With Help From Extinct Humans, Tibetans Adapted To High Altitude
When it comes to living at extreme altitudes, Tibetans may have gotten a leg up from Denisovans, a species of archaic humans that lived about 50,000 years ago.
Problem Drinking In Midlife Linked To Memory Trouble Later
NPR | July 30, 2014 11:58 a.m.
One study suggests middle-aged adults with a history of problem-drinking may be twice as likely to develop serious memory issues as the years wear on.
Does Your Dog Feel Jealous, Or Is That A Purely Human Flaw?
NPR | July 30, 2014 7:47 a.m.
Dog owners don't doubt that their pooch has feelings. But scientists aren't so sure. An experiment found that dogs act upset, dare we say jealous, when their owners ignore them for a stuffed animal.
The 30-Foot High Pile Of Bones That Could Be A DNA Treasure Trove
NPR | July 29, 2014 4:31 p.m.
The Natural Trap Cave in Wyoming may hold specimens of DNA from animals who roamed thousands of years ago. Julie Meachem, a paleontologist leading the expedition into the cave, speaks with Audie Cornish about the secrets she hopes to find.
Welcome To The Nuclear Command Bunker
NPR | July 29, 2014 4:31 p.m.
A small cadre of officers is responsible for keeping America's nukes on alert 24/7. Here's a peek into their world, and what it takes to do the job.
Fist Bumps Pass Along Fewer Germs Than Handshakes
NPR | July 29, 2014 2:15 p.m.
That strong, sturdy handshake your grandpa taught you isn't the cleanest way to greet someone, scientists say. So should doctors and nurses in hospitals start bumping fist?
Widely Used Insecticides Are Leaching Into Midwest Rivers
NPR | July 29, 2014 1:42 p.m.
Researchers found that a class of chemicals similar to nicotine used on corn and soy farms have run off into streams and rivers in the Midwest. There they may be harming aquatic life, like insects.
With Men's Y Chromosome, Size Really May Not Matter
NPR | July 29, 2014 10:05 a.m.
The string of genes that make a man a man used to be much bigger, and some geneticists say it may be wasting away. Back off, others say. Y has been stable — and crucial — for millennia.
Shifts In Habitat May Threaten Ruddy Shorebird's Survival
NPR | July 29, 2014 9:01 a.m.
To withstand their 9,300-mile migration, red knots feast on eggs from horseshoe crabs each spring in Delaware Bay. Scientists worry many crabs are starting to lay eggs before the birds can get there.
To Stop Cheating, Nuclear Officers Ditch The Grades
NPR | July 28, 2014 4:40 p.m.
A switch to pass-fail grading is curbing the "perfection" culture among U.S. nuclear missile forces. Critics of the old way say striving to be perfect invited cheating by those who launch the nukes.
Where The Birds Are Is Not Where You'd Think
NPR | July 28, 2014 4:33 p.m.
Birds are everywhere, but the greatest concentration of different birds — the "Bird mecca" of America – is not in our great parks, not in our forests, not where you'd suppose. Not at all.