Category: Lifestyle
The federal government is still shut down. Here’s what that means across the country
By The NPR Network It’s Day 22 of the federal government shutdown, and Republicans and Democrats appear no closer to an agreement to end it. Without a fix, many federal employees will not be getting paid this Friday, the first full paycheck they’ll miss as a result of the shutdown. By law federal workers are…
ICE tried to send one immigrant to a country he never lived in. Then he lawyered up.
Ximena Bustillo Samantha Surovtsev met her husband, Roman Surovtsev, in 2017 while jet skiing. When they started dating, Surovtsev was honest about his past. He told her that he had come from the former Soviet Union as a refugee at the age of four. And that when he was a teenager, his green card was…
CDC Cuts Threaten Public Health Nationwide, Fired Employees Say
CDC Cuts Threaten Public Health Nationwide, Fired Employees Say A quarter of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff is gone after the Trump administration’s latest reductions in force and earlier layoffs By Dan Vergano edited by Tanya Lewis The David J. Sencer CDC Museum at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control…
Restitution row: how Nigeria’s new home for the Benin bronzes ended up with clay replicas
The public display of artefacts looted by British colonial forces at the new Museum of West African Art was supposed to be the crowning glory of a decades-long restitution effort. What went wrong? In a corner of the new Museum of West African Art, visitors can marvel at a sample display of the cultural treasures…
Inside the Medical Challenges of Presidential Health Care
What It’s like to Be the President’s Doctor A former White House physician reveals the medical realities of caring for the president of the U.S. By Lauren J. Young, Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Being a doctor is challenging enough, but imagine having…
RFK Jr.’s new dietary guidelines could be controversial. Here’s what to watch for
By Will Stone , Allison Aubrey New dietary guidelines are due out this fall and, based on public comments by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., they could amount to a radical departure from what Americans have seen in years past. The Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture –…
Why Democrats are casting the government shutdown as a health care showdown
From By Amanda Seitz Hours into the federal government shutdown, Julio Fuentes stood steps from the U.S. Capitol to deliver an urgent message about the Hispanic voting bloc that helped the GOP swoop into power last year. Those votes, he cautioned, are at risk if Congress doesn’t pass a law to preserve low premiums on…
Psychiatrists call for RFK Jr. to be replaced as health secretary
By Rhitu Chatterjee Psychiatrists have joined other public health groups in calling for the removal of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary. Two psychiatry organizations — the Southern California Psychiatry Society and the recently formed grassroots Committee to Protect Public Mental Health — have released statements saying that the actions of the leader of…
Amid funding cuts and public health battles, NIH issues autism research grants
By Alana Wise Researchers at Cornell University have received a $5.1 million grant from the Autism Data Science Initiative, as part of the Trump administration’s increased scrutiny on the disorder and controversial plans to track direct sources for the complex and widely misunderstood condition. The National Institutes of Health announced plans for the $50 million…
An unusual ‘village’ aims to help people leave long-term homelessness for good
By Jennifer Ludden , Marisa Peñaloza MURRAY, Utah — On a weekday morning, about two dozen formerly homeless men and women file into a small room at The Other Side Village near Salt Lake City. “How have you felt since our last meeting?” asks Melissa Hepworth, a fellow resident here who tells the group that…
States are cutting Medicaid provider payments long before Trump cuts hit
From By Bram Sable-Smith , Sarah Jane Tribble Every day for nearly 18 years, Alessandra Fabrello has been a medical caregiver for her son, on top of being his mom. “It is almost impossible to explain what it takes to keep a child alive who should be dead,” said Fabrello, whose son, Ysadore Maklakoff, experienced…
Some Democrats share Trump’s goal of forcing more homeless people into medical care
Brian Mann PORTLAND, Oregon — On a sunny late-summer afternoon, Logan Whalen stood outside his barbershop in downtown Portland. Two homeless people who were huddled in a doorway nearby were using illegal drugs. He said drug deals sometimes happen openly on his block. “I’m tired of it. It’s mostly a nuisance, but it can also…
National parks caught in the crosshairs of government shutdown
By Alana Wise As Congress remains at an impasse on an agreement to fund government operations, several sites under the National Park Service (NPS) have brought their operations to a halt. Across the country, parks have been forced to close, operate under reduced staffing or rely on outside donations to keep the lights on as…
