Jun 21 Why a U.S. 'Space Force' is 'premature' but 'inevitable' By Nsikan Akpan What would a space force look like? Why now? Will NASA play a role? Three experts, including a retired Air Force Lieutenant General, explain the rationale behind President Trump's announcement. Continue reading
Jun 20 Watch 7:10 How off-the-grid Navajo residents are getting running water By Fred de Sam Lazaro Lack of access to running water is an issue in many developing countries, but it is also a problem in the United States. Nearly 40 percent of the homes in the Navajo Nation lack running water or sanitation, and many… Continue watching
Jun 20 The science behind the summer solstice By Stephen Schneider, The Conversation The summer solstice brings the longest day and shortest night of the year for 88 percent of Earth’s people. Continue reading
Jun 18 Laze, vog and other volcano vocabulary inspired by Kilauea By Nsikan Akpan, Julia Griffin Kilauea's eruptions have exposed the guts of our planet in ways previously unseen, and along the way, inspired a number of volcanology terms. Continue reading
Jun 17 Watch 4:32 Sea levels could rise three feet by 2100, study projects By PBS News Hour Antarctica is losing ice three times faster than it was in 2007 as greenhouse gas emissions by human activity contribute to global warming. A study in Nature says that sea levels could rise between three and six feet by 2100,… Continue watching
Jun 16 Controversial NIH study of 'moderate drinking' will be terminated after scathing report By Sharon Begley, Andrew Joseph, STAT The National Institutes of Health will shut down a controversial industry-funded study of moderate drinking and heart disease after a task force found severe ethical and scientific lapses in the study’s planning and execution, the agency’s director said Friday. Continue reading
Jun 13 Watch 6:53 Pervasive sexual harassment takes a toll on women in the sciences Sexual harassment is pervasive in science, engineering and medicine, particularly when it comes to academia, according to a new landmark report. Studies show that between 20 and 50 percent of female students in those fields experienced harassment, often from faculty… Continue watching
Jun 13 NASA Rover knocked out as giant dust storm engulfs Mars By Amel Ahmed, KQED Flight controllers tried late Tuesday night to contact Opportunity, but the rover did not respond. The storm has been growing since the end of May and now covers one-quarter of the planet. Continue reading
Jun 13 Antarctica is losing ice twice as fast as anyone thought By Amanda Grennell Over the last 25 years, melting Antarctic ice has added nearly 3 trillion tons of water to the ocean, enough to fill Lake Erie six times over. Continue reading
Jun 12 Watch 10:32 1 million Russians are HIV positive, but only a third get treatment By William Brangham, Jason Kane Russia’s HIV epidemic is growing by 10 percent per year, and yet many proven HIV prevention and treatment strategies aren’t being used. William Brangham and Jason Kane report in collaboration with Jon Cohen of Science Magazine and the Pulitzer Center… Continue watching