Science

Congress Passes Largest Chemical Safety Legislation In 40 Years

5:06pm June 08, 2016

Congress has passed the biggest chemical safety legislation in 40 years. NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Richard Denison of the Environmental Defense Fund about what this means for consumers.

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Genetically modified mosquitoes are released in Piracicaba, Brazil, in an effort to combat Zika virus. These mosquitoes were modified using conventional techniques.

New Genetic Engineering Method Called Promising — And Perilous

5:06pm June 08, 2016

by Rob Stein

A technology known as a gene drive might be deployed to re-engineer species and stop diseases like malaria. But a scientific advisory panel says research and use should proceed with great caution.

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Beyonce inked a $50 million endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2012.

This Is How Much Celebrities Get Paid To Endorse Soda And Unhealthy Food

3:49pm June 08, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

Beyonce got $50 million to push Pepsi. Justin Timberlake: $6 million in a deal with McDonald's. A study describes the lucrative deals celebs popular with teens and young adults inked to sell food.

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Science

How Student Debt Affects Personal Choices Of Young People

2:41pm June 08, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Researchers examine the effects of student debt on the personal choices that young adults have to make. For example, decisions about whether to get married or when to have children.

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Science

Why We're All Trapped In 3-D

4:41pm June 07, 2016

by Adam Frank

We are all trapped in space — the space of three dimensions. NPR blogger and astrophysicist Adam Frank takes us to the next dimension.

A weekday work session on the Student Organic Farm at Iowa State University has members weeding a perennial bed.

A Student-Run Farm Cultivates Passion For Sustainable Agriculture

2:01pm June 07, 2016

by Amy Mayer

The Student Organic Farm at Iowa State sends out CSA boxes to the local community — and of course, it gives students a chance to enjoy the (fresh, organic) fruits of their own labor.

A common house mosquito (Culex pipiens) is about to sink her six-weaponed proboscis into a human arm. This type transmits West Nile virus by biting infected birds, then biting humans.

WATCH: Mosquitoes Use 6 Needles To Suck Your Blood

11:00am June 07, 2016

by Gabriela Quirós

Beyond pesky, mosquitoes kill hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year. And the bites aren't random. A mouth packed with sensors, drills, spears and straws guides the bug to blood.

Science

How Stories Told Of Brilliant Scientists Affect Kids' Interest In The Field

7:58am June 07, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

Researchers found that students perform better in science where they read stories about how famous scientists struggled rather than when they read stories about what those scientists achieved.

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On some sunny, spring days, California has more electricity than it can use, like from this solar farm in Fresno.

Who's In Charge? Getting Western States To Agree On Sharing Renewable Energy

7:15pm June 06, 2016

California has so much solar energy that some days, there's too much. One solution is to join forces across state borders. But in the West, that's sparking some not-so-neighborly opposition.

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Seth Barker of Maine Fresh Sea Farms checks a seaweed line. People have foraged wild seaweed off the Eastern Seaboard for centuries. But now a much more active effort to grow seaweed in the U.S. is afoot.

Seaweed On Your Dinner Plate: The Next Kale Could Be Kelp

3:47pm June 06, 2016

by Fred Bever

Why are chefs adopting sea greens in their cuisine? They're tasty and nutritious, and growing them is good for the planet. Maine's budding seaweed business is boosting an endangered coastal economy.

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