NPR News: Blue Origin pauses space tourism flights to focus on lunar lander

Blue Origin pauses space tourism flights to focus on lunar lander
Blue Origin, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, says it's stopping human spaceflights for at least two years. The move will allow it to "shift resources" to the company's lunar landing capabilities.

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NPR News: FAQ: What is wind chill, and why is it dangerous?

FAQ: What is wind chill, and why is it dangerous?
Strong winds can make it feel a lot colder than the thermometer suggests. Protect yourself by covering exposed skin and sheltering inside.

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NPR News: Humpback whales cast bubble nets to catch prey. They may be learning from each other

Humpback whales cast bubble nets to catch prey. They may be learning from each other
Humpback whales will sometimes use an intricate strategy to catch food called bubble-net feeding. A new study suggests they're spreading the knowledge of how to do it to each other.

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NPR News: Scientists shed new light on the brain's role in heart attack

Scientists shed new light on the brain's role in heart attack
Researchers discovered a feedback loop between nerve cells, the immune system and the heart. They think it shows promise as a target for future therapies.

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NPR News: 40 years after Challenger: Lingering guilt and lessons learned

40 years after Challenger: Lingering guilt and lessons learned
Forty years after the Challenger disaster, NPR explores the engineers' last-minute efforts to stop the launch, their decades of guilt and the vital lessons that remain critical for NASA today.

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NPR News: What is 'frost crack' and how does it affects trees?

What is 'frost crack' and how does it affects trees?
Sudden or severe cold temperature can cause trees to experience "frost crack." NPR's Scott Simon talks with Bill McNee of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources about what happens and why.

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NPR News: In President's Trump's tangled science policies, experts see a unifying thread

In President's Trump's tangled science policies, experts see a unifying thread
Heading into the second year of Trump 2.0, when it comes to science, some argue Trump has no consistent ideology for decision-making. Others argue the unifying theme is destruction of science itself.

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NPR News: Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95

Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95
A self-described "little farm girl" in the Jim Crow Era, Gladys West's complex and pioneering work for the U.S. Navy helped to improve billions of lives — and keep us from getting lost.

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NPR News: The week in science: Ice, parents' disgust and penguins adapting to climate change

The week in science: Ice, parents' disgust and penguins adapting to climate change
Emily Kwong and Regina Barber of NPR's Short Wave podcast talk about the mysterious structure of ice, parents' heightened tolerance for disgust, and how penguins are adapting to climate change.

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NPR News: Can the prescription drug leucovorin treat autism? History says, probably not

Can the prescription drug leucovorin treat autism? History says, probably not
Parents of autistic children are clamoring for a prescription vitamin promoted by federal health officials. But there's little evidence the drug will help.

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NPR News: Trump administration claims offshore wind poses a threat. But it won't say how.

Trump administration claims offshore wind poses a threat. But it won't say how.
The Interior Department said pausing construction of offshore wind farms would allow the government agencies to work with project developers to mitigate potential risks. But wind companies say the administration isn't sharing information about newly-discovered threats.

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NPR News: After a medical evacuation from space, NASA's Crew-11 returns to Earth a month early

After a medical evacuation from space, NASA's Crew-11 returns to Earth a month early
Four people from NASA's Crew-11 mission splashed down off San Diego successfully completing five months aboard the International Space Station. The trip was cut short due to a medical issue.

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NPR News: Kitchen countertop workers are dying. Some lawmakers want to ban their lawsuits

Kitchen countertop workers are dying. Some lawmakers want to ban their lawsuits
Some safety experts want California to stop the cutting of quartz countertops saying it can't be done safely. Lawmakers, meanwhile, contemplate a ban on workers' lawsuits against quartz manufacturers.

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NPR News: Scientists call another near-record hot year a 'warning shot' from a shifting climate

Scientists call another near-record hot year a 'warning shot' from a shifting climate
Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported.

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NPR News: The long-term health impacts from the LA wildfires are just becoming clear

The long-term health impacts from the LA wildfires are just becoming clear
The fires affected millions of people in the region. It could take years to understand the health consequences, but ongoing research is helping to prepare people to weather the next fires more safely.

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NPR News: With the lightest touch, scientists search da Vinci's art for DNA

With the lightest touch, scientists search da Vinci's art for DNA
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Science correspondent Richard Stone about recent developments in the search for Leonardo da Vinci's DNA.

