40 years after Challenger: Lingering guilt and lessons learned Forty years after the Challenger disaster, NPR explores the engineers' last-minute efforts to stop the launch, their decades of guilt and the vital lessons that remain critical for NASA today. Howard Berkes
What is 'frost crack' and how does it affects trees? Sudden or severe cold temperature can cause trees to experience "frost crack." NPR's Scott Simon talks with Bill McNee of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources about what happens and why. Scott Simon
In President's Trump's tangled science policies, experts see a unifying thread Heading into the second year of Trump 2.0, when it comes to science, some argue Trump has no consistent ideology for decision-making. Others argue the unifying theme is destruction of science itself. Katia Riddle
Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95 A self-described "little farm girl" in the Jim Crow Era, Gladys West's complex and pioneering work for the U.S. Navy helped to improve billions of lives — and keep us from getting lost. Bill Chappell
The week in science: Ice, parents' disgust and penguins adapting to climate change Emily Kwong and Regina Barber of NPR's Short Wave podcast talk about the mysterious structure of ice, parents' heightened tolerance for disgust, and how penguins are adapting to climate change. Emily Kwong
Can the prescription drug leucovorin treat autism? History says, probably not Parents of autistic children are clamoring for a prescription vitamin promoted by federal health officials. But there's little evidence the drug will help. Jon Hamilton
Trump administration claims offshore wind poses a threat. But it won't say how. The Interior Department said pausing construction of offshore wind farms would allow the government agencies to work with project developers to mitigate potential risks. But wind companies say the administration isn't sharing information about newly-discovered threats. Michael Copley
After a medical evacuation from space, NASA's Crew-11 returns to Earth a month early Four people from NASA's Crew-11 mission splashed down off San Diego, successfully completing five months aboard the International Space Station. The trip was cut short due to a medical issue. Brendan Byrne
Kitchen countertop workers are dying. Some lawmakers want to ban their lawsuits Some safety experts want California to stop the cutting of quartz countertops saying it can't be done safely. Lawmakers, meanwhile, contemplate a ban on workers' lawsuits against quartz manufacturers. Nell Greenfieldboyce
Scientists call another near-record hot year a 'warning shot' from a shifting climate Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported. The Associated Press