PBS News Hour - Science

An FDA advisory committee began a two-day meeting to consider lifting a ban and widening access to seven popular peptides. They have seen a surge of support from wellness influencers and others, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Dhruv Khullar, who wrote the New Yorker article, "Why Are People Injecting Themselves with Peptides?" PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Breakthroughs in Chinese AI models are sending shockwaves through Washington and Silicon Valley. Chinese companies are narrowing the AI gap despite vast differences in computing power and resources. It comes as the White House is planning to redirect billions in funding from universities to individuals in a bid to accelerate AI innovation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Amrith Ramkumar. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Artificial intelligence is fueling stock market highs, economic growth and a construction boom across the country. But it is also igniting fierce local debates about the benefits, the costs and whether the data centers that power AI should be built at all. Economics correspondent Paul Solman looks at how one of those battles is playing out in the Midwest. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Federal officials are still trying to determine the source of a multistate outbreak linked to lettuce. There may be more than 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide. The FDA said that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms that was initially reported as positive for cyclospora was actually a false positive. William Brangham discussed more with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina of Your Local Epidemiologist. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Alcohol is a product so tightly woven into our society that we struggle to see what it's really doing to us. Despite documented links between alcohol and cancer, heart and liver disease, over half of all drinkers think their own consumption doesn't raise their risk for serious health problems. Horizons mo derator William Brangham explores more with Lev Facher, Marissa Esser and Priscilla Martinez. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

More than 115 million people may be exposed to dangerous smoke and unhealthy air quality levels. That's because wildfire smoke is spreading and triggering health advisories in at least 17 states from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic. It's led to flight delays, the closure of pools and beaches, and the cancellation of many other outdoor activities. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

One of the biggest concerns about artificial intelligence is how children and teens use it daily. Critics say the tech companies are not doing enough to protect children, can't be trusted and argue more regulation is needed. The Omidyar Network, a tech philanthropic firm, is out with a new approach of its own. Geoff Bennett discussed more with CEO Michele Jawando. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

From the American Revolution to today, conspiracy theories have been part of the American story in ways that may surprise us. In this episode of Judy Woodruff's "In Pursuit of Happiness," she sits down with Jesse Walker, author of "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory," to explore how conspiracy theories take shape -- and what they tell us about who we are.

PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

From air pollution to wildfires, from heat waves to vector-borne diseases, climate change harms our health and causes significant stress to the healthcare system. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores what can be done to protect people from a warming world with Victor Tsao of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and Lisa Patel of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

This past winter was an extraordinarily dry one in the western U.S. A lack of snowpack that normally feeds the Colorado River has only deepened the impact of a drought affecting tens of millions in seven states and Mexico. Accelerated by climate change, the drought is taking a bite out of farmers' plans in Colorado. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports for our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy