Research News

A recent study found jumping spiders exhibit REM sleep-like activity while resting.

Science

Spiders show signs of REM-like activity, raising the question: Do they dream?

5:01am August 23, 2022

by Kai McNamee

A team of researchers filmed jumping spiders overnight and observed behaviors that mirror rapid eye movement sleep in other species. It helps that baby jumping spiders have translucent exoskeletons.

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The federal government wants to roll out another round of COVID-19 boosters this fall but drugmakers are still testing the new boosters. The Food and Drug Administration has said it will base its evaluation of the boosters on data from mouse studies, in a

What's behind the FDA's controversial strategy for evaluating new COVID boosters

5:04am August 18, 2022

by Rob Stein

Some scientists are alarmed that the agency plans to evaluate the next generation of boosters by reviewing mouse studies alone. Others say there's no time to waste waiting for human trials.

Grape vines at Korbel vineyards are submerged under floodwater Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, near Guerneville, Calif. The Central Valley produces $17 billion worth of crops every year. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

A cataclysmic flood is coming for California. Climate change makes it more likely.

2:00pm August 12, 2022

by Nathan Rott

There's a long history of massive inland flooding in California. New research finds that climate change has already doubled the odds it happens again.

An image from an electron microscope of the monkeypox virus (orange) on infected cells (green).

COVID sewage surveillance labs join the hunt for monkeypox

5:01am August 08, 2022

by Mark Kreidler

Wastewater testing has proved a reliable early alarm bell for COVID-19 outbreaks. U.S. researchers are now adapting the approach to track the explosive spread of monkeypox, and maybe other viruses.

The Galápagos land iguana is making a comeback on Santiago Island. Conservationists say the species is showing signs of being successfully reintroduced.

An island in the Galápagos reintroduced iguanas after nearly 200 years of extinction

5:00am August 08, 2022

by Dustin Jones

The Galápagos land iguana is back on Santiago Island. That's thanks to some help from a team of conservationists.

Why the American Dream is more attainable in some cities than others

6:30am August 01, 2022

by Greg Rosalsky

A blockbuster new study reveals a key factor explaining rates of upward mobility.

An illustration of Qikiqtania wakei (center) in the water with its larger cousin, Tiktaalik roseae.

Science

This fish evolved to walk on land — then said 'nope' and went back to the water

5:01am July 31, 2022

by Kai McNamee

In a move reflective of a viral meme, a new study shows that an ancient fish really did evolve to walk out of the water, only to then go back to the sea.

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Science

A lot of predictions were made about COVID's social impact. How did they hold up?

9:20am July 30, 2022

NPR's Scott Simon asks Wharton School management professor Ethan Mollick about research into pandemic predictions and how to make the people around you happy.

Fossil shows fish evolved to walk on land — then went back to the water

4:27pm July 26, 2022

After an ancient fish developed legs, its newly discovered descendent Qikiqtania wakei went back to swimming in open water.

Science

Baby talk is a universal phenomenon

5:03pm July 23, 2022

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Courtney Hilton about his research that centers on how people talk to babies around the world.