The influenza virus can kill tens of thousands of Americans in any given year. And this year’s flu season looks like it could be a doozy. Infection rates are higher than they were at this time in recent years, and the strain that hit the southern hemisphere caused record hospitalizations and deaths in Australia. One problem: although the virus strain that scientists selected for the vaccine was the correct one, it mutated once it was put into eggs. Researchers say this kind of situation

The North Atlantic right whale is Massachusetts’ state marine mammal, and a New England icon. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, the species is again in danger. There are only about 450 individuals remaining, the numbers are declining, and this year was particularly deadly. A leading researcher says that, under current conditions, North Atlantic right whales are just two decades away from extinction. But he says there are technologies and policies that could change that. We talk to Mark

Cuba is home to some of the Caribbean’s most pristine coral reefs, in part because of the lack of tourism. As President Obama began normalizing relations with Cuba, Amy Apprill began working with Cuban scientists to study their reefs. Now, for the first time, a joint Cuban-American expedition has delved into the highly protected Gardens of the Queen reefs. But political tensions make the future of the work uncertain. We talk to Amy Apprill, a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 's research ship Atlantis is launching a second expedition to help search for an Argentinian submarine that’s been missing since mid-November. The ARA San Juan left the southern tip of Argentina and was headed north along the coast when the crew reported a battery short circuit and then lost all contact. Argentine officials now say they think an explosion killed all forty four crew members. Russian and American ships are among those working to find and

Scientists aid search for lost submarine: Argentina lost contact with one of its military submarines in mid-November, and there’s been an international effort to locate it. The Woods Hole-based research ship Atlantis is involved, and so is an international group that typically monitors nuclear test activity. It's not the first time either group has been called on to help find a lost submarine or downed airliner. Smart implants could help treat mental health disorders: Researchers funded by DARPA

Meteorological winter is upon us, and if you’re wondering what the next few months have in store weather-wise, you have a few options. There’s always the Farmer’s Almanac which – by the way – is predicting a cold, snowy winter here in New England. If you want something more scientific, there’s the The National Weather Service's winter weather outlook, which is calling for warmer than average winter temperatures in the northeast. But Lexington-based Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER)

Teen depression rates jumped thirty three percent between 2010 and 2015, while suicide attempts rose by almost a quarter. Psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University has sifted through the various possible explanations and says only one factor explains the abrupt shift in American teens’ mental health – smart phones. Over the same period, the fraction of teens with access to smart phones rose to almost three quarters, and has continued to rise. The pervasiveness of smart phones seems

A protest this weekend at the site of a proposed natural gas power generator on the Cape Cod Canal highlights the controversy surrounding the rise of natural gas. Some say it’s an improvement over other fossil fuels, and a necessary bridge to a more renewable energy system. Others say it’s still a fossil fuel, and we should be investing in solar instead. The director of research at MIT’s Energy Initiative , Francis O’Sullivan, says neither side is completely right – or wrong. In a 2011 report on

It’s time for your yearly flu shot. But why do we have to do this every year? Why can’t we get a flu shot once – maybe a booster now and again – and be done with it, like we do with other vaccinations? There are scientists working to accomplish just that. David Topham at University of Rochester Medical Center is on the task, but he warns that some efforts to develop a universal flu vaccine may not be as successful as hoped. Still, the NIH has a goal to develop such a vaccine in the next five

Food insecurity and climate change are affecting millions of people today. Some experts say ocean farming ( aquaculture) could help address both of those issues. On Living Lab, we talk with Scott Lindell, aquaculture researcher at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution .