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Thursday

Snow Delay At The Airport? Blame Planes And Clouds

An image believed to be that of a hole-punch cloud. Scientists say airplanes create these patterns when they fly through certain types of clouds. The water in the clouds can turn to rain or snow and fall to the ground. H. Raab/Vesta/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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H. Raab/Vesta/Wikimedia Commons

Environment

Snow Delay At The Airport? Blame Planes And Clouds

When planes fly through certain types of clouds, they can trigger a chain reaction that causes precipitation for miles around. As rain or snow falls out of the sky, it can sometimes leave behind a visible hole in the cloud layer — a hole-punch cloud.

Snow Delay At The Airport? Blame Planes And Clouds

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Wednesday

Environment

Marijuana Plants Discovered At National Forest

In the green idyll of Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Oregon, more than 90,000 marijuana plants were discovered earlier this month. Park officials now have to cope with the cleanup of the site — and the toxicity caused by an extensive camp of pot farmers and the fertilizers they used. Melissa Block speaks with park ranger Ken Gebhardt about the job ahead.

Marijuana Plants Discovered At National Forest

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Environment

White House Pushes For Higher Fuel Efficiency

The Obama administration and auto industry executives are starting talks over new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, which are to be announced in September. Sources say the administration is pushing for the average fuel economy for each carmaker's fleet to rise to 56 mpg by 2025. The companies want something closer to 47 mpg. The heavyweight in these negotiations could turn out to be California, which plans to set its own standard if the federal government doesn't go high enough.

White House Pushes For Higher Fuel Efficiency

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From Muses To Music: Where Ideas Come From

Each year, leaders and innovators converge on the Aspen Ideas Festival to "think big." But just where do great ideas come from? Sandy Speicher, Director of Design for Learning at IDEO, Amit Chatterjee, CEO of Hara, and artist Eric Fischl explain where they find inspiration.

From Muses To Music: Where Ideas Come From

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Post Mortem: Death Investigation In America

Rethinking Shaken Baby Syndrome

The dispute over the common child abuse diagnosis is a bitter civil war. And now, the pediatric neurosurgeon who is credited with first observing the syndrome is speaking out for the first time about his concerns over how it is used in child abuse cases.

Rethinking Shaken Baby Syndrome

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Monday

In Old Age, Illness And Dying Can Be Postponed

Dr. Mark Lachs says his older patients are like reliable cars. After a certain age, they are less likely to break down, and just keep rolling right along. Adrian Kinloch hide caption

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Adrian Kinloch

Opinion

In Old Age, Illness And Dying Can Be Postponed

Gerontologist and commentator Dr. Mark Lachs tells some of his older patients there are plenty of reasons to remain active. Surprisingly, at a certain age, the likelihood of falling ill and dying starts to decline.

In Old Age, Illness And Dying Can Be Postponed

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The Parkinson's Doctor Will Video Chat With You Now

Dr. Ray Dorsey video chats with his patient, Victor Jarzombeck, from his office at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore. Dorsey has been treating Jarzombeck, who lives nearly 350 miles away in New Hartford, N.Y., for three years. Maggie Starbard/NPR hide caption

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Maggie Starbard/NPR

The Parkinson's Doctor Will Video Chat With You Now

Many patients with Parkinson's disease struggle to find medical specialists close to home. But video conferencing is emerging as a way to get care remotely. Clinical trials of telemedicine have found that the quality of care is at least as good as with in-person visits.

The Parkinson's Doctor Will Video Chat With You Now

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Saturday

How Do You Drug Test A City? Check The Sewer

It only takes a teaspoon of waste water to reveal an entire city's eating or drinking habits — and also its drug habits. Scientists in Norway are using the technology, called sewer epidemiology, to drug test an entire city. One of those scientists, Kevin Thomas, explains.

How Do You Drug Test A City? Check The Sewer

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Environment

Anticipating Climate Catastrophe, But With Optimism

All over the world, fisheries are collapsing, deforestation is on the rise and food prices have spiked again. Paul Gilding, the former head of Greenpeace International, explains in his new book why, as he puts it, "the Earth is full" — and why he thinks humankind will respond.

Anticipating Climate Catastrophe, But With Optimism

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Friday

Education

Top Students Converge at Mind Summit in Montana

High-performing students from around the country are meeting with some of the nation's top thinkers at an enrichment event known as 'Adventures of the Mind.' Paleontologist Jack Horner, former astronaut Bonnie Dunbar, and high school student Brandon Ford give an inside look at the meeting.

Top Students Converge at Mind Summit in Montana

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Technology

Student Inventors Dream Up A Better Wheelchair

An award-winning prototype wheelchair features an omni-directional drivetrain and a seat cushion that better caters to the health of the chair's occupant. Tom Stilwell and Rebecca Kekelishvili, members of the student robotics team at Staten Island Technical High School, describe their team's improved wheelchair designs.

Student Inventors Dream Up A Better Wheelchair

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