Tuesday, 31 December 2024

Tiger-cats, sea squirts and beetles, oh my! Meet some species identified in 2024

The new clouded tiger-cat, <em>Leopardus pardinoides</em>, in Colombia in 2021.

From charismatic macrofauna to tiny sea squirts, here are some species formally identified by scientists in 2024.

(Image credit: Juan Camilo Botero)



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Monday, 30 December 2024

10 essential books about Jimmy Carter

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter holds up a copy of his book <em>Faith: A Journey For All</em> at a book signing event at Barnes & Noble bookstore on March 26, 2018.

Throughout his lifetime, Jimmy Carter took on many titles: 39th President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize winner, philanthropist, humanitarian, artist – and writer.

(Image credit: Drew Angerer)



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Sunday, 29 December 2024

Under a 'grandma moon,' Native Americans honor their sacred pact with salmon

Two people pull a live salmon out of a river with gloved hands while holding a net.

Native American New Year was celebrated on the solstice under a canopy of winter stars. Near a crackling bonfire, the Nisqually tribe shared their culture and renewed their sacred pact with the salmon.

(Image credit: Annie Warren)



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What were the biggest life lessons in 2024? Here's what NPR listeners learned

Top row (left to right): Carisa Sanders, Margi Peterson, Rae Earley. Bottom row (left to right): Amelia Grant, Martha Antolik, Benjamin Gregg.

The year is coming to an end and with it, many lessons were learned. Some of which could have altered how we move forward into the new year. NPR listeners provide insight on their lessons from 2024.

(Image credit: Compiled by NPR)



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Saturday, 28 December 2024

A sea turtle plagued by 'bubble butt' condition is helped by a 3D printer

Charlotte, a male green sea turtle, wears a 3D-printed harness to help him overcome "bubble butt syndrome" — a condition caused by a boat strike. Charlotte lives at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.

"Bubble butt" can leave turtles struggling to swim normally — or unable to submerge at all. A 3D-printed harness can help.



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Curious about Dry January? What to expect — and how it works

A zero-proof cheers to an alcohol-free month. Make sure to give yourself "sober treats" along the way, says Casey Davidson, a sobriety coach. They

If your New Year's resolution is to give up drinking for the month of January, this expert guide can help you get to Day 31 alcohol-free.

(Image credit: Photo Illustration by Beck Harlan)



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Friday, 27 December 2024

A wild year in politics, by the numbers

The U.S. Capitol is seen on Dec. 21, in Washington, DC.

From the election results to the the charges against President-elect Donald Trump, here are the numbers that defined 2024 in politics.

(Image credit: Richard Pierrin)



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Thursday, 26 December 2024

Giving up alcohol for Dry January? Our newsletter can help you reach your goal

Congrats! You

If your New Year's resolution is to drink less alcohol, Life Kit is here to help. Sign up for our Dry January newsletter series, and get tips and strategies to help you stay alcohol-free for a month.

(Image credit: Photo illustration by Beck Harlan)



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100-plus cities in the U.S. banned homeless camping this year. But will it work?

The burst of new laws follows a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and reflects public frustration with record-high homelessness. Outreach workers Lillian Risser (left) and Sophia Loveland (right) approach a tent encampment in Chicago, Ill. on Sept. 23, 2024. The organization is working to rehome people living in encampments to more permanent housing.

The burst of new laws follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling, and reflects public frustration with record-high homelessness. But advocates say fines and jail time will only make the problem worse.

(Image credit: Jamie Kelter Davis)



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Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Christmas Day

In this image provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out a fire following a Russian missile attack on the country

Russia's massive missile and drone barrage struck a thermal power plant and prompted Ukrainians to shelter in metro stations on Christmas morning.

(Image credit: AP)



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When kindness becomes a habit, it improves our health

Research shows that people who volunteer regularly have a lower risk of mortality and better physical health as they age.

Whether it's volunteering at a local school or taking soup to a sick neighbor, improving the welfare of others can also improve our own physical and mental health, a sizable body of research shows.

(Image credit: Olga Rolenko)



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'The Bachelor,' Ukraine edition, features a veteran who lost both legs in the war

Oleksandr Budko, a 28-year-old Ukrainian war veteran, whose military call sign is Teren, poses for a portrait in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 18. Budko, a double amputee, participated in the Ukrainian version of the TV show <em>The Bachelor</em>.