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NPR News: Jellyfish sleep and nap like us. Studying them could help human brains

Jellyfish sleep and nap like us. Studying them could help human brains
A new study analyzed the sleep patterns of jellyfish and sea anemones and found they share some sleep traits with humans. The research could provide insight into the origins and function of sleep.

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NPR News: The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules

The EPA is changing how it considers the costs and benefits of air pollution rules
The EPA won't consider the economic costs of harms to human health, at least for now. Legal and health experts are concerned that the change could make it easier for the agency to roll back rules.

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NPR News: California fire victims say fighting with insurance companies has delayed rebuilding

California fire victims say fighting with insurance companies has delayed rebuilding
Wildfires last January destroyed communities around Los Angeles. Homeowners say recovery has been slowed by fights with insurers to get their claims paid.

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NPR News: Offshore wind developer prevails in U.S. court as Trump calls wind farms 'losers'

Offshore wind developer prevails in U.S. court as Trump calls wind farms 'losers'
A federal judge ruled Monday that work on a major offshore wind farm can resume, handing the industry at least a temporary victory as President Trump seeks to shut it down.

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NPR News: 'Edward Scissorhands of dinosaurs' and more cool dino discoveries from 2025

'Edward Scissorhands of dinosaurs' and more cool dino discoveries from 2025
Paleontologists Susannah Maidment and Chinzorig Tsogtbaatar share details about some of the cool dinosaurs discovered last year.

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NPR News: PHOTOS: Laundry is a chore but there's a beauty and serenity in the way it hangs out

PHOTOS: Laundry is a chore but there's a beauty and serenity in the way it hangs out
A new photo series from Filipino photographer Macy Castañeda Lee offers a visually striking view of the mundane task of doing laundry and the role it plays in a rural economy.

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NPR News: This week in science: elephant trunks, butterfly migration and a hot galaxy cluster

This week in science: elephant trunks, butterfly migration and a hot galaxy cluster
NPR's Short Wave talks about elephants' sniffing abilities, the remarkable migration of painted lady butterflies and a surprising discovery about the early universe.

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NPR News: A 'medical situation' is forcing NASA to end mission at the space station a month early

A 'medical situation' is forcing NASA to end mission at the space station a month early
NASA says a crew member on the International Space Station is unwell. The agency canceled a planned spacewalk for Thursday and is taking the rare step of ending the Crew-11 mission early.

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NPR News: These dogs can learn new words just by eavesdropping

These dogs can learn new words just by eavesdropping
Some dogs have an amazing ability to learn the names of dozens, even hundreds of toys. Now, a new study suggests these super learners can pick up new words by overhearing people talk, just as toddlers can.

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NPR News: How large is Greenland, really? Your map may be deceiving you

How large is Greenland, really? Your map may be deceiving you
Talk of annexation has Greenland in the news again. But due to quirks of cartography, some common maps show the territory much larger than it is.

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NPR News: Sick young ants send out a 'kill me' scent to prevent deadly epidemics

Sick young ants send out a 'kill me' scent to prevent deadly epidemics
Young, infected Lasius neglectus ants will send out an altruistic "kill me" signal to worker ants, a new study finds, as part of a strategy to keep deadly pathogens from spreading through the colony.

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NPR News: One year later, 'Firestorm' investigates the systems that failed during the LA Fires

One year later, 'Firestorm' investigates the systems that failed during the LA Fires
Journalist Jacob Soboroff says covering the wildfires was the most important assignment he's ever undertaken. His new book offers a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe.

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NPR News: A new analysis reveals clues about when primates started walking on two feet

A new analysis reveals clues about when primates started walking on two feet
A big difference between humans and other apes is the ability to stride easily on two feet. A new analysis of fossil bones shows that adaptations for bipedal walking go back 7 million years.

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NPR News: Brain organoids are helping researchers, but their use also creates unease

Brain organoids are helping researchers, but their use also creates unease
Pea-size clusters of human cells called brain organoids inspire both hope and fear. Experts are debating how scientists can responsibly use these bits of gray matter.

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NPR News: What Stranger Things gets right about wormholes

What Stranger Things gets right about wormholes
The final episode of fifth season of the Netflix series Stranger Things is out this week, and the concept of a wormhole figures largely into it. While the show is a work of fiction, theoretical wormholes have making appearances for decades not only in science fiction but in actual science.

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NPR News: Meet five new species discovered in 2025

Meet five new species discovered in 2025
A bumpy snailfish, Andean mouse opossum and ancient sea cow were just some of the many species described in 2025.

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