Time is short for an ACA premium fix in the shutdown fight, says GOP insurance leader
Selena Simmons-Duffin On Capitol Hill right now, there’s a partisan argument over if and when lawmakers need to act to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. That’s where 24 million people — who don’t have insurance through their jobs or a public program like Medicaid — buy health plans. The argument is at…
What’s behind the health care fight that led to the government shutdown
Selena Simmons-Duffin A fight over health policy drove the current federal government shutdown. At issue is the cost of premiums for health care plans people buy on the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, marketplaces. Earlier this week, Democrats in the Senate refused to vote for the Republican short-term funding bill that did not include an…
The federal shutdown puts nutrition aid for millions of new parents at risk
Jennifer Ludden The federal shutdown won’t impact benefits from major programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. But one of the first things that could get hit is the nutrition assistance that many pregnant women and new parents depend on. It’s been crucial for Lucia Graves, who found out she was pregnant back in…
Government shuts down after Congress fails to reach a funding agreement
By Sam Gringlas , Elena Moore , Lexie Schapitl Much of the federal government is now shut down after Republicans and Democrats in the Senate failed to agree on a pair of dueling funding bills to keep the government open. Republicans voted to block a bill proposed by Democrats that included government funding through the…
How Indigenous Storytelling Is Transforming RSV Care in Native Communities
The Power of Storytelling in Medicine Abigail Echo-Hawk, a preeminent Native American public health expert, discusses RSV, “data genocide” and positive change driven by Indigenous storytelling By Suzette Brewer edited by Emily Bazar This article is part of “Innovations In: RSV,” an editorially independent special report that was produced with financial support from MSD, Sanofi…
How a Contentious CDC Vaccine Meeting Will Affect Public Health
Here’s What Happened at RFK, Jr.’s Overhauled Vaccine Panel Meeting Three vaccines were on the agenda for this week’s meeting of ACIP, the CDC’s key advisory panel on immunization: the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccine and COVID vaccines By Meghan Bartels & Andrea Tamayo edited by Lauren J. Young…
‘We are rookies’: Day 2 of CDC vaccine meeting opens with a reversal and a surprise
By Will Stone , Selena Simmons-Duffin In a surprise move on Friday morning, a panel of vaccine advisors to the federal government backed off from a proposed change to the vaccine schedule that would have scrapped the current recommendation that all children receive the hepatitis B shot at birth. It also reversed a vote it…
COVID Vaccine Access Now Varies from State to State. Here’s What to Know
What State-by-State Rules Mean for Your COVID Shot With federal vaccine guidance under fire, states are forging their own immunization paths By Jaimie Seaton edited by Lauren J. Young Confusion over vaccine recommendations in the U.S. has hit a boiling point as the responsibility for handling them has spilled onto individual states. Regulators at the…
Fast Fashion Is a Bad Look for the Environment
Opinion Fast Fashion Is a Bad Look for the Environment A more circular economy in textiles is a good look for the planet By The Editors Sweater holes can be fixed either by discreet darning or by creative “visible mending,” popularized by designer Flora Collingwood-Norris. People in the U.S. throw away at least 17 million…
On Texas border, uninsured people stress the health system. It’s set to get worse
By Sam Whitehead , Renuka Rayasam RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas — Dr. Jake Margo Jr. stood in the triage room at Starr County Memorial Hospital explaining why a person with persistent fever who could be treated with over-the-counter medication didn’t need to be admitted to the emergency room. “We’re going to take care of the…
Mondays Really Are More Stressful on the Brain and Body
Mondays Really Are More Stressful on the Brain and Body By Tarani Chandola & Benjamin Becker edited by Daisy Yuhas For decades the term “Monday blues” has been shorthand for the collective groan that greets the start of each workweek. It’s also well documented in medical statistics. Mondays come with higher rates of anxiety, stress…
RFK Jr.’s MAHA report on children’s health leaves something out: nicotine
Yuki Noguchi Frances Daniels, a Baltimore mother of three, read the Trump administration’s 20-page report called “Make Our Children Healthy Again,” and noticed some notable words were missing from it: “Smoking” and “nicotine.” The word “tobacco” is mentioned once in the document, in a reference to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. “I was…
Is Intermittent Fasting Helpful or Harmful?
Why Intermittent Fasting May Do More Harm Than Good Whether intermittent fasting helps anyone is unclear, but it does have known health risks. Who can try the dieting trend, and who should avoid it? By Frederik Jötten edited by Lauren J. Young Recent headlines warning of concerns such as heart risks or danger to teenagers…
In 2022, the name ‘monkeypox’ was rejected as inapt. Now the U.S. is reviving it
By Gabrielle Emanuel In 2022, the medical establishment and public health world nixed the name “monkeypox” for two key reasons. Animal-to-human transmission comes from rodents. And the name “monkeypox” was seen as racist and stigmatizing language. To replace it, World Health Organization (WHO) officials decided to call the disease that causes painful lesions “mpox.” Now,…
Trump blames rhetoric from the left for political violence after Charlie Kirk murder
Tamara Keith President Trump condemned the left and the media for “demonizing” those they disagree with in a video message from the Oval Office after his close ally Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah college campus event on Wednesday. “Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too…
Trump’s Health Cuts Make States Struggle to Spot Disease Outbreaks
Trump’s Health Cuts Leave States with Gaping Holes in Disease Surveillance AI now scans for bird flu and measles news, but public health officials say outbreaks can go undetected as the U.S. guts national and global tracking By Charles Schmidt edited by Josh Fischman Dead birds infected with bird flu were discovered on a Long…
A ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Goes Easy on the Food Industry
A ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Goes Easy on the Food Industry A childhood health report led by RFK, Jr., links poor diet, chemicals, inactivity and “overmedicalization” to worsening U.S. pediatric health By Dan Vergano edited by Jeanna Bryner Criticisms of the food industry have gone mute in a second White House report on improving…
Rising Temperatures Boost Sugar Consumption, Raising Health Concerns
Rising Temperatures Lead to A Spike in Sugar Consumption Warmer temperatures are associated with higher consumption of sugary beverages and frozen treats, raising concerns about long-term health effects By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser When the heat sets in, the siren song of the ice cream truck begins to drift through the air, and…
Young Phillies fan is gifted swag after adult fan takes his home run ball
By Chandelis Duster A young Philadelphia Phillies fan has been given special baseball treats after a coveted home run ball was taken away from him during a dispute that has gone viral. Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader hit a home run during a matchup against the Miami Marlins on Friday at loanDepot Park in Miami, with…
Senate Hearing with RFK Jr. Sparks Backlash From Scientists and Health Experts
Public Health Experts Slam RFK, Jr. after Senate Hearing On Thursday Senators grilled Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., about vaccines and turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts responded to Kennedy’s claims on social media in disbelief and anger By Megha Satyanarayana edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US…
Democrats push Homeland Security Department on DACA recipients
Ximena Bustillo More than three dozen Democratic and independent senators are asking Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to clarify the agency’s position on beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Also known as DACA, the program was created in 2012 to protect from deportation children who arrived in the country illegally…
CDC Leadership Chaos Could Disrupt Pandemic Preparedness, National Biosecurity
CDC’s Leadership Is in Chaos—Experts Warn of Public Health Risks Public health experts warn that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s leadership crisis—sparked by the White House’s efforts to oust CDC director Susan Monarez—could jeopardize national biosecurity, pandemic preparedness and disease outbreak surveillance By Lauren J. Young edited by Dean Visser Susan Monarez testifies…
