scientists find clues in DNA from fallen soldiers' teeth
In 1812, hundreds of thousands of men in Napoleon's army perished during their retreat from Russia. Researchers now believe a couple of unexpected pathogens may have helped hasten the soldiers' demise.

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NPR News: Here's what experts say 'A House of Dynamite' gets wrong (and right) about nuclear war

Here's what experts say 'A House of Dynamite' gets wrong (and right) about nuclear war
Some praised realistic elements like the depiction of the White House situation room. But others said parts of the plot didn't ring true.

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NPR News: Trump administration pushes ahead with Alaska wildlife refuge oil and gas drilling

Trump administration pushes ahead with Alaska wildlife refuge oil and gas drilling
The Trump administration plans to offer parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for oil and gas drilling. It's part of a larger effort to advance controversial projects in the state that were blocked by the Biden administration.

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NPR News: Trump administration pushes ahead with Alaska wildlife refuge oil and gas drilling

Trump administration pushes ahead with Alaska wildlife refuge oil and gas drilling
The Trump administration plans to offer parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for oil and gas drilling. It's part of a larger effort to advance controversial projects in the state that were blocked by the Biden administration.

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NPR News: Trump administration finalizes plan to open pristine Alaska wildlife refuge to oil and gas drilling

Trump administration finalizes plan to open pristine Alaska wildlife refuge to oil and gas drilling
The Trump administration has finalized a plan to open the coastal plain of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, renewing long-simmering debate over whether to drill in one of the nation's most sensitive wilderness areas.

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NPR News: This 'magical' dinosaur specimen emerged from the ground like a polished jewel

This 'magical' dinosaur specimen emerged from the ground like a polished jewel
A new pachycephalosaur, officially named Zavacephale rinpoche, was described in the journal Nature. The word rinpoche is Tibetan for "precious one" and refers to the domed skull.

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NPR News: Scientists make yogurt using ants. The result: tangy and herby

Scientists make yogurt using ants. The result: tangy and herby
Scientists test a traditional method for fermenting yogurt... using ants.

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NPR News: Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms

Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms
The discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes was confirmed this week by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, which said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight.

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NPR News: Mental exercise can reverse a brain change linked to aging, study finds

Mental exercise can reverse a brain change linked to aging, study finds
Scientists have found the first compelling evidence that cognitive training can boost levels of a brain chemical that typically declines as people age.

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NPR News: Mental exercise can reverse a brain change linked to aging, study finds

Mental exercise can reverse a brain change linked to aging, study finds
Scientists have found the first compelling evidence that cognitive training can boost levels of a brain chemical that typically declines as people age.

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NPR News: Reversing peanut advice prevented tens of thousands of allergy cases, researchers say

Reversing peanut advice prevented tens of thousands of allergy cases, researchers say
A decade ago, research said giving young children peanut products can prevent allergies. A new study says that, 10 years later, tens of thousands of U.S. children have avoided allergies as a result.

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NPR News: Some ants appear to alter their nests to prevent epidemics

Some ants appear to alter their nests to prevent epidemics
Certain ants appear to alter their nest networks to prevent epidemics, offering inspiration for disease control interventions in the human world as well.

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NPR News: Some ants appear to alter their nestss to prevent epidemics

Some ants appear to alter their nestss to prevent epidemics
Certain ants appear to alter their nest networks to prevent epidemics, offering inspiration for disease control interventions in the human world as well.

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LDCM Operational Land Imager (OLI) Telescope

LDCM Operational Land Imager (OLI) Telescope Special Topics: LDCM and LDCM Components The OLI telescope uses a four-mirror compact design. The optics are positioned inside a lightweight, yet highly stable, carbon composite optical bench (i.e., a substrate on which the optics are mounted) that has special features to control undesired stray light (stray light is […]

October 20, 2025
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Landsat Data Continuity Mission Becomes an Observatory • Engineers at Orbital Sciences Corporation, Gilbert, Ariz., have installed the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instrument back onto to the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) spacecraft. With both the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and TIRS instruments now on the spacecraft, LDCM is a complete observatory.After the TIRS instrument was […]

October 20, 2025
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NPR News: Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation

Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation
Scientists have known for decades that many animals use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation. It's less clear how they do it. A new study suggests earthworms may be a good way to figure it out. (This story first aired on All Things Considered on October 15, 2025.)

