PBS News Hour - Science

From air pollution to wildfires, from heat waves to vector-borne diseases, climate change harms our health and causes significant stress to the healthcare system. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what can be done to protect people from a warming world with Victor Tsao of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and Lisa Patel of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. PBS Ne...

This past winter was an extraordinarily dry one in the western U.S. A lack of snowpack that normally feeds the Colorado River has only deepened the impact of a drought affecting tens of millions in seven states and Mexico. Accelerated by climate change, the drought is taking a bite out of farmers' plans in Colorado. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports for our series, Tipping Point. PBS New...

From the light bulb to the iPhone, American inventions have rocketed around the world thanks to their innovation and ingenuity. But some American innovators, including women and people of color, have largely been overlooked. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores why America has been such fertile ground for creative minds with Sujai Shivakumar and Eric S. Hintz. PBS News is supported by - ht...

As the country celebrates its 250th anniversary, rising seas and coastal erosion are putting some of America's most historic places at risk. For our ongoing series, Tipping Point, special correspondent Ben Tracy with Climate Central reports from Jamestown, Virginia, where archaeologists are racing to uncover America's past before it's washed away. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/new...

Dangerously high temperatures are set to scorch much of the country as a brutal heat wave bears down on the East Coast and Midwest. Hundreds of cities could hit record highs by Friday, when more than 175 million Americans will face either major or extreme heat risk, according to the National Weather Service. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Jeff Berardelli, a meteorologist at WFLA in Tampa Bay. P...

They're in our pockets, workplaces, homes and schools — screens are everywhere. Americans are spending more than seven hours a day looking at screens. What is this doing to our well being? And does all this screen time affect different generations differently? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what we know and don't know with researchers Kostadin Kushlev and Courtney K. Blackwell. PBS N...

In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the manufacturer of Roundup, overturning a Missouri jury award for a man who claimed the herbicide caused cancer. The decision is expected to block thousands of similar lawsuits across the country. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Dr. Chadi Nabhan, author of "Toxic Exposure: The True Story behind the Monsanto Trials and the Search for Justice." PBS Ne...

As businesses adopt artificial intelligence, fears of a wave of job displacement continue to grow. A new nonprofit called RAISE US aims to bring together states, major businesses and AI firms to prepare workers, companies and local economies for what's to come. It's a bipartisan effort, co-founded by Republican Eric Holcomb and Democrat Gina Raimondo. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Raimondo. PBS N...

More than half of the continental U.S. is facing drought conditions. But other parts of the country are facing the opposite problem. Extreme weather conditions can have major impacts on farmers and their crops at a time when they're already facing high production costs. Paul Solman recently traveled to southern Georgia to hear from some of those farmers. It's for our series, Tipping Point. PBS New...

The world's glaciers are receding at an alarming rate, losing more than a trillion tons of ice a year. Fueled in part by climate change, it's driving sea levels higher, which could threaten coastal communities around the world. One man, alongside his family, has seen the melt firsthand every year for nearly half a century. Special correspondent Ben Tracy of Climate Central reports. PBS News is sup...

While most scientific research has focused on men, when it comes to parenthood, it's all about mothers. But new research shows that men undergo profound changes biologically and psychologically when they become fathers. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the surprising science of "Dad Brain" with Darby Saxbe. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted o...

A growing body of research suggests popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also help treat or prevent certain cancers. It's the latest unexpected benefit to be associated with GLP-1s, which are now taken by one-in-eight American adults. William Brangham reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Artificial intelligence data centers are popping up across America, spurring fierce backlash because of their need for huge amounts of water and power. Is the AI revolution worth the price communities are paying? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the impact of data centers with Michael Webber, author of "Power Trip: The Story of Energy," which was also made into a series on PBS. PBS New...

SpaceX, the rocket company founded by Elon Musk, will be going public and is expected to become the largest IPO in stock market history. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Ron Insana. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The World Cup kicked off on Thursday as South Africa squared off against Mexico, one of this year's host countries. Several American cities hosting these opening matches will be sweltering this weekend, making stadiums feel more like a sauna than a playing field. Climate Central's Ben Tracy shows us how extreme heat is changing the game in our warming world. It's for our series, Tipping Point. PBS...

The Trump administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul on how the federal government awards billions of dollars in research grants. But researchers say it could allow the administration to limit and exert more control over critical scientific research. Craig McLean, the former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, joins William Brangham to discuss. PBS News is...

Scientists across the country are expressing alarm as the Trump administration dismantles another tool for understanding how the planet is changing. More than 900 deep-sea ocean sensors will be pulled out of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans near Washington, Oregon, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland. Researchers say these are critical ocean observation tools. William Brangham explains. PBS News i...

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad during a test in Cape Canaveral on Thursday. The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, said no one was injured and all personnel were accounted for. But the rocket has a crucial role in NASA's Artemis program to return American astronauts to the surface of the moon. Amna Nawaz discussed its significance with science correspondent Miles O'Brien. PBS...

There is a new name and understanding of a health condition affecting many women. Roughly 10% to 13% of women around the world are affected by a hormonal condition formerly known as PCOS. It's now called PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. Stephanie Sy reports on how the changes could improve diagnosis and care. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders....

There's real concern about the growing prevalence of the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in higher education. But some schools have found benefits as well. In the case of nursing programs, more and more are integrating immersive technologies like generative AI and virtual reality into their curricula. Ali Rogin spotlights one of those for our series, Rethinking College. PBS N...

Pope Leo called for artificial intelligence to be "disarmed" in his first papal encyclical, urging major regulation to protect against potential risks, including war and economic dislocation. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Christopher Hale, who writes "Letters from Leo" on Substack. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Unexplained sightings have appeared in our skies for years, and now the U.S. government has started releasing declassified files about what we used to call UFOs. What explains these phenomena, and what do we know about life beyond Earth? Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what we do know, and what we don't, with Leslie Kean and Garrett Graff, two authors who've studied this topic deeply....

Markets to offset carbon emissions are now worth about $2 billion annually, and supporters say they're a key tool to address climate change. But carbon credits have also been criticized for being opaque and not reducing emissions nearly enough. Stephanie Sy reports on an effort to boost the integrity of carbon markets and open them up to small landowners. It's part of our series, Tipping Point. PB...

The European Union's climate commissioner has told the 27-country bloc that the only way out of energy crises fueled by the wars in Iran and Ukraine is homegrown energy, and that the EU must accelerate its transition away from fossil fuels. One country leading the charge towards green energy is Denmark. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is suppor...