Nearly 6,000 migrant workers from various parts of Mumbai left the city in five Shramik Specials on Saturday, making it the highest number of trains t

The lack of supportive policies for families in the United States, such as paid parental leave, has serious implications for health equity, as it affects families’ overall health and financial stability, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Will Davidson and his Minecraft creation, modeled off the Santa Cruz Mission; Credit: Steve Henn

Minecraft is a deceptively simple video game. You're dropped into a virtual world, and you get to build things. It's like a digital Lego set, but with infinite pieces.

Its simplicity makes it a big hit with kids, like 10-year old Will Davidson. Last year, Will built a Spanish mission for a school report. He modeled his off the Santa Cruz Mission. "I made a chapel over here," Davidson says. "I also have a bell tower."

After he turned in his report, he added a few things. Like skeleton archers. "And zombies ... and exploding things, and spiders, that try to kill you," he said.

Minecraft is popular with kids because they're free to create almost anything, says Ramin Shokrizade, a game designer.

Also, kids aren't manipulated into clicking buttons to buy add-ons within the game. In other games, designers give players a special power for free at first, then take it away and offer it back at a price.

Zynga, the creator of Farmville, calls this fun pain, according to Shokrizade. "That's the idea that, if you make the consumer uncomfortable enough, and then tell them that for money we'll make you less uncomfortable, then [they] will give us money," he says.

Kids, Shokrizade says, are especially susceptible to this — and Minecraft has a loyal following, in part, because it doesn't do it.

Susan Linn, from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, agrees. She says a big reason she likes Minecraft is because after you purchase the game upfront, that's it.

"Parents don't have to worry that their kids are going to be targeted for more marketing," Linn says. "How forward-thinking!"

But Linn is worried. Microsoft bought Mojang, the company that created Minecraft, on Monday for $2.5 billion, and she says that any time a large company spends billions to acquire a smaller company, executives are bound start looking for new ways to get even more money out of it.

The Census Bureau says it will continue its relaunch of limited field operations for the 2020 census next week in some rural communities in nine states.; Credit: Matt Rourke/AP

The Census Bureau says it is continuing the gradual relaunch of limited field operations for the 2020 census next week in nine states where the coronavirus pandemic forced the hand-delivery of paper forms in rural areas to be suspended in mid-March.

On May 13, some local census offices in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington are scheduled to restart that fieldwork, according to an updated schedule the bureau published on its website Friday.

All workers are expected to be trained in CDC guidance in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and besides a new reusable face mask for every 10 days worked and a pair of gloves for each work day, the bureau has ordered 2 ounces of hand sanitizer for each census worker conducting field operations, the bureau tells NPR in an email.

The announcement means more households that receive their mail at post office boxes or drop points are expected to find paper questionnaires left outside their front doors soon. In areas where access to the online census form at my2020census.gov can be spotty, paper forms help ensure that all homes can participate in the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident.

The results are used to determine how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets through 2030. They also guide the redrawing of voting districts and the distribution of an estimated $1.5 trillion a year in federal funding for schools, roads and other public services in local communities.

The Census Bureau also announced on Friday that fingerprinting for newly hired census workers will pick up again next week in and around Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Pittsburgh. With responses from close to 86 million households bringing the national self-response rate to just over 58% as of Thursday, the federal government is relying on staffing up with enough door knockers to complete the count. They're currently scheduled to make in-person visits to unresponsive homes starting in August.

Last month, Census Bureau officials asked Congress to consider pushing back the legal deadlines for delivering census data used to reapportion House seats and reshape voting maps by four months because of the delays brought on by the coronavirus.

In a letter to U.S. Senate leaders released on Friday, more than a dozen Democratic senators led by Brian Schatz of Hawaii are calling for the next COVID-19 relief package to include more funding and requirements for the Census Bureau "to keep both field workers and the public safe while conducting this constitutionally required enumeration."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The long-lasting and negative effects of intensive farming on soils persist even where complex animal communities have been reintroduced to the soil in attempt to restore the natural balance, according to a recent study. The findings highlight the possible effects of historical land use on soils' ability to deliver ecosystem services.

The long-lasting and negative effects of intensive farming on soils persist even where complex animal communities have been reintroduced to the soil in attempt to restore the natural balance, according to a recent study. The findings highlight the possible effects of historical land use on soils' ability to deliver ecosystem services.

