Environment A 75-Foot Challenge: Making a Tornado May 31, 2006 • If you thought stopping a tornado was next to impossible, imagine trying to create one. Ned Kahn tried to make a 75-foot twister for an exposition in Hanover, Germany. The problems he encountered reveal how the subtlest changes in the atmosphere can determine whether a tornado forms.
Environment Stirring Up Dust in the Desert May 31, 2006 • In the Southwestern United States, dust storms are largely the result of tires and hooves, which are destroying natural biological barriers that once kept dust on the ground.
Sports Little Leaguers Talk About Bonds and Steroids May 31, 2006 • San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds recently eclipsed Babe Ruth's home run record, but his achievement is overshadowed by allegations Bonds has taken performance-enhancing drugs. Mark Moran of member station KJZZ visited a Little League team in Phoenix to see what coaches and kids think about Bonds and the steroid allegations.
Global Warming Al Gore Sounds Global Warming Alert May 31, 2006 • The new documentary An Inconvenient Truth is an important counterbalance to the misinformation about global warming, say Al Gore and film producer Laurie David. The movie is based on the former vice president's slideshow presentation on climate change.
Forecasting the 2006 Hurricane Season May 31, 2006 • The 2006 hurricane season officially begins on Thursday. Dom Hammack, a staff writer for the Biloxi Sun-Herald, and William Gray, leader of the Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast Team, discuss predictions and preparation for this year's storms.
Environment Unlikely Fan of Global Warming: Poison Ivy May 30, 2006 • Global warming may spell bad times for polar bears but it seems to be a boon to poison ivy. A six-year experiment to find out how increased levels of carbon dioxide affect forests uncovered a surprising result: In the area used for the experiment, poison ivy grew like crazy. Melissa Block talks with ecologist Jacqueline Mohan is a scientist at the Ecosystems Center in Woods Hole, part of the Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts.
Environment Dust Storms Threaten Snow Packs May 30, 2006 • The Colorado Rockies have been blasted by six dust storms since last December. That's the worst it's been in at least two decades. And dust doesn't just make the snow look bad. It makes the snow melt fast.
Opinion Investigating the Haditha Killings Haditha Deaths and the Psychology of War May 30, 2006 • Members of a Marine unit are under investigation in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq. The deaths followed a roadside bombing that claimed the life of a fellow Marine. The incident has renewed questions about the psychology of soldiers in wartime and in the heat of combat. Madeleine Brand discusses the issue with Maj. Gen. Thomas Wilkerson (ret.), a 31-year veteran of the Marine Corps and current chief of the U.S. Naval Institute.
Environment Al Gore Screens His Global Warming Message Fresh Air May 30, 2006 • For 17 years, former Vice President Al Gore has been on the forefront of warning against global warming. But in his new documentary, The Inconvenient Truth, he says that he "failed to get the message out." He's now getting the message out with his documentary and new book of the same name (published by Rodale Press).
Environment California Aims to Slash Port Pollution May 30, 2006 • Ocean ports are among the last major unregulated sources of concentrated pollution in the country. The biggest are the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. But there's a new man in charge. Tough-talking David Freeman, who helped establish the Environmental Protection Agency says he's going to slash pollution at Southern California's ports by 80 percent.
Business Ethanol-Based Fuel Enthusiasts Face Lack of Pumps May 29, 2006 • Adding new pumps and tanks for the cleaner-burning, ethanol-based fuel known as E-85 is a pricey proposition for service stations, and refineries can't use the same pipelines that they use for regular oil. Despite the obstacles, automakers plan a big push to sell flexible-fuel cars.
Research News Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak May Be Possible May 29, 2006 • Every kid has had the wish to put on a magic coat that would make him or her invisible. In the latest issue of the journal Science, scientists explain how it might actually be possible.
National Lawmakers Consider Mandating Coal Mine Refuges May 29, 2006 • In the wake of accidents that have left more than 30 coal miners dead this year, lawmakers are considering requiring the industry to install refuge chambers. These sealed rooms, deep inside mines, are equipped with breathable air for trapped miners waiting for rescue. But critics say they could make mines less safe. NPR's Nell Boyce reports.
World Medical Care, Shelter Priorities for Quake Victims May 29, 2006 • The death toll from Saturday's earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java climbs past 5,000. Many of the injured are still waiting to receive medical care. More than 100,000 have been left homeless, and aid agencies say many survivors lack adequate shelter.
Environment Ocean Fishing May Spread 'Runt' Genes May 27, 2006 • Evolution doesn't always happen on a million-year time scale. Sometimes it happens before our eyes. One example: tiny fish who slip through commercial nets are filling genetic pools with "runt" genes.