Bird flu, Avian influenza, Diabetes, Cholesterol, Caner, HIV

NPR Health and Science (84 unread)

How Healthy Are The Candidates?

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 4:32pm EDT

Are the candidates healthy enough to serve in the job they're gunning for? John McCain allowed reporters to look at — but not photocopy — more than a thousand pages of health records last May. Barack Obama provided a one-page summary from his doctor.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Breast Cancer Detected 'In The Family'

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 11:15am EDT

Tests for cancer are intimidating enough — and now genetic tests can reveal a patient's predisposition for certain cancers before there are any symptoms. Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick, upon learning she had such a genetic mutation, made a TV documentary about the agonizing choices such tests involve.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Globalization Complicates New Food Labels

Posted: September 30th, 2008, 10:32am EDT

Shoppers will soon see more food labels with the country of origin. A new law goes into effect Tuesday aimed at giving U.S. consumers more information about where their meat and produce come from. But globalization has made things more complicated. A hog may have been born in Canada but raised and slaughtered in the U.S.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Our Digital Lives, Monitored By A Hidden 'Numerati'

Posted: September 29th, 2008, 10:44am EDT

Many people generate an immense amounts of digital data during a single day — often without a second thought. But Stephen Baker, a senior writer at BusinessWeek, warns that the information generated is being monitored by a group of entrepreneurial mathematicians.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Lawmaker Offers Congressional Therapy

Posted: September 28th, 2008, 5:51pm EDT

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) serves a dual role in Washington these days: he's not just a congressman, but he's also calling upon his experience as a former psychiatrist. Lawmakers struggling with the stress of their jobs have asked for his advice recently. McDermott talks to host Andrea Seabrook about dealing with Capitol Hill pressures.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Sun An Important Source Of Vitamin D

Posted: September 27th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones. Our bodies use sunlight to create their own vitamin D. Bruce Hollis, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, talks about how the process works.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Critics: Abortion Rule Would Impede Birth Control

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 1:31pm EDT

A rule allowing health care providers to refuse to perform abortions for moral reasons drew much controversy this week. Critics worry pregnancy prevention drugs such the morning-after pill and birth control may fall under the rule.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Solar Winds, Crucial To Life On Earth, Decreasing

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 12:45pm EDT

Solar winds — invisible gas plasma emitted by the Sun — protect the solar system from cosmic rays that are hostile to terrestrial life. But new data from the Ulysses NASA probe indicate solar wind output is lower than has ever been previously documented.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Play Addresses Birth Control And Other 'Taboos'

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 12:40pm EDT

Famous for his work on the first oral contraceptive in 1951, chemist Carl Djerassi has published a number of novels and plays over the last 20 years. His latest play, Taboos, grapples with the questions of sex divorced from reproduction.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
New Solar Business Trades On 'Open Sky'

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 12:25pm EDT

A new hardware store devoted exclusively to solar energy systems is about to open in Swarthmore, Pa. Open Sky Energy will sell solar hardware to consumers and businesses and will also design and install the equipment. Are green energy stores a growing trend?
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Energy And The Economy: An Overview

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 12:19pm EDT

Between environmental concerns and rising gasoline prices, energy use has never seemed more entwined with the economy. Guests discuss how oil prices are tied to economic growth, and give a roundup of the latest energy news.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Magnet Meltdown At The Large Hadron Collider

Posted: September 26th, 2008, 12:10pm EDT

Magnets cooled to extremely low temperatures are an essential element of the massive particle accelerator. Some of these magnets may have overheated last week, causing the Collider to fail its preliminary tests — possibly delaying the project by a year.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Psychiatrists Protest Pentagon Interrogations

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 8:26pm EDT

The nation's leading organization of psychiatrists says the Pentagon has reneged on an agreement not to use psychiatrists in interrogations of detainees at Guantanamo and other detention sites.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Doctors Urge Research On Cell Phone-Cancer Issue