He wants to give hope to the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who have lost limbs since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

(Image credit: Oksana Parafeniuk for NPR)



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Want government money for a heat pump? Time might be running out

A technician installs an electrical heat pump at a home in Washington, DC, in August 2024.

The Biden administration introduced new consumer tax credits for climate-friendly heat pumps. What does a Trump administration and GOP-led congress mean for that money?

(Image credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)



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Tuesday, 24 December 2024

2024 will be the hottest year on record, even hotter than expected

The average temperature across the globe in 2024 set a record. Climate change is helping drive longer and more intense heat waves.

It's looking like 2024 will be the hottest year since record-keeping began, unseating 2023 for the top spot. Climate change is playing a role, and scientists say it was even hotter than expected.

(Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)



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Monday, 23 December 2024

Why Trump's tariffs on Mexico would mean higher avocado prices at the grocery store

Avocados grow on trees in an orchard in the municipality of Ario de Rosales, Michoacan state, Mexico, on Sept. 21, 2023. Tariffs on Mexican imports would have a big effect on avocados in the U.S.

Most avocados consumed in the U.S. are grown in Mexico. Here's what Trump's proposed tariffs would mean for prices at the grocery store and for the avocado industry.

(Image credit: Alfredo Estrella)



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Sunday, 22 December 2024

This Christmas I'll be grieving. Here's how I'll be finding joy.

Windsor Johnston and her husband, Bob Edwards, in Switzerland during Christmas of 2017.

Since her husband's death, newscaster Windsor Johnston has been looking for ways to recapture joy and continue her healing journey — one that's taken her to a place she'd never expected.

(Image credit: Windsor Johnston)



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College students get emotional about climate change. Some are finding help in class

At Cornell University, one professor is helping students navigate their emotions about climate change by learning about food.

A recent survey finds that more than half of young people aged 16-25 are highly worried about climate change. Some universities are now trying to help them navigate those emotions in class.

(Image credit: Rebecca Redelmeier)



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Saturday, 21 December 2024

Latinos are the fastest-growing fanbase in the NFL. What's the league's playbook?

Fans cheer before an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City in 2019. The NFL plans to play as many as eight international games beginning next season. The NFL

The NFL is reaching more Latinos than ever. Here's how they've scored with a Spanish-speaking audience.

(Image credit: Rebecca Blackwell)



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How AI deepfakes polluted elections in 2024

Voters leave after casting their ballot at a polling station in the final phase of voting in India

The most visible use of AI in many countries was to create memes and content whose artificial origins weren't disguised. They were often openly shared by politicians and their supporters.

(Image credit: Dibyangshu Sarkar)



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Friday, 20 December 2024

Big Health Care is ending a terrible year. Is anyone happy with this business?

People demonstrating against the health care industry stand outside Federal Criminal Court as Luigi Mangione, suspect in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appears during an arraignment hearing on Dec. 19, 2024 in New York City.

Patients are protesting, bipartisan lawmakers are threatening regulation – and investors are selling their shares. 

(Image credit: John Lamparski)



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Thursday, 19 December 2024

About 10,000 Amazon workers authorize plan to strike Thursday

Teamsters General President Sean M. O

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said workers in Atlanta, New York City, California and Illinois plan to join the picket line.

(Image credit: Stefan Jeremiah)



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Wednesday, 18 December 2024

'Cancer ghosting' can be more painful than treatment, survivors say

Chelsey Gomez was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 28. Cancer ghosting "is the most painful thing" she says, "because you
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Loss of social support after a cancer diagnosis is a surprisingly common experience, social workers and cancer patients say. For young cancer survivors, it is a particularly difficult part of the disease.

(Image credit: Zack Wittman for NPR)



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Tuesday, 17 December 2024

FBI warns Americans to keep their text messages secure: What to know

The FBI and other agencies are encouraging people to use end-to-end encryption, citing what they say is a sustained hacking operation linked to China. In this 2021 photo, a smartphone

The U.S. believes hackers affiliated with China's government are infiltrating telecoms and stealing users' data. The FBI has urged people to use end-to-end encryption to keep their info safe.

(Image credit: Damien Meyer)



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Monday, 16 December 2024

France rushes help to Mayotte, where hundreds are feared dead from Cyclone Chido

This photo provided Dec.15, 2024 by the Civil Security shows rescue workers clearing an area in the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, after Cyclone Chido caused extensive damage with reports of several fatalities.

France was rushing help by ship and military aircraft to its poor overseas territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean on Monday after the island was shattered by its worst storm in nearly a century.

(Image credit: AP)



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