Science: What Geeks are talking about from National Public Radio

Climate Change? Some People May Not Be Sweating It Because The Weather Is Nicer
Researchers say climate change has made weather more pleasant in many parts of the U.S. Winters have been milder, and summers haven’t become much hotter. But that’s likely to change in coming years.

NIH Halts Some Research Amid Concerns Over Contamination And Safety
The National Institutes of Health shut down some clinical trials and two production facilities over concerns that safety rules haven’t been followed, but it says no patients appear to have been hurt.

Is Crowdfunding An Okay Way To Raise Money For Zika Research?
The Zika Virus Challenge has posted researchers’ projects and is asking for pledges. Should the reaction be skepticism — or enthusiasm?

Your Invisible Neighbors: Each City Has Unique Microbes
Scientists measured the microbes that are in the indoor spaces where we spend most of our time. Each city had a unique microbiome, with many outdoor microbes making their way indoors to live with us.

U.K. Science Minister Torpedoes ‘Boaty McBoatface’ As Ship Name
When Britain’s Natural Environment Research Council launched a poll to help name a new research ship, one suggestion caught on: Boaty McBoatface. But Science Minister Jo Johnson says it’s unsuitable.

Why Our Brains Weren’t Made To Deal With Climate Change
Human beings would be better at fighting climate change if we weren’t so, well, human. In this episode, we explore the psychological barriers to addressing climate change.

Ethiopian Monkey Study Offers Clues Into How Human Speech Evolved
A new study of the speech patterns of gelada monkeys in the Ethiopian Highlands suggests that linguistically humans aren’t as unique as we think. So why has it taken us thousands of years to realize that? NPR has the story of how we listen to noises we don’t understand.

With The ‘Eco Bin,’ Student Scientists Aim Big In Fight Against Waste
Kids from across the U.S. gathered at the White House last week to present their scientific findings to President Obama. Some Mississippi Girl Scouts explain their project to tackle Styrofoam waste.

New Polio Vaccine Rolled Out In Massive Synchronized Worldwide Switch
155 countries and territories are switching to a different polio vaccine, in what health officials say is the next step to completely eradicating the disease worldwide.

Your Brain On LSD Looks A Lot Like A Baby’s
For the first time, scientists have scanned the brains of subjects taking LSD, and found that the LSD state mimics that of infants. NPR’s Rachel Martin speaks with researcher Robin Carhart-Harris.

Attention Students: Put Your Laptops Away
Researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer found that students remember more via writing notes longhand rather than on a laptop. It has to do with what happens when you’re forced to slow down.

The Human Body’s Complicated Relationship With Fungi
Among the microbes that live in us and on us, bacteria have gotten most of the attention. Now scientists are exploring the fungi and their effects on health.

What Can We Learn From Early Floridians On Sea-Level Rise?
Sea level rise is not a new challenge for Florida. The state’s earliest residents had to cope with rising seas by migrating. It is a lesson, an archaeologist believes, that we can learn from today.

How Math Determines The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Protagonist
Network science: it can be used both to stop terrorists and predict television plotlines. Keith Devlin explains how it can be used to figure out the most important character in Game of Thrones.

Study Finds Climate Change Could Be Leading To Better Wine
Winemakers know grapes are sensitive to temperature and drought. A recent study in the journal Nature Climate Change looks at how weather plays a role in determining the quality of wine produced.

Will Genetically ‘Edited’ Food Be Regulated? The Case Of The Mushroom
The U.S. is trying to figure out whether, and how, to regulate crops that have had their genes “edited.” One example: a mushroom that doesn’t brown when cut. It could be the first of many such crops.

After 9-Month Delay, Record-Breaking Solar Plane Prepares For Liftoff
The Solar Impulse 2 is preparing to resume its flight around the world. It’s aiming to be the first plane to make the journey powered only by the sun.

Stephen Hawking’s Plan For Interstellar Travel Has Some Earthly Obstacles
The astrophysicist is part of a team that wants to send postage-stamp-size probes to our closest star system, Alpha Centauri. But can they get the right permits?

When Parasites Could Be The Treatment Instead Of The Illness
A man’s worm treatment in Thailand led researchers to test parasites for inflammatory bowel disease. Their ultimate goal is a remedy that would mimic what the worms do — without an infection.

Chicago’s Upgrades To Aging Water Lines May Disturb Lead Pipes
The city of Chicago is continuing its 10-year plan to replace aging water lines. But some residents charge that as the city replaces water mains, it’s causing unsafe lead levels in drinking water.

Adapting To A More Extreme Climate, Coastal Cities Get Creative
In preparation for sea level rise, vulnerable cities are building infrastructure to protect themselves. But as a look at New Orleans and Philadelphia shows, the strategies are unique to each city.

Young Scientists Feature Projects At 2016 White House Science Fair
NPR’s Robert Siegel talks with two students whose science projects were featured at the 2016 White House Science Fair.

AccuWeather Launches ’90-Day Forecast’ To Help You Plan Ahead
AccuWeather launched its “90-Day Forecast” this week, which the company describes as a “valuable tool for planning further in advance,” including activities like vacations, weddings, baseball games, outdoor concerts and more. NPR’s Robert Siegel talks with AccuWeather Founder and President Joel Myers.

Zika Virus Can Cause Brain Defects In Babies, CDC Confirms
U.S. health officials say they are now convinced that Zika virus can target the developing brain before birth, leading to a severe type of microcephaly and other brain abnormalities.

