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November 26, 2012 NASA astrobiologist David Morrison has taken it upon himself to answer hundreds of questions about the science of doomsday predictions. At NASA's Ask an Astrobiologist site, Morrison thoughtfully responds to questions like: Will we have Christmas this year?

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On Talk of the NationPlaylist

November 23, 2012 Some scientific research can't be completed in days or months — projects can take years, or even decades or centuries. This poses a challenge for scientists who must make plans for experiments that often outlive the experimenter.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

• INTERACTIVE: Long-Term Science Experiments

November 23, 2012 What made Einstein a genius? Maybe his weirdly curvy brain had something to do with it. Scientists have recently analyzed photos from the 1950s to try to figure out what made the genius tick.

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November 23, 2012 Scientists who study forests say they've discovered something disturbing about the way prolonged drought affects trees. When drought dries out the soil, a tree has to suck harder to draw in water. But that increases the risk of drawing in dangerous and deadly air bubbles.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

November 22, 2012 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. — blamed for the groundwater pollution case made famous in the movie — is offering to buy homes in Hinkley, Calif., again, this time in areas previously believed to be unaffected by the contamination. Many families, some who have lived in the town for generations, are packing up.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

November 22, 2012 Candied yams with a touch of marshmallow cream are what the astronauts on the International Space Station are looking forward to eating for their Thanksgiving feast today. That and a little irradiated smoked turkey, courtesy of NASA.

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November 21, 2012 Ultrasound often catches fetuses opening their mouths, but whether they're really yawning or not has been up for debate. Now, with some fancy ultrasound techniques, scientists have show that babies do indeed yawn in the womb.

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November 21, 2012 Today is our day to say "thank you," so here are a couple of appreciations — the first for things that don't change, the second for things that do. There are no people in the first scene, two people in the second. One of them, I should warn you, is a sneaker-wearing swan.

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November 21, 2012 That extra-thick, rich taste of Greek yogurt is popular, but you get it by creating lots of waste. For every pound of authentic strained Greek yogurt, there are 2 or 3 pounds of liquid whey. And getting rid of it can be expensive.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist