archive
The Two-Way
Researchers Connect Rats' Minds Via Internet
March 1, 2013 An experiment that used rats to create a "brain-to-brain interface" shows that instructions can be transferred between animals via cortical implants, according to scientists. The research could help create "novel types of social interaction and for biological computing devices," says Miguel Nicolelis of Duke University.
The Salt
Wild Bees Are Good For Crops, But Crops Are Bad For Bees
March 1, 2013 When it comes to pollinating our favorite crops — from coffee to watermelon — honeybees can't do it alone. Wild bees in the field play a critical role in creating bumper crops, a massive new study reports. But these bees are disappearing, and scientists say the rise of crop monocultures is partly to blame.
Business
Texas Study Points To A Longer Natural Gas Boom
February 28, 2013 A new study of the Barnett Shale formation in Texas shows that the natural gas reservoir there will last for at least another two decades. "Turns out, what we learned is that there's a lot of good rock left to drill," says geology professor Scott Tinker, the study's author.
Krulwich Wonders...
MIT Invents A Machine That Can Look At Batman's Face And See His Heart Beating
February 28, 2013 A new video technology that amplifies small color changes and slight movements can, when pointed at people, tell what's going on inside.
Shots - Health News
Gauging Childhood Obesity Factors Takes A Unique Poll
February 27, 2013 NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health created a unique poll to gauge what children across the country are eating, drinking and doing as far as physical activity goes. Here's why.
Shots - Health News
Younger Women Have Rising Rate Of Advanced Breast Cancer, Study Says
February 27, 2013 Only about 800 women younger than 40 get the kind of breast cancer that has spread to bones or other organs by the time it's diagnosed. But that number tripled in a generation, and scientists are left wondering what's the cause.
Shots - Health News
To Spot Kids Who Will Overcome Poverty, Look At Babies
February 25, 2013 Researchers say that the heartbeats and breathing of babies may help identify the kids most likely to struggle with poverty later on. Biology matters, the scientists say, but so does baby's relationship with Mom.
Shots - Health News
Spanish Test: Mediterranean Diet Shines In Clinical Study
February 25, 2013 People who stuck with diets rich in olive oil and nuts had about a 30 percent lower risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular problem, such as a heart attack or stroke, than people who followed a low-fat diet.
Books
The Science Of Being 'Top Dog'
February 25, 2013 Some people think competition is an art. Others believe it's a skill. A new book suggests it might be neither — and that there is a science behind winning. Host Michel Martin speaks with authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman about Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing.