Science The latest health and science news. Updates on medicine, healthy living, nutrition, drugs, diet, and advances in science and technology. Subscribe to the Health & Science podcast.

Wednesday

A kayaker paddles along Zephyr Cove, near the site of the 20th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit in south Lake Tahoe, Nev. President Obama said the environmental challenges of conservation and fighting climate change are inseparably linked. Rich Pedroncelli/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Minnesota's governor has ordered new restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which have been blamed for killing bees. Many details of the plan, however, remain to be worked out Jim, the Photographer/Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
Jim, the Photographer/Flickr

Experimental drugs that clear clumps of proteins from the brains of Alzheimer's patients haven't panned out yet. Science Photo Library/Pasieka/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Science Photo Library/Pasieka/Getty Images

Test Of Experimental Alzheimer's Drug Finds Progress Against Brain Plaques

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/491941518/492133112" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Chris Bettinger poses for a portrait with the edible battery his team designed at Carnegie Mellon University. Stephanie Strasburg/Tribune-Review hide caption

toggle caption
Stephanie Strasburg/Tribune-Review

Hurricanes Lester, Madeline and Gaston (from left to right) are seen from the International Space Station on Aug. 30. NASA Johnson YouTube/NASA composite hide caption

toggle caption
NASA Johnson YouTube/NASA composite

These Central Valley sheep are happily munching on sprouted barley grown indoors. Farmer Mario Daccarett says the barley, grown in shipping containers, is sweet and keeps his sheep full longer. Ezra David Romero/Valley Public Radio hide caption

toggle caption
Ezra David Romero/Valley Public Radio

With Water In Short Supply, One California Farmer Grows Feed Indoors

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/491927486/492057190" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

This year the U.S. Forest Service is only issuing personal-use permits in Montana's national forests. Nicky Ouellet for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Nicky Ouellet for NPR

Banned From National Forest, For-Profit Mushroom Pickers Go Underground

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/490940744/492057172" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

A boy is crowded among more than 700 migrants on a wooden boat before being rescued about 13 miles north of Sabratha, Libya. The boat was one of 40 vessels rescued on Monday. Emilio Morenatti/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Emilio Morenatti/AP

What did she say? Eniko Kubinyi/Science hide caption

toggle caption
Eniko Kubinyi/Science

Their Masters' Voices: Dogs Understand Tone And Meaning Of Words

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/491935800/491984312" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

What effect does background music have on shark documentaries? Dave Fleetham/Getty Images/Perspectives hide caption

toggle caption
Dave Fleetham/Getty Images/Perspectives

Researchers Test The Effects Of Background Music On People

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/491906495/491906496" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Kelly Slater Wave Co Todd Glaser/Courtesy of Kelly Slater Wave Co hide caption

toggle caption
Todd Glaser/Courtesy of Kelly Slater Wave Co

Surfers And Scientists Team Up To Create The 'Perfect Wave'

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/490545030/491906551" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

Bacteriophages, in red, look like tiny aliens, with big heads and skinny bodies. They use their "legs" to stick to and infect a bacterial cell, in blue. Biophoto Associates/Science Source hide caption

toggle caption
Biophoto Associates/Science Source

Your Gut's Gone Viral, And That Might Be Good For Your Health

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/491837419/491848120" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript