Nation Aug 17 The importance of earthquake planning beyond the West Coast This week’s 4.4 magnitude tremor in Los Angeles was along a fault that runs through a densely populated area. But California isn’t the only region in the U.S. with the potential for major earthquakes. Brian Houston, director of the University…
Science Aug 11 Human-made debris left behind in outer space is a growing problem down on Earth From defunct satellites to rocket parts, debris from everything humans have launched into space since the 1950s is orbiting the Earth. That space junk is threatening our technology, both up there and down here. Marcus Holzinger, a professor of aerospace…
Nation Aug 03 Key takeaways from Homeland Security watchdog’s report on Secret Service’s Jan. 6 actions The Secret Service is in the hot seat again, this time over its actions before and on Jan. 6, 2021. A new report from the Homeland Security Inspector General lays out several things the agency could have done better, from…
Science Jul 06 Former NASA astronaut Cady Coleman on the joys and challenges of life in space Fewer than 300 human beings have visited the International Space Station, and an even smaller number have spent more than 150 days living there. John Yang speaks with Cady Coleman, one of those select few astronauts, about her new book,…
Nation Jun 30 How the Lavender Scare forced LGBTQ+ workers out of the federal government On this final day of Pride Month, the next installment of our “Hidden Histories'' series isn’t about an individual, but a phenomenon: how the anti-communist paranoia that gripped Washington at the dawn of the Cold War led to an often-overlooked…
World Jun 29 How the climate crisis is changing family planning and reproductive health in Bangladesh Few places in the world are suffering more from the effects of climate change than Bangladesh. Most of the country is no higher than 50 feet above sea level, making it vulnerable to severe flooding after monsoon rains. As a…
Science Jun 22 The big environmental costs of rising demand for big data to power the internet The rise of artificial intelligence is requiring faster and bigger computations for even simple tasks compared to, say, a Google search. It’s adding to the demand for more internet data centers, but these facilities come at a big environmental cost,…
Nation Jun 09 New book ‘Free To Be’ dives into medical science of gender identity for young people According to the Human Rights Campaign, half of the U.S. states have passed measures restricting treatment for young people with gender dysphoria. But the legislative debate has often been short on science and medicine. Dr. Jack Turban joins John Yang…
Education Jun 08 As temperatures rise, schools without AC struggle to keep students healthy and learning Studies show that in more places in the United States, there are now more days hotter than 80 degrees during the school year than there were in 1970. Schools that can’t afford air conditioning are struggling with overheated classrooms, which…
Nation May 25 What’s changed in Minneapolis four years after George Floyd’s death Four years ago today, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers ignited international protests over racism and calls for police reforms. Despite that global reach, it is still very much a local trauma for Minneapolis. John Yang speaks…