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The Quest to Design the Perfect Yawn

What would it take to design a yawn so powerful that it would make everyone who saw it yawn back? Would it have to be a big yawn? And a dog can make a person yawn, but what about the other way around? Robert Krulwich investigated these questions.

The Quest to Design the Perfect Yawn

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Mother, Son Share Experiences of War

In 2001, Lt. Katherine Flynn Nolan returned to Normandy for the first time since World War II and immediately began having flashbacks. The veteran nurse and her youngest son, who treated troops for combat stress in Afghanistan, recount their shared experiences, decades apart.

Mother, Son Share Experiences of War

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Braves Cheered On by Truly Brave Hospice Fans

About a deep home run away from Turner Field, home to the Atlanta Braves, sits a hospice for cancer patients. Among the residents and the nuns who run the place, are more than a few Braves fans. Braves players and coaches have developed a special relationship with the hospice.

Braves Cheered On by Truly Brave Hospice Fans

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Concealed Weapon: Eels' Second Set of Teeth

California researchers have discovered that moray eels have a second set of jaws in the back of their throats with razor-sharp teeth that help them catch their prey. The findings are published in the latest issue of the science journal, Nature.

Concealed Weapon: Eels' Second Set of Teeth

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One of the 'Little Rock Nine' Looks Back

A half-century ago, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus ordered troops from the Arkansas National Guard to Central High School because the Little Rock School Board had decided to allow nine black students to attend the previously all-white school. One of those students, Elizabeth Eckford, recalls that time.

One of the 'Little Rock Nine' Looks Back

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Knee Replacements, Designed for Women

Aging baby boomers are getting their knees surgically replaced. This year, about 300,000 women will undergo the surgery. Subtle differences in female anatomy have led to the development of gender-specific implants.

Knee Replacements, Designed for Women

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Size Matters: The Hidden Mathematics of Life

Can animal lifespan be calculated with a mathematical formula? Professor Geoffrey West and his colleagues at the Santa Fe Institute have found out not only why larger mammals live longer, but also how long they have to live.

Size Matters: The Hidden Mathematics of Life

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Stuck and Suicidal in a Post-Katrina Trailer Park

Since Hurricane Katrina hit nearly two years ago, 100 families have been living in near isolation at Scenic Trails, a FEMA trailer park deep in the woods of Mississippi. The community is plagued by crime, drugs, and depression – and residents see no way out.

Stuck and Suicidal in a Post-Katrina Trailer Park

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Teachers Prepare to See Morgan Go into Space

Sixty teachers are in Florida awaiting the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, with one of their own, Barbara Morgan, aboard. Two decades ago, the teachers competed for a seat on a shuttle mission. In the end, NASA picked Christa McAuliffe, who died in the Challenger accident of 1986.

Hear NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce

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Sara Tavares Mixes Portuguese, African Rhythms

Tavares' travels from Portugal to her parents' homeland in Cape Verde put her in touch with her cultural roots. The journeys also brought a unique mix of sounds to the singer/songwriter's music.

Sara Tavares Mixes Portuguese, African Rhythms

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Scientist Studies Brain Process of Songbirds

Sarah Woolley, a professor of behavior neuroscience in the psychology department of Columbia University, studies different species of finches to figure out how the brain recognizes and processes sounds and vocalizations.

Scientist Studies Brain Process of Songbirds

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Opinion

Couple Finds Good Will in Taste Tests

A food-loving couple from San Diego has launched a quirky social experiment: They go to restaurants and ask if they can taste other people's food. Surprisingly, most people happily comply — even offering their own forks!

Couple Finds Good Will in Taste Tests

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Not All Sunscreens Are Created Equal

The SPF numbers on sunscreen bottles only refer to the level of protection against a type of radiation called UVB. But dermatologists say it's important to use a lotion that shields skin from UVA rays, too.

Not All Sunscreens Are Created Equal

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Are Computer Keyboards Dishwasher Safe?

We put pots, dishes and silverware in the dishwasher. But a computer keyboard? Although manufacturers warn against it, NPR's Nell Boyce puts her keyboard in the dishwasher, and it lives to type the story.

Are Computer Keyboards Dishwasher Safe?

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