Science

Scientists used to think that people couldn't grow new brain cells, but now they say the brain can regenerate itself, and what's more, there are things people can do to keep their minds limber as they grow old. This new program from Public Radio International's Gray Matters series looks at how our brains acquire and retain information from the time we're babies to old age.
The design of the things we use in our daily lives is more a result of accident than intention. An expert in design and history looks at the effect of global standardization on everything from cellphones to cupholders.
The lakes and rivers on the White Earth Indian Reservation in northwest Minnesota are an ideal habitat for wild rice. But the tribe is worried that resource could be threatened by the science of genetic engineering.
New Yorker Staff Writer Malcolm Gladwell answers questions about his latest book, "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking," at the Commonwealth Club of California. "Blink," which explores snap judgements, is number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
By the time you finish this sentence, you may very well have decided whether or not to listen to Malcolm Gladwell's speech at the Commonwealth Club of California. Gladwell's book "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" is about these kinds of split-second decisions: how they are made, why they are often surprisingly good and why they are sometimes tragically bad.
Titanic explorer Robert Ballard makes the case for limiting visits to the historic wreck. He talks about how the submerged ocean liner is degrading.
The government is preparing to send robots to fight in Iraq this spring. Human replacements are also being used to explore space, clean up nuclear sites and care for the elderly. Midmorning examines the history and future of artificial intelligence.
People allegedly posing as representatives of legitimate companies acquired detailed dossiers on 35,000 people from the data-brokering company ChoicePoint Inc. Thousands of Minnesotans may be affected. Midmorning examines the risks and repercussions of identity theft.
The task of sequencing the human genome is essentially complete. The challenge now is to decide how to ethically use the information found in our DNA.
NASA may launch a manned space shuttle in mid-May. Midmorning looks at the changes at NASA and recent decisions on the Hubble Space Telescope.