Science http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1007&ft=1&f=1007 The latest health and science news. Updates on medicine, healthy living, nutrition, drugs, diet, and advances in science and technology. Subscribe to the Health & Science podcast. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:59:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Science http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1007&ft=1&f=1007 What Makes Rituals Special? Join Us For A Google+ Conversation From savoring a morning coffee to lighting a candle each night, people employ rituals all over the world. NPR science correspondent Shankar Vedantam speaks with behavior scientist Francesca Gino and Slate columnist William Saletan about the role of rituals in human life. Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:59:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/20/193488219/what-makes-rituals-special-join-us-for-a-google-conversation?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/20/193488219/what-makes-rituals-special-join-us-for-a-google-conversation?ft=1&f=1007 From savoring a morning coffee to lighting a candle each night, people employ rituals all over the world. NPR science correspondent Shankar Vedantam speaks with behavior scientist Francesca Gino and Slate columnist William Saletan about the role of rituals in human life.

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]]> And The Winner Of The World Food Prize Is ... The Man From Monsanto The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:14:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/06/19/193447482/and-the-winner-of-the-world-food-prize-is-the-man-from-monsanto?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/06/19/193447482/and-the-winner-of-the-world-food-prize-is-the-man-from-monsanto?ft=1&f=1007 The prize is sometimes called the "Nobel Prize for food and agriculture." And this year's winners include Monsanto executive Robert Fraley, a pioneer in genetically engineered crops. If there's a single person who personifies the company's controversial role in American agriculture, it's probably Fraley.

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]]> To Rebuild NYC's Beaches, A Native Plant Savings And Loan Last fall, Heather Liljengren was collecting the seeds of New York's native dune grasses. Within days, Hurricane Sandy wiped out the Rockaways' dunes and all their flora. Now, those seeds are growing plants likely to be used to restore the dunes and other natural environments around New York City. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/19/192800039/to-rebuild-nycs-beaches-a-native-plant-savings-and-loan?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/19/192800039/to-rebuild-nycs-beaches-a-native-plant-savings-and-loan?ft=1&f=1007 Last fall, Heather Liljengren was collecting the seeds of New York's native dune grasses. Within days, Hurricane Sandy wiped out the Rockaways' dunes and all their flora. Now, those seeds are growing plants likely to be used to restore the dunes and other natural environments around New York City.

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]]> Wanna Be A Rock Star? NASA Needs Help Tracking Asteroids The White House and NASA want the public's help in hunting for asteroids that could potentially smash into Earth. They're also looking for a perfect space rock to capture so that astronauts could go there and study it. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/19/193263299/wanna-be-a-rock-star-nasa-needs-help-tracking-asteroids?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/19/193263299/wanna-be-a-rock-star-nasa-needs-help-tracking-asteroids?ft=1&f=1007 The White House and NASA want the public's help in hunting for asteroids that could potentially smash into Earth. They're also looking for a perfect space rock to capture so that astronauts could go there and study it.

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]]> The Love That Dared Not Speak Its Name, Of A Beetle For A Beer Bottle What's that beetle doing to that beer bottle? The beetle dropped down from the sky, grabbed the bottle's bottom, keeps hugging and hugging it, even when being attacked by ants, and it won't — refuses to — let go. It can't be the beer it's after. The beer is at the other end. What's going on? Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/19/193493225/the-love-that-dared-not-speak-its-name-of-a-beetle-for-a-beer-bottle?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/19/193493225/the-love-that-dared-not-speak-its-name-of-a-beetle-for-a-beer-bottle?ft=1&f=1007 What's that beetle doing to that beer bottle? The beetle dropped down from the sky, grabbed the bottle's bottom, keeps hugging and hugging it, even when being attacked by ants, and it won't — refuses to — let go. It can't be the beer it's after. The beer is at the other end. What's going on?

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]]> Animal CSI: Inside The Smithsonian's Feather Forensics Lab A keen eye and extensive knowledge of feathers allows forensic ornithologist Carla Dove (yes, that's her name) figure out from feather and bone fragments which type of bird crashed into a plane or was eaten by a snake. But the expertise has an uncertain future. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:16:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/19/184827651/animal-csi-inside-the-smithsonians-feather-forensics-lab?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/19/184827651/animal-csi-inside-the-smithsonians-feather-forensics-lab?ft=1&f=1007 A keen eye and extensive knowledge of feathers allows forensic ornithologist Carla Dove (yes, that's her name) figure out from feather and bone fragments which type of bird crashed into a plane or was eaten by a snake. But the expertise has an uncertain future.

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]]> How To Make Museums More Inviting For Kids With Autism A day at a museum promises fun for parents and kids alike. But for children who are on the autism spectrum, a seemingly simple museum exhibit may be too overwhelming to enjoy. Now, museums are coming up with ways to accommodate these visitors. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193092510/how-to-make-museums-more-inviting-for-kids-with-autism?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/193092510/how-to-make-museums-more-inviting-for-kids-with-autism?ft=1&f=1007 A day at a museum promises fun for parents and kids alike. But for children who are on the autism spectrum, a seemingly simple museum exhibit may be too overwhelming to enjoy. Now, museums are coming up with ways to accommodate these visitors.

