PBS News Hour - Science

The EPA has reportedly drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, demand on power plants is increasing, in large part due to AI’s reliance on data centers. Ali Rogin speaks with Kenza Bryan, climate reporter for The Financial Times, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Sharks have been cast as the ultimate villain ever since the movie “Jaws” was released 50 years ago this summer. The film tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing beachgoers, but in reality, humans pose the greater threat to sharks. Ali Rogin speaks with endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh, who wants to get that message out by swimming around Martha’s Vineyard, where “Jaws” was filmed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In late April, the Trump administration told hundreds of scientists and experts that they were no longer needed to compile the next national climate assessment, a flagship report mandated by Congress to catalog the ways climate change affects the country. John Yang speaks with Elizabeth Koebele, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was among the recipients of that message. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Doctors announced this week that they have treated a newborn baby with a rare genetic disease using the world’s first personalized gene editing therapy. Geoff Bennett discussed the treatment and its potential with Dr. Peter Marks. He oversaw gene therapy treatment and vaccine safety and approval for the FDA before he left in March. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Cheetahs, the fastest mammals on Earth, are now in a race against extinction. It’s estimated that fewer than 7,000 exist in the wild. John Yang speaks with Laurie Marker, a woman who has already helped dramatically reduce one threat to cheetahs and is tackling new ones that have emerged, for our Weekend Spotlight. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The deep sea covers about two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, but according to a new study, humans are estimated to have observed less than .001 percent of the deep seafloor — an area roughly the size of Rhode Island. Stephanie Sy speaks with the study’s author, Katy Croff Bell, who is working to change that. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In a remote part of Alaska, global warming is being blamed for endangering a treasure trove of Indigenous artifacts. Archaeologists at one dig site near the Bering Sea say they’re in a race against time. Nelufar Hedayat reports for the nonprofit news organization Evident Media. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Earlier in April, doctors at the National Institutes of Health made a promising step in the fight against cancer, announcing an immunotherapy treatment was able to shrink gastrointestinal tumors for about a quarter of patients. But NIH staffing shortages, layoffs and cuts are threatening to delay the rollout of this promising development. William Brangham speaks with Dr. Steven Rosenberg for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Coral reefs are a crucial part of the marine ecosystem, providing habitats for all sorts of marine life and protecting coastlines from storm damage. But scientists say rising ocean temperatures are posing a grave threat to the future of the world’s reefs. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For three decades, the EPA established offices nationwide to address disproportionately high levels of pollution in poor and minority communities. Now, the Trump administration is eliminating these environmental justice offices as part of its effort to end DEI programs and cut spending. Ali Rogin speaks with Amudalat Ajasa, who covers environmental health for The Washington Post, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders