Humans

An ancient wild barley sample recovered from Chogha Golan, Iran.

Farming Got Hip In Iran Some 12,000 Years Ago, Ancient Seeds Reveal

11:46am July 08, 2013

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Archaeologists had considered Iran unimportant in the history of farming – until now. Ancient seeds and farming tools uncovered in Iran reveal Stone Age people there were growing lentils, barley and other crops. The findings offer a snapshot of a time when humans first started experimenting with farming.

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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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Science

Beaming Internet to the Boondocks, Via Balloon

11:17am June 21, 2013

Rather than relying on cell towers, phone lines, or fiber optics, Google plans to beam 3G-speed Internet to the world's most inaccessible corners using helium balloons. The experiment is called "Project Loon." Leader Mike Cassidy talks about the project's first step: providing balloon Internet to New Zealand and the 40th parallel south.

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Science

Vegetables Respond to a Daily Clock, Even After Harvest

11:17am June 21, 2013

Vegetables plucked from grocery store shelves can be made to respond to patterns of light and darkness, according to a report in the journal Current Biology. Janet Braam and colleagues found that cabbages change their levels of phytonutrients throughout a daily cycle.

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A Calculating Win for China's New Supercomputer

11:17am June 21, 2013

China's "Tianhe-2" (Milky Way 2) supercomputer took first place in one recent speed test, clocking in at 30 quadrillion calculations per second--about twice as fast as the best American machines. The U.S. still has more supercomputers than any other nation, but some experts say computer speed is a measure of a country's scientific innovation, and worry the U.S. is lagging behind.

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Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Math

11:17am June 21, 2013

Should you skip the bedtime stories and do math problems instead? Laura Overdeck, the founder of "Bedtime Math," thinks so. Overdeck discusses her program for tucking kids in with equations, and tells why she thinks it helps kids keep up their math skills over summer vacation.

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E.O. Wilson's Advice for Future Scientists

11:17am June 21, 2013

In his new book, Letters to a Young Scientist, biologist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson aims to inspire a new generation of scientists. Among his observations and advice: Geniuses don't make the best scientists, and don't worry if you aren't good at math.

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The Human Voice May Not Spark Pleasure In Children With Autism

11:31am June 18, 2013

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists and parents have long been baffled by the fact that children with autism often don't pay attention to human voices. Researchers say that may be because speech doesn't activate a reward system in the brain for those children the way it does for typical children.

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Once homeless herself, Kimberly McKenzie now works for Lamp Community, a nonprofit that helps the homeless.

National

'I'm Not The Only One': Transgender Youth Battle The Odds

4:40pm June 15, 2013

by Gloria Hillard

National polls show a growing acceptance of gay men and women, but the transgender community often feels left out of the discussion. Young transgender people face discrimination in all aspects of life, and many find themselves on the streets.

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