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The Two-Way
8:50 am
Thu March 14, 2013

'God Particle' Update: Scientists Think They've Pinned Down The Higgs Boson

Credit ATLAS Experiment/CERN
This is what researchers at the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider expect a Higgs boson to look like. The Higgs boson is the subatomic particle that scientists say gives everything in the universe mass.

Originally published on Thu March 14, 2013 9:03 am

"Scientists working with data from a large particle accelerator in Europe are now almost certain they have pinned down the elusive sub-atomic particle known as the Higgs Boson," NPR's Joe Palca tells our Newscast Desk.

Or, as it's also known, the "God Particle" (more on that moniker below).

Joe reports that:

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The Two-Way
6:48 am
Thu March 14, 2013

Book News: Apple CEO Ordered To Testify In E-Book Price Fixing Case

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly been ordered to testify for four hours in the U.S. government's case against the company.

Originally published on Thu March 14, 2013 6:37 am

The daily lowdown on books, publishing, and the occasional author behaving badly.

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All Tech Considered
5:44 pm
Wed March 13, 2013

'Serendipitous Interaction' Key To Tech Firms' Workplace Design

Credit Krasilnikov Stanislav / ITAR-TASS /Landov
Google employees play chess at the company's Russian headquarters in Moscow. Experts say tech companies are using "serendipitous interaction" in their workplace design to promote idea sharing and communication between employees.

When Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer decided to end full-time work-from-home arrangements at her company, a cultural firestorm ignited. But it was just the latest step in Mayer's effort to transform Yahoo's culture.

When the company was founded in the 1990s, it was one of the most exciting places to work in Silicon Valley. Those days are over; Yahoo has fallen woefully behind in the talent wars and now is trying to catch up.

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The Salt
4:13 pm
Wed March 13, 2013

Sorry, But Bananas Won't Calm Your Caffeine Jitters

Credit Daniel M.N. Turner / NPR
Some baristas swear that bananas can cure your coffee jitters, but the science just doesn't add up.

Originally published on Thu March 14, 2013 8:43 am

It happens to the best of us. You drink one too many cups of coffee and, for the next few hours, you end up acting like a hyper preschooler who just can't sit still.

Which can be pretty inconvenient if it's, say, noon and you're at the office, or if it's midnight and you can't fall asleep.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were something quick and easy that you could take to combat the effects of over-caffeination? Something like ... a banana?

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Shots - Health News
10:38 am
Wed March 13, 2013

Can Free Video Consults Make Parkinson's Care Better?

Why, you might ask, would a hoity-toity medical institution like Johns Hopkins be offering up free Web-based consults for people with Parkinson's disease?

To prove that it works.

Ray Dorsey, director for the Johns Hopkins Movement Disorders Center, is on a mission to convince America that videochats with doctors are as good or better than the traditional office visit.

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The Salt
5:15 pm
Tue March 12, 2013

Can Dunkin' Donuts Really Turn Its Palm Oil Green?

Originally published on Tue March 12, 2013 6:13 pm

Dunkin' Donuts is changing its recipes — though you may not notice much difference the next time you bite into a cruller. In response to pressure from one of New York's top elected officials, the company recently announced that it will set a goal of using only 100 percent sustainable palm oil in making its donuts.

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Technology
4:44 pm
Tue March 12, 2013

Austin's Indie Game Scene Boosted By Failure Of Larger Companies

Originally published on Tue March 12, 2013 5:42 pm

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

There's a new element at this year's South by Southwest Festival in Austin - a gaming expo. Austin is a good place for it. The city has strong ties to the video game industry and its home to an estimated 7,000 independent game developers.

Reporter Noah Nelson, of Turnstyle News and Youth Radio, went in search of the indie gaming scene.

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Religion
4:44 pm
Tue March 12, 2013

Pope Apps And Websites Help You Stay Up To Speed On Papal Selection

Originally published on Tue March 12, 2013 5:42 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

When the smoke goes up, you'll know what's going down. That's the tag line for the website popealarm.com.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

It's just one of the many high-tech options out there for all of you on the edge of your seats, waiting for the first wisp of white smoke.

BLOCK: And if a website isn't immediate enough for you, there are a handful of new apps.

CORNISH: Pope2You, New Pope, iConclave.

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Animals
3:45 pm
Tue March 12, 2013

Quick Brown Fox Can't Find Camouflaged Quail Eggs

Originally published on Wed March 13, 2013 12:57 am

It's almost spring, and for many animals, warmer weather means it's time to find a mate. If you're a bird, finding that mate means a new clutch of eggs won't be far behind.

But keeping those eggs safe until they hatch can be a challenge, especially if you're a Japanese quail — a small ground-nesting bird that counts foxes among its predators.

The eggs of Coturnix japonica are tiny — not much bigger than a quarter. They're off-white or tan in color, with darker speckles.

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All Tech Considered
3:38 pm
Tue March 12, 2013

Dad's 'Donkey Kong' Hack Recasts Female As Hero For Daughter

Credit Screengrab via YouTube
A screenshot shows game designer Mike Mika's Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition he created for his daughter show she could play as a female hero.

Originally published on Tue March 12, 2013 5:42 pm

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