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 4:28pm EDT

The vast majority of scientific studies show no association between cell phone use and brain cancer. But several doctors say the issue isn't settled, and they are asking Congress for more research.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
A New Contender For Earth's Oldest Rock

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 4:02pm EDT

It's hard to find rocks from the earliest days of the planet because the Earth's surface is constantly changing. But exposed bedrock on the eastern shore of the Hudson Bay in Quebec may be 4.3 billion years old.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
'Greenest' Museum To Open In San Francisco

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 3:30pm EDT

A building heralded as the greenest museum in the world opens Saturday in San Francisco. Italian architect Renzo Piano tucked the building into the hills of Golden Gate Park — in both form and function, the museum fits into the natural world surrounding it.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Chinese Milk Worker: Complaints Ignored For Years

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 6:51am EDT

Milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine has sickened more than 50,000 children in China in recent weeks. But the practice of adulterating milk seems to have started far earlier than is being reported — and one whistle-blower has been trying to expose the dirty secrets of China's milk industry.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
A Lifeline For College Students With Depression

Posted: September 25th, 2008, 1:45am EDT

Johns Hopkins senior Juliana Kerrest has struggled with mental illness since her early teens. In college, she went so far as to plan her suicide. One thought that stopped her: Her work with the support group Active Minds could help others suffering from mental illness.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Depressed Youths Benefit From Therapy, Medication

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 4:01pm EDT

Suicide is a very real risk for young people who suffer from clinical depression. In fact, during the past two years, suicide has increased among youths between the ages of 10 and 19. But a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants has been proved to help.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Polluters Required To Pay For Greenhouse Gases

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 1:20pm EDT

Big power companies in Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut will be required to buy allowances for every ton of gas their plant emits. The auction of greenhouse gas allowances is part of a plan to start reducing carbon emissions. Four other states—New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Delaware, will participate in later auctions.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Med School Tied To Suicidal Thoughts

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

A new study shows that about half of all medical students suffer from burnout and one in ten has suicidal thoughts. Dr. Sydney Spiesel discusses what's behind these figures.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Warning: Energy Drinks Contain Caffeine

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 10:16am EDT

Researchers are calling for warning labels on energy drinks. The drinks contain substantial amounts of caffeine, which could lead to symptoms associated with a caffeine overdose, including heart palpitations and insomnia. The energy drinks are marketed to adolescents, who haven't developed a tolerance to caffeine.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Panelists: Is Health Care A Federal Responsibility?

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 12:01am EDT

Read about the panelists debating the proposition "Universal health coverage should be the federal government's responsibility" in the latest in the Intelligence Squared U.S. series.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Is The Government Responsible For Health Care?

Posted: September 24th, 2008, 12:01am EDT

As part of the Intelligence Squared U.S. series, six experts debate the proposition "Universal health care should be the federal government's responsibility."
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
What Goes Into Naming A New Species? A Lot

Posted: September 23rd, 2008, 12:21pm EDT

When someone finds an animal, vegetable or mineral new to science, the discoverer gets the privilege of giving it a name. Most of the time, it's done soberly, responsibly and carefully — but not always.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Drugs Hint At Potential Reversal Of Autism

Posted: September 23rd, 2008, 12:24am EDT

Fragile X is a mutation on the X chromosome that can cause mental retardation and autism. But early studies suggest several new drugs may help correct the mutation and diminish some of its effects, including autism.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Tips For Parenting A Child With Bipolar Disorder

Posted: September 22nd, 2008, 4:25pm EDT

Every parent hopes their child's misbehavior can be easily corrected with a time out or appropriate punishment. But many parents find themselves unprepared when their children are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness. In this week's Behind Closed Doors, Dr. Ellen Leibenluft, Dr. Carl Bell and author Cassandra Joubert discuss parenting children with the illness.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Anti-Cancer Vaccine A Tough Sell To Parents

