Science & Technology Coverage | PBS NewsHour Podcast | PBS

Are U.S. Nuclear Plants Ready for a Fukushima-Like Meltdown?

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:26:00 EDT

When Chairman Gregory Jaczko resigned from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week, reports suggested it was linked to battles within the commission over safety requirements. In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Miles O'Brien reports on how government regulators in the U.S. set the safety bar for nuclear plants.

News Wrap: International Space Station Grasps SpaceX 'Dragon' Capsule

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:07:00 EDT

In other news Friday, the unmanned SpaceX "Dragon" spacecraft was captured by the International Space Station's robot arm in a rendezvous high over Australia. In Syria, anti-government activists reported an army assault killed at least 50 people in the central part of the country.

As Golden Gate Bridge Turns 75, History Revised to Honor Engineer

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:45:00 EDT

The Golden Gate Bridge opened to traffic on May 27, 1937. This weekend, 75 years later, San Francisco plans to celebrate while honoring the engineer whose contributions to the design were purposefully obliterated: Charles Ellis. Spencer Michels delves into Ellis' story, and into the man who did get the credit -- Joseph Strauss.

A Year After Joplin's Tornado, Disaster's 'Immensity' Still a Challenge

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:26:00 EDT

One year ago, a tornado packing 200 mph winds tore through the city of Joplin, Mo., killing 161 people and destroying 8,000 buildings -- including many homes. Gwen Ifill and businesswoman Jane Cage, who leads the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team, discuss life in Joplin now and down the road.

SpaceX Blasts Into 'Uncharted Territory,' Hoping to Make Space Cheaper

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:18:00 EDT

After several delays -- including a last-second abort on Saturday when computers spotted a bad engine valve, Space Explorations Technologies Corporation on Tuesday became the first private company to send a vessel to the International Space Station. Jeffrey Brown and Miles O'Brien discuss the significance of the SpaceX launch.

'The Information Diet': Should Americans Exercise More 'Conscious Consumption'?

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:44:00 EDT

Clay Johnson, author of "The Information Diet: A Case for Conscious Consumption", discusses with Hari Sreenivasan how abundant technology affects our health -- producing pulsing side effects such as "email apnea" or "reality dysmorphia."

The Future of Prosthetics: Mind-Bending Robotic Arms

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:35:00 EDT

Researchers have shown that patients paralyzed from the neck down can move robotic arms with their minds, according to a new report in the journal Nature that documents two cases involving brain-stem stroke victims. Margaret Warner discusses the hopes for the technology with Dr. Leigh Hochberg of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Chimpanzee Testing: Is it the Beginning of the End?

Thu, 10 May 2012 18:26:00 EDT

Medical experiments on chimpanzees can be invasive, involving injections, blood samples and liver biopsies. But some say it's the only way to advance medicine. Miles O'Brien's report explores whether there are ever instances in which the scientific value of research should offset the moral cost of working with chimps.

Incredible, Edible Bugs: Will Meals of Mealworms Catch on in U.S.?

Mon, 07 May 2012 18:30:00 EDT

Most Americans would squirm when even thinking of eating a grasshopper or locust. But a movement is afoot to encourage insect eating with advocates praising bugs' low fat and high protein. Spencer Michels tasted wax moth larvae tacos and crispy mealworms over ice cream to prepare this report on efforts to put bugs on U.S. menus.

SpaceX Boldly Looks to Blast 'Millions of People to Mars'

Thu, 03 May 2012 18:27:00 EDT

With the space shuttle era now over and U.S. space flight on the verge of going private for the near future, the company behind the so-called SpaceX project has ambitious plans to make space flight cheaper for cargo and for humans, with a bold idea to send millions of people to Mars. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports.

'Liquid Bandages' Could Help Re-Grow Skin, Save Lives

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:37:00 EDT

Dr. Mark Carlson of Nebraska Surgical Research is developing a liquid bandage to stop bleeding quickly and potentially save lives in battlefield situations while also aiding future regenerative possibilities. This report was a collaboration with NET Nebraska and KQED San Francisco's Quest science program.

Bridging the Gender Gap: Why More Women Aren't Computer Scientists, Engineers

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:45:00 EDT

"If you completely shut out the entire feminine perspective on the world," says Maria Klawe of Harvey Mudd College, "you're going to have a different set of products." Judy Woodruff and Klawe discuss why more women aren't pursuing careers in hard sciences, and Klawe's plans to bridge the gaps in engineering and computer science.

Gulf Still Grapples With Massive BP Oil Leak 2 Years Later

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:27:00 EDT

Two years after the largest oil leak in U.S. history, the Gulf of Mexico region still struggles with its impact. Jeffrey Brown, David Valentine of the University of California, Santa Barbara and Garret Graves of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana discuss the state of the Gulf and related industries.

Space Shuttle Discovery Draws Eyes to Sky for Final Flight

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:36:00 EDT

NASA's space shuttle Discovery captivated people in and around the nation's capital Tuesday as it flew piggy-back on a 747 over the Capitol en route on its last landing at Dulles International Airport. Gwen Ifill and Valerie Neal, a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, discuss its future as a museum piece.

Preventing a 'Cyber-Pearl Harbor'

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:28:00 EDT

Government-funded DETERlab was built to bring established scientific principles to the field of cybersecurity in hopes of preventing successful cyber attacks on targets such as power grids, banks and train systems. Correspondent Tom Bearden reports on the project's hopes for a nation "wholly vulnerable" to such threats.

Would a Major Earthquake Sink Portland or Seattle in Liquefied Soil?

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:26:00 EDT

Though the impact of Wednesday's 5.9-magnitude earthquake off Oregon's coast was minimal, a lesser-known risk of temblors -- a phenomenon called liquefaction where sandy soil turns to liquid and loses its ability to support weight -- has some scientists worried. Tom Bearden reports what's being done to prepare for a major quake.