Encore: The United States' only native parrot is being studied, to save it We know the bird can mimic human speech; now a researcher is trying to understand parrot-to-parrot communication. He's looking at the red-crowned parrot, which is the only parrot native to the U.S. John Burnett
Tri-Cities researchers say they can extract lithium from water. That's a big deal. The nanoparticle technology could supply a large share of the lithium needed for batteries as America transitions to electric vehicles. John Ryan
How can mas shootings be prevented? Definitive answers are hard to come by Gun violence has a huge impact on public health, but the amount of money and attention directed toward research on preventing mass shootings and firearm deaths doesn't reflect the scale of the crisis. Nell Greenfieldboyce
Monkeypox isn't like COVID-19 — and that's a good thing Although monkeypox's recent spread has caused concern, its similarities to smallpox have given the public health world a head start on combating it. Becky Sullivan
This 830-million-year-old crystal might contain life. And we're about to open it From lemons to ham, salt is a handy food preservative. But researchers studying some really old salt crystals found them preserving something else — evidence of life. Michael Levitt
Parachutes for spacecraft are challenging to design and worrisome to engineers Boeing's Starliner capsule is to return to Earth after a stay at the Space Station as part of a test mission before it flies astronauts. The parachutes are among the systems engineers are monitoring. Brendan Byrne
Scientists eavesdrop on an ancient river giant: the lake sturgeon Lake sturgeon used to be common in rivers and lakes from Minnesota to Louisiana. Now the species is near extinction. Scientists are implanting radio transmitters to see how they can help save them. Shahla Farzan
This is the first image of the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way "We finally have the first look at our Milky Way black hole, Sagittarius A*," an international team of astrophysicists and researchers from the Event Horizon Telescope team said. Bill Chappell
Youthful spinal fluid could help treat Alzheimer's disease, study suggests The memory of aging mice improved when they received a substance found in the spinal fluid of young animals and young people. The finding suggests a new approach to treating Alzheimer's disease. Jon Hamilton
Genetic testing is becoming more accessible — and it's raising difficult questions NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with two bioethicists about the ethics of and access to genetic testing, and the power of knowing one's genetic makeup. Ari Shapiro