Posted: September 18th, 2008, 4:21pm EDT

As of late 2007, just a fifth of U.S. girls under the age of 18 had gotten HPV shots, a vaccine that can protect against strains of the human papillomavirus that can cause cervical cancer. Experts blame the delay on questions of sexual activity — and a mistrust of vaccines.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Learning To Thrive With Attention Deficit Disorder

Posted: September 18th, 2008, 2:38pm EDT

Emily Algire earned good grades in elementary school. But by middle school, there were signs that something was wrong. Emily was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. After being coached with specific learning strategies, she is now entering her second year of college with an upbeat attitude and good grades.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study: Quota Systems Help Keep Fisheries Afloat

Posted: September 18th, 2008, 11:51am EDT

The world's fisheries are in rapid decline, due primarily to overfishing. A new study finds that the decline could be halted — and in some cases even reversed — if fishermen were granted transferable quotas to go out and catch fish.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Milk-Powder Scandal Angers Chinese Parents

Posted: September 18th, 2008, 7:09am EDT

Police arrested 12 more people Thursday as the Chinese government expands a crackdown in a scandal involving tainted milk powder. The tainted milk formula has killed four babies and sickened 6,200. Parents are outraged at what they see as the government's failure to protect their children.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Q&A: Prepping Kids With Disabilities For College

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 3:33pm EDT

Roger Diehl, a college freshman with Asperger's, and his mother, Sita Diehl, weigh in on what parents and education specialists can do to help kids with learning disabilities or mental illness make a strong transition to college.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
10 Tips For College Students With Disabilities

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 3:21pm EDT

Transitioning from life at home to a college campus can be challenging. These tips are drawn from the book Survival Guide for College Students with ADHD or LD, by ADHD expert Kathleen Nadeau.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Why Intensive Care Leads To PTSD

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

A new study shows about 20 percent of patients checking out of hospital intensive care units suffer post traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Sydney Spiesel — a practicing pediatrician and professor at Yale Medical School — talks to Madeleine Brand about why this happens and what hospitals can do.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Whales Approach New York City

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Scientists say they've recorded whale calls within commuting distance of New York City. Christopher Clark, director of the Bioacoustic Research Program at Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, shares the program's findings and some of the whale sounds.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
FDA Defends Plastic Linked To Health Risks

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 8:06am EDT

The Food and Drug Administration defended Tuesday a controversial compound found in plastic baby bottles and in food packaging. A major study has linked bisphenol A to possible risks of heart disease and diabetes.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Al Hibbler: Unchained Melodist

Posted: September 17th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

A rich, supple baritone, Hibbler brought many of Duke Ellington's most popular ballads to life during an eight-year stint with the orchestra. He went on to a long and successful solo career, becoming the country's first prominent blind performer.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
FDA Weighs Safety Of Bisphenol A

Posted: September 16th, 2008, 4:22pm EDT

A new study says people with high amounts of bisphenol A in their urine were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease. The study's author was at a Food and Drug Administration meeting Tuesday on BPA's safety.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Wall Street Woes Hit Workers' Mental Health

Posted: September 16th, 2008, 4:21pm EDT

The financial crisis on Wall Street isn't just hitting people's pocketbooks, it's also having effects on their mental health. Severe stress can spark some mental illnesses, or exacerbate them.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study Finds Link Between Plastics Chemical, Disease

Posted: September 16th, 2008, 10:05am EDT

Adults with high exposure levels to BPA, a common plastics chemical found in everything from baby bottles to food containers, were more than twice as likely to report having diabetes or heart disease. The study's findings will be discussed at an FDA hearing Tuesday.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Soccer Net Death Sparks Recall, Months Later

Posted: September 16th, 2008, 6:01am EDT

A type of small soccer goal is being recalled after its maker, Regent Sports Corp., received two reports of children getting tangled in the net. In one case, a toddler died after getting his head caught. The goals were manufactured in China.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Do Medical Providers Have The Right To Refuse?

Posted: September 15th, 2008, 1:44pm EDT

The California Supreme Court recently ruled against two doctors who allegedly refused to provide artificial insemination services to lesbians. President Bush has proposed stronger protections for heath care workers who cite religious beliefs as basis for refusing service.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
'Culinary Medicine': Eating Well, Staying Healthy

Posted: September 14th, 2008, 9:39am EDT

Imagine a way to lose pounds, but not flavor, by combining the art of cooking, the science of nutrition and the joy of eating. Dr. John La Puma, known as ChefMD, is the co-author of Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to Losing Weight, Preventing Disease and Getting Really Healthy.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Yellowstone Fires: Ecological Blessings In Disguise

Posted: September 14th, 2008, 12:01am EDT

The massive fires that engulfed Yellowstone National Park in 1988 burned 1.2 million acres in the area. While the blazes looked devastating, fire ecologists now know just how important they are to the park's vegetation.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Legs Propelled Whale Ancestor

Posted: September 13th, 2008, 5:11pm EDT

A paleontologist has discovered a missing link in the evolutionary chain of whales. Mark Uhen, a paleontologist at the Alabama Museum of Natural History, has found evidence that an early species of whale, Georgiacetus, used to swim using the power of two hind legs.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Gulf Coast Resident Provides Glimpse Of Hurricane

Posted: September 13th, 2008, 11:43am EDT

As the back end of the storm approaches the Gulf Coast, reporter Pat Dowell, a resident of Baytown, Texas talks with host Scott Simon about the situation near Galveston. She lives close to the Exxon oil refinery, one of the largest in the U.S.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Hurricane Ike Threatens Texas Coast

Posted: September 13th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

As day breaks in Texas, Hurricane Ike continues to batter towns along the Texas coast. NPR's Carrie Kahn in Houston talks with host Scott Simon about the strength of Hurricane Ike and the damage so far on the ground.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
M.I.T. Prof To Probe Earth's 'Great Dying'

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 2:13pm EDT

Two colossal events in Earth's history took place about 250 million years ago: a gigantic volcanic eruption and massive extinction of species. Were they related? Lindy Elkins-Tanton of M.I.T. has won a major grant to explore that question.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Fungi: The Good, The Bad And The Edible

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 2:12pm EDT

Though fungi is essential in the production of bread, beer and some cheeses, it can also be a threat to human life in the form of deadly disease and infection. Fungus experts discuss the diverse and complex nature of the underappreciated "fifth kingdom" of organisms.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Beer Yeast Separates The Ales From The Lagers

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 2:09pm EDT

Different types of beers — ales, stouts, etc — are distinguished primarily by their yeast, but now these groupings might get even more complicated. Scientists have examined the genetic sequences of 17 unique lager yeast strains tracing variations in their genetic code back through time.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
'Spore': Does Evolution Really Happen Like That?

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 2:05pm EDT

In the new computer game, players create and control an entire species, directing their evolution from single-celled organisms into an interstellar civilization. An evolutionary biologist discusses the science behind the game with Will Wright, creator of "Spore."
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Mutating Gene May Explain Human Dexterity

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

Scientists believe that a certain genetic sequence, which is uniquely unstable in human beings, may explain how humans became so good at using tools and walking upright. The gene sequence, named HACNS1, is thought to regulate both hand and limb formation in embryos.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Why My Autistic Son Misbehaves

Posted: September 12th, 2008, 8:35am EDT

"Have you seen my son?" asks Jennifer Hendrick. "He's the kid who bites or hits your kid at school." It's not really bad parenting, Hendrick says. It's because of his brain wiring: he's autistic.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Tailoring Treatments To Patients' Genetics

Posted: September 11th, 2008, 7:51am EDT

Since it turns out that genes play a big role in how an individual responds to certain drugs, the pharmaceutical industry is looking at genetics. Entrepreneurs are developing and marketing products to try to determine whether a particular drug will work for a patient.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
An Autistic Student's Journey To College

