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A scientist discovered the first lesula specimen being kept as a pet in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007.

Carl Zimmer wondered what secrets lurked in his genetic code — so he decided to have his genome sequenced. He writes about the implications of the study of genetics in She Has Her Mother's Laugh.

Author Kim Stanley Robinson knows that most science fiction fans think the best books were written in their youth — whenever that was. But in his case, he says, it's more than nostalgia: the late '60s and early '70s were a spectacular time for science fiction. He recommends three classics from that fruitful era.

President Obama has launched basic research to help scientists peer deep into the individual nerve circuits in the brain. There's also a more practical effort to restore the memories of injured soldiers by outfitting them with specialized brain implants.

When we listen to a new musical phrase, it is the parts of the brain that control muscle movement, not areas involved in hearing, that help us remember what we've heard. Keeping the notes in order is a little like getting your muscles to move at the right time.

Popular myth has long credited New York's soft water for the city's irresistibly crusty, chewy bagels. But the chemistry behind a superior bagel is more complicated.

Desks at least six feet apart, kids arriving at different times, eating lunch in the classrooms — the CDC has updated guidelines for re-opening public places, including schools.

Stripping naked is a good way to cool off on a steamy day. But that won't pass muster on the street. Scientists say light-colored, lightweight clothing is the next best thing.

The relationship between the Trump administration and the Environmental Protection Agency is off to a rough start. The new administration has instructed officials to freeze its grants and contracts, external communication has been frozen, and academic papers by agency scientists may be subject to review before publication. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Tracey Woodruff, a former senior scientist and policy advisor at the EPA under the Clinton and Bush administration, about whether previous transitions in administrations have always had been this rocky.

Chris Ferrie's board books introduce subjects like rocket science, quantum physics and general relativity to toddlers and babies. What can parents do to make the concepts resonate?