Science

Cal Fire firefighter Trevor Smith battles the Tubbs Fire near Calistoga, Calif., on Thursday. Wildfires in Northern California have killed dozens of people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.

California Blazes Are Part Of A Larger And Hotter Picture, Fire Researchers Say

2:26pm October 13, 2017

by Geoff Brumfiel

The wildfires in California's wine country are coming in the midst of a near-record fire season nationwide. Researchers say a warming climate is a factor.

Elizabeth Loftus: How Can Our Memories Be Manipulated?

9:29am October 13, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Years of research have taught Elizabeth Loftus just how unreliable our memories are. From tweaking a real memory to planting a completely fabricated one, tampering with our minds is surprisingly easy.

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The sky over Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday.

This Week's Air Quality Is Worst On Record For San Francisco Bay Area

11:10pm October 12, 2017

by Lesley McClurg

As wildfires spread through Northern California counties, clouds of smoke and ash are spreading, too, far beyond the flames. Air quality officials have a database that's searchable by ZIP code.

A panel of experts has recommended that the Food and Drug Administration approve a treatment developed by Spark Therapeutics for a rare form of blindness.

FDA Panel Endorses Gene Therapy For A Form Of Childhood Blindness

8:36pm October 12, 2017

by Rob Stein

After many setbacks for genetic therapies, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of the first gene treatment for an inherited form of blindness.

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When it comes to sex, the roundworm Diploscapter pachys is a loner.

Tiny, Transparent Worm Challenges Notions About Sex

8:03pm October 12, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Scientists have found a group of worms that haven't reproduced sexually for 18 million years. Normally that would be a recipe for quick extinction, but these little guys seem none the worse for wear.

Is This How The Trump Administration Might Save Coal?

5:38pm October 12, 2017

Energy Secretary Rick Perry says subsidizing coal and nuclear power plants would make the grid more reliable. An unlikely array of critics say the move is expensive and unnecessary.

The Mechanics Behind Yellowstone's Old Faithful

5:09pm October 12, 2017

The Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park blows water approximately ever 90 minutes. The the mechanics behind this beautiful mystery have been revealed this week in a new study.

Cuts to science funding in Brazil should be a warning to others, including the U.S., says Marcelo Gleiser.

Brazil's Deep Cuts To Science Funding Will Lock Country In The Past

3:17pm October 12, 2017

by Marcelo Gleiser

Scientists worldwide have watched Brazil's budget cuts in shock. We, too, could see trouble ahead if flat U.S. federal spending without additional corporate funding continues, says Marcelo Gleiser.

Science

After A Failed Launch, Smart Shoe Benefits From A Reboot

2:20pm October 12, 2017

by Madeline K. Sofia

Hahna Alexander initially invented a shoe that could charge a battery, but no one wanted to use it. "You have to invent something that people can't live without," she says.

Science

The Coming Sewer Gold Rush

5:26am October 12, 2017

Environmental chemists studied Swiss sewage and found trace amounts of gold, silver and rare earth metals. It could be valuable, but chemists say it's probably not worth the cost of recovering.