Up to this day in 1954 in American history, even a president of the United States, later President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, could be struck down by the debilitating effects of paralysis that is the signature of poliovirus.  The irony is that very few Americans perceived Roosevelt as “handicapped,” according to …

The future is full of virtual reality games, and applications. But one place where its utility is clearly going to have a positive impact is in the world of medicine. In London, the Virtual Reality Show is displaying some of the technologies that will change the way medicine, surgery, and …

Scientists meeting at the 7th European Conference on Space Debris, held in Darmstadt, Germany, say the density of space trash orbiting earth in some areas is so high that it may soon become dangerous to fly through it. VOA’s George Putic reports. …

Bison calves have been born in the area that makes up Alberta’s Banff National Park for the first time in 140 years, Parks Canada officials said Tuesday, marking a milestone in attempts to reintroduce a wild herd to the area. Conservation officers said three calves had been born since Saturday …

Dating app Tinder is hit or miss for humans, but wildlife conservationists hope it might lead to love for the world’s last male northern white rhino. The move is seen as a last-ditch effort to keep the species alive. “I don’t mean to be too forward, but the fate of …

A type of worm could help solve the growing problem of plastic pollution. The common wax worm, or Galleria mellonella, researchers say, can eat plastic and could help reduce the waste caused by the one trillion polyethylene plastic bags used around the world annually. “We have found that the larva …

India is plundering the land of its indigenous people to profit from mining, with little regard of the devastation caused to poor tribal communities, said an Indian land rights activist who won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize on Monday. Prafulla Samantara, 66, from India’s eastern state of Odisha is one …

The World Health Organization has announced that trials of a new malaria vaccine will take place in three African countries – Kenya, Ghana and Malawi. They have been selected for their high prevalence of malaria and strong existing immunization programs for other diseases. The announcement was made ahead of the …

There’s a big difference between practicing dentistry, and finding a way to practice being a dentist. But thanks to the world of virtual reality, dentists-in-training have a new way to practice their craft through the relatively new technology of mixed reality (MR), where the virtual world meets the real world. …

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off the west coast of Chile on Monday, rocking the capital Santiago and briefly causing alarm along the Pacific Coast but sparing the quake-prone nation of any serious damage. The quake was centered about 85 miles (137 km) from Santiago, and some 22 …

An experimental blood test can quickly and accurately diagnose malaria from other infections, so treatment of the mosquito-borne illness can be started promptly.  The symptoms of malaria, which strikes an estimated 200 million people around the globe every year, are non-specific.  That means the fever, aches, pains and chills in …

After an unprecedented global rally in support of science-based policymaking, organizers of last Saturday’s March for Science say the real measure of success will be whether they can translate the event’s enthusiasm into action. After crowds rallied in Washington and more than 600 other locations around the world April 22, …

U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson on Monday broke the record for most accumulated time spent in orbit by an American. Commander Whitson, who is aboard the International Space Station, was congratulated by U.S. President Donald Trump, who spoke to space station astronauts via video. “Five-hundred thirty-four days and counting. That’s an …

The World Health Organization has chosen Ghana, Kenya and Malawi as the countries where the world’s first malaria vaccine will be tested next year on young children. The injectable vaccine, known as RTS,S, or Mosquirix, was developed by the British pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline. The test will be conducted on babies …

Concerted campaigns in the Greater Mekong Subregion [GMS] to radically reduce the impact of malaria has lifted hopes a vital target to eradicate malaria from the region may be within reach. Deyer Gobinath, a malaria technical officer with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Thailand, said the outlook is positive …

This year marks the half-way point in an international campaign to provide children and adults the world over with access to life-saving vaccines. VOA’s Carol Pearson reports on the progress – and what’s at stake in this campaign. …

Six years ago, 194 countries signed on to the Global Vaccine Action Plan, an international campaign to provide children and adults around the world with access to life-saving vaccines. The goal of the program is to prevent millions of people from getting vaccine-preventable diseases by the time it ends in …

Drawn-out deaths. Communities torn apart. Survivor’s guilt. Patrick Fallah says his memories of the days when the Ebola virus swept through Liberia are so awful that he sometimes has trouble focusing on the present. “Sometimes when I have a flashback of the death of my son and others who died …

Thousands of people around the world are expected to March for Science Saturday, Earth Day, in more than 600 locations, including Seoul, Madrid, London and Cape Town. The flagship event will be in Washington, featuring speakers and several large teach-in tents on the National Mall. There, scientists, educators and leaders …

The founder of Microsoft, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, has given a passionate defense of foreign aid while voicing fears the political climate in the U.S. and in Britain could result in cuts to aid budgets. In a speech this week in London, he warned that withdrawing aid would “create a …

Ear infections are one of those things almost everyone has to deal with. They’re painful, but generally easily treatable. But for many people, chronic ear infections can significantly affect their hearing and their quality of life. Polish doctors may have discovered a tiny solution for what can be a big …

The co-founder of Microsoft, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, has given a passionate defense of foreign aid and voiced fears that the political climate in the US and Britain could see aid budgets cut. In a speech in London this week, he warned that withdrawing aid would create a ‘leadership vacuum …

In 16 U.S. cities, citizen scientists, including schoolchildren, spent a few days this month documenting plant and animal species and helping scientists understand their regions’ diversity and the challenges many species face. The City Nature Challenge, held April 14-18, is a competition that was started last year by the Natural …

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft faces one last perilous adventure around Saturn.   Cassini swings past Saturn’s mega moon Titan early Saturday for a gravity-assisted, orbit-tweaking nudge.   “That last kiss goodbye,” as project manager Earl Maize calls it, will push Cassini onto a path no spacecraft has gone before — into …

In some of the world’s remotest corners, health workers armed with smartphones, digital maps and medication are making steady progress in eliminating trachoma, the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, a leading expert said. Better living conditions have wiped out trachoma in many countries but some 200 million people are …