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]]> Isn't That King David? Nope, It's Just Dave Take something old, familiar and classical, add denim, polyester and glasses, and watch what happens! Two French artists create a new form of time travel. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/18/193101828/isnt-that-king-david-nope-its-just-dave?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/18/193101828/isnt-that-king-david-nope-its-just-dave?ft=1&f=1007 Take something old, familiar and classical, add denim, polyester and glasses, and watch what happens! Two French artists create a new form of time travel.

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]]> How Men's Choice Of Mates May Have Led To Menopause Conventional wisdom holds that men prefer younger women as mates because they're more fertile than older women. But a mathematical analysis suggests that this preference may be the cause of menopause rather than a consequence of it. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/17/192655850/how-mens-choice-of-mates-may-have-led-to-menopause?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/17/192655850/how-mens-choice-of-mates-may-have-led-to-menopause?ft=1&f=1007 Conventional wisdom holds that men prefer younger women as mates because they're more fertile than older women. But a mathematical analysis suggests that this preference may be the cause of menopause rather than a consequence of it.

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]]> 3-D Printer Brings Dexterity To Children With No Fingers An enterprising carpenter and a creative puppeteer teamed up on a do-it-yourself project to build a mechanical hand for a little boy. They created an inexpensive prosthetic and published their designs on the Internet. So far, over 100 children have been outfitted. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:11:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/191279201/3-d-printer-brings-dexterity-to-children-with-no-fingers?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/18/191279201/3-d-printer-brings-dexterity-to-children-with-no-fingers?ft=1&f=1007 An enterprising carpenter and a creative puppeteer teamed up on a do-it-yourself project to build a mechanical hand for a little boy. They created an inexpensive prosthetic and published their designs on the Internet. So far, over 100 children have been outfitted.

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]]> The Human Voice May Not Spark Pleasure In Children With Autism Scientists and parents have long been baffled by the fact that children with autism often don't pay attention to human voices. Researchers say that may be because speech doesn't activate a reward system in the brain for those children the way it does for typical children. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/17/192753499/the-human-voice-may-not-spark-pleasure-in-children-with-autism?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/17/192753499/the-human-voice-may-not-spark-pleasure-in-children-with-autism?ft=1&f=1007 Scientists and parents have long been baffled by the fact that children with autism often don't pay attention to human voices. Researchers say that may be because speech doesn't activate a reward system in the brain for those children the way it does for typical children.

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]]> Why Men Die Younger Than Women: The 'Guys Are Fragile' Thesis Death, it appears, prefers gentlemen to ladies. Women don't just outlive men, they consistently outlive men at every stage of life. More boys die in utero, in infancy, in adolescence, in middle age, at every stage. That's why nature makes more of them. But why? What's so fragile about guys? Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/17/192670490/why-men-die-younger-than-women-the-guys-are-fragile-thesis?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/17/192670490/why-men-die-younger-than-women-the-guys-are-fragile-thesis?ft=1&f=1007 Death, it appears, prefers gentlemen to ladies. Women don't just outlive men, they consistently outlive men at every stage of life. More boys die in utero, in infancy, in adolescence, in middle age, at every stage. That's why nature makes more of them. But why? What's so fragile about guys?

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]]> Will The Court's Gene Ruling Stifle Bio Innovation? <em>Weekend Edition Saturday</em> Host Scott Simon talks with bioethicist Arthur Caplan of New York University about Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that isolated human genes may not be patented — and the implications for that ruling. Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/191934160/will-the-courts-gene-ruling-stifle-bio-innovatioon?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/191934160/will-the-courts-gene-ruling-stifle-bio-innovatioon?ft=1&f=1007 Weekend Edition Saturday Host Scott Simon talks with bioethicist Arthur Caplan of New York University about Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that isolated human genes may not be patented — and the implications for that ruling.

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]]> Archaeologists Discover Lost City In Cambodian Jungle The Australian researchers found a jungle-covered metropolis that predates the country's famous Angkor Wat complex by some 350 years. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/14/191727408/archaeologists-discover-lost-city-in-cambodian-jungle?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/14/191727408/archaeologists-discover-lost-city-in-cambodian-jungle?ft=1&f=1007 The Australian researchers found a jungle-covered metropolis that predates the country's famous Angkor Wat complex by some 350 years.

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]]> Rule Would List All Chimps As Endangered, Even Lab Animals Though the regulation proposed by the Fish and Wildlife Service would make it more difficult to use chimpanzees for research purposes, that may not be a problem, some scientists say. Scientific advances show the animals are less medically useful than previously thought. Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/14/191611899/rule-would-list-all-chimps-as-endangered-even-lab-animals?ft=1&f=1007 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/14/191611899/rule-would-list-all-chimps-as-endangered-even-lab-animals?ft=1&f=1007 Though the regulation proposed by the Fish and Wildlife Service would make it more difficult to use chimpanzees for research purposes, that may not be a problem, some scientists say. Scientific advances show the animals are less medically useful than previously thought.

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