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Thursday

Will skiing survive? Resorts struggle through a winter of climate and housing woes

The business model of luxury ski areas is again under scrutiny as the perils of climate change take hold in the Rocky Mountains. Kirk Siegler/NPR hide caption

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Kirk Siegler/NPR

Climate

Will skiing survive? Resorts struggle through a winter of climate and housing woes

In the West, ski resorts are banking on a Spring Break surge after a rough winter of prolonged drought, labor and housing shortages and frustrated customers.

Will skiing survive? Resorts struggle through a winter of climate and housing woes

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The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball

Wiffle ball sets are seen during an event to showcase American-made products at the White House July 23, 2018 in Washington, DC. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Short Wave

The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball

Shall we play a game - of Wiffle ball? Invented in 1953, this lightweight alternative to a baseball is perfectly suited for back yard romping. Today we explain why the design of the Wiffle ball guarantees that you don't need a strong arm to throw a variety of pitches.

The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball

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Wednesday

CDC drops its COVID-19 risk advisory for cruise ship travel

The Norwegian Gateway cruise ship is moored at PortMiami on Jan. 7 in Miami. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its advisory warning Wednesday for cruise travel after more than two years of warning Americans. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Coronavirus Updates

CDC drops its COVID-19 risk advisory for cruise ship travel

While the agency has lifted its travel health notice two years after putting it in place, officials say it's up to travelers to determine their own health risks before going aboard a ship.

A U.S. and 2 Russian astronauts return to Earth together following a trip to space

Expedition 66 crew members (left to right) Mark Vande Hei of NASA and cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos are seen inside their Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft after it landed in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan on Wednesday in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images hide caption

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Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images

Space

A U.S. and 2 Russian astronauts return to Earth together following a trip to space

A NASA astronaut and the Russian cosmonauts parachute-landed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday after a trip back to Earth from the International Space Station, in a rare instance of U.S.-Russia cooperation.

The light from this star that astronomers just spotted is 12.9 billion years old

The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted the farthest star ever seen. The magnified galaxy looks like a stretched out red line with three dots. The single star is the middle one. NASA, ESA, Brian Welch (JHU), Dan Coe (STScI) hide caption

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NASA, ESA, Brian Welch (JHU), Dan Coe (STScI)

Space

The light from this star that astronomers just spotted is 12.9 billion years old

Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have spotted light from what appears to be the most distant star ever seen. It offers a glimpse into an early moment in the history of the universe.

The light from this star that astronomers just spotted is 12.9 billion years old

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Do I really need another booster? The answer depends on age, risk and timing

The FDA has authorized second booster shots for people over 50 and for some people who are immunocompromised. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Shots - Health News

Do I really need another booster? The answer depends on age, risk and timing

Health officials argue the protection of the COVID vaccine booster wanes over time and say some people need a second booster. But other infectious disease experts say three shots are enough for now.

Do I really need another booster? The answer depends on age, risk and timing

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The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet

An illustration depicting a Jupiter-like exoplanet called TOI-2180 b. It was spotted by community scientists in data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt hide caption

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt

Short Wave

The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet

When a team of exoplanetary treasure hunters joined forces with professional astronomers, they discovered a whole new world. Short Wave host Emily Kwong talks with astronomer Paul Dalba and community scientist Tom Jacobs about how their collaboration led to the recent observation of a new Jupiter-like exoplanet.

The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet

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Tuesday

New Variants. New Boosters. But So Far, No New COVID Spending From Congress

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a second booster dose of the either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals. Emily Elconin/Getty Images hide caption

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Emily Elconin/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

New Variants. New Boosters. But So Far, No New COVID Spending From Congress

An omicron subvariant known as BA.2 could soon become the dominant form of the coronavirus in the United States. It's not more deadly, but it is more transmissible. At the same time, the Biden administration has authorized a second booster shot for people over 50 and other people vulnerable to infection.

New Variants. New Boosters. But So Far, No New COVID Spending From Congress

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To Be DST, Or Not To Be. That Is The Question.
Carlos Lujan/Europa Press/Getty Images

Short Wave

To Be DST, Or Not To Be. That Is The Question.

This month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill to make daylight saving time permanent. Now sleep scientists are weighing in and are suggesting the opposite — that standard time might be a better choice. Correspondent Allison Aubrey talks to host Emily Kwong about the pros and cons of adopting permanent daylight saving time or year-round standard time.

To Be DST, Or Not To Be. That Is The Question.

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Monday

Indoor Air Quality is Cool for Schools

Classroom in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States Mint Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Mint Images/Getty Images

Short Wave

Indoor Air Quality is Cool for Schools

The benefits of indoor air quality in schools are substantial, but American school buildings are old and many face major challenges when it comes to upgrades.

Indoor Air Quality is Cool for Schools

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Sunday

CDC recommends 2nd COVID boosters for some older and immunocompromised people

As immunity wanes fom the first booster, the FDA has now authorized a second shot for people 50 and older and some immunocompromised people. The CDC has also recommended that people get the booster. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

CDC recommends 2nd COVID boosters for some older and immunocompromised people

People who are 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals may get a second Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster four months after they received the first.

CDC recommends 2nd COVID boosters for some older and immunocompromised people

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Friday

Steven Johnson: The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Life Span
Bret Hartman / TED

TED Radio Hour

Steven Johnson: The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Life Span

In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.

Steven Johnson: The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Life Span

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