The origin of itch has confounded scientists for decades.

Why You Have To Scratch That Itch

On May 24, 2013 By

Itch can be a useful warning sign, or a maddening symptom with no cure. But the origins of itch have long been a mystery. Scientists think they’ve come closer to understanding the origins of itch in a molecule that makes mice scratch like mad.

Continue Reading →
At the National Defense University in Washington on Thursday, President Obama outlined plans to limit the use of U.S. drone strikes, and pledged to shut down the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Breaking Down Obama’s New Blueprint For Fighting Terrorism

On May 24, 2013 By

In a major speech, the president rejects the idea that the country can fight an opened-ended “global war on terror.” In setting his own guidelines, he defines the standards for using drone strikes and again calls for closing the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Continue Reading →
After his shocking ballet, The Rite of Spring, Igor Stravinsky branched out in surprising directions.

Igor Stravinsky’s ‘Rite Of Spring’ Counterrevolution

On May 24, 2013 By

Not long after his shocking ballet, the composer branched out into a broad range of styles, ushering in new musical trends far from the violent tone of his iconic Rite of Spring.

Continue Reading →
Sally Edwards, 80, (left) and Lue Hutchinson, 71, visited StoryCorps in Cincinnati. Their sons, Jack Edwards and Tom Butts, are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Military Moms: A Bond Born From Shared Loss

On May 24, 2013 By

Two mothers whose sons were killed during the first Gulf War talk about how they became friends after their sons’ death. The last 22 years would have been tough without the friendship, because, as one tells the other, “what’s in our hearts we share.”

Continue Reading →
Members of Scouts for Equality hold a rally to support inclusion for gays in the Boy Scouts of America on Wednesday.

Boy Scouts Vote To Admit Openly Gay Members

On May 24, 2013 By

The National Council of the Boy Scouts of America has voted to allow gay Scout members, but to continue a ban on openly gay adult Scout leaders. The policy change would take effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Continue Reading →
President Obama speaks at Ellicott Dredges in Baltimore on May 17. The trip followed a visit by the company's president to Capitol Hill to testify in support of the Keystone XL pipeline. The White House says Obama's speech had nothing to do with Keystone, but environmental groups have been frustrated with his stance on the issue.

Obama Group’s Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

On May 23, 2013 By

Organizing for Action — a group that formed out of President Obama’s re-election campaign — has focused its ire on Republicans it calls “climate change deniers.” But some environmentalists are frustrated with the president himself on issues like the Keystone pipeline.

Continue Reading →
Elysha O'Brien and her husband, Michael, with sons (left to right) Gabriel, Joseph and Michael. Elysha never learned Spanish but is determined that her children will.

Living In Two Worlds, But With Just One Language

On May 23, 2013 By

Elysha O’Brien calls herself a “Mexican white girl.” Not just because of her ethnically ambiguous appearance, she says, but also because she can’t speak Spanish. Fearing their children would experience discrimination if they spoke Spanish, her parents chose not to teach them their native tongue.

Continue Reading →
Nearly 30 years ago, Congress gave terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out, known as compassionate release.

Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program

On May 23, 2013 By

Federal prisoners can request compassionate release if they are terminally ill, but a recent investigation found that many die while their requests drift through the system. Now, prison leaders say they will simplify the approval process and start tracking requests electronically.

Continue Reading →
A Nov. 2010 file image of Anwar al-Awlaki taken from video and released by SITE Intelligence Group.

Holder Acknowledges U.S. Citizens Killed In Drone Strikes

On May 23, 2013 By

For the first time, the Justice Department admits that it targeted American-born al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki and that three other U.S. citizens have died in drone strikes.

Continue Reading →

Boy Scouts To Decide Whether To Admit Gay Youth

On May 22, 2013 By

The Boy Scouts of America votes in Texas this week on whether to change its century old membership policy. The proposal is to open up the scouts to allow gay youth to join and continue to ban on adults who are gay. About 1,400 voting members will decide.

Continue Reading →
An aerial view shows an entire neighborhood destroyed by Monday's tornado in Moore, Okla.

Oklahoma’s GOP Senators Find Themselves In Tornado Aid Bind

On May 22, 2013 By

Sens. Tom Coburn and James Inhofe have become the faces of pushback on federal emergency spending. Now the deadly and devastating tornado in their home state has put them in an awkward position.

Continue Reading →
A teddy bear sits atop some of the rubble in Moore, Okla.

In Oklahoma, Rescue Efforts Give Way To Recovery

On May 22, 2013 By

Officials think they’ve found all the survivors, and victims, of the massive tornado that devastated the community of Moore. The official death toll stands at 24. More than 230 people are said to have been injured.

Continue Reading →
Ray Manzarek (far right) stands with fellow members of The Doors Jim Morrison (from right), Robby Krieger and John Densmore in 1968. Manzarek died Monday in Germany. He was 74.

The Doors’ Keyboard Counterpoint Goes Silent: Remembering Ray Manzarek

On May 21, 2013 By

Ray Manzarek, whose keyboard was a trademark of The Doors sound, died at the age of 74 on Monday.

Continue Reading →
The Internal Revenue Service headquarters in Washington, D.C.

IRS Officials To Be On Hot Seat

On May 21, 2013 By

Former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and outgoing acting Commissioner Steven Miller will be grilled. The IRS is under fire because some conservative groups’ applications for tax-exempt status were given extra scrutiny in recent years. An inspector general has called the actions “inappropriate.”

Continue Reading →
The destruction was wide and devastating in Moore, Okla., on Monday after a tornado roared through.

Death Toll Climbing In Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy

On May 21, 2013 By

As it roared through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, packing winds of up to 200 mph, the twister flattened buildings. Searchers continue to look for survivors and those who were killed.

Continue Reading →
Opponents of same-sex marriage participate in the March for Marriage in Washington, D.C., on March 26, as the Supreme Court hears arguments on California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage.

Bans Of Same-Sex Marriage Can Take A Psychological Toll

On May 20, 2013 By

When several states passed laws banning same-sex marriages, researchers found that the mental health of gay residents seemed to suffer. Conversely, stress-related disorders dropped after the legalization of gay marriage in one state. Researchers say negative media portrayals and loss of safety were contributing factors.

Continue Reading →
On display in Turin, Italy, various types of pancetta, bacon made from pork belly. Unlike the American variety, which is smoked, Italian pancetta is cured in salt and spices.

No More Smuggling: Many Cured Italian Meats Coming To America

On May 16, 2013 By

Culatello. Capocollo. Sopressata. It will soon be legal to import a whole new world of Italian cured pork products, thanks to the USDA’s decision to end a decades-long ban. Every Italian region and province, and even many towns have their own distinctive salumi.

Continue Reading →
Colonists built the original glass-blowing kiln in Jamestown, Va., at this beach for easy access to the sand. Now the site is just inches above the water level.

With Rising Seas, America’s Birthplace Could Disappear

On May 14, 2013 By

By the end of the century, ocean levels could rise by 2 or 3 feet. That’s enough to flood the colonists’ first settlement at Jamestown, Va. And it’s putting pressure on archaeologists to get as many artifacts out of the ground as quickly as possible — before it’s too late.

Continue Reading →
Vernon Hugh Bowman, who took his case to the Supreme Court, lives outside the small town of Sandborn, Ind.

Supreme Court Rules For Monsanto In Case Against Farmer

On May 13, 2013 By

An Indiana farmer bought soybeans that he knew likely included some with genetic modifications developed by Monsanto. The agribusiness giant sued because it controls the patent on such soybeans. The Supreme Court says the farmer infringed on Monsanto’s legal rights.

Continue Reading →
Adam Alvarado, Ashley Priest and Jimmy Garcia create a stone cross near the home of former NFL star Junior Seau's beach home in Oceanside, Calif. Seau killed himself with with a gun in May 2012.

Suicide Rate Climbs For Middle-Aged Americans

On May 2, 2013 By

For quite a while, the annual number of fatalities from auto accidents has been a kind of shorthand for health issues that are big and important. Suicides now exceed deaths from crashes. And the middle-aged have seen the biggest increase in suicide rates.

Continue Reading →
Medical responders run an injured man past the finish line the 2013 Boston Marathon following an explosion in Boston on Monday.

Two Explosions Rock Boston Marathon Finish Line

On April 15, 2013 By

The explosions happened near the finish line of the marathon about four hours after it started. There are reports of several injuries.

Continue Reading →
Several fragments of this unusual rock were discovered last year in Morocco. It's been hailed as the first meteorite from the planet Mercury, but where it came from in the solar system isn't certain.

Origin Of ‘Mercury’ Meteorite Still Puzzles Scientists

On April 11, 2013 By

The rock found in Morocco was even weirder than it looked. The olive green chunk, speckled with white and brown, has chemical and physical properties similar to the planet Mercury. But some experts doubt that the 4.56-billion-year-old meteorite is from the planet closest to our sun.

Continue Reading →
Jan Bang performs a live remix at the Punkt Festival.

How Norway Funds A Thriving Jazz Scene

On April 7, 2013 By

The country’s jazz scene is young, but it’s hit the world stage quickly thanks in large part to public funding. For Norwegian musicians, it literally pays to dream big — and to write lots of grant applications.

Continue Reading →

News

?>

Arts & Life

?>

Music

?>

Get the KRCC iPhone App

The Writer's Almanac

Radiolab