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Wednesday

Hawaii Extends Thirty Meter Telescope Permit Amid Protests

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Tuesday he had rescinded an emergency proclamation put in place to deal with telescope protesters who are blocking the access road to the summit of Mauna Kea. Audrey McAvoy/AP hide caption

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Audrey McAvoy/AP

National

Hawaii Extends Thirty Meter Telescope Permit Amid Protests

"Because TMT construction is not imminent, I am withdrawing the emergency proclamation effective immediately," Ige said on Tuesday following a decision to allow an extra two years for construction.

Tuesday

Animals

Loggerhead Sea Turtles Lay Record-Breaking Number Of Nests In The Southeast This Year

WABE 90.1

In Georgia, record numbers of loggerhead turtle nests have thrilled scientists working to save the endangered species.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles Lay Record-Breaking Number Of Nests In The Southeast This Year

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Kids See Bearded Men As Strong — But Unattractive, Study Finds

Actual scientific research on beards is, regrettably, scant. However, researchers now know how beards are perceived by one important group of people: children. Maskot/Getty Images hide caption

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Maskot/Getty Images

Kids See Bearded Men As Strong — But Unattractive, Study Finds

New research shows that young children have a negative reaction to beards, but that changes as they get older. Children with bearded fathers did feel more warmly toward facial hair.

Kids See Bearded Men As Strong — But Unattractive, Study Finds

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Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess

A discarded plastic bottle lies on the beach at Sandy Hook, N.J. Packaging is the largest source of the plastic waste that now blankets our planet. Wayne Parry/AP hide caption

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Wayne Parry/AP

The Plastic Tide

Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess

As consumers rebel against plastic waste, there's a growing question: Do we invent something people can toss without harming the environment or do we change people by giving them a chance to reuse?

Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess

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Irritating Compounds Can Show Up In 'Vape Juice'

Airway-irritating acetals seem to form in some types of vape juice even without heat, researchers find — likely a reaction between the alcohol and aldehydes in the liquid. Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Irritating Compounds Can Show Up In 'Vape Juice'

Among the possibly harmful compounds are "acetals," which form when some ingredients combine on the shelf, researchers say, and can inflame airways when inhaled.

Monday

The CRISPR Revolution

Doctors In The U.S. Use CRISPR Technique To Treat A Genetic Disorder For The 1st Time

For the first time, doctors have used the gene-editing technique CRISPR to treat a genetic disorder in the U.S. The patient, who has sickle cell disease, spoke with NPR about her treatment.

Doctors In The U.S. Use CRISPR Technique To Treat A Genetic Disorder For The 1st Time

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With An Eye Toward Lower Emissions, Clean Air Travel Gets Off The Ground

A Pipistrel Taurus Electro electric two-seat airplane flies above Ajdovscina, Slovenia. Jure Makovec/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Jure Makovec/AFP/Getty Images

Getting To Zero Carbon: The Climate Challenge

With An Eye Toward Lower Emissions, Clean Air Travel Gets Off The Ground

Air travel is set to grow dramatically. It will be a while before electric planes truly take off, but people are trying to reduce their carbon footprint now with offsets and "flight shaming."

With An Eye Toward Lower Emissions, Clean Air Travel Gets Off The Ground

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You 2.0: The Empathy Gym
alicemoi/Getty Images/RooM RF

You 2.0: The Empathy Gym

Some people are good at putting themselves in another person's shoes. Others may struggle to relate. But psychologist Jamil Zaki argues that empathy isn't a fixed trait. This week: how to exercise our empathetic muscles. It's the first episode in our You 2.0 summer series.

You 2.0: The Empathy Gym

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Bugged By Insects? 'Buzz, Sting, Bite' Makes The Case For 6-Legged Friends

It may plague your summer peaches and plums, but the fruit fly is "one of the most important animals" in medical research, says conservationist Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson. Sefa Kaya/500px Prime/Getty Images hide caption

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Sefa Kaya/500px Prime/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Bugged By Insects? 'Buzz, Sting, Bite' Makes The Case For 6-Legged Friends

Fresh Air

The decline of Earth's insect population may have serious consequences for humans, says scientist Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson. Insects are the world's janitors, as well as pollinators and a food source.

Bugged By Insects? 'Buzz, Sting, Bite' Makes The Case For 6-Legged Friends

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In A 1st, Doctors In U.S. Use CRISPR Tool To Treat Patient With Genetic Disorder

Gray was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was an infant. She was considering a bone marrow transplant when she heard about the CRISPR study and jumped at the chance to volunteer. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption

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Meredith Rizzo/NPR

Shots - Health News

In A 1st, Doctors In U.S. Use CRISPR Tool To Treat Patient With Genetic Disorder

Victoria Gray, 34, of Forest, Miss., has sickle cell disease. She is the first patient ever to be publicly identified as being involved in a study testing the use of CRISPR for a genetic disease.

In A 1st, Doctors In U.S. Use CRISPR Tool To Treat Patient With Genetic Disorder

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Sunday

Saturday

Opinion: Is Anything More Urgent Than The Temperature Of Our Planet?

For the second time in a month, an intense heat wave has hit Western Europe, particularly France. In Toulouse, temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit by 10 p.m. This heat wave is characterized by unusually high temperatures at night. Alain Pitton/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption

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Alain Pitton/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Simon Says

Opinion: Is Anything More Urgent Than The Temperature Of Our Planet?

Our Earth is in the middle of what may be the hottest summer on record. Scorching new records were set all over Europe this week. What could be more urgent news than the temperature of our planet?

Opinion: Is Anything More Urgent Than The Temperature Of Our Planet?

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Genetic Counselors Of Color Tackle Racial, Ethnic Disparities In Health Care

Altovise Ewing, who has a doctorate in human genetics and counseling, now works as a genetic counselor and researcher at 23andMe, one of the largest direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, based in Mountain View, Calif. Karen Santos for NPR hide caption

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Karen Santos for NPR

Shots - Health News

Genetic Counselors Of Color Tackle Racial, Ethnic Disparities In Health Care

They work with patients to decide when genetic testing is appropriate, interpret test results and counsel families on the ways hereditary diseases might impact them. A trusting relationship is key.

Friday