Humans
Are We Getting Dumber? Maybe, Scientist Says
7:13
archive
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond
In Sandy's Wake, A Reshaped Coastline
November 15, 2012 Superstorm Sandy caused billions of dollars of damage, washing away houses, boardwalks and boats. But it also washed away dunes that protect coastal communities, literally redrawing the map.
Environment
Loophole Lets Toxic Oil Water Flow Over Indian Land
November 15, 2012 Every month, oil and gas operations dump millions of gallons of wastewater on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Under a long-standing EPA loophole, it's perfectly legal. Internal agency documents obtained by NPR show the water contains toxic chemicals, including known carcinogens and radioactive materials, that end up in natural rivers.
Krulwich Wonders...
Mugged By Sound, Rescued By A Waitress
November 15, 2012 A boy leaves his house, steps onto the street and is assaulted by a crush of noises; he seems to be autistic, can't focus, can't sort the sounds. But somebody he bumps into (literally) sees what's wrong.
Shots - Health News
A Peek Inside Rappers' Brains Shows Roots Of Improvisation
November 15, 2012 Scientists have found rappers and jazz musicians use their brains in similar ways when it comes to improvisation. Brain scans show distinct differences in which parts of the brain are most active during rap performances of memorized pieces compared with those that are done freestyle.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Author Interviews
A Young Reporter Recounts Her Descent Into Madness
November 14, 2012 In her memoir, Susannah Cahalan writes about the month she descended into madness, experiencing seizures, paranoia, psychosis and catatonia. At first, her family was frightened, and her doctors, baffled. The eventual prognosis? A rare autoimmune disease that was attacking her brain.
The Salt
Raise A Toast To Building Better Beer Bubbles Through Chemistry
November 14, 2012 Spanish scientists have identified the specific gene in yeast that's responsible for the foamy head on your glass beer. And that discovery could lead to what we've all been wishing for — more long-lasting foam on top of our ales of the future.
Humans
Study: Reading 'Maxim' Can Make You A Theft Target
November 14, 2012 Criminologists in Texas find that you are more likely to become a victim of theft if your behavior somehow marks you as being "outside the mainstream." One sign of such behavior: leaving copies of racy magazines and crushed beer cans in your car.
Environment
A 'Green' Gold Rush? Calif. Firm Turns Trash To Gas
November 14, 2012 California starts the ball rolling Wednesday on a controversial scheme to keep the planet from overheating: Businesses will have to get a permit if they emit greenhouse gases. And one California company is hoping to get in on the ground level, by turning trash into biomass energy.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Environment
Calif. To Begin Rationing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
November 13, 2012 Starting Wednesday, the state begins America's most ambitious effort to control climate change: Big companies must limit the greenhouse gases they release — from smokestacks to tailpipes — and get permits for those emissions.
The Salt
Adventurous Eating Helped Human Ancestors Boost Odds Of Survival
November 13, 2012 The discovery of new foods by chefs of the prehistoric age may have helped our human ancestors evolve, archeologists say. Hominins that lived about 3 million years ago began eating grasses and sedge, which helped them survive in different environments.
Krulwich Wonders...
Death, But Softly
November 13, 2012 The world's first essayist, Michel Montaigne, was out riding one day when he got slammed from the rear, was thrown from his horse, crashed to the ground and for a brief time was, as he puts it, "dead." He described exactly what it felt like. Here's what he learned.
