Health Jul 22 What we know about the search for a COVID-19 vaccine — and what we don’t The question of when a COVID-19 vaccine might be available is perhaps the most pressing in the world. There have been a number of recent headlines on this front, including early but encouraging results from trials. And on Wednesday, the…
Science Jul 08 Companies race to mine lithium, a battery essential The metal lithium has become integral to our daily lives, due to its essential role as a battery material in electronic devices. Over the next several decades, the rising popularity of electric vehicles is expected to mean the demand for…
Health Jul 01 How doctors are innovating to treat COVID-19 One of the reasons COVID-19 presents such a significant global medical challenge is that there are few effective therapies for it so far. As cases fill hospital beds across many parts of the country, doctors and scientists are coming up…
Politics Jun 22 In Georgia, primary election chaos highlights a voting system deeply flawed Georgia experienced major problems with its voting processes during a primary election earlier in June. People waited in line up to eight hours to cast ballots, and poll workers struggled with new machines on which they hadn’t been trained due…
Science May 26 How Elon Musk’s SpaceX is changing American space flight It has been nearly a decade since an American space crew last lifted off from U.S. soil in a spacecraft built here. That's expected to change Wednesday afternoon with the relaunch of manned space flight. But the occasion will be…
Science May 20 What computer-based models can tell us about coronavirus — and what they can’t For months, scientists and public officials have relied upon computer-based models to try to predict the trajectory or the coronavirus outbreak. But models are not crystal balls, and all of them involve human assumptions. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports on…
Health May 06 Are Americans in medical crisis avoiding the ER due to coronavirus? Since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the United States, Americans have been told to avoid emergency rooms and hospitals if possible. But now there are reports from across the country that suggest the warning may be in fact too effective, as…
Science Feb 19 A risky expedition to study the ‘doomsday glacier’ The Thwaites Glacier is the largest, most menacing source of rising sea levels all over the world, and it is melting at an alarming rate. For years, scientists have warily watched it from afar, but in November, a team set…
World Feb 05 Australian bushfires prompt conversation about land management practices Bushfires are still burning in parts of Australia. So far this season, they have claimed the lives of more than 30 people and destroyed tens of millions of acres of land. The ensuing toll on forest and wildlife has prompted…
Science Jan 29 Wildlife experts rush to rescue Australian animals after bushfire crisis Australia’s bushfires have devastated the country’s wildlife and habitats. Experts say the very existence of some species whose populations were already at vulnerable levels may now hang in the balance. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports from Australia on the country’s…