Thank colliding stars for your jewelry

Astronomers used gravitational waves to locate two neutron stars smashing together. The discovery solves a long-standing mystery about the origin of gold and platinum.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images A Trump golf course said it gave millions to charity. Here's what the numbers say Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles, claimed as recently as this summer to have donated $5 million to charitable causes. NPR began digging into the numbers and ultimately could confirm only about $800,000 in donations. The club removed the list of charities in early September. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Pollution kills 3 times more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, researchers say Nine million people died in 2015 because of exposure to pollution, according to a new report in The Lancet. That figure adds up to 16 percent of all deaths worldwide. "No country is unaffected," the report notes. But 92 percent of those deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Robin Dienel/Carnegie Institution for Science Astronomers strike gravitational gold In an astonishing discovery, astronomers caught two neutron stars in the act of colliding, revealing that these strange smashups are the source of heavy elements such as gold and platinum. The collision created 200 Earth masses of pure gold, along with other elements. MCKIBILLO/Getty Images/Imagezoo A sleep scientist talks about how to catch that snooze time and why you need more "Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep for no apparent gain," says Matthew Walker, the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. And no, sleeping in on the weekends does not make up those lost hours during the workweek. LA Johnson/NPR A year of love and struggle in a new high school When this new boys-only, public school in Washington, D.C., opened its doors in August 2016 to a class of roughly 100 freshmen of color, NPR and Education Week were there. All. Year. Here are some of the adults who made it a reality. You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002