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TOP STORIES
Archaeologist Dennis Jenkins
June 30, 2008

Report
Ore. Discovery Challenges Beliefs About First Humans
June 25, 2008

Report
As Oil Prices Rise, Carmakers Look to Electric Future
June 23, 2008

Report
Midwest's Levees, Land Use Questioned Amid Floods

MOST RECENT STORIES

2008 JULY
July 1, 2008
Update
Study: HIV Mortality Rates Continue to Drop as Treatments Improve
More than a decade after antiretroviral treatments for HIV first debuted, HIV mortality rates have declined dramatically and they continue to drop in countries where patients have access to the drugs.

JUNE
June 30, 2008
Report
Ore. Discovery Challenges Beliefs About First Humans
Until recently, most scientists believed that the first humans came to the Americas 13,000 years ago. But new archaeological findings from a cave in Oregon are challenging that assumption. Lee Hochberg of Oregon Public Television reports on the controversial discovery.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


June 27, 2008
Update
In Warming World, Plants Seek Higher Ground
Rising temperatures are forcing plant species to migrate up mountains in search of a cooler climate, according to a new study of Alpine plants published Thursday in the journal Science.


June 26, 2008
Update
Scientists to Begin Mapping the Cocoa Genome
Chocolate maker Mars Inc. will fund a five year, $10 million project to map the cocoa bean genome -- work that could lead to hardier, higher-yielding crops and better quality chocolate, the company announced Thursday.


June 25, 2008
Report
As Oil Prices Rise, Carmakers Look to Electric Future
Rising oil prices and improvements in battery technology are fueling new interest in developing electric cars. Spencer Michels reports on how industry giants and start-up car companies alike plan to release new vehicles by 2010.

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June 25, 2008
Conversation
Extended Interview: Tesla Motors Chairman Elon Musk
NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels talked in April to electric car maker Tesla Motors' founder and chairman, Elon Musk -- an entrepreneur who previously founded PayPal -- about the future of the electric car.


June 25, 2008
Conversation
Extended Interview: Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board
Spencer Michels talked to Mary Nichols, head of the California Air Resources Board, in April about the board's recent decision to cut the number of zero-emission vehicles the state will require car manufacturers to build. The board aims to encourage manufacturers to produce more hybrid vehicles instead.


June 25, 2008
Update
Transparent Fish Give Cancer Research a Boost
Richard White is an oncologist at Children's Hospital Boston and instructor at Harvard Medical School -- but lately, he's also gained fame as an animal breeder.


June 23, 2008
Report
Midwest's Levees, Land Use Questioned Amid Floods
More than two dozen levees along the Mississippi and its tributaries have broken under heavy flooding, leaving many communities questioning the region's levee system and land usage. Elizabeth Brackett reports from Illinois on the struggle to keep levees standing.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


June 20, 2008
Analysis
NASA Lander Discovers Evidence of Ice on Mars
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander found evidence of water-based ice on Mars, confirming some scientists' theories. Scientist Peter Smith of the University of Arizona discusses the discovery.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


June 19, 2008
Report
Three Years On, New Orleans Still Struggles With Hurricane Debris
Nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the city is still coping with the toxic debris the storm left behind. Betty Ann Bowser reports from New Orleans on the ongoing controversy over the city's landfills.

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June 19, 2008
Slide Show
New Orleans Struggles to Curtail Illegal Dumping
An industrial stretch of New Orleans East has long been home to illegal dumps. The situation grew worse after Hurricane Katrina produced more than 62 million cubic feet of debris. NewsHour correspondent Betty Ann Bowser discusses the city's illegal dumping problem.


June 13, 2008
Update
Low Levels of Vitamin D Tied to Numerous Health Ailments, Studies Find
Men with low vitamin D levels are more likely to suffer heart attacks than men with healthy levels of the vitamin, according to a study released this week.


June 6, 2008
Update
U.S. on Track to Break Tornado Records This Year
The first half of 2008 has already marked the deadliest tornado season this decade. As many as 1,000 tornadoes have already touched down in the U.S. since January, more than the country sometimes sees in a full year.


June 6, 2008
Update
Climate Change Bill Blocked, Left to New Congress
Republican senators blocked a proposed global warming bill Friday that would have led to major reductions in greenhouse gases, calling it a huge tax increase.


June 5, 2008
Update
World Leaders Pledge to Ease Food Crisis After Political Squabbling
World leaders at a United Nations food summit pledged Thursday to reduce trade barriers and boost agricultural production to combat the food crisis that is spreading hunger and violent unrest across the globe.


June 3, 2008
Conversation
Extended Interview: General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner
The NewsHour interviewed General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner in May about the company's plans for developing alternative fuel vehicles. Excerpts of the interview will air in the coming weeks as part of a report on a new generation of electric cars.


June 2, 2008
Report
Researchers Examine Impact of Exercise on Aging
Scientists have coined a new term -- geroscience -- to describe research that aims to slow down aging and delay the onset of age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Researchers are studying the underlying genetic causes of aging and effects of exercise.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


June 2, 2008
Conversation
Extended Interview: Venture Capitalist Vinod Khosla
Vinod Khosla is an influential venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. He was a cofounder of Sun Microsystems and later a partner at the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, which helped fund Google and Amazon. In 2004 he started his own company, Khosla Ventures.

MAY
May 30, 2008
Update
New Solvents May Lead to Better Biofuels
Molten salts used as solvents may provide a stepping stone toward cheaper, more environmentally friendly biofuels, researchers said this month.


May 30, 2008
Update
Stonehenge Used as Burial Site for Centuries, Study Finds
Britain's mysterious Stonehenge site served as a burial ground for more than 500 years, probably for a family of ancient rulers, a group of archeologists announced this week.


May 29, 2008
Analysis
Monkeys Learn to Control Robotic Arm With Brainwaves
Advances in brain-controlled prosthetics reached new heights as researchers at the University of Pittsburgh announced the successful use of a prosthetic arm linked directly to the brain of a monkey. Lead researcher Andrew Schwartz discusses the findings.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 29, 2008
Report
Venture Capitalists Look to Green Businesses for Boom
A recent surge in investments by venture capitalists in eco-friendly businesses is possibly triggering a boom in green and clean technology. Analysts report on the green market and its ability to make money while saving oil.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 28, 2008
Analysis
Report Documents Climate Change Impact on U.S.
A recently released government report describes the impact global climate change is already having on U.S. farms, wildlife, forests and water supplies. One of the report's lead authors discusses its findings.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 27, 2008
Forum
Experts Debate Cloned Food
In January, the Food and Drug Administration decided that meat and milk from cloned animals is safe to eat. Two experts on different sides of the issue -- a veterinarian whose company produces cloned animals and an advocate for clone-free food -- answered your questions.


May 27, 2008
Report
FDA's Approval of Cloned Beef for Human Consumption Ignites Debate
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved meat and milk from cloned cows as safe for human consumption. However, some observers believe the FDA's decision was hasty and more study of the issue is needed. Tom Bearden reports on the controversy.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 26, 2008
Update
NASA's Phoenix Sends Intriguing Images From Mars
NASA's Phoenix Mars lander touched down Sunday and began transmitting pictures from the northern arctic plains of Mars where scientists hope to find evidence of water and life-sustaining conditions. Mission co-leader Ray Arvidson explains.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 26, 2008
Update
NASA's Mars Spacecraft Lands, Transmits Photos of Arctic Terrain
After a 10-month, 422-million-mile voyage, NASA's Phoenix Mars lander touched down Sunday and began transmitting pictures from the arctic plains of the Red Planet where scientists hope to find evidence of water and life-sustaining conditions.


May 23, 2008
Update
NASA's Phoenix Spacecraft Lands on Mars
A spacecraft designed to search for life on Mars completed its nearly 10-month, 422-million-mile voyage Sunday, touching down the Red Planet and transmitting intriguing images from its northern arctic plains.


May 21, 2008
Slide Show
Astronomers Glimpse First Moments of Supernova
In January NASA's Swift satellite caught a seven-minute X-ray blast that marked the beginning of a supernova. It was the first time astronomers have seen the start of the giant explosion that marks the death of a massive star.


