Medical Treatments
New Brain Sensor Lets Amputees Move Robotic Limbs
4:05
Science
Plastic surgeon Amy Pare says it's important for doctors to know what kind of substances patients she's treating might have been exposed to.
Pennsylvania Doctors Worry Over Fracking 'Gag Rule'
()A new law grants doctors access to information about trade-secret chemicals used in natural gas drilling. Doctors say they need the information to treat patients who may have been exposed to chemicals. But the law also says doctors can't tell anyone else — not even other doctors — about what's in the formulas.
The Two-Way
Feds: Fire Season Off to Slow Start Even As Wildfires Rage in Southwest()
As five large fires burn thousands of acres and threaten some communities in the Southwest, federal response teams say they have plenty of resources available and that this wildfire season is actually getting off to a slow start.
The Fracking Boom: Missing Answers
Fracking's Methane Trail: A Detective Story()
Four years ago, an atmospheric scientist near Boulder, Colo., stumbled on surprising air pollution data: The region's levels of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, were far higher than anyone would have expected. What was going on? The search for an answer led straight to the natural gas and oil fields of northern Colorado.
Shots - Health Blog
CDC Cuts Lead-Poisoning Limit For Kids()
May 16, 2012 The public health honchos agreed with an expert panel that recommended in January that anything greater than 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood for kids 5 and younger should be considered dangerous. That's half the current standard and represents the first reduction since 1991.
Animals
What Killed Orca Victoria? Some Point To Naval Tests()
May 16, 2012 The U.S. Navy is in the process of renewing its permits to conduct sonar and explosive tests off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. But the recent unexplained death of a young orca who washed ashore in February has thrown a wrench in the process. Experts say injuries to the whale may indicate she was exposed to an underwater explosion or sonar testing.
The Fracking Boom: Missing Answers
Town's Effort To Link Fracking And Illness Falls Short()
May 16, 2012 Many residents of Dish, Texas, blame the fracking operations that surround their tiny town for a host of health problems — from nosebleeds to cancer. The former mayor was so scared, he left town. But scientists who've studied Dish say there's not enough evidence to link natural gas operations to any illness.
The Salt
From Science Fiction To Fact, Robots Are Coming To A Farm Near You()
May 16, 2012 Farm robots are here, not just in Star Wars. Some dairies already use milking machines that clean udders and monitor cow health, plus do the milking, and a fully automated tractor is coming out this fall.
The Fracking Boom: Missing Answers
Medical Records Could Yield Answers On Fracking()
May 16, 2012 Is fracking making people sick? The question has ignited a national debate. A proposed study in northern Pennsylvania could help resolve the issue. By mining more than 10 years' worth of patient records, researchers hope to better understand the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on health.
The Fracking Boom: Missing Answers
'Close Encounters' With Gas Well Pollution()
May 15, 2012 Hundreds of thousands of natural gas wells have sprung up across the country. In Garfield County, Colo., the drilling rigs are so close to homes that some people call them "Close Encounters." When the gas boom began a decade ago, residents began asking: Is it safe to live this close? Their quest for answers became too polarizing to pursue.
Krulwich Wonders...
Too Many Cooks, Not Enough Fish. What's The Solution?()
May 15, 2012 If we don't notice that animals are in deep decline, do we keep eating and eating until what is disappearing is gone permanently? Or do we unconsciously adjust?
The Salt
Jet-Lagged By Your Social Calendar? Better Check Your Waistline()
May 15, 2012 The disconnect between our social calendars and our biological clocks is creating "social jet lag," according to key researchers. And that's taking a toll on our weight because the body stores fat when it's not getting enough sleep.
