Science & Technology 2004 Archive | PBS NewsHour

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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


	2004 DECEMBER Dec. 30, 2004 Recovery Efforts in Tsunami-Hit Indonesia Indonesia's death toll from the earthquake and ensuing tsunamis jumped from 45,000 to 80,000 in one day. Following a report from a journalist who just returned from northern Sumatra, the Indonesian ambassador to the U.S. discusses what his country is facing and what is needed to ease his people's suffering.

	Dec. 29, 2004 U.S. Aid Efforts to Tsunami Affected Areas Criticized President Bush on Wednesday defended the American response to the catastrophe in South Asia and said the United States would help rebuild the devestated countries. Andrew Natsios, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, discusses what steps America is taking to help the millions in need.

	Dec. 29, 2004 Health Experts Warn Death Toll From Disease Could Hit 50,000 As the death toll mounts in South Asia from Sunday's catastrophe, Dr. Nabarro, the head of crisis at the World Health Organization, warned that as many as 50,000 people may die from diseases caused by the tsunamis.

	Dec. 29, 2004 Science Editor Reviews Year's Highlights Science magazine's editor in chief recounts the year's highlights in the science field, from the Mars rovers finding proof that the Red Planet was once drenched, to the discovery of small human remains only thousands of years old.

	Dec. 28, 2004 Massive Relief Efforts Underway to Aid South Asia After Tsunami In the wake of the deadly tsunami in South Asia, international relief agencies are working to get emergency aid to the countries hit by the massive waves. Two relief experts explain how the South Asian relief effort is being mounted.

	Dec. 27, 2004 Tsunami Causes Destruction in South Asia A devastating earthquake struck under the Indian Ocean causing massive tidal waves that have so far killed over 24,000 and injured and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Gwen Ifill leads a discussion with two experts, one who focuses on the science of the earthquake, while the other talks about managing the relief effort.

	Dec. 16, 2004 Interceptor Missile Defense System Fails to Launch Correspondent Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles looks at the latest attempt, and failure, to defend the United States from missile attacks. The NewsHour Science Unit is funded, in part, by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

	Dec. 15, 2004 Nextel and Sprint Announce Plans to Merge Ray Suarez leads a discussion on the Nextel-Sprint merger with a wireless and media analyst and a consumer expert.

	Dec. 10, 2004 Shiny Apple Correspondent Spencer Michels looks at how Apple's iPods have rejuvenated Apple Computer.

	Dec. 9, 2004 IBM Sells PC Business to Chinese Company Margaret Warner discusses IBM's sale of its personal computer business to one of China's top PC makers with a technology expert and a China analyst.

	Dec. 2, 2004 States Report Voting Glitches in 2004 Election Spencer Michels reports on some efforts to research voting irregularities in this year's election. Spencer Michels reports on the science of voting in this year's election.

	Dec. 2, 2004 Improving the Voting Process Terence Smith speaks with Doug Chapin, director of electionline.org, about how the voting process can be improved.



	NOVEMBER Nov. 25, 2004 Everglades Restoration Project Could Yield Healthier Florida Wetlands Tom Bearden from the NewsHour's Science Unit explores the massive effort to bring the Florida Everglades back to health. The NewsHour Science Unit is funded, in part, by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

	Nov. 8, 2004 Arctic Ice Pack Reveals Warming Trend Results of a four-year study released this week by a team of 300 scientists show the Arctic is warming at twice the global average rate. Tom Bearden reports on the science of the Arctic.

	Nov. 4, 2004 A Plaintiff Suing Merck The following is an extended transcript of Susan Dentzer talking with Lisa Williams and her attorney Tom Kline about their lawsuit against Merck.

	Nov. 3, 2004 Dr. Robert Califf on Vioxx Since Merck voluntarily recalled its pain medication Vioxx, the government has been criticized for not catching the drugs potential side effects during its review. The following is an extended transcript of Dr. Robert Califf, director of Duke's Clinical Research Institute, discussing the situation.



	OCTOBER Oct. 29, 2004 Merck CEO Ray Gilmartin Since Merck voluntarily recalled its pain medication Vioxx, the company has faced a storm of criticism and the government has been criticized for not catching the drugs potential side effects during its review. The following is an extended transcript of Ray Gilmartin, CEO of Merck, discussing the situation with Susan Dentzer.

	Oct. 28, 2004 FDA's Dr. Janet Woodcock The following is an extended transcript of Dr. Janet Woodcock, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Operations, FDA, discussing the situation with Susan Dentzer.

	Oct. 27, 2004 California Places Stem Cell Research Proposition on Ballot A group of California citizens have placed a proposition on the Nov. 2 state ballot that, if passed, would create a state-sponsored stem cell research program.

	Oct. 13, 2004 The Teen Brain New research on physical and developmental differences between the brains of adolescents and adults may explain why some teenagers behave erratically. The findings could have a major impact on U.S. court cases, especially those that deal with minors and the death penalty.

	Oct. 11, 2004 Stem Cell Research and How It Has Affected the Presidential Campaign Gwen Ifill leads a discussion about the debate over stem cell research with Daniel Perry, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, and Richard Doerflinger, deputy director for pro-life activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 21, 2004 Missile Defense The United States is expected to activate a massive missile defense system within days. Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles explains the new system and the questions surrounding its use.

	Sept. 7, 2004 Scientists Call Air Pollution Global Problem Air pollution is difficult to track and prevent because plumes of impurities that originate in one country can drift half a world away, ultimately affecting the climate and human health on different continents. Betty Ann Bowser looks at global efforts to overcome geopolitical hurdles in clearing the air.



	AUGUST Aug. 24, 2004 A Debate on How to Count Salmon in the Pacific Northwest Lee Hochberg of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports on the debate over how to count fish -- specifically salmon -- in the Pacific Northwest.

	Aug. 19, 2004 Google Trades Publicly on NASDAQ Stock Market The Internet search engine Google earned just over $100 per share as it traded publicly on the NASDAQ stock market for the first time Thursday. An Internet stock analyst discusses the highly anticipated initial public offering.

	Aug. 16, 2004 Techonology May Play Role in U.S. Job Development Many investors and economists remain unsure about the role of new technology in the development of new jobs and the outsourcing of old ones. Some experts talk about what changes they expect in the U.S. labor market.

	Aug. 10, 2004 On-going Controversy Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research Three years after President Bush announced the federal government would only support limited research involving the use of embryonic stem cells, the issue remains a divisive political and scientific topic. Susan Dentzer reports on ongoing research and the continuing debate over the president's decision.

	Aug. 9, 2004 Dr. James Thomson As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Susan Dentzer talked with the University of Wisconsin's Dr. James Thomson, one of the earliest stem cell researchers. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.

	Aug. 9, 2004 U.S. Rep. Diana Degette As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Health Correspondent Susan Dentzer talked with Congresswoman Diana DeGette, a Democrat who opposed the president's decision. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.

	Aug. 9, 2004 Dr. Ron McKay and Dr. Elias Zerhouni As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Susan Dentzer sat down with Dr. Ron McKay, a senior investigator with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of NIH.

	Aug. 9, 2004 Dr. Jon Odorico As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Susan Dentzer talked with Dr. Jon Odorico, a transplant specialist and stem cell researcher at the University of Wisconsin. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.

	Aug. 9, 2004 Dr. Yury Verlinsky As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Health Correspondent Susan Dentzer talked with Dr. Yuri Verlinsky, director of the Reproductive Genetics Institute. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.

	Aug. 9, 2004 U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Susan Dentzer talked with Congressman Dave Weldon, a Republican who opposes the use of embryonic stem cells in research. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.

	Aug. 9, 2004 Dr. Elias Zerhouni As part of a report on the state of embryonic stem cell research three years after President Bush limited federal funding for the effort, Health Correspondent Susan Dentzer talked with Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health. The following is an extended transcript of their discussion.



	JULY July 21, 2004 Microsoft to Return $75 Billion to Shareholders Microsoft announced it would return up to $75 billion to its shareholders in what may be the largest cash disbursement in corporate history. The software giant said the payout would come in a combination of dividends and stock buybacks. Jeffrey Brown and experts discuss Microsoft's announcement.

	July 14, 2004 Adult Stem Cell Research A report on the challenges and potential benefits surrounding the sometimes overlooked area of adult stem cell research and the struggle of scientists around the world to find applications for the new area of study.

	July 14, 2004 Conflicting Stem Cell Research The use of adult stem cells to treat the body, which would eliminate the ethical dilemma raised by the use of embryonic stem cells, is theoretically appealing. The larger question, however, is can adult stem cells grow into any other cell type.

	July 14, 2004 Stem Cell Basics Some have declared the research to be morally repugnant. Others have said scientists have been wildly optimistic in their promises of how treatments may help patients.

	July 1, 2004 U.S. Battles Invasive Species Of the 50,000 non-native plant and animal species that have arrived in the United States from foreign countries, many are considered invasive and cost an estimated $138 billion a year in environmental and economic damage.

	July 1, 2004 Cassini Enters Saturn's Orbit The NASA spacecraft Cassini entered Saturn's orbit on Wednesday and transmitted back to earth unprecedented images of the planet's rings. Senior correspondent Ray Suarez discusses the mission with scientist Kevin Grazier from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.



	JUNE June 24, 2004 Spam Scheme Authorities arrested a former America Online engineer yesterday for allegedly selling the e-mail addresses of 92 million AOL customers to companies sending unsolicited commercial e-mail. Jeffrey Brown discusses the alleged spam scam with David Bennahum, media and technology columnist for Slate magazine.

	June 3, 2004 The Intersection of Politics and Science on a North Carolina Pig Farm A group of prominent American scientists recently wrote a report accusing the Bush administration of "misrepresenting and suppressing scientific knowledge for political purposes." Jeffrey Kaye explores the intersection of politics and science on one North Carolina pig farm.

	June 2, 2004 Predicting Earthquakes Scientists are learning more than ever before about the structure and properties of the Earth's crust and upper mantle -- bringing them to the brink of discoveries about earthquakes that could one day save millions of lives.



	MAY May 26, 2004 Magicicada: Scientists Study Swarming Cicadas The largest group of periodical cicadas -- called Brood X -- emerged this month after 17 years underground. Jeffrey Brown investigates the biology and culture of these cyclical insects.

	May 20, 2004 Climate Change The NewsHour's Science Unit examines how climate change could affect large numbers of species.

	May 5, 2004 Electronic Voting The commission Congress created to investigate the security of electronic voting machines said the software is not reliable enough for use in the 2004 presidential election. Spencer Michels looks at the controversy in California over electronic voting methods.



	APRIL April 30, 2004 Going Public Google, the Web search engine so popular its name became a verb, announced an Initial Public Offering and said it would sell its stock through an innovative Internet auction. Spencer Michels looks at this latest move. Ray Suarez follows up with Charlene Li, a technology and media marketing analyst for Forrester Research.

	April 22, 2004 Going Public? From Silicon Valley to Wall Street, the buzz is that Internet search engine Google is soon to issue stock and go public. Spencer Michels reports.

	April 21, 2004 Climate Change As Americans mark another Earth Day, the NewsHour's Science Unit examines how relatively small climate changes can affect small animals and plants in rainforests.



	MARCH March 30, 2004 Mission's End? Since 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has been supplying scientists with reams of information about our universe. Tom Bearden reports that, despite its successes, safety concerns may prevent NASA from making the necessary repairs to the telescope.

	March 25, 2004 Antitrust Ruling The European Union fined Microsoft more than $600 million yesterday for antitrust violations, and it ordered the software giant to take steps to allow more competition in the operating-systems market. Ray Suarez looks at the impact of the ruling.

	March 11, 2004 Essay: Imagine That NewsHour essayist Roger Rosenblatt wonders what to make of Mars.

	March 2, 2004 Water On Mars NASA announced Tuesday the discovery of evidence that water once existed on the surface of Mars, creating conditions that may have supported life. NASA scientist Jim Garvin explains the findings and implications.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 19, 2004 Red Rovers The Spirit rover drove into a Martian hollow, while halfway around the planet, its twin dug a trench with one wheel to investigate the soil's content. Ray Suarez discusses the latest findings with Steve Squyres of Cornell University, principle investigator of the Mars rovers' scientific instruments.

	Feb. 17, 2004 Wireless Revolution The proposed merger between Cingular and AT&T Wireless may reshape the fiercely competitive cell phone market. Ray Suarez discusses the proposed union between the second and third largest U.S. wireless carriers with industry analyst Charles Golvin of Forrester Research.

	Feb. 16, 2004 Stimulating Science Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the N.I.H., is spearheading efforts to speed up the time it takes for laboratory discoveries to be translated into new medical treatments and drugs. Susan Dentzer talks to Zerhouni and other researchers about the proposed changes at the NIH and their implications for medical research.

	Feb. 3, 2004 Nuclear Bazaar Pakistani physicist Abdul Qadeer Khan is celebrated as a national hero for creating his country's atomic bomb, but government sources say the scientist shared his nuclear know-how with Libya, Iran and North Korea. Ian Williams reports on Khan's central role at the nuclear nexus of Pakistani proliferation.



	JANUARY Jan. 26, 2004 Rovers on Mars The NASA rover Opportunity landed in a shallow crater on Mars over the weekend and transmitted back images of a smooth red surface punctured with bedrock outcroppings. Ray Suarez discusses the mission and its findings with Orlando Figueroa, director of NASA's Mars exploration program.

	Jan. 22, 2004 Lost Contact NASA scientists have not received any transmissions from their Martian rover Spirit in over 24 hours. Jeffrey Brown discusses this setback with Charles Elachi, director of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

	Jan. 15, 2004 Making Tracks The NASA rover Spirit rolled off its lander last night and began to explore the Martian soil. Jeffrey Brown asks Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Charles Elachi about its progress.

	Jan. 14, 2004 Space Initiative: Background President Bush called today for the United States to return astronauts to the moon in the next decade and then possibly send people to Mars.

	Jan. 14, 2004 President Bush Pledges to Return to the Moon President Bush announced plans Wednesday to develop a new spacecraft to send humans back to the moon as early as 2015 and use it as a launching point for manned missions to Mars and beyond. Two experts debate whether the missions are the best use of science dollars.

	Jan. 9, 2004 Mars Mission NASA scientists are analyzing the images transmitted from the Spirit rover on Mars and trying to determine where on the Martian surface they would like it to explore. Jeffrey Brown discusses the mission with Cornell University astronomy professor Jim Bell.

	Jan. 5, 2004 Mars Mission The NASA rover "Spirit" successfully landed on Mars Saturday, sending to Earth the first close images of the red planet since 1997. Jeffrey Kaye looks at what scientists hope to learn from this latest unmanned mission to Mars.