May 21, 2008
Analysis
Scientists Study Final Moments of Dying Star
The deaths of some stars are marked by a unique event: the supernova. A NASA telescope captured a massive explosion in January, giving scientists clues into the mechanics of our own world. Robert Kirshner of Harvard University explains the significance of the event.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 20, 2008
Report
BPA Dropped From Some Plastics Amid Health Concerns
Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical commonly found in hard plastic bottles such as Nalgenes and other everyday plastic products. However, increasing concerns about BPA's alleged toxicity has caused Nalgene to stop using it to make bottles.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 16, 2008
Update
Six Years On, Yucca Mountain Nuclear Repository Slowly Moves Forward
Energy Department officials confirmed this week that they plan to submit an application in June to license the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump as the nation's first spent-nuclear fuel repository.


May 16, 2008
Update
Cities Are Looking to Share and Share a Bike
European style bike-sharing programs are soon coming to U.S. cities.


May 15, 2008
Report
Corn Farmers Prosper, Others Lose Out with Ethanol Use
As corn prices have risen with demand for ethanol in recent years, corn farmers are prospering. But others -- such as hog farmers who rely on corn feed -- are facing tough times, and some critics blame ethanol demand for rising food prices worldwide.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 14, 2008
Analysis
Polar Bears Listed as 'Threatened' Due to Loss of Arctic Ice
In a highly-anticipated decision, the Interior Department on Wednesday declared the polar bear "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act because of shrinking Arctic ice due to global warming. Two analysts consider the impact of the decisions.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


May 12, 2008
Report
Green Industry Hub Rises From Rust Belt Ruins
Paul Solman reports on innovators who are making the Pittsburgh region an eco-showcase of the benefits of going green and bringing new hope to the economically depressed Rust Belt region.

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May 12, 2008
Update
Powerful Earthquake Destroys Buildings, Builds Mountains in China
There's a saying among seismologists: "Earthquakes don't kill people. Buildings do." The powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake that rocked central China on Monday afternoon, killing upwards of 8,500 people, was a grim reminder of that common phrase.


May 7, 2008
Update
Platypus Genome Reflects Animal's Unusual Exterior, Research Finds
With its webbed feet, fur-covered body and venom-shooting spurs, the platypus is famously one of nature's strangest-looking animals -- a motley combination of bird, mammal and reptile.


May 6, 2008
Update
Little-known Drug Draws New Scientific, Legislative Attention
Most of what the public knows about the hallucinogenic drug salvia divinorum comes in disturbing snippets from a growing collection of online videos.

APRIL
April 25, 2008
Analysis
Senate Votes to Prevent Genetic Discrimination in the Workplace
As research of preventative genetic testing increases, many fear the impact this information can have on employment and health-insurance practices -- leading the Senate to vote Thursday to ban genetic-based discrimination. An expert on genetics examines the issue.

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April 25, 2008
Update
Social Status is Hard-Wired into the Brain, Study Shows
Our world is defined by social hierarchies: parent and child, teacher and student, employee and boss. From the playground to the office, our place in the pecking order helps us decide how to behave.


April 24, 2008
Slide Show
New Hubble Images Offer Unique Look at How Galaxies Collide
On the 18th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's launch, NASA released new images of galaxies colliding. Each merger takes millions of years, and most galaxies -- including our own Milky Way -- have merged with others in the past.


April 23, 2008
Report
In Pittsburgh, Robots Help Rebuild Struggling Economy
As Pittsburgh continues to rebuild itself after the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the 1980s, a technology industry is emerging. Tom Bearden reports on how engineers in the city are developing robots for everything from elderly care to military operations.

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FUNDED IN PART BY: National Science Foundation


April 18, 2008
Update
Wal-Mart, Nalgene Pull BPA Items After Report Sparks Concerns
Retail giant Wal-Mart and water bottle maker Nalgene are taking steps to phase out the use of the plasticizer Bisphenol A, only days after a major report linked the omnipresent chemical to a range of possible hormonal and other health problems.


April 17, 2008
Report
High-tech School Prepares Students for Shifting Economy
Paul Solman reports on a high school in California that pushes its students to focus on the future by preparing for jobs in the world of high technology -- while also helping the U.S. stay competitive in a global marketplace.

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