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NPR News: Earthworm magnetic navigation Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation

Earthworm magnetic navigation Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation
Scientists have known for decades that many animals use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation. It's less clear how they do it. A new study suggests earthworms may be a good way to figure it out. (This story first aired on All Things Considered on October 15, 2025.)

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NPR News: This week in science: Smoking and memory, reading to premies, and an urban mystery

This week in science: Smoking and memory, reading to premies, and an urban mystery
Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of NPR's Short Wave talk about the brain benefits of quitting cigarettes, language development in premature babies, and a mysterious imprint in a Chicago sidewalk.

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NPR News: What we know about the devastating storm in Western Alaska

What we know about the devastating storm in Western Alaska
The remnant of Typhoon Halong slammed the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, an area in Western Alaska hundreds of miles from the U.S. road system. More than a thousand people are displaced.

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NPR News: As hundreds of millions of birds head south, the invisible danger is glass

As hundreds of millions of birds head south, the invisible danger is glass
It's the peak of the fall migration season. This is when bird deaths from window collisions tend to spike, even though simple solutions can prevent this.

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NPR News: A classified network of SpaceX satellites is emitting a mysterious signal

A classified network of SpaceX satellites is emitting a mysterious signal
An amateur satellite tracker stumbled across the signal which is coming from Starshield satellites in a "hidden" part of the radio spectrum.

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NPR News: 'Death fold' proteins can make cells self-destruct. Scientists want to control them

'Death fold' proteins can make cells self-destruct. Scientists want to control them
Scientists are hoping to treat diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's by influencing how cells make life-or-death decisions.

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NPR News: 'Death fold' proteins can make cells self-destruct. Scientists want to control them

'Death fold' proteins can make cells self-destruct. Scientists want to control them
Scientists are hoping to treat diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's by influencing how cells make life-or-death decisions.

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NPR News: Earthworm magnetic navigation Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation

Earthworm magnetic navigation Earthworms may offer clues into magnetic navigation
Scientists have known for decades that many animals use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation. It's less clear how they do it. A new study suggests earthworms may be a good way to figure it out.

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NPR News: Greetings from the Rhône Glacier, where a gash of pink highlights how it's melting

Greetings from the Rhône Glacier, where a gash of pink highlights how it's melting
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

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NPR News: Greetings from the Rhône Glacier, where a gash of pink highlights how it's melting

Greetings from the Rhône Glacier, where a gash of pink highlights how it's melting
Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

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NPR News: Scientists are modifying wildlife DNA. Should these species be released into nature?

Scientists are modifying wildlife DNA. Should these species be released into nature?
Scientists are researching ways to genetically modify plants and animals to be more resistant to threats like climate change. The IUCN is voting on whether those species should be allowed in nature.

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NPR News: Scientists are genetically modifying wildlife. Should they be released in the wild?

Scientists are genetically modifying wildlife. Should they be released in the wild?
Humans can genetically modify plants and animals to be more resilient to climate change and disease. But the scientific community is divided about whether the tool should be put to use in nature.

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NPR News: Grains, sheep and soldiers: How one scientist is studying the physics of crowds

Grains, sheep and soldiers: How one scientist is studying the physics of crowds
Applied physicist Iker Zuriguel studies the movement of particles and people to optimize their flow and improve public safety.

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NPR News: Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks

Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks
How tech companies and government officials handle local impacts will shape the industry's future in the U.S.

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NPR News: Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks

Data centers are booming. But there are big energy and environmental risks
How tech companies and government officials handle local impacts will shape the industry's future in the U.S.