Starter homes are scarce, so Utah set a target to build more. Here’s how it’s going
By Jennifer Ludden , Marisa Peñaloza PLAIN CITY, Utah — Miranda and Cole Potokar, who are 23 and 24, have talked a lot with friends about their terrible timing in the housing market. “We would make jokes like, ‘What was I doing in third grade? I should have been buying a house instead of learning,…
Guatemala says it suggested that U.S. send its unaccompanied migrant children home
Chiara Eisner After planes with Guatemalan children were loaded in the U.S., then prevented from taking off by a federal judge’s decision to temporarily halt the children’s removal, the Guatemalan government said on Aug. 31 that it was responsible for recently proposing to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that the unaccompanied Guatemalan minors…
Old master painting looted by Nazis disappears from home in Argentina
Search for artwork seen in estate agent’s photo continues after police raid on house finds tapestry hanging in its place Argentinian police have said they will continue hunting for an old master painting looted by the Nazis and spotted by chance in an estate agent’s listing after a search of the property in the seaside…
Botswana’s president declares health emergency over supply shortages
Duma Boko announces urgent funding package for medicines to be distributed with military oversight Botswana’s president has declared a public health emergency due to shortages of essential medicines and equipment, as a downturn in the global diamond market and US aid cuts take a toll on the country’s finances. The announcement came after the Ministry…
It was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history: Have we forgotten Katrina’s lessons?
By Greg Allen , Marisa Peñaloza NEW ORLEANS — On a quiet street in the Gentilly neighborhood, a small brick house stands as a testament to one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. It’s one of thousands of homes that flooded twenty years ago in Hurricane Katrina. It’s been preserved by Levees.org, a group…
Trump makes over the Rose Garden, Mar-a-Lago style
Tamara Keith Since returning to the White House in January, President Trump has been on a mission to renovate — including an overhaul of the iconic Rose Garden, where work is nearly complete. Trump has swapped out the grass in the Rose Garden with stone, turning what had been a lawn into a patio. And…
Vance touts tax cuts, Trump’s domestic agenda in Georgia
Stephen Fowler PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Vice President Vance appeared in Georgia Thursday, promoting tax cuts included in President Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill signed into law last month. Speaking at an industrial refrigeration equipment manufacturer in a suburb south of Atlanta, the vice president said the legislation was reflective of a “government that stands…
What to Know about Measles as the Outbreak in Texas Ends and the School Year Begins
Texas’s Measles Outbreak Is Over, but the Disease Is Still a Threat Texas may have declared its measles outbreak over, but rising cases elsewhere and the return to school mean it could easily resurge By Lauren J. Young edited by Megha Satyanarayana Instructions for a Measles vaccination is seen outside of the Lubbock Public Health…
Walmart says tariff costs are rising ‘each week’ and will continue
Alina Selyukh Walmart says it’s been able to mitigate many of the tariff costs so far, but they are rising “each week” and will continue to do so through the rest of the year. The world’s largest retailer — like many others, including Home Depot and Target — has had to raise prices on some…
Second U.S. Malaria Case Not Tied to Travel Raises Fears of Local Transmission
Second U.S. Malaria Case Not Tied to Travel Raises Fears of Local Transmission One-off cases of malaria in the U.S. may become more common as warming temperatures lead to booming mosquito populations By Stephanie Pappas edited by Lauren J. Young An adult female Anopheles mosquito bites a human body. Join Our Community of Science Lovers!…
Sudan cholera outbreak kills 40 in a week as health centres overwhelmed
MSF charity calls situation ‘beyond urgent’ as thousands seeking refuge from war rely on