Science

Hospitals are throwing out organs and denying transplants to meet federal standards

By Casey Ross, STAT

Hospitals across the United States are throwing away less-than-perfect organs and denying the sickest people lifesaving transplants out of fear that poor surgical outcomes will result in a federal crackdown.

Meet the oldest known vertebrate in the world

By Julia Griffin

A Greenland shark just took home the gold medal for longest-living vertebrate. This slow-moving native of the Arctic and North Atlantic can live to be 272 years old, according to a new study in Science.

Inside the extraordinary nose of a search-and-rescue dog

By Nsikan Akpan, Matt Ehrichs

Rescue dogs are super-smellers, and the motley crew of scientists is figuring out why.

What are PFASs, the toxic chemicals being found in drinking water?

By Mark Scialla

Six million Americans are exposed to hazardous levels of PFAS chemicals due pollution from military and industrial sites, according to a new study from Harvard University.

Photos: Perseid meteor shower sparkles across the globe

By Larisa Epatko

People trekked to ancient villages and medieval ruins to view and photograph the Perseid meteor shower in the wee hours of Friday. This year's display produced more bright streaks in the nighttime sky than in years past.

Why southern China is a hotbed for disease development

By PBS News Hour

Pandemics like Zika and Ebola can originate in one continent and quickly spread to another. To stop outbreaks before they start, scientists are trying to identify regions conducive to the development of new disease. One target is southern China, where…

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Hyperactive Perseid meteor shower starts tonight

By Harry Zahn

The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to be especially spectacular this year.

New technique sees brain gene activity in living color

By Sharon Begley, STAT

A new neuroimaging tool shows for the first time where genes are being turned on or off in living brains.

How machines are learning to read your mood

By PBS News Hour

Can artificial intelligence be emotionally intelligent? In Boston, researchers have programed BB-8, the little droid from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” to detect expressions and determine how people are feeling. And that technology is being adapted for marketing, video games,…

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This year’s innovative Olympic gear designed to protect health too

By Leigh Anne Tiffany

This year, at the Rio 2016 Olympics, advances in wearable tech serve a purpose beyond performance: protecting an athlete’s health. From sportswear designers, here are four innovations created for these Olympic games.