PBS News Hour - Science

For millions of women, uterine fibroids not only cause painful symptoms, but the diagnosis can bring more questions than answers. Even though most women will develop them, misconceptions remain about who gets them and how they should be treated. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores fibroids and treatment with Dr. Soyini Hawkins and Sateria Venable. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Last week, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy dismissed his tech-savvy defense minister. That sparked protests among supporters who credit him with helping transform Ukraine's defense capabilities. Special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky and producer Katia Patin report on the technologies and policies that helped drive that transformation. A warning: this story includes graphic descriptions of war. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Prosthetics designed to blend in as replacements for missing body parts are becoming tools for creative expression. This is especially true in the community of ocular prosthetics, or artificial eyes. Jeffrey Brown meets a Portland eye maker whose designs are helping clients see themselves in a new light. It's for our coverage of the intersection of health and arts, part of our CANVAS series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

An FDA advisory committee began a two-day meeting to consider lifting a ban and widening access to seven popular peptides. They have seen a surge of support from wellness influencers and others, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Dhruv Khullar, who wrote the New Yorker article, "Why Are People Injecting Themselves with Peptides?" PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Breakthroughs in Chinese AI models are sending shockwaves through Washington and Silicon Valley. Chinese companies are narrowing the AI gap despite vast differences in computing power and resources. It comes as the White House is planning to redirect billions in funding from universities to individuals in a bid to accelerate AI innovation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Amrith Ramkumar. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Artificial intelligence is fueling stock market highs, economic growth and a construction boom across the country. But it is also igniting fierce local debates about the benefits, the costs and whether the data centers that power AI should be built at all. Economics correspondent Paul Solman looks at how one of those battles is playing out in the Midwest. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Federal officials are still trying to determine the source of a multistate outbreak linked to lettuce. There may be more than 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide. The FDA said that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms that was initially reported as positive for cyclospora was actually a false positive. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Alcohol is a product so tightly woven into our society that we struggle to see what it's really doing to us. Despite documented links between alcohol and cancer, heart and liver disease, over half of all drinkers think their own consumption doesn't raise their risk for serious health problems. Horizons mo derator William Brangham explores more with Lev Facher, Marissa Esser and Priscilla Martinez. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

More than 115 million people may be exposed to dangerous smoke and unhealthy air quality levels. That's because wildfire smoke is spreading and triggering health advisories in at least 17 states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. It's led to flight delays, the closure of pools and beaches, and the cancellation of many other outdoor activities. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

One of the biggest concerns about artificial intelligence is how children and teens use it daily. Critics say the tech companies are not doing enough to protect children, can't be trusted and argue more regulation is needed. The Omidyar Network, a tech philanthropic firm, is out with a new approach of its own. Geoff Bennett discussed more with CEO Michele Jawando. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

From the American Revolution to today, conspiracy theories have been part of the American story in ways that may surprise us. In this episode of Judy Woodruff's "In Pursuit of Happiness," she sits down with Jesse Walker, author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory," to explore how conspiracy theories take shape -- and what they tell us about who we are. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

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 is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy