Geoff Brumfiel appears in the following:
Massive Iceberg Breaks Free In Antarctica
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Scientists say the iceberg is one of the largest seen by satellites. But the full implications of its separation off remain to be seen.
Total Failure: The Mountain That Got Away
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
In 2014, Emily Harrington set out to climb the tallest peak in Southeast Asia. She had to turn back with the summit in sight.
Total Failure: The World's Worst Video Game
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
In the late summer of 1982, one man worked around the clock to program the video game version of Steven Spielberg's E.T. in just five weeks. The result wasn't pretty.
Total Failure: When The Space Shuttle Didn't Come Home
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
In Part 1 of the series Total Failure, a former NASA official recalls the disastrous mission of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003 and how the accident changed his life forever.
The North Korean Electromagnetic Pulse Threat, Or Lack Thereof
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Can a nuclear weapon in space fired by North Korea knock off much of the world's electricity? Jeffrey Lewis, of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, says not really.
It Sounds Like Science Fiction But ... It's A Cliché
Sunday, April 09, 2017
The Internet is full of science fiction becoming science fact. NPR Science Editor Geoff Brumfiel is ready to make a stand. Sort of.
Experts Suspect Nerve Agent Was Used In Syrian Attack
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
An attack on a rebel-held region of Syria on Tuesday has killed dozens of people. Video and eyewitness reports suggest powerful chemical weapons are responsible.
SpaceX Reuses A Rocket To Launch A Satellite
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
The private company sees Thursday's achievement as a step toward cheaper flights into deep space. The aerospace industry essentially has been throwing away its hefty and expensive rockets.
EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Questions Basic Facts About Climate Change
Thursday, March 09, 2017
In an interview with CNBC, President Trump's EPA administrator said he did not believe carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming.
Do Showers Make Oranges Taste Better? NPR Investigates
Friday, March 03, 2017
The Internet is full of things, including a Reddit subgroup devoted to the act of eating an orange in the shower. We gave it a shot ourselves.
VX: The Nerve Agent Used To Kill Kim Jong Nam Is Rare And Deadly
Friday, February 24, 2017
A colorless, odorless liquid, similar in consistency to motor oil, VX kills in tiny quantities that can be absorbed through the skin. It is among the deadliest chemical weapons ever devised.
EPA Scientists' Work May Be Subject To Review By Trump Team
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
The Trump transition at the Environmental Protection Agency is off to a bumpy start. External communications have been frozen, and this morning NPR reported that even academic papers by agency scientists will be subject to review during the transition.
U.S. Report Confirms 2016 Was The Hottest Year On Record
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
2016 was the warmest year on record, according to a new report by the U.S. government. This is the third year in a row that global temperatures have soared above the 20th century average. The report comes ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has at times, referred to global warming as a "hoax."
Miniaturized Nuclear Power Plant? U.S. Reviewing Proposed Design
Friday, January 13, 2017
A company has submitted a design for what it describes as a "modular" nuclear power plant — a radical departure from other nuclear plants. Each module would be small enough to fit on a flat-bed truck.
North Korea 'Very Far Along' In Developing New Ballistic Missile
Friday, January 06, 2017
Many independent arms control experts suspect that North Korea will test a missile capable of reaching the continental U.S. later this year. There may not be much the U.S. can do about it.
Missing Malaysian Aircraft Is Likely Outside The Search Area, Report Finds
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
A new analysis of existing data suggests that MH370, which vanished in March 2014, might have gone down to the north of the existing search area in the Indian Ocean.
Russia Seen Moving New Missiles To Eastern Europe
Thursday, December 08, 2016
New satellite photos suggest Russia is preparing to base new nuclear-capable missiles in its Baltic enclave between Lithuania and Poland. The missiles are likely meant as a warning to the West.
Brain Scientists Trace Rat Ticklishness To Play Behavior
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Why and when tickling makes us laugh is still mysterious. But researchers who studied what happens in rat brains when they're tickled say they emit ultrasonic giggles, too — when in the mood for fun.
Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet Plunged Into Sea, New Report Suggests
Wednesday, November 02, 2016
A new analysis of debris found from the plane suggests it was not attempting an emergency landing.
Dinosaurs Down Under May Help Explain Prehistoric Migrations
Thursday, October 20, 2016
The remains of two titanosaur species discovered in Australia provide clues about how ancient plant-eaters proliferated.