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NPR News: In reading, the nation's students are still stuck in a pandemic slump

In reading, the nation's students are still stuck in a pandemic slump
New 2025 testing data shows third- through eighth-graders scored far below 2019 levels in reading. In math, some grades have made gains, but all are lagging compared to before the pandemic.

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NPR News: SpaceX launches 11th test flight of its mega Starship rocket

SpaceX launches 11th test flight of its mega Starship rocket
Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, thundered into the evening sky from the southern tip of Texas.

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NPR News: A stunning discovery in Mongolia changes what's known about domed-head dinosaurs

A stunning discovery in Mongolia changes what's known about domed-head dinosaurs
The pachycephalosaurs were a unique group of dinosaurs with domed heads. But scientists haven't known much about them because their fossils have been so incomplete. A stunning discovery from southern Mongolia has changed that.

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NPR News: A camping trip in the Rockies came with an unexpected message: you've won a Nobel Prize

A camping trip in the Rockies came with an unexpected message: you've won a Nobel Prize
Fred Ramsdell was camping with his family in the Rocky Mountains when he missed the call telling him he'd won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

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NPR News: This spooky season, look up at the sky to witness celestial wonders

This spooky season, look up at the sky to witness celestial wonders
Two comets and a meteor shower may be visible to stargazers this month.

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NPR News: Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll

Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll
The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected.

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NPR News: Remembering primate expert and conservationist Jane Goodall

Remembering primate expert and conservationist Jane Goodall
Goodall, who died Oct. 1, became one of the most famous scientists of the 20th century for her work observing chimpanzees in the wild in East Africa. Originally broadcast in 1993 and 1999.

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NPR News: Researchers may have discovered why cells sometimes kill themselves unnecessarily

Researchers may have discovered why cells sometimes kill themselves unnecessarily
In a human body, cells are constantly making life-or-death decisions. If they make the wrong choice, the result can be cancer. It may be possible to treat diseases by influencing this behavior.

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NPR News: Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says

Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says
For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says.

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NPR News: This 4-year-old's heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled

This 4-year-old's heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled
A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.

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NPR News: 1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has

1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has
A national survey of students, teachers and parents shines a light on how the AI revolution is playing out in schools – including when it comes to bullying and a community's trust in schools.

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NPR News: 1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has

1 in 5 high schoolers has had a romantic AI relationship, or knows someone who has
A national survey of students, teachers and parents shines a light on how the AI revolution is playing out in schools – including when it comes to bullying and a community's trust in schools.

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NPR News: Thinkers, dreamers, doers: Here's who made the 2025 MacArthur Fellow list

Thinkers, dreamers, doers: Here's who made the 2025 MacArthur Fellow list
A cartographer, a composer, a neurobiologist, and a novelist are among the recipients of this year's "Genius Grants." Each Fellow will receive a no-strings attached award of $800,000.

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NPR News: Research on metal-organic frameworks gets the chemistry Nobel Prize

Research on metal-organic frameworks gets the chemistry Nobel Prize
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi will share the prize. Their structures can "capture carbon dioxide, store toxic gases or catalyse chemical reactions," the committee said.

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NPR News: Famed polar exploration ship Endurance not as strong as legend held, researcher says

Famed polar exploration ship Endurance not as strong as legend held, researcher says
Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton's crew famously survived after the Endurance became stuck in ice in 1915. A researcher says the ship was ill-equipped for the voyage and Shackleton was aware.

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NPR News: The Nobel Prize for physics is awarded for discoveries in quantum mechanical tunneling

The Nobel Prize for physics is awarded for discoveries in quantum mechanical tunneling
The Nobel committee said that the laureates' work provides opportunities to develop "the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors."

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NPR News: The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort

The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort
The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

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NPR News: A tribe in Arizona planned to connect 600 homes to electricity. Then the funding was cut

A tribe in Arizona planned to connect 600 homes to electricity. Then the funding was cut
The Hopi Tribe received a multimillion-dollar federal grant to install solar panels and battery storage systems for hundreds of homes. But the Trump administration has canceled the funding.

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NPR News: The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort

The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort
The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

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NPR News: To win this Maryland contest, be on the lookout for big trees

To win this Maryland contest, be on the lookout for big trees
A hundred years ago, Maryland's first state forester challenged residents to find the state's biggest tree. Now the contest is back. Scott Detrow speaks with Joli McCathran of the Big Tree Program.

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NPR News: The medicine Nobel Prize goes to 3 scientists for work on peripheral immune tolerance

The medicine Nobel Prize goes to 3 scientists for work on peripheral immune tolerance
Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi were honored for research into how the body helps the immune system avoid attacking your own tissues instead of foreign invaders.

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NPR News: Amid funding cuts and public health battles, NIH issues autism research grants

Amid funding cuts and public health battles, NIH issues autism research grants
Cornell University will receive $5.1 million as the Trump administration seeks to find a source and cure for autism.

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NPR News: Scientists found a 675-year-old shoe perfectly preserved in a vulture's nest

Scientists found a 675-year-old shoe perfectly preserved in a vulture's nest
Scientists discovered a 675-year-old shoe perfectly preserved in a vulture's nest in Spain. Researchers say a lot can be learned about human history and ecology from studying bearded vulture nests.

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NPR News: The mother of Colombian corals

The mother of Colombian corals
Known as the mother of Colombian corals, at 70, marine biologist Elvira Alvarado is still diving — and pioneering "coral IVF" to help save endangered reefs.

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NPR News: National parks caught in the crosshairs of government shutdown

National parks caught in the crosshairs of government shutdown
National parks across the country face conflicting demands and uncertainty as a result of the ongoing federal funding dispute.

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NPR News: This week in science: Fly migration, a surprise in the Amazon and fish noises

This week in science: Fly migration, a surprise in the Amazon and fish noises
Hosts of NPR's science podcast discuss new findings about long-distance fly migration, an unexpected impact of emissions in the Amazon, and fish noises.

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NPR News: AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows

AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows
Companies that make DNA for science labs screen out any requests for dangerous bits of genetic material. But a new study shows how AI could help malevolent actors get the stuff anyway.

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NPR News: AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows

AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows
Companies that make DNA for science labs screen out any requests for dangerous bits of genetic material. But a new study shows how AI could help malevolent actors get the stuff anyway.

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NPR News: The Energy Department canceled billions in funding. Democrats say it's retribution

The Energy Department canceled billions in funding. Democrats say it's retribution
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said the funding was for projects in 16 states, all of which voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris.

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NPR News: The Energy Department canceled billions in funding. Democrats say it's retribution

The Energy Department canceled billions in funding. Democrats say it's retribution
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said the funding was for projects in 16 states, all of which voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris.

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NPR News: Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs

Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs
The past three summers have been the worst on record for Florida's coral reefs. To try to restore them, scientists are breeding corals that can handle heat better, using coral from other countries.

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NPR News: Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs

Why scientists are using corals from other countries to help save Florida's reefs
The past three summers have been the worst on record for Florida's coral reefs. To try to restore them, scientists are breeding corals that can handle heat better, using coral from other countries.

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NPR News: Remembering Jane Goodall: Legendary primatologist dies at age 91

Remembering Jane Goodall: Legendary primatologist dies at age 91
Jane Goodall, a legendary primatologist whose studies of wild chimpanzees transformed our understanding of apes, died Wednesday at age 91.

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NPR News: Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91

Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91
Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.

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NPR News: What to know about the missions just launched in NASA's cosmic carpool

What to know about the missions just launched in NASA's cosmic carpool
Astrophysicist David McComas is leading a new NASA mission to the point between Earth and the sun, where scientists hope to study the boundary of the heliosphere.

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