Health & Safety

Mayor Megan Barry shakes hands with Judge Richard Dinkins at her inauguration in 2015. Her son, Max Barry (center), died last month of a drug overdose, his parents said. Mayor Barry intends to use her platform to "inspire and encourage other parents out t

Nashville Mayor Mourns Son's Overdose Death, Urges Families To Talk About Addiction

12:13pm August 08, 2017

by Tony Gonzalez

"Max is not going to text me back. I'm not going to hear his voice again," Mayor Megan Barry said of her only child. The 22-year-old died last month of an apparent overdose near Denver.

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Retired astrophysicist Fred Espenak (right) and his wife, Patricia, photographed a total solar eclipse from Jinta, China, on Aug. 1, 2008. He has witnessed 27 such events and plans to be in Casper, Wyo., on Aug. 21 — depending on the forecast.

Go See It, Eclipse Chasers Urge. 'Your First Time Is Always Special'

11:58am August 08, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A small number of passionate "shadow lovers" roam the world to be at exactly the right place when the moon blots out the sun. One man has seen 33 — and calls each "one of the top events of my life."

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The chip has not been tested in humans, but it has been used to heal wounds in mice.

A Chip That Reprograms Cells Helps Healing, At Least In Mice

5:00am August 08, 2017

by Angus Chen

This device shoots new genetic code into cells to make them change their purpose. Researchers say the chip could someday be used to treat injuries in humans. But they've got a long, long way to go.

Denis Otieno is one of the villagers getting $22 each month from the charity GiveDirectly. He and his wife have used some of the money to buy cypress saplings. They hope to sell the trees for lumber in a few years to pay for their children's education.

How To Fix Poverty: Why Not Just Give People Money?

9:29pm August 07, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

Forget food aid, cows and job training. An unprecedented 12-year experiment in Kenya tests the power of cash.

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Psychologist Jean Twenge says smartphones have brought about dramatic shifts in behavior among the generation of children who grew up with the devices.

How Smartphones Are Making Kids Unhappy

6:50pm August 07, 2017

by Audie Cornish

Psychologist Jean Twenge has observed dramatic shifts in behavior among children who go through adolescence with smartphones. They're spending less time with friends and reporting greater anxiety.

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Health & Safety

Report: Opioid Abuse Plagues The Rural South, Including North Carolina

4:33pm August 07, 2017

by Sean Bueter

A new study suggests North Carolina is home to four of the top 25 cities for opioid abuse, and the vast majority of cities on the list are located in the South.

Keller measures the separation in a student's abdominal muscles using her fingers as a guide.

Flattening The 'Mummy Tummy' With 1 Exercise, 10 Minutes A Day

3:55pm August 07, 2017

by Michaeleen Doucleff

The technical term is diastasis recti and it affects many new moms. The growing fetus pushes apart the abdominal muscles and the separation often stays open. But science suggests this fix can work.

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Cancer Treatment Center Offers Hope For Afflicted

Health & Safety

Experimenting With Drugs While Terminally Ill

2:19pm August 07, 2017

States and federal lawmakers want patients to be able to request access to treatments that haven't been approved for wider use.

"There's a kind of a bridge between cognitive therapy and Buddhist practice in evolutionary psychology," says author Robert Wright.

Can Buddhist Practices Help Us Overcome The Biological Pull Of Dissatisfaction?

2:04pm August 07, 2017

by Terry Gross

Science journalist and author Robert Wright says that Buddhist enlightenment might help counteract our natural tendency towards unhappiness. His new book is Why Buddhism is True.

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Although consuming cannabis is legal in Colorado and several other states, driving while under the influence of the drug is not.

Scientists Still Seek A Reliable DUI Test For Marijuana

6:11pm August 06, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Coloradans can get arrested for driving while stoned. But with no good roadside tools, officers' determinations are more subjective than for alcohol DUIs. Scientists hope to find chemical markers.