NPR People: David Kestenbaum http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100747&ft=1&f=2100747 David Kestenbaum is a science correspondent for NPR. His job allows him to combine his extensive background in physics with his love of broadcast journalism. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/thumbnail/npr_generic_image_75.jpg David Kestenbaum http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100747&ft=1&f=2100747 yes Financial Crisis Is 'Green' For The Environment New studies are projecting that carbon dioxide emissions — greenhouse gas emissions — will decrease for the year 2009. That is thanks to the global recession. But the reprieve is small and expected to be short lived. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120602665&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120602665&ft=1&f=2100747 New studies are projecting that carbon dioxide emissions — greenhouse gas emissions — will decrease for the year 2009. That is thanks to the global recession. But the reprieve is small and expected to be short lived. 178 no New studies are projecting that carbon dioxide emissions — greenhouse gas emissions — will decrease for the year 2009. That is thanks to the global recession. But the reprieve is small and expected to be short lived.

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]]> Price Disparities Common In Health Care System Prices for identical goods and services are usually the same or very close at competing businesses. That's not the case when it comes to health care — not by a long shot. For example, in Pensacola, Fla., there are huge price disparities for MRI tests. It's not a matter of greed or poor decision-making by MRI providers or a lack of consumer awareness. For better or worse, it's the way our insurance-based health care system works. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120399265&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120399265&ft=1&f=2100747 Prices for identical goods and services are usually the same or very close at competing businesses. That's not the case when it comes to health care — not by a long shot. For example, in Pensacola, Fla., there are huge price disparities for MRI tests. It's not a matter of greed or poor decision-making by MRI providers or a lack of consumer awareness. For better or worse, it's the way our insurance-based health care system works. 380 no Prices for identical goods and services are usually the same or very close at competing businesses. That's not the case when it comes to health care — not by a long shot. For example, in Pensacola, Fla., there are huge price disparities for MRI tests. It's not a matter of greed or poor decision-making by MRI providers or a lack of consumer awareness. For better or worse, it's the way our insurance-based health care system works.

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]]> U.S. Economic Steps May Be Leading To Bubble The global economy is slowly recovering after the worst financial crisis in decades, but government efforts to stimulate growth, including the Fed's move to drive interest rates down to zero, may be creating another problem. Prices for assets — gold, stocks and real estate in Asia — are soaring, leading to warnings that a new bubble could be forming. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120183508&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120183508&ft=1&f=2100747 The global economy is slowly recovering after the worst financial crisis in decades, but government efforts to stimulate growth, including the Fed's move to drive interest rates down to zero, may be creating another problem. Prices for assets — gold, stocks and real estate in Asia — are soaring, leading to warnings that a new bubble could be forming. 241 no The global economy is slowly recovering after the worst financial crisis in decades, but government efforts to stimulate growth, including the Fed's move to drive interest rates down to zero, may be creating another problem. Prices for assets — gold, stocks and real estate in Asia — are soaring, leading to warnings that a new bubble could be forming.

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]]> GM Faces Long Odds In Paying Back Its Bailout The U.S. government has poured $50 billion into General Motors, and taxpayers own 61 percent of the automaker's stock. Now the question is whether sales can ever recover enough for the public to get its money back. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114287968&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114287968&ft=1&f=2100747 The U.S. government has poured $50 billion into General Motors, and taxpayers own 61 percent of the automaker's stock. Now the question is whether sales can ever recover enough for the public to get its money back. 263 no The U.S. government has poured $50 billion into General Motors, and taxpayers own 61 percent of the automaker's stock. Now the question is whether sales can ever recover enough for the public to get its money back.

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]]> Health Insurance: Now For Your Dog, Or Hedgehog Veterinary care is becoming more like medical care for humans — better and more expensive. And now, pet owners are beginning to buy insurance policies for their critters. But what will happen if it takes hold? Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113972847&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113972847&ft=1&f=2100747 Veterinary care is becoming more like medical care for humans — better and more expensive. And now, pet owners are beginning to buy insurance policies for their critters. But what will happen if it takes hold? 453 no Veterinary care is becoming more like medical care for humans — better and more expensive. And now, pet owners are beginning to buy insurance policies for their critters. But what will happen if it takes hold?

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]]> U.S. Heads For Third Straight Jobless Recovery Economists have begun saying that the recession may have ended this summer. But an expanding economy hasn't led to an expanded number of jobs. Structural changes in the labor market help explain why. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113847257&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113847257&ft=1&f=2100747 Economists have begun saying that the recession may have ended this summer. But an expanding economy hasn't led to an expanded number of jobs. Structural changes in the labor market help explain why. 285 no Economists have begun saying that the recession may have ended this summer. But an expanding economy hasn't led to an expanded number of jobs. Structural changes in the labor market help explain why.

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]]> Medicare Data Could Cut Health Care Costs Economists say one of the biggest obstacles to making health care cheaper is a lack of information. Some consumer advocates want access to a Medicare database so patients can compare physicians' performance. That has led to a lengthy court battle over doctors' privacy. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:29:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113310225&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113310225&ft=1&f=2100747 Economists say one of the biggest obstacles to making health care cheaper is a lack of information. Some consumer advocates want access to a Medicare database so patients can compare physicians' performance. That has led to a lengthy court battle over doctors' privacy. 442 no Economists say one of the biggest obstacles to making health care cheaper is a lack of information. Some consumer advocates want access to a Medicare database so patients can compare physicians' performance. That has led to a lengthy court battle over doctors' privacy.

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]]> Economists Debate 'Public Option' On Health Care The idea of creating a government-run health care plan to compete with regular insurance companies has received mixed grades among economists. The debate is over whether the plan would eliminate waste in the system as advertised. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112933582&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112933582&ft=1&f=2100747 The idea of creating a government-run health care plan to compete with regular insurance companies has received mixed grades among economists. The debate is over whether the plan would eliminate waste in the system as advertised. 249 no The idea of creating a government-run health care plan to compete with regular insurance companies has received mixed grades among economists. The debate is over whether the plan would eliminate waste in the system as advertised.

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]]> Fixing Health Care By Altering Patient Behavior Economists have long said health care, as a market, is a strange animal. One reason is that patients don't act like regular consumers. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:06:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112486341&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112486341&ft=1&f=2100747 Economists have long said health care, as a market, is a strange animal. One reason is that patients don't act like regular consumers. 335 no Economists have long said health care, as a market, is a strange animal. One reason is that patients don't act like regular consumers.

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]]> Are Doctors More Like Moms Or Mechanics? Economically speaking, doctors are like moms. They have our best interests at heart, take care of us and check our ears when we're little. But there's also an information problem: We can't really judge whether their diagnoses are right — just like when we take our cars into the shop. Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:40:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112082387&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112082387&ft=1&f=2100747 Economically speaking, doctors are like moms. They have our best interests at heart, take care of us and check our ears when we're little. But there's also an information problem: We can't really judge whether their diagnoses are right — just like when we take our cars into the shop. 270 no Economically speaking, doctors are like moms. They have our best interests at heart, take care of us and check our ears when we're little. But there's also an information problem: We can't really judge whether their diagnoses are right — just like when we take our cars into the shop.

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]]> New Web Site Lets Patients Rate Their Doctors One problem with health care is that it can be hard to gauge what works. The nonprofit Web site Patient Central surveys people about their experiences with doctors. Physicians at the bottom of the list say a single disgruntled patient can skew the result. Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:53:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111859728&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111859728&ft=1&f=2100747 One problem with health care is that it can be hard to gauge what works. The nonprofit Web site Patient Central surveys people about their experiences with doctors. Physicians at the bottom of the list say a single disgruntled patient can skew the result. 275 no One problem with health care is that it can be hard to gauge what works. The nonprofit Web site Patient Central surveys people about their experiences with doctors. Physicians at the bottom of the list say a single disgruntled patient can skew the result.

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]]> Study: Your Brain Thinks Money Is A Drug Handling money can make painful things feel less painful, a groundbreaking experiment shows. Researchers say it appears that the human brain sees cold, hard cash as a reasonable substitute for another pain buffer — love. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111579154&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111579154&ft=1&f=2100747 Handling money can make painful things feel less painful, a groundbreaking experiment shows. Researchers say it appears that the human brain sees cold, hard cash as a reasonable substitute for another pain buffer — love. 263 no Handling money can make painful things feel less painful, a groundbreaking experiment shows. Researchers say it appears that the human brain sees cold, hard cash as a reasonable substitute for another pain buffer — love.

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]]> The Shaky Economics Of 'Cash For Clunkers' A government program enticing people to trade in old cars for new ones has proved wildly popular, except with economists. They say the benefits of "cash for clunkers" may not outweigh the costs, in terms of finances or the environment. Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111617646&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111617646&ft=1&f=2100747 A government program enticing people to trade in old cars for new ones has proved wildly popular, except with economists. They say the benefits of "cash for clunkers" may not outweigh the costs, in terms of finances or the environment. 241 no A government program enticing people to trade in old cars for new ones has proved wildly popular, except with economists. They say the benefits of "cash for clunkers" may not outweigh the costs, in terms of finances or the environment.

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]]> Hot Climates May Create Sluggish Economies New research suggests that poor countries experience significantly slower economic growth in years when the thermometer soars. Economists are studying why poorer economies of the world tend to be in hot places. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106697286&ft=1&f=2100747 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106697286&ft=1&f=2100747 New research suggests that poor countries experience significantly slower economic growth in years when the thermometer soars. Economists are studying why poorer economies of the world tend to be in hot places. 250 no New research suggests that poor countries experience significantly slower economic growth in years when the thermometer soars. Economists are studying why poorer economies of the world tend to be in hot places.

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