Posted: September 11th, 2008, 1:00am EDT

Roger Diehl has battled learning disabilities and depression all his life. As a child, he had the constant support of his parents. Now as a college freshman, it's an anxious time for him and his parents. But they are well-prepared for the transition.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study: Arthroscopic Surgery Provides Few Benefits

Posted: September 10th, 2008, 5:28pm EDT

Researchers report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine that arthroscopic surgery does not provide any extra benefit when compared with physical therapy and medication. This is the second study to find little benefit to the procedure.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
U.S. Physicists Recall Brush With Supercollider Fame

Posted: September 10th, 2008, 5:06pm EDT

For some American scientists, the official start-up of the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland is a bittersweet moment. A super collider in Texas would have been more powerful than the European one, but Congress killed the project in 1993.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Autism: Helping Children Connect

Posted: September 10th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Caring for an autistic child presents a specific challenge: how to help the child connect. Single mother Amy Thompson is confronting this with 6-year-old Kollin, who was recently diagnosed with autism.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Baldness Pattern: A New Cold War Analysis

Posted: September 10th, 2008, 1:20am EDT

For much of the 20th century, Russian (and Soviet) leaders with full heads of hair shared the country's top political spot with bald men. In fact, they very nearly went back and forth — something their American rivals did not come close to doing.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Q&A: The Big Bang Machine

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 6:50pm EDT

Physicists are throwing the switch on what is arguably the most powerful and most complex science experiment ever conducted. A look at what they're hoping to find inside the subatomic smashup soon to start in Switzerland.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Physicists Revving World's Most Powerful Smashup

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 5:55pm EDT

The first test beams of protons will be sent Wednesday through tunnels in a multi-billion dollar machine. Later this fall, the Large Hadron Collider will begin smashing subatomic particles together so that scientists can search through the wreckage for clues about the early universe.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Finding Support For Autism

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

We spend time with single mother Amy Thompson, whose son Kollin was recently diagnosed with autism. She explains how hard it can be to find support for her son's condition.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
How To Avoid Being Bankrupt By Autism

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Parents of children with autism often have trouble figuring out where to go for help. It's not necessary to move to another state, says Marguerite Colston of the Autism Society of America. She offers tips on the best ways to navigate a complicated care system.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
How To Avoid Being Bankrupted By Autism

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Parents of children with autism often have trouble figuring out where to go for help. It's not necessary to move to another state, says Marguerite Colston of the Autism Society of America. She offers tips on the best ways to navigate a complicated care system.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Snapping Salmon: A Biologist's Underwater Passion

Posted: September 9th, 2008, 1:16am EDT

Mary Edwards is a fish biologist who loves salmon — especially if they're running upriver. But her true passion is to take portrait-style photos of fish underwater, in the remote rivers of the Pacific Northwest.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Autism Chronicles: Single With An Autistic Child

Posted: September 8th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

We meet Amy Thompson, the single parent of four-year-old Kollin, who was recently diagnosed with autism. Amy, who had worked with special needs kids since she was 15, says she wasn't that surprised by the diagnosis. Now a mother, however, she says she feels somewhat overwhelmed.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Why Can't Doctors Diagnose Autism?

Posted: September 8th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Dr. James Ball discusses why there are so many problems diagnosing children with autism. Often, the initial diagnoses come from a teacher.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Can Physicists Be Funny?

Posted: September 6th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research are taking improv comedy classes so they can better explain to a nervous world that the new Large Hadron Collider will not, in fact, create a black hole that could end life on earth. Physicist Bob Stanek and improv pioneer Charna Halpern talk about helping scientists communicate better.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
African Dust Linked To Hurricane Strength

Posted: September 5th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

In 2005 and 2006, winds off of Africa contained large amounts of dust, which scientist say may have dampened storms in the Atlantic Ocean. But this year, the air is clear and powerful storms are lining up to strike the U.S.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Foreclosure May Become Health Problem

