Accessibility links
Science 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.

Science

Tuesday

Research News

Elephants Have a Concept of Self, Study Suggests

A study titled "Self-Recognition in an Asian Elephant" has found that elephants, like humans, chimpanzees, and dolphins, recognize themselves in mirrors. Robert Siegel talks with Joshua Plotnik, a gradate student in psychology at Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Research Center, who co-authored the study.

Elephants Have a Concept of Self, Study Suggests

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6412620/6412621" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Space

Astronauts Will Fix Hubble Telescope

NASA chief Michael Griffin announces plans for a special space shuttle mission to Hubble, so astronauts can replace batteries, gyroscopes and install two new instruments. The decision officially reverses the policy of Griffin's predecessor, who felt such a mission was too risky.

Astronauts Will Fix Hubble Telescope

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6412044/6412047" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Radio Expeditions

Exploring Tennessee's Caves for New Species

Running underneath the rolling hills of Tennessee lies a still-mysterious and remote network of caverns. Many of those caves shelter fragile ecosystems, and biologist Jerry Lewis is helping to discover and protect some of those ecosystems from man's destruction.

Exploring Tennessee's Caves for New Species

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6395687/6395710" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

National

Red Cross Bids to Be Leaner, More Efficient

The American Red Cross unveils a series of corporate-governance changes, responding to stinging criticism about how the agency dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The changes include cutting the size of the board by more than half and explicitly delegating responsibility for day-to-day operations to the Red Cross' full-time professional management.

Red Cross Bids to Be Leaner, More Efficient

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6407219/6407220" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Environment

Report: Climate Change Weighs on Economy

Climate change could trigger a global economic recession, says a new report from the British government. The study concludes that it would cost less to take strong action against climate change than react to the changes as they unfold.

Report: Climate Change Weighs on Economy

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6407210/6407211" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Environment

Protecting the Spineless from Extinction

That fly zapper? Put it away. The next bug you swat may be endangered. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation works to protect insects that you might not think need saving.

Protecting the Spineless from Extinction

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6384975/6385086" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Environment

Cactus Moth Threatens Mexico's Nopal Crops

The cactus moth, which has already become an expensive pest in the Caribbean and the southern United States, has now invaded Mexico. An infestation in Isla Mujeres near Cancun, on Mexico's Caribbean coast, is destroying the nopal cactus, a food source that has been a staple since pre-Colonial times.

Cactus Moth Threatens Mexico's Nopal Crops

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6387508/6387509" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Business

OPEC Tightens Taps to Shore Up Oil Prices

Although Exxon Mobil Corp. announced profits of more than $10 billion for the second quarter, the price of oil has been dropping. OPEC is looking to shore up a price that has fallen from a $78 high in July to around $61. But the cartel's power is only as strong as its members' resolve to stick to production quotas.

OPEC Tightens Taps to Shore Up Oil Prices

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6386589/6386590" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Environment

Emission Proposals May Help Katrina-Hit Refineries

On the Gulf Coast, refineries are benefitting from long-awaited changes that states and the federal government have made to speed the process by which they get permits. Refineries say reforms are necessary in a tough economic climate after Katrina and Rita.

Emission Proposals May Help Katrina-Hit Refineries

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6381773/6381774" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Research News

Huge 'Terror Bird' Fossil Discovered in Patagonia

Scientists have found the largest skull of any bird in history. They named it the 'terror bird' for good reason: it was ten feet tall and ate meat. The bird lived about 14 million years ago and the fossil suggests that it was probably pretty agile, and very dangerous.

Huge 'Terror Bird' Fossil Discovered in Patagonia

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6381194/6383060" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Monday

Education

Chemistry Lovers Celebrate Mole Day

Schools around the country will be eating pie-a-la-mole and guaca-mole on Monday to celebrate National Mole Day. In honor of the number -- 6.022E23 -- used to calculate the mass of atoms, students and teachers celebrate from 6:02 AM to 6:02 PM on October 23.

Chemistry Lovers Celebrate Mole Day

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6355951/6369057" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

National

Photos Capture Melting Splendor of Alaska's Glaciers

Seven decades ago, pioneer aerial photographer Bradford Washburn flew over Alaska's glaciers, documenting their splendor. Now, a Boston photojournalist is recreating Washburn's images to document the impact of global warming.

Photos Capture Melting Splendor of Alaska's Glaciers

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6369091/6369255" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

Krulwich Wonders...

Congratulations, Here's Your Mountain!

When you work for the federal government, they may not pay you a lot. But as a federal employee, you do get some rather unusual benefits -- like say, a mountain named after you.

Congratulations, Here's Your Mountain!

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6355678/6355683" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript