China Says It Will Shut Down Its Ivory Trade in 2017
After years of negotiation with wildlife conservation groups, China's government has now set a timetable to end its legal ivory trade--March 2017.
Science
Design Thinking Could Help Those Who Want To Get Unstuck
Psychologists and self help gurus have advice for people who feel stuck. If you're looking for new ways to reboot your life as you enter the new year, you could also turn to the tech world.
Is The Warning That Creatine's Not For Teens Getting Through?
Researchers who surveyed 244 shops across the U.S. found that, despite label warnings, two thirds would recommend the dietary supplement to a 15-year-old football player trying to gain muscle.
Easing Old People's Loneliness Can Help Keep Them Healthy
Little Brothers, which operates in San Francisco and several other cities, sends volunteers to brighten up the lives of isolated elderly people, helping them reduce the risk of serious illness.
Coal Country Picked Trump. Now, They Want Him To Keep His Promises
Voters in coal country overwhelmingly chose Donald Trump. They liked his promises to create jobs, even if they didn't like his other rhetoric. Now, they're waiting to see if coal can make a comeback.
Unexpected Risks Found In Editing Genes To Prevent Inherited Disorders
In 2016, scientists combined the genes of three people in an effort to make a baby free of an inherited disease. But the process doesn't wipe out all faulty mitochondria, and could pose new risks.
A Skeptic Fact-Checks Yoga's Health Claims And Goes With The Om
Yoga has been promoted as the cure for many ills, from diabetes to insomnia. Scientific proof is mixed. But this skeptic says if yoga makes climbing the stairs hurt less, that's good enough.
When Bats Squeak, They Tend To Squabble
Researchers have found new clues to how bats communicate. And it turns out they tend to argue — a lot. The research could lead to a broader understanding of animal communication.
By Returning To Farming's Roots, He Found His American Dream
David Fisher's farm is a kind of American Dream. Not the conventional one of upward economic mobility. This is the utopian version, the uncompromising pursuit of a difficult agrarian ideal.
From Psychedelics To Alzheimer's, 2016 Was A Good Year For Brain Science
A woman with ALS was able to type just by thinking about the letters, and people with cancer found their anxiety and depression erased by a single encounter with magic mushrooms.