Areas of mariculture — where marine organisms are cultivated for food — have been identified as important source areas for the dispersal of invasive alien species (IAS) via artificial floating litter. In order to identify IAS at high risk of dispersal via this method, researchers have analysed fouled anthropogenic litter sampled on beaches in two important European mariculture areas. Overall, the team detected eight aquaculture-related IAS attached to anthropogenic litter. All of these species are well adapted to rafting on artificial surfaces and have high potential to disperse in this way, suggesting that they are suitable candidates for closer monitoring and policy action in the future.

Past economic activity is more likely to explain the current pattern of biological invasions across Europe than recent human activities, according to a new study. It can take several decades before a newly introduced species becomes established and spreads, which may mean that recent invasions caused by current economic activities could create an 'invasion debt' for future generations.

After weeks of absence, sea lions are starting to climb back onto the docks at San Francisco's Pier 39 and SF Weekly thinks they know why they left in the first

The USDA is expected to announce that schools will be able to request beef patties with or without the controversial filler.

The three-term New York mayor was famous for his outspoken persona and economic rekindling, but he also had a little-known green streak.

The dead trees, plants and leaves at Chernobyl don't decay at nearly the same rate as plants elsewhere.

Deep sea explorers capture video of a rare encounter with a piglet squid, so named because it appears to have a snout.

Left all alone, this dog 'plays' the piano and 'sings' the blues.

It's unlikely that coffee or tea is growing in your garden, so after you finish that cup, put the grounds to work with these clever ideas.

This foliage map from SmokeyMountains.com is a handy, up-to-date guide to fall leaf season all over the country.

We've given far too much of our lives to Facebook to give up on the relationship now.

Coal mines are destroying the life that its miners have come to know through pollution and job loss.

A storm chaser captured stunning clear video of a perfect tornado in Wyoming.

Apple is defending its decision to have its products removed from the EPEAT environmental standards certification program. Speaking to The Loop, Apple spokesper

The opening of Colorado's pot emporiums has led to a stained relationship between landlords and those looking to puff in the privacy of their apartments.

Chuck Leavell, the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and the co-founder of MNN, interviews Ovie Mughelli, the fullback for the Atlanta Falcons about his passio

Chuck Leavell, the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and the cofounder of MNN, interviews rapper Ludacris about recycling, water conservation, and his foundati

"Growing a Better America" offers lessons on how the United States can keep growing without sacrificing the environment.

The Rolling Stones keyboardist and MNN co-founder sheds light on the band's new single, which includes a reference to hydraulic fracturing, aka 'fracking.'

The delicate tremble of aspen leaves in low-wind conditions may generate enough backup energy to save and extend the life of future Mars rovers.

After 46 years at the space agency, one of America's most famous climate scientists will now focus on rallying support for the fight against climate change.

Did you know that rounder leaves have greater daily light interception and carbon gain? Here's how and why plants change the shape of their leaves.

As millennials turn away from driving and car ownership, will college students finally stop keeping cars on campus?

Just ask Jenna and Guillaume, who quit their 9-to-5 jobs to pursue their dream of touring North America in a custom-built tiny house.

From the emphasis on nature to the secret location aspect, there's a lot to like about this off-grid lodging concept from Belgium.

Working mothers can't win. New research finds society judges us negatively whether we take maternity leave or not.

A Norwegian company offers paid time off to give people time to bond with their new pets.

92 countries lack a national policy that grants fathers paid paternity leave, including the United States.

As Justice John Paul Stevens steps down from the bench, environmentalists remember a "green justice." Though little is known about her environmental positions,

You can't eat rhubarb leaves because they're high in oxalic acid, but they're still useful. Here's what to do with them.

The Artificial Inorganic Leaf (AIL) may unlock the secrets to producing cheap, clean hydrogen by mimicking the photosynthetic structure of the leaf.

Music is only one of Chuck Leavell's passions. He is also a tree farmer and dedicated environmentalist. Learn more about his new series, In the Green Room.

Watch Part I of Chuck's exclusive interview and take the quiz below to win tickets to the 10,000 Lakes Festival.

Watch part 2 of Chuck's interview with Widespread Panic's John Bell.

Popular online shopping holiday produces billions of dollars in sales — and billions of boxes in the trash.

'The Secret Life of Pets' is a hilarious rendition of what happens when you leave your pet home alone.

Chimp Haven sanctuary has new open-air corral for climbing, playing and exploring.

Watch street magician Andrew Mayne knock people's socks off with these eight stunts.

Despite fantastic cabin service and other amenities, these sky marathons can tax even seasoned travelers.