David Kestenbaum
David Kestenbaum is a correspondent for NPR, covering science, energy issues and, most recently, the global economy for NPR's multimedia project Planet Money. David has been a science correspondent for NPR since 1999. He came to journalism the usual way — by getting a Ph.D. in physics first.
In his years at NPR, David has covered science's discoveries and its darker side, including the Northeast blackout, the anthrax attacks and the collapse of the New Orleans levees. He has also reported on energy issues, particularly nuclear and climate change.
David has won awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
David worked briefly on the show This American Life, and set up a radio journalism program in Cambodia on a Fulbright fellowship. He also teaches a journalism class at Johns Hopkins University.
David holds a bachelor's of science degree in physics from Yale University and a doctorate in physics from Harvard University.
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In their 2004 book, Gary Stern and Ron Feldman, top executives at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, cautioned the world about systemic financial risk and the need for more oversight. They admit to a fleeting sense of "I told you so."
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The DOJ says it's confident Army scientist Bruce Ivins sent the deadly anthrax letters in 2001. But Ivins' lawyer says dozens, if not hundreds, of scientists and contractors had access to those same anthrax spores. A detailed look at the government's allegations and Ivins' defense. -
Before Bruce Ivins became the focus of the anthrax investigation, suspicion had wrongly fallen on scientist Steven Hatfill. But the evidence against Ivins is much stronger. Investigators say he had the expertise, opportunity and access to carry out the attacks.
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The anthrax attacks have been under investigation for more than six years. One of the reasons it's taken so long is that the FBI had to invent new scientific procedures to pin down where microscopic spores came from and who could have sent them.
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Scientist Bruce E. Ivins was respected by his colleagues at the Army biodefense research center at Fort Detrick in Maryland. His death, and his possible connection to an FBI investigation in the 2001 anthrax killings, hits a tight-knit community.
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Burce Ivins worked at the government's Fort Detrick lab on anthrax vaccines. He was questioned by the FBI during its seven-year investigation of the anthrax killings and was involved in the analysis of samples from the mailings that contained anthrax.
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Federal lawmakers are moving toward a ban on using certain chemicals called phthalates in children's toys. Phthalates are chemicals that are used to make plastics more flexible.
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For the first time, a NASA lander has touched Martian ice. Scientists say they are convinced white chunks dug up by the Phoenix craft are in fact frozen water on the Red Planet.
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Advocates of NASA's plan to return to the moon are concerned that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he will raid NASA's budget to fund education. While the issue of space exploration hasn't gotten much attention this campaign season, it is a topic on which the candidates do differ.
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Now that space shuttle Atlantis has safely returned to Earth, the Pentagon plans to shoot down a failing spy satellite as early as Wednesday night. The Navy will launch a missile in an attempt to destroy the satellite before it crashes to Earth.
