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Since Darwin's Era, Following Science Got Complex
On Nov. 24, 1859, Darwin's <em>On the Origin of Species</em> first appeared in print and had a tremendous impact on society and science alike. Despite having more media access today, science has gotten so complex that it's hard for people to keep up, let alone evaluate the significance behind science stories.
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At 150, Darwin's 'Origin' Stirs Even More Debate
On Nov. 24, 1859, a book that changed the world first appeared in print. <em>On the Origin of Species</em> proposed a radical new theory about how all life on Earth evolved. In many respects, the book sparks greater controversy today than when it first appeared.
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Scientists Seek New Ways To Produce Flu Vaccine
One reason for the shortage of the new H1N1 flu vaccine this year is the way flu vaccines are made. A modified form of the virus is grown inside chicken eggs, but the process takes months. Now, scientists are working to create new flu vaccines that can be made much faster, using the virus' DNA.
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Study: Political Bent Affects How We View Skin Tone
These three photos of President Obama were among images shown to college students as part of a study that suggests political attitudes can impact the way people perceive skin tone. The photos on the left and right have been altered. Self-described liberals were most likely to rate lightened photos as most representative of Obama. Conservative students tended to pick darkened photos.
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For Some, Talking Politics Can Be Emotional
Guest host Jennifer Ludden interviews Emory University psychology professor Drew Westen about how the human mind can sometimes play tricks with us when it comes to politics. Professor Westen is the author of "The Political Brain: the Role of Emotion in Deciding the fate of the nation."
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Big Bang Atom Smasher Sends Beams In 2 Directions
The world's largest atom smasher made another leap forward Monday by circulating beams of protons in opposite directions at the same time in the $10 billion machine after more than a year of repairs, organizers said.
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Genetic Testing Reveals Devastating Illness
Journalist Charles Sabine watched his father die from the degenerative illness Huntington's disease. After watching his brother struggle with the disease for years, Sabine decided to be tested. "Nothing that I've experienced compares with that test in terms of the terror that it inflicted on me," he says. Sabine says his young daughter does not have the Huntington's gene.
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In Oregon, Boat Owner Worries Over Climate Change
Officials in Portland, Oregon, are planning a new light rail bridge over the Willamette River. Dan Yates, owner of a small company that runs boat excursions on the river, tells host Guy Raz he's afraid that climate change and rising water levels will keep his boats from passing under the proposed bridge.
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Scientist Explains Earth's Warming Plateau
Research shows that over the past several years, Earth's temperature has not been heating up. Climate change skeptics claim this as evidence that global warming is overexaggerated. But the man who did the research, climate and ocean scientist Mojib Latif, says "not so fast." Latif talks to host Guy Raz about the Earth's temperature plateau and what it means for global warming.
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Astronaut's Wait Over As Daughter Born Back Home
Astronaut Randolph Bresnik is a new dad again, after launching into space and taking a spacewalk, all for the first time.
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Museum: Galileo's Fingers, Tooth Found
Two fingers and a tooth removed from Galileo Galilei's corpse in a Florentine basilica in the 18th century and given up for lost have been found again, a Florence museum said Friday.
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Scientist: 'Don't Give Up' On Stopping Asian Carp
Two Asian carp species that could devastate the Great Lakes ecosystem may be a few miles from Lake Michigan. To halt their migration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built an underwater electric fence on a canal 20 miles south of the lake. But tests conducted by David Lodge at Notre Dame indicate that they have gotten close to the lake despite the barrier.
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Personalizing Solar Power
Researchers are hoping to improve solar energy installations by coupling a solar panel to an efficient hydrolysis unit that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Daniel Nocera of MIT says the approach could lead to personal solar power units that could get many houses off the grid.
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Real-Life Physics Problems Star On TV
The stars of <em>The Big Bang Theory</em> are two fictional Caltech physicists, but the physics problems they study are real. Bill Prady, the program's co-creator and executive producer, talks about including real-world science in the script, from dark matter to magnetic monopoles.
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Rethinking The Human Future In Space
With NASA reporting a "significant amount" of water on the lunar surface, is it time to re-examine our priorities regarding living and working in space? Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute, talks about why and how people should venture beyond Earth.
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