NPR

Bring Home The Tarantulas? As Research Halts, Scientists Face Difficult Decisions

With research projects on hold due to social distancing guidelines, many scientists are being forced to decide what to do with the creatures that they study.
With research projects on hold due to social distancing guidelines, scientists are being forced to decide what to do with the creatures that they study. Above, a Chilean rose tarantula on display at an exhibition in Hannover, Germany on Nov. 23, 2019.

The coronavirus lockdown has raised a conundrum for scientists around the globe: What to do with creatures they study now that research projects have come to a halt.

"Researchers with animals to care for were kind of in a panic," says Todd Waters,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR5 min readIndustries
China Makes Cheap Electric Vehicles. Why Can't American Shoppers Buy Them?
American drivers want cheap EVs. Chinese automakers are building them. But you can't buy them in the U.S., thanks to tariffs in the name of U.S. jobs and national security. Two car shoppers weigh in.
NPR4 min readInternational Relations
Hamas Says Latest Cease-fire Talks Have Ended. Israel Vows A Military Operation Soon
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo. Meanwhile, Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza after Hamas attacked it.
NPR7 min read
How One Stretch Of Interstate 20 Through Alabama Tells The Story Of American Workers
Three high-profile labor disputes have unfolded in central Alabama over the past several years, with Amazon warehouse workers, coal miners and autoworkers all speaking out for change.

Related Books & Audiobooks