Gamma-ray
astronomers get special star on their Christmas tree
-
"Astronomy is ending the year with a bang as scientists
across the world take advantage of a unique bit of NASA
teamwork that quickly located a gamma-ray burst, one of the
most violent events in the universe..."
A
Whale of a Full Moon -
"Although it's not officially winter yet, many revelers
north of the equator are already enjoying snowy weather and the
promise of a white Christmas. In fact, this Christmas promises
to be even whiter and brighter than usual thanks to the
extraordinary last full Moon of 1999..."
What
is the Y2K Problem? -
"Studies to define the scope of the Y2K problem and the costs
to fix it have produced widely varying results, causing confusion
and concern. The problem has caught the media's attention and the
public's imagination, and it has stimulated aggressive vendor
response..."
End
of Days à la Barbeque? -
"Dec. 16, 1999: A popular rumor making the rounds on the
Internet is that on Jan. 1, 2000, the sun will let loose with a
powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) that will zap important
communications satellites and short-circuit terrestrial power
grids..."
The
Day the Solar Wind Disappeared - For two days in May, 1999,
the solar wind that blows constantly from the Sun virtually
disappeared -- the most drastic and longest-lasting decrease ever
observed...
Mental
Health - From NPR (In Real Audio)
Linda and Noah report on the announcement in
Washington today of the Surgeon General's report on mental illness
in America. Surgeon General David Satcher says one in five Americans
suffer a diagnosable mental disorder, and that we now have
treatments for many of them...
Surgeon
General - From NPR (In Real Audio)
US Surgeon General David Satcher talks to Linda
about his report on mental health released today. Satcher attempts
to make mental health a national priority, and open debate on mental
illness. He says many Americans aren't willing to seek treatment
because mental illness carries a stigma, or because they have
inadequate health coverage...
Businesses
and Mental Health - From NPR (In Real Audio)
With today's release of the Surgeon
General's mental health report, NPR's Elaine Korry takes a look at
what many say is the biggest barrier to better treatment of mental
illness -- the reluctance of businesses to pay for coverage. Small
businesses complain that providing care at a level equal to other
illnesses would force them to drop coverage -- or even go out of
business. But companies who've done it say the coverage probably
saves money by reducing absences and improving performance...
Manic
Depression - Sarah's Story - From NPR (In Real Audio)
NPR's Joanne Silberner has
followed a woman with manic-depressive illness for several years.
Sarah has been in and out of mental hospitals, but now she's got two
part-time jobs and has been healthy for nearly two years. But
finding what's normal -- and holding onto it -- is a struggle.
Society's attitudes toward mental illness don't make it any easier...
