PBS | Life & News

Monday, June 1, 2026

Education

Kids cartoon characters that use AI to customize responses help children learn

Staff Writer - May 1, 2023

Ying Xu, University of Michigan The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

EXPLORING NATURE

Formula 1 drivers maneuver for position during the 2026 Miami Formula One Grand Prix in Florida. Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images

Environment

Formula 1 racing shows the hard part of reaching net‑zero carbon...

Staff Writer - May 19, 2026

Caitlin Grady, George Washington University and Sachi Nandurkar, George Washington University Formula 1 auto racing is one of the...

Mifepristone is one of two drugs typically used in medication abortions. Carl Lokko/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Supreme Court preserves access to mifepristone via telehealth – at least...

May 17, 2026

You can make AI chatbots spout information that’s not true. Nicoletaionescu/iStock via Getty Images

You can persuade AI models to accept falsehoods as truth, study shows

May 16, 2026

Emphasizing the sounds of certain words to young children can help them retain language, not confuse them about speaking properly. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Is baby talk bad? Why ‘parentese’ actually helps babies learn language

May 16, 2026

Colorado’s peach industry is threatened by a fungal disease. Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images

A fungal disease, along with climate change, threatens Colorado’s prized peaches

May 15, 2026