vaccine research WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, Whose Cells Helped in Vaccine Research “She never knew she was a participant, and that’s the tragedy here, but her contribution to the fields of science and biology is without question and really, unrivaled.” Dr. Ugo Iroku talks about Henrietta Lacks, a Black cervical cancer patient whose cell samples were used in decades of biological research, including for the COVID-19 vaccines. Lacks’ cells were taken without...
Jobs Giving Students of Color a Leg Up for Tech Jobs Students of color can face toxic environments or discrimination when trying to get a tech job, says Michael Ellison. He remembers talking to white peers who got jobs at their parents’ companies – “You’re not coming from a place where you have those types of connections and social capital.” So Ellison founded Code Path, a group whose courses he says...
Coffee Why Does Coffee Make Us Poop? No, you’re not the only one. Drinking coffee gives humans the runs. Here’s why.
climate change How the Whitest White Paint in the World Can Save Energy Why bother making the brightest white paint possible? Paint a house this color and it will reflect more sunlight than other paints, lessening the heat the home – and the planet – absorbs. We talked with Purdue University’s Dr. Xiulin Ruan to hear more about the science and when the paint will hit the market.
food Eating Cactus Can Help with Hangovers. Here's Why The plant’s spines may be intimidating, but behind a cactus’ rough outer shell is a powerful source of nutrients that can help with a lot of things, including hangovers.
connect the dots Connecting the Dots From the Boston Marathon to Student Loans to Coffee What do the Boston Marathon, student loans and coffee have in common? A lot more than you may think. In this episode of “Connect the Dots,” NBC Boston’s Rob Michaelson takes a deep dive into the science of caffeine and how coffee gets Boston Marathon runners… moving. He also explores the theory that cutting back on a daily latte can...
connect the dots Connect the Dots: We Look for Links Between the Arizona State Fair, Cacti and Infertility What do the Arizona State Fair, infertility and cacti have in common? That’s what Telemundo Arizona’s Gabriela Martinez set out to discover in this episode of “Connect the Dots.” Her reporting led her to meet a self-proclaimed cactus guru, an indigenous foods activist and a woman who has raised more than 125 children through foster care and adoption. And what...
space Why This Scientist Says There's a ‘Planet 9' – Even Though He Hasn't Seen It Michael Brown, best known as the Caltech scientist who “demoted” or “killed” Pluto, believes there is a ninth planet in the far reaches of the solar system that has not been discovered yet. The man whose team previously discovered dwarf planets Eris and Sedna explains his hunch about the next planet out there.
September 11 Attacks How We Gave Up Our Online Privacy After 9/11 44 days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act, expanding law enforcement’s ability to track down terrorists through a slew of surveillance tools. But it also made it easier for authorities to surveil Americans without their consent, even if they hadn’t been accused of a crime. NBCLX Storyteller Peter K. Hull explains the history of the controversial...
Environment No More Bites? Scientists Wreck Mosquitoes' Eyes, Making Humans Invisible Scientists used “gene-editing” technology to disable the light receptors in the eyes of the aedes aegypti mosquito, an invasive species in much of the world that can carry diseases. UC Santa Barbara professor Craig Montell talks about the research that made mosquitoes unable to detect humans.
