Waste into Plastic
Scientists have developed a way to turn municipal waste into biodegradable plastic.
Podcast
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE: Ecologically-friendly plastic, a cleaner way to produce hydrogen fuel, cell phone air sensors, the perils of spaceflight, the ethical implications of synthetic life, and more.
Brain Master Switch
Scientists have identified a protein that serves as the brain's master switch.
Podcast
Why near misses keep problem gamblers coming back for more, doing good could make you stronger, an artificial pancreas to control diabetes, debunking the "Mozart" effect, and the brain's master switch.
Air Pollution & Pregnancy
Exposing pregnant women to a common air pollutant may impact their children's intelligence.
Podcast
GENETIC HISTORY - Scientists complete a draft sequence of the Neandertal genome, reconstructing the woolly mammoth's bloody past, and genes that jump from species to species. Also: a low-tech solution to a public-health dilemma in the developing world.
Enviropigs
Genetically engineered pigs produce 70 percent less phosphorus in their waste.
CO2 & Near-Death Experiences
Scientists discover a possible physiological explanation for near-death experiences.
Oxygen-Free Animals
Scientists have discovered animals that can survive in the absence of oxygen.
Plants vs. Insects Roundup
A protein in coffee beans is an effective pesticide.
Shower Pollution
Bathing and showering could be washing drugs into our waterways.
Podcast
WEIRD SCIENCE: Behind the legend of the chupacabra, does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis? A physiological explanation for near-death experiences, and animals that live without oxygen.
Podcast
Contact lenses that could treat glaucoma, and could you get more out of a 20-minute workout than a 4-hour one? Also, a nose for identification, and why we can't smell deadly carbon monoxide gas.
Rare Earth Roundup
Rare earth elements make many modern technologies possible, but extracting them results in large amounts of toxic waste.
Body Batteries
A new coating for rubber surfaces may make it possible for our bodies to power electric gadgets.
Marine Epilepsy
Algal blooms can cause epileptic symptoms in sea lions and other marine mammals.
Environmental Health Roundup
Despite looking green and attractive, many parks may actually create more pollution than they prevent.
Podcast
TECHNOLOGY REPORT: Lung-powered batteries, a spider-inspired water-repellent, art-restoring lasers, the health risks of polycarbonate plastics, and more.
Bad Plastic
Polycarbonate plastics that contain a chemical called bisphenol A can disrupt normal reproductive development in both rodents and humans.
One-Atom Linchpin
A single calcium atom can make or break a bacterium's movement – and infectiousness.
Mountaintop Removal Mining
Mountaintop removal mining has long-term consequences for the environment and human health.
Podcast
Mountaintop removal mining's devastating effects on the environment, ancient Martian lakes, an herbal disappointment, fish that punish cheaters, and reading and writing in the brain.