Fresh Air Videos

Dengue fever, malaria and other tropical diseases took center stage at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference. Nathan Seppa of Science News offers details, including a strange story of palm trees, fruit bats and human infection.

With NASA reporting a "significant amount" of water on the lunar surface, is it time to re-examine our priorities regarding living and working in space? Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute, talks about why and how people should venture beyond Earth.

Researchers are hoping to improve solar energy installations by coupling a solar panel to an efficient hydrolysis unit that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Daniel Nocera of MIT says the approach could lead to personal solar power units that could get many houses off the grid.

The holiday season is here and for many that can mean a surge in stress. But what is stress exactly? Science Friday hit the streets of New York City to gauge stress levels and consulted with experts on the effects of stress and strategies for how to cope.

New guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend women start getting routine mammograms at age 50, not 40. Ira Flatow and guests take a closer look at the guidelines and what they mean for women's health.

In Smallpox: The Death of a Disease, Dr. D.A. Henderson recounts the history of the deadly virus, from the development of the first vaccine in the late 18th century to his involvement in the successful global eradication campaign in the 1960s and 70s.

The stars of The Big Bang Theory are two fictional Caltech physicists, but the physics problems they study are real. Bill Prady, the program's co-creator and executive producer, talks about including real-world science in the script, from dark matter to magnetic monopoles.

If you're a member of Costco, the nation's largest wholesale club, you may be surprised to learn that Coca-Cola's products are no longer on the shelves. The two companies are locked in a rare public dispute over the price consumers pay for beverages.

With the Latino population booming in Suffolk County, N.Y., so is anti-immigrant sentiment. Illegal immigrants see a rise in the kind of violence that took Rosario Lucero's son, but often won't report it for fear of the police and deportation. Now the Justice Department is probing whether local police are turning a blind eye.

One of Britain's most revered companies is under threat of a takeover. Candy maker Cadbury already rejected a hostile takeover bid by U.S. giant Kraft Foods. Hershey has confirmed it is considering a joint takeover bid for Cadbury, along with Italian chocolate maker Ferrero. But it seems the offers may need to be considerably sweetened to persuade the British.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged Thursday to prosecute corrupt officials, and said the country would control it own security within five years. Karzai's comments came in an inauguration speech that kicked off his second term of office amid a growing Taliban insurgency and a cloud of corruption allegations.

"House of Cars," an exhibit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., traces the origins and design challenges of the places we store our cars. While it's unclear who created the first parking garage, the exhibit highlights some little-known and quirky facts about these structures that dot the American landscape.

You may not ever take a flight to a place like Hot Springs, Ark. but you're paying part of the cost for people who do. Under a decades-old government program, federal money is used to subsidize commercial air service for small communities that can't support it on their own.

The history of literature is filled with authors who also performed surgery or scribbled prescriptions. Lynn Neary speaks with two doctors who are also fiction writers Abraham Verghese and Terrence Holt about the link between medicine and writing literature.

In just one season 100 years ago, 26 players died from injuries sustained in football games. The deaths sparked a national outcry and forced the new collegiate athletic association to take action to make the sport safer.