Science

The physical therapy workouts a rehabilitation facility offers can be a crucial part of healing, doctors say. But a government study finds preventable harm — including bedsores and medication errors — occurring in some of those facilities, too.

Rehab Hospitals May Harm A Third Of Patients, Report Finds

11:35am July 21, 2016

by Marshall Allen

Patients sent to rehabilitation facilities to recover from medical crises or surgery too often suffer additional harm from the care they get there, according to research by U.S. health officials.

She Offered The Robber A Glass Of Wine, And That Flipped The Script

5:00am July 21, 2016

by Alix Spiegel

NPR's Alix Spiegel, co-host of the podcast and program Invisibilia, tells the story of a robbery that was halted when a woman decided to respond to the threat in an unexpected way — with kindness.

Grains, beads and bangles unearthed from dig sites in Banda, Ghana, tell of a time when droughts did not bring famine. (Above) Archaeologists Amanda Logan and Osei Kofi dig into the floor of a house from the 1500s.

An Archaeological Mystery In Ghana: Why Didn't Past Droughts Spell Famine?

5:53pm July 20, 2016

by Winifred Bird

A terrible drought hit Ghana in the 1400s, far worse than today's conditions. Yet people had enough to eat, while today they go hungry. What changed? In a word, colonialism, a new study suggests.

An anti-abortion demonstrator outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., in March. Last month the high court struck down a Texas law that imposed tight regulations on abortion providers.

Anti-Abortion Groups Take New Aim With Diverse Strategies

4:39pm July 20, 2016

by Julie Rovner

After a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last month reaffirmed a woman's right to an abortion, anti-abortion groups are rethinking their approach. And they don't all agree on the best next steps.

Taking The Battle Against Lyme Disease Ticks To The Backyard

4:17pm July 20, 2016

by Carolyn Beans

Scientists have tested all sorts of strategies to keep Lyme disease ticks from biting us. One is to make it less likely you'll cross paths with the critters in your yard. Sawdust mulch, anyone?

An Old Trick Holds New Promise For Tastier Tomatoes

1:59pm July 20, 2016

by Ezra David Romero

Tomato plants grown in large scale outdoors are often selected for hardiness more than taste. What if you could boost disease resistance, flavor and yield? Researchers think they can — by grafting.

A heat-stressed koala is doused with water in December 2015 during an extreme heat wave in Adelaide, Australia. Last year was the hottest on record, but 2016 is on pace to supplant it at the top of the list. Every month of this year has set heat records.

Scientists Report The Planet Was Hotter Than Ever In The First Half Of 2016

9:22pm July 19, 2016

by Christopher Joyce

For example, June's average was up 1.62 F. A couple of degrees may not sound like much, but it's persistent warming over decades that alters the atmosphere, the oceans, and most everything else.

Queue Listen Now

Cargo ships berth in Qingdao, a port city on China's east coast.

The Smoggy Seas: Cargo Ships Bring Pollution, Health Risks

6:00pm July 19, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

Eight of the 10 busiest ports are in East Asia. A new study shows how the growing number of cargo ships are polluting the air and threatening health.

Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, said the projected rate increases for 2017 are linked to increases in the cost of health care in the state.

Covered California's Health Plan Rates To Jump Sharply In 2017

5:03pm July 19, 2016

After two years of moderate rate hikes, a double-digit increase in the cost of insurance premiums in California is likely to resonate across the U.S. in the debate about the benefits of Obamacare.

Hundreds Of Endangered Toads Released Into Southeast Wyoming

4:54pm July 19, 2016

by Melodie Edwards

More than 900 endangered toads recently hopped onto the arid plains of southeast Wyoming. It's the only place in the world this species — the Wyoming toad — exists. The release is an effort by wildlife officials to bring back one of the most endangered amphibians in North America.