exercise science
Science Reports | NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Podcast | PBS
The latest science news and reporting from the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and its Web site. The feed is updated periodically and aims to put complex and sometimes controversial science stories in context.
- World's Oceans Face Problem of Plastic Pollution
Some researchers believe that more than 5 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean has become a soup of plastic confetti. Now, scientists are trying to quantify the problem and are studying how plastic affects marine animals. - Rising Temperatures Harm Montana Rivers, Trout
Climate scientist Heidi Cullen reports for Climate Central and the NewsHour on how warmer weather is hurting Montana's famed trout-fishing industry. - I-35 Bridge Reopens with 'Smart Technology'
Minneapolis's new bridge is equipped with more than 300 sensors to monitor temperature, load distribution and other key indicators. - Scientists Track Source of Salmonella Outbreak Mystery
This spring, epidemiologists confronted a multi-state salmonella outbreak. Initial tests pointed to tomatoes as the culprit, but months of shoe-leather and technological sleuthing eventually led public health officials to jalapeno and Serrano peppers from a distribution center in Texas. The NewsHour reports on the methods epidemiologists use to track down sources of food contamination. - Particle Accelerator Powers Up
The first beam of protons raced around the track at the Large Hadron Collider Wednesday. Physicist Brian Greene talked about the 17-mile, multi-billion dollar particle accelerator which researchers hope will help answer fundamental questions about the universe. - Residents, Bottlers Spar Over Maine Water
Bottled water company Poland Spring sells nearly 700 million gallons of water each year -- much of it pumped from aquifers in Maine. But activists across the state are fighting the company, saying that taking such large amounts of water could permanently damage the aquifers. Tom Bearden reports. - Scientists Find Stone Age Cemetary
A team of paleontologists inadvertently discovered the remains of a Stone Age cemetery in the Sahara desert, in an area that was once wetland. - Scientists Find Drug that Mimics Exercise
It's a couch potato's dream: all the benefits of exercise with none of the exertion. This week, scientists announced that they've found a chemical compound, called AICAR, that allows mice to run 44 percent longer on a treadmill -- without doing any exercise. Lead researcher Ronald Evans discusses the results. - Science Center Moves to New, 'Green' Home
The California Academy of Sciences' new home is a "green" building, with a living roof populated by plants and insulation made from recycled blue jeans. But before it opens in September, curators must transport thousands of animals to their new digs. Spencer Michels reports on the move. - Oregon Mulls Earthquake Preparedness
Oregon legislators are debating whether to spend billions of dollars to retrofit the state's schools to meet stricter earthquake safety standards. - Alaskan Village Copes With Real-life Impacts of Global Climate Change
In Shishmaref, Alaska -- a 600-person village 20 miles south of the Arctic Circle -- residents are feeling the effects of climate change: earlier sea ice melts and increasing storm surges. Tom Bearden reports on how the villagers are coping. - High Oil Costs May Advance Energy Conservation Research
Car owners have been wincing in recent months as the price of oil has shot up well over the once-unimaginable $100-per-barrel mark. But an economist at Carnegie Mellon University believes that skyrocketing oil prices are a good thing, and will lead to necessary innovations in conservation and green technologies. - Ore. Discovery Challenges Beliefs About First Humans
Until recently, most scientists believed that the first humans came to the Americas 13,000 years ago. But new archaeological findings from a cave in Oregon are challenging that assumption. Lee Hochberg of Oregon Public Television reports on the controversial discovery. - As Oil Prices Rise, Carmakers Look to Electric Future
Rising oil prices and improvements in battery technology are fueling new interest in developing electric cars. Spencer Michels reports on how industry giants and start-up car companies alike plan to release new vehicles by 2010. - Midwest's Levees, Land Use Questioned Amid Floods
More than two dozen levees along the Mississippi and its tributaries have broken under heavy flooding, leaving many communities questioning the region's levee system and land usage. Elizabeth Brackett reports from Illinois on the struggle to keep levees standing. - NASA Says Phoenix Lander Finds Ice on Mars
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft found evidence of ice on Mars, NASA reported. The rover discovered dice-size white chunks, which disappeared five days later, leading scientists to believe they were bits of ice that evaporated. Mission scientist Peter Smith explains the discovery. - Three Years On, New Orleans Copes with Debris
Nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still coping with the toxic debris the storm left behind. - Venture Capitalists Look to Green Businesses for Boom
A recent surge in investments by venture capitalists in eco-friendly businesses may be triggering a boom in green and clean technology. Analysts report on the green market and its ability to make money while saving oil. - Monkey Uses Brain to Control Robotic Arm
Advances in brain-controlled prosthetics reached new heights as researchers at the University of Pittsburgh announced the successful use of a prosthetic arm linked directly to the brain of a monkey. Lead researcher Andrew Schwartz discusses the findings. - Report Documents Climate Change Impact on U.S.
A recently released government report describes the impact global climate change is already having on U.S. farms, wildlife, forests and water supplies. One of the report's lead authors discusses its findings. - FDA's Approval of Cloned Beef for Human Consumption Ignites Debate
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved meat and milk from cloned cows as safe for human consumption. However, some observers believe the FDA's decision was hasty and more study of the issue is needed. Tom Bearden reports on the controversy. - Phoenix Lands on Mars to Search for Signs of Life
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft landed in the northern polar region of Mars near frozen water to begin three months of digging into the ground to sear