Science & Health

Studies: More Green Space, Less Crime, Depression in Poor Areas

Green Space Cuts Urban Crime, Depression

A little green space can make a big difference in blighted city neighborhoods, according to recent research from Philadelphia. It found that turning vacant lots into mini-parks reduced crime and cut rates of depression, especially in low-income areas. VOA's Steve Baragona went to have a look.

Scientists Fear Non-Pest Insects are Declining

Scientists are noticing that the numbers of beneficial flying insects like bees, ladybugs, fireflies and butterflies seem to be declining. They can't be certain about what's happening, but possible reasons include habitat loss, insecticide use, the killing of native weeds, single-crop agriculture, invasive species, light pollution, highway traffic and climate change. As Faith Lapidus reports, the potential causes seem to lead back to what humans are doing to the environment.

WHO: Progress Made Containing Ebola in Eastern DRC

Outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces remains active but substantial progress being reported in efforts to rein in further spread of disease

WHO: Alcohol Responsible for One in 20 Deaths Worldwide

Report notes alcohol is linked to more than 200 health conditions and says men account for more than three quarters of alcohol-related deaths

Hurricane Scale Ignores Rain Dangers, Experts Say

Communities along the U.S. southeast coast are drying out after Hurricane Florence. The storm poured more than 80 centimeters of rain in parts of the Southeastern United States, causing catastrophic flooding. Hurricanes are categorized by their wind speeds. But that's not always what does the most damage. Some experts say we should reconsider the scale. VOA's Steve Baragona has more.

NASA Telescope Discovers Two New Planets Five Months after Launch

TESS is designed to build on the work of its predecessor, the Kepler space telescope, which discovered the bulk of some 3,700 exoplanets documented during the past 20 years and is running out of fuel

One in Three Gun-owning US Veterans Don't Store Weapons Safely

Survey looked at nationally representative sample of US adults in 2015, including 1,044 who had served in military

Bye Bye Bugs? Scientists Fear Non-Pest Insects Are Declining

Scientists think something is amiss, but they can’t be certain

Removing 'Zombie' Cells Deters Alzheimer's in Mice

But the new results, published in 'Nature,' are the first to demonstrate a cause-and-effect link with a specific disease, Alzheimer's, the scientists said

Zimbabwe Government Pledges Funds to Fight Cholera Outbreak in Harare

Zimbabwe Government Pledges Funds to Fight Cholera Outbreak in Harare