Posted: September 5th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Behind the foreclosure numbers are a lot of families under severe stress. A family in Tracy, Calif. explains how their financial problems are impacting their health.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Questionnaire Distills Candidates' Health Policies

Posted: September 5th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

A health research advocacy group recently sent a questionnaire to both campaigns asking for policy details on issues such as health care coverage, stem cell research, the Medicare prescription drug benefit, and funding for NIH, FDA and CDC. Mary Woolley, president of Research!America, talks about the candidates' responses.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Tuna: A Favorite Fish Faces Dangerous Depletion

Posted: September 5th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

One of the biggest, fastest and warmest fish in the sea is also one of the most sought after, and one of the most threatened. Can bluefin tuna stocks around the world be saved? Experts explain the history of the tuna, and discuss tracking methods that might help preserve the fish.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Wild-Oyster Reefs In Trouble

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 4:54pm EDT

Conservationists are starting to raise the alarm about native oysters and their disappearing habitat. The situation is so serious that a band of scientists went to a remote inlet on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in search of Olympia oyster reefs.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
DNA Part May Play Role In Limb Formation

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 4:38pm EDT

Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of what used to be called "junk" DNA. Yale researchers have found a region of DNA that appears to be crucial in making a human limb. Although it's not a gene in the traditional sense of the word, it is inherited.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
'Scattershot' A Bipolar Family Portrait

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 2:27pm EDT

In his memoir, Scattershot, David Lovelace chronicles what he calls "the family sickness." Terri Cheney joins the discussion and shares details from Manic, a chronicle of her own struggle with bipolar disorder.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study: Angioplasty Only Useful In Emergencies

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

For people in the middle of a heart attack, angioplasty is a life-saver. The treatment is also used for non-emergency heart disease. A new study found that the treatment is not very useful for these non-urgent cases.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study: Sea Levels Won't Rise As Much As Predicted

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 12:02pm EDT

Sea levels could rise between 2.5 and 6 feet this century as a result of global warming, a new study reports. That estimate is lower than some widely circulated figures.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
In 'Spore,' Players Create Civilizations From Cells

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 10:18am EDT

The creator of The Sims has a new game out. In Spore, players create their own worlds — starting from creatures the size of a cell, and evolving until an entire civilization springs up.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Training May Curb Some Sports Injuries In Women

Posted: September 4th, 2008, 1:10am EDT

Female athletes are more prone than their male counterparts to certain injuries — namely knee problems and tears to the ACL. A prevention program has been developed by researchers at the University of Cincinnati to curb these injuries.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Study: As Oceans Warm, Cyclones Gain Strength

Posted: September 3rd, 2008, 4:38pm EDT

Tropical cyclones have been getting stronger over the past several decades, according to a new report in the journal Nature. This finding supports a theory that storms will get stronger as the surface of the ocean heats up because of global warming.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Marriage Woes? Husband's Genes May Be At Fault

Posted: September 2nd, 2008, 2:21pm EDT

A new study suggests that a single gene may help determine how well men form bonds with their romantic partners. Researchers found that some men with a certain variant of the gene seemed more likely to have trouble in their relationships.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Commitmentphobic? It May Be In Your Genes

Posted: September 2nd, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

Researchers say they've found a genetic variation that may be responsible for weakening some men's ability to be monogamous. We break down the findings and what they mean for relationships.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Gustav Hits Vulnerable Coastal Area

Posted: September 1st, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

Louisiana loses a football-sized area of wetlands every 40 minutes due to damage caused by levees, some estimate. Robert Twilley of Louisiana State University tells Melissa Block that Gustav hit smack in the middle of the state's most vulnerable coastal area. Can it recover?
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Finally, Guidelines On Cleaning Ears Released

Posted: September 1st, 2008, 1:34am EDT

The first thing to know is that earwax is a beneficial, self-cleaning agent and should be removed only if it builds up to the point that it causes pain or hearing loss. And the American Academy of Otolaryngology deals another blow to cotton-tipped swabs.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us