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Stories
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Science
Just how big can a snowflake get? It depends on what you mean by 'snowflake'
The Guinness World Record folks would have us believe in a 19th century snowflake more than a foot wide, but some scientists are skeptical.
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Books
NPR staffers share their non-fiction picks from Books We Love
NPR staffers recommend non-fiction reads from our Books We Love list: "On Minimalism," "Anansi's Gold," "Asian-Americans in an Anti-Black World," and "The Wager."
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Health
This African bird will lead you to honey, if you call to it in just the right way
The wild honeyguide responds to distinct calls from local honey foragers. Says one researcher: The bird basically seems to be saying, "Hey, I'm here and I know where there's some honey, so follow me."
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Health
What can trigger an itch? Scientists have found a new culprit
This itchy microbe really touches a nerve. A common skin bacterium can directly interact with a nerve cell to trigger an itch, new study shows, suggesting possible new therapies for itchy conditions.
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Science
Clouds made of sand make for a strange kind of rain on this hot planet
On Earth, clouds and rain are made of water. But the James Webb Space Telescope has found that on a planet called WASP-107b, the rain and clouds are made of sand.
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Health
More medical gloves are coming from China, as U.S. makers of protective gear struggle
The federal government has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to boost American production of medical gloves, but some companies say it's not enough when imported gloves have gotten cheaper.
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Science
Take a peek at what NASA brought back from an asteroid
Scientists are thrilled with the tiny asphalt-black rocks, and most of the sample hasn't even been revealed yet.
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Science
Nobel Prize in chemistry goes to three scientists for tiny, colorful quantum dots
Three scientists were honored for their work with the tiny nanoparticles that allow for very bright colors. They are used in many electronics, like LED displays.
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Science
Watch Live: NASA sends an asteroid sample back to Earth
NASA's Osiris-REx mission sends a pristine sample of asteroid back to Earth Sunday morning. If it lands successfully, this cupful-or-so of space rock could shed light on the solar system's origins.
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Science
NASA effort to bring home asteroid rocks will end this weekend in triumph or a crash
NASA's first effort to retrieve samples from an asteroid will send a capsule that contains extraterrestrial pebbles and dust plunging towards a Utah desert on Sunday.