Animals

Harry Kaplan practices pitching during Home Run Baseball Camp at Friendship Recreation Center in June. Kaplan's arm is stretched long and toward the ground as his hips are faced away from the catcher. A chimp, in contrast, could never throw a fastball.

Science

Pitch Perfect: Why Our Shoulders Are Key To Throwing

5:01pm June 27, 2013

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Being able to throw stones with power and precision must have been fun for humans' early ancestors. It was essential, too, since we lack the the fangs and claws of other predators. A recent study suggests the ability to fire rocket fastballs depends on shoulder anatomy that chimps don't share.

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In the current New Yorker, Michael Specter explores the conflict among some people who suffer from Lyme disease, and the doctors who study it.

'The Lyme Wars' That Tiny Ticks Have Wrought

4:50pm June 26, 2013

Since Lyme disease was first identified in the late 1970s, it has become the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the country. Journalist Michael Specter talks about his New Yorker article on the disease and its controversial history.

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A steamroller tries to flatten tusks, without much luck.

World News

Philippines Pulverizes Ivory To Discourage Traffickers

6:18pm June 22, 2013

The Philippines is a stopover for dealers trying to unload illegal ivory into the Asian black market. On Friday, the government destroyed 5 pounds of confiscated ivory.

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Tawny Crazy Ants Invade Southern States

10:59am June 22, 2013

Tawny crazy ants are invading ecosystems and homes in states including Texas and Florida, wiping out other ant species and overwhelming homeowners. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to Texas A&M research scientist Robert Puckett, who says the ants are "ecological steamrollers" that reproduce so fast they are nearly impossible to get rid of.

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Chimpanzee Toni celebrated his 50th birthday at the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich on Nov. 22, 2011.

Science

Rule Would List All Chimps As Endangered, Even Lab Animals

9:45am June 18, 2013

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Though the regulation proposed by the Fish and Wildlife Service would make it more difficult to use chimpanzees for research purposes, that may not be a problem, some scientists say. Scientific advances show the animals are less medically useful than previously thought.

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European Pet Passport Lets Animals Travel To EU States

5:07pm June 17, 2013

Until this week, there had been a limit: Travelers could only take up to five pets across the borders. Now, thanks to a pet-loving member of the EU Parliament, those who prefer to travel with herds of animals are free to roam — as long as they're heading for a competition or sporting event.

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Mayoral Races Across Mexico Are Turning Into A Zoo

1:13pm June 17, 2013

In Xalapa, a cat named Morris is running with the campaign slogan "Tired of voting for rats? Vote for a cat!" Candidates in other cities include Chon the Donkey and Tina the Chicken.

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Maine College Students Take On A Bear Of A Study

6:49am June 14, 2013

by Jay Field

The state is trying to keep tabs on its bear population. Undergraduates at Unity College are in the woods tranquilizing bears and collaring them so the state can better understand the animals.

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Science

Fancy Feet: Wild Cheetahs Excel At Acceleration

6:02am June 13, 2013

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Cheetahs don't often hunt at their top speed, scientists are finding. Come mealtime, what matters most is the animals' ability to accelerate and to take tight corners.

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Antonio Basualdo Solorzano has worked at the Ladder Ranch in south-central Wyoming for eight years. On his wages as a guest worker, he's supported seven children back home in Peru.

Immigration Bill May Keep Wage Exemption For Foreign Herders

5:53am June 13, 2013

by Sara Hossaini

Peruvian shepherds on guest worker visas tend thousands of sheep in Wyoming, but they only make about half of what agricultural workers elsewhere are paid. Some ranchers say the exemption from minimum wage requirements is necessary; workers' rights advocates say it's exploitation.

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