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Friday

Peter Ward: Are We Headed Into Another Mass Extinction?

Paleontologist Peter Ward speaking on the TED stage. Andrew Heavens/TED hide caption

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Andrew Heavens/TED

TED Radio Hour

Peter Ward: Are We Headed Into Another Mass Extinction?

At various times, life on earth has come close to being erased. Paleontologist Peter Ward explains what we can learn from previous mass extinctions.

Peter Ward: Are We Headed Into Another Mass Extinction?

Listen · 10:11
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Kenneth Lacovara: How Can Dinosaurs Help Us Understand Our Own Species?

Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara speaks at TED in 2016. Bret Hartman/TED hide caption

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Bret Hartman/TED

TED Radio Hour

Kenneth Lacovara: How Can Dinosaurs Help Us Understand Our Own Species?

Earth's rocks and fossils can help us understand our own species. Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara explains important moments in Earth's history that help us recognize our place in the world.

Kenneth Lacovara: How Can Dinosaurs Help Us Understand Our Own Species?

Listen · 10:37
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Cary Fowler: Can We Preserve Seed Diversity For The Future?

The entrance to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Courtesy of Global Crop Diversity Trust hide caption

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Courtesy of Global Crop Diversity Trust

TED Radio Hour

Cary Fowler: Can We Preserve Seed Diversity For The Future?

Biodiversity archivist Cary Fowler explains how the Svalbard Global Seed Vault will prepare humans for the climate change and its effect on our environment and our food supply.

Cary Fowler: Can We Preserve Seed Diversity For The Future?

Listen · 9:38
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Emma Marris: How Do We Embrace All Kinds Of Nature?

A child enjoying nature. Courtesy Emma Marris hide caption

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Courtesy Emma Marris

TED Radio Hour

Emma Marris: How Do We Embrace All Kinds Of Nature?

Environmental writer Emma Marris wants us to broaden our definition of nature to one that embraces urban and wild spaces in order learn to protect and care for it.

Emma Marris: How Do We Embrace All Kinds Of Nature?

Listen · 11:41
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Kenneth Lacovara: What's The Anthropocene?

Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara speaks at TED in 2016. Bret Hartman/TED hide caption

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Bret Hartman/TED

TED Radio Hour

Kenneth Lacovara: What's The Anthropocene?

Have we entered a new age defined by humans? Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara says there's "no doubt" that humans' impact on Earth will show up in the geological record.

Kenneth Lacovara: What's The Anthropocene?

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Thursday

Animals

Countries Gather For Wildlife Convention On Animal Trafficking

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Ginette Hemley of the World Wildlife Fund about the CITES meeting and the challenges in trying to protect endangered species, particularly elephants.

Countries Gather For Wildlife Convention On Animal Trafficking

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Reykjavik Turns Off Street Lights To Turn Up The Northern Lights

The northern lights over Iceland in February. The glowing orange area on the left side are the lights of the capital, Reykjavik. Jamie Cooper/SSPL via Getty Images hide caption

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Jamie Cooper/SSPL via Getty Images

The Two-Way

Reykjavik Turns Off Street Lights To Turn Up The Northern Lights

Wednesday night's aurora borealis forecast was particularly strong, so Icelandic officials tried to reduce light pollution to make the green glow more visible to people in the capital.

CDC Urges Americans To Get A Flu Shot As Soon As Possible

Luz Barajas took her son Carlos Cholico to get his flu shot at Crawford Kids Clinic in Aurora, Colo., last year. Health officials say there is some evidence the flu shot is more protective than the nasal flu vaccine. Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images hide caption

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Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

CDC Urges Americans To Get A Flu Shot As Soon As Possible

There's plenty of vaccine available this year, and the sooner people get vaccinated the better, federal health officials say. A recent drop in vaccination, especially among the elderly, concerns them.

Rats That Reminisce May Lead To Better Tests For Alzheimer's Drugs

Rats are great at remembering where they last sniffed the strawberries. Alexey Krasaven/Flickr hide caption

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Alexey Krasaven/Flickr

Shots - Health News

Rats That Reminisce May Lead To Better Tests For Alzheimer's Drugs

Most potential Alzheimer's drugs are tested on mice. But rats may be a better choice because they seem to have a type of memory that's more like ours, and also are highly vulnerable to Alzheimer's.

Rats That Reminisce May Lead To Better Tests For Alzheimer's Drugs

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Scientists To Bid A Bittersweet Farewell To Rosetta, The Comet Chaser

An illustration of Rosetta just before Friday's expected landing on the comet known as 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The final approach aims to be only at "walking speed," mission specialists say, but that's enough to tip the antenna away from Earth. ATG medialab/ESA hide caption

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ATG medialab/ESA

The Two-Way

Scientists To Bid A Bittersweet Farewell To Rosetta, The Comet Chaser

To cap its 12-year scientific voyage, the Rosetta spacecraft will take a final plunge Friday. Scientists will signal Rosetta to crash into the surface of a comet — and gather data all the way down.

Scientists To Bid A Bittersweet Farewell To Rosetta, The Comet Chaser

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Flawed Research Tool Leads To Faulty Medical Findings

A multi-million dollar effort to produce a test to guide treatment for a potentially lethal skin cancer recently fell apart after the scientific investigator discovered that the commercial antibodies he was using were unreliable. Cultura RM Exclusive/Peter Mulle/Getty Images hide caption

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Cultura RM Exclusive/Peter Mulle/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Flawed Research Tool Leads To Faulty Medical Findings

Just as natural antibodies help your body find and fight microbial invaders, tailored research antibodies let scientists target and study cancer cells. But too many are poorly made, scientists say.

Wednesday

Whales, Sea Turtles, Seals: The Unintended Catch Of Abandoned Fishing Gear

Rescuers untangle a gray whale from ghost net off the coast of California. Bob Talbot/Marine Photobank/Courtesy of World Animal Protection hide caption

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Bob Talbot/Marine Photobank/Courtesy of World Animal Protection

The Salt

Whales, Sea Turtles, Seals: The Unintended Catch Of Abandoned Fishing Gear

An endangered whale was found dead over the weekend, entangled in derelict fishing gear. Such incidents have been on the rise in recent years. A new California law aims to combat the problem.