Park Fire in California could continue growing exponentially, Cal Fire officer says Cal Fire has confirmed that over a hundred structures have been damaged in the Park Fire, which grew overnight near Chico, Calif. Difficult firefighting conditions are forecast through Friday night. Ezra Romero
Researchers are revising botanical names to address troubling connotations Since the mid-1700s, researchers have classified life with scientific names. But some of them have problematic histories and connotations. The botanical community is trying to tackle this issue. Ari Daniel
Could you go a whole week without buying new plastic? The amount of plastic that we throw out really piles up. A "Morning Edition" staffer decided to find out how hard it would be to not buy any new plastic for a week. How did she do? Claire Murashima A Martínez
This week in science: Chimpanzee 'conversations,' deep ocean oxygen and rogue waves NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about chimpanzee "conversations," oxygen from the bottom of the ocean and how a computer program may warn of rogue waves. Emily Kwong Regina Barber
NASA still doesn't know when two astronauts will be able to come home NASA still is not sure when two astronauts might come home in Boeing's new Starliner spacecraft. Nell Greenfieldboyce
National Octopus farming in the U.S. would be banned under a new bill in Congress The OCTOPUS Act would ban farming the animal, and imports of farmed meat. It was introduced by a senator whose office says he learned about the plan through a story on NPR. Bill Chappell
California's newest state park is like a time machine California's newest state park just opened this summer — and a visit is like stepping into a time machine as its creators reimagine what a state park can be. Jonaki Mehta Christopher Intagliata Ailsa Chang
California's newest state park is like a time machine In the Central Valley, California’s first new state park in a decade opened this summer and it re-imagines what a state park can be. Jonaki Mehta Christopher Intagliata Ailsa Chang
A cold front is bringing some relief to the Northwest — but also wind The Northwest has been suffering record-setting heat. A cold front is supposed to move in, but with it comes high winds and dry thunderstorms in forests that have been cooked tinder dry. Kirk Siegler
Scientists may have discovered 'dark oxygen' being created without photosynthesis It has long been understood that photosynthesis creates oxygen, but researchers believe they've found oxygen being created in parts of the ocean with no light. Joe Hernandez Regina G. Barber