Katrina & Beyond Conditions Worsening on Gulf Coast August 31, 2005 • Conditions along the Gulf Coast continue to get worse in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. An estimated one million people across the region are without clean water or electricity. Rescue and aid workers are fanning out trying to reach people in need. Darren Irby, a member of the American Red Cross "rapid response team" in Biloxi, Miss., talks about the relief efforts.
Research News DNA Shows Human-Ape Links, Differences August 31, 2005 • Scientists say a rough draft of the chimpanzee genome shows that Darwin was right when he said that African great apes and humans share common ancestors. The genome also shows key areas where humans and chimps differ. And researchers believe it will help them understand how subtle genetic changes have made human brains very different from chimp brains.
National Coast Guard Copters Pluck Survivors from Rooftops August 30, 2005 • Robert Siegel talks with Coast Guard Capt. Jim Bjostad, commander of Sector Mobile, about search and rescue operations. His helicopters are flying along the Mississippi coast, picking people off of roofs. Bjostad says he and his pilots have seen complete devastation throughout the coastal region.
National In New Orleans, Floods and Looting Spread August 30, 2005 • Flood waters are rising in New Orleans, which remains without power after being hit by Hurricane Katrina Monday. Phone service is also largely down, and looting is taking place in several areas. Fallout from the storm has prompted President Bush to return to the White House two days ahead of schedule.
U.S. Pertussis, Whooping Cases Climb August 30, 2005 • In 2004 the number of pertussis cases grew to nearly 19,000 and, for the first time in the United States, there were more cases of whooping cough reported in adolescents and adults than in infants. Health experts say that, since immunity doesn't last, boosters shots should be taken by older children and adults every 10 years. Richard Knox reports.
Research News Anti-Fog Coating May Be First to Be Permanent August 29, 2005 • Imagine a day when your car windshield will never fog up -- and when your eyeglasses never get all annoyingly misty. An MIT researcher has developed what he claims is the first permanent fog-resistant coating. The world already has anti-fog sprays, but they must be reapplied over time. At least two major car manufacturers have already expressed interest, he says.
Environment Wetlands and Flooding in New Orleans August 29, 2005 • Historically, wetland vegetation works as a buffer zone during hurricanes. Now that so much is gone, New Orleans is at greater risk of flooding. Experts say the change is due to the building of levies along the Mississippi river delta to protect New Orleans from floodingMelissa Block talks with oceanographer Joe Suhayda, who studies coastal wetlands in Louisiana.
National Katrina Makes Way Into Mississippi, Alabama August 29, 2005 • Hurricane Katrina may cause serious damage farther inland than many other hurricanes in the past. Katrina is losing strength as it moves inland, but it remained at a high hurricane strength for longer than most storms.
National Mississippi Coast Hit with Massive Storm Surge August 29, 2005 • Robert Siegel talks with Bill Finch, assistant managing editor of The Mobile Register, about Hurricane Katrina's damage on the coast of Mississippi and Alabama. Finch says the storm surges are the highest Mobile has experienced in a century.
Environment Katrina to Challenge City's Floodwater Infrastructure August 29, 2005 • Hurricane Katrina is not the first severe storm to hit the New Orleans, and it won't be the last. There is an infrastructure to deal with the inevitable flooding -- the city actually lies below sea level -- but it might not be enough to deal with Hurricane Katrina.
Environment Monitoring Katrina's Path North into the U.S. August 29, 2005 • Now that Hurricane Katrina has made landfall, scientists at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in Maryland are charting the storm's route north and monitoring hazards like flooding.
National New Orleans Swims in Katrina's Wake August 29, 2005 • The center of New Orleans has plenty of broken windows and flying debris, but it is largely empty of people, as Hurricane Katrina makes its way inland. The system came ashore as a Category Four storm Monday morning east of New Orleans.
Research News Article Gauges Fetal Ability to Sense Pain August 28, 2005 • This past week, the Journal of the American Medical Association published an article contending that a fetus is not able to feel pain until the third trimester. Some are fiercely challenging the conclusions of the article.
Research News Study Links Famine, Increase in Mental Illness August 27, 2005 • A new study shows increased rates of schizophrenia among people born during the 1959-61 famine in China, when millions starved. The study's chief author, Dr. David St. Clair of the University of Aberdeen, discusses the implications with Scott Simon.
Women in Science: Climbing the Career Ladder August 26, 2005 • More women today are studying science and getting advanced degrees. But the picture changes in the working world: the higher the position, the fewer the women. A recent study in the journal Science documents the obstacles that hold women back. We'll talk with women in the sciences about their experiences climbing the career ladder.