Technology Helps A Paralyzed Man Transform Thought Into Movement
An implant and wires that reroute nerve signals from a man’s brain to his hand allow him to grasp and lift objects, after much practice. But easy, wireless signaling from the brain is still the goal.

Taking Cues From Human Nutrition To Reduce Antibiotic Use In Livestock
Researchers are trying to figure out if probiotics — the stuff we like to eat in yogurt to keep our guts healthy — could also help pigs, cows and chickens thrive.

How LSD Makes Your Brain One With The Universe
Researchers are starting to look at the therapeutic possibilities of psychedelic drugs. A sensation that the self is merging with the world could be due to changes in brain connections, a study says.

Ambitious Project Would Use ‘Starchips’ To Travel To Alpha Centauri
Internet Billionaire Yuri Milner on Tuesday announced plans to travel to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. A trip would take thousands of years with existing technology.

Hot On The Trail Of Alien Moons
Astronomers have found about 2,000 planets beyond our solar system. Now, some scientists are expanding the search to look for distant moons, too, in the hunt for signs of life.

Home And Garden Giant Ditches Class Of Pesticides That May Harm Bees
Ortho is part of the Miracle-Gro family. The company says it decided to phase out neonics from its home and garden products after reviewing possible threats posed to bees and other pollinators.

What Does Time Perception Have To Do With Racial Disparities?
Research shows that our biases can actually skew our perception of time. For police officers, this means some are at a greater risk for shooting unarmed black men.

U.S. Chief Climate Negotiator: ‘Paris Wasn’t The End, Paris Is The Start’
Since the beginning of the Obama administration, Todd Stern has been the U.S. government’s chief climate negotiator. He led the team in Paris that managed to get some 200 countries to agree to the most sweeping deal ever to limit global carbon emissions. NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks to Stern about what’s happened since Paris and his decision to step down from the job after seven years.

Kepler Spacecraft Is Stable And Out Of Emergency Status, NASA Says
Kepler, the telescope that’s nearly 75 million miles away from Earth, placed itself into Emergency Mode sometime in the middle of last week.

Just Like Human Skin, This Plastic Sheet Can Sense And Heal
Human skin has properties that are hard to mimic, but a Stanford engineer is working to create a type of artificial skin that can sense, heal and generate its own power.

Tiger Numbers Seen Rising For First Time In 100 Years
Early in the 20th century, the world had more than 100,000 tigers in it, according to estimates. The number fell sharply — and has now risen for the first time in years.

A Fitbit Saved His Life? Well, Maybe
A man shows up in the emergency room with a speedy, irregular heartbeat, but can’t say when it first went awry. No problem. The ER doctors just checked the phone records of his fitness tracker.

SpaceX Rocket Lands Safely On A Ship At Sea For the First Time
A resupply capsule, bearing an inflatable habitat, is en route to the International Space Station, and the first stage of the rocket that launched it has returned for a sea landing without exploding.

SpaceX Rocket Sticks The Landing After Resupply Mission
SpaceX successfully launched a rocket to resupply the International Space Station and landed the rocket on a drone ship at sea on Friday.

Baltimore Sees Hospitals As Key To Breaking A Cycle Of Violence
The city’s health department wants to send ex-offenders who have been trained to be “violence interrupters” to hospitals to talk with victims. Chicago has found the program prevents repeat injuries.

Scientists Set To Drill Into Extinction-Event Crater In Mexico
After a meteor punched a huge crater into the Earth 65.5 million years ago, 70 percent of the planet’s species went extinct. Today, pieces of that meteor are found all over the world.

Online Comfort For Real-World Cancer Can Be Surprisingly Sweet
Steve Julian is a morning anchor for KPCC-FM in Los Angeles, a playwright and a former cop. His communities are legion, and all cared deeply when he got his terminal diagnosis. How best to reach out?

Cambodia Launches Plan To Reintroduce ‘Functionally Extinct’ Tigers
A successful revival would mean not only a healthier and more balanced ecosystem, but it could also boost Cambodia’s ecotourism, bringing more revenue to the national economy.

Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death: The Disease That’s Killing Native Hawaiian Trees
In Hawaii, more than 34,000 acres of forest have died from a mysterious disease. The blight is affecting a tree critical to Hawaii’s natural water supply and cultural heritage.

Is Samoa’s Obesity Epidemic A Harbinger For Other Developing Nations?
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are becoming more common all over the world. But the tiny Samoan islands now have the highest rates. An epidemiologist blames changes in diet brought on by globalization.

NASA To Test Inflatable Room For Astronauts In Space
On Friday a supply rocket is scheduled to send an inflatable module to the International Space Station. The expandable technology is being developed by a private firm.

Study Finds Deep Conversations Can Reduce Transgender Prejudice
After a study on about support for gay marriage was faked, the debunkers performed the experiment for real. This time, the results suggest canvassing door to door might reduce prejudice long-term.

Tiny Forage Fish At Bottom Of Marine Food Chain Get New Protections
Demand for sardines and other small species has exploded, with many being used as feed for livestock and fish farming. New rules aim to protect these species from overfishing off the U.S. West Coast.

Big California Firms Take On Health Care Giant Over Cost of Care
Sutter Health’s network has 24 hospitals and more than 5,000 doctors in Northern California — a huge share of the health care market. Big employers say Sutter has too much clout in setting prices.