NPR
This Once-Obscure Fruit Is On Its Way To Becoming PawPaw-Pawpular
In the Deep Run Pawpaw Orchard outside of Westminster, Md., Donna Davis is showing me how the pros eat a pawpaw. She jams her thumbs into the fruit’s soft green skin and splits it open, innards oozing. “Just suck out the flesh,” she instructs, slurping up the yellow meat. “They can [taste like] a cross…
As Kansas City Booms And Sprawls, Trying Not To Forget Those In Between
This summer, NPR reporters are returning to their hometowns to see how they’ve changed. Sarah McCammon grew up in Kansas City – on the Missouri side of the state line. Like a lot of places, Kansas City is experiencing a couple of major trends – suburban sprawl and, more recently, a downtown revitalization. My two…
Whole Foods Will Drop Prices On Monday, Amazon Says In Detailing New Grocery Strategy
Amazon sets new prices on bananas, butter, organic eggs, and other best-selling staples. The online giant also says its Amazon Prime members will get special prices and perks at Whole Foods.
Scientists Aim For Better, Cheaper Tests For Alzheimer’s
The goal is to find accurate, painless tests that can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s early and track the progression of the illness and any response to treatment. A few tests seem promising.
Female Athletes Are Closing The Gender Gap When It Comes To Concussions
Gina “Danger” Mazany is a professional mixed martial arts athlete, and she’s helping researchers learn more about head injuries and the female brain.
Beyond The Nasty Needle: Trying To Make Vaccines More Comfy And Convenient
News this summer of a flu vaccine patch sparked a lot of chatter. Could getting vaccinated be as easy as putting on a bandage? Could there be fewer, or at least smaller, needles in our future? Some companies and academic labs are working to make those things happen. They’re refining technologies that involve tiny needles,…
Artificial Sweeteners Don’t Help People Lose Weight, Review Finds
It’s easy to think that artificial sweeteners are a health win. But a review of research finds that there’s no evidence they help people lose weight, and they may be associated with other problems.
Italy’s Coffee Culture Brims With Rituals And Mysterious Rules
Coffee — it’s something many can’t start the day without. In Italy, it is a cultural mainstay, and the country is perhaps the beverage’s spiritual home. After all, Italy gave us the lingo — espresso, cappuccino, latte — and its coffee culture is filled with rituals and mysterious rules. Caffé Greco is Rome’s oldest café….
Forget Freud: Dreams Replay Our Everyday Lives
Thanks to Sigmund Freud, we all know what it means to dream about swords, sticks and umbrellas. Or maybe we don’t. “For 100 years, we got stuck into that Freudian perspective on dreams, which turned out to be not scientifically very accurate,” says Robert Stickgold, a sleep researcher and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard…
America’s Growing Taste For Mezcal Is Good For Mexico’s Small Producers
A traditional drink is giving a boost to the economy of one of the poorest states in Mexico. It’s called mezcal, a pungent booze made from the agave plant — the same plant used to make Mexico’s biggest spirit export, tequila. Investors north of the border are taking notice of Mezcal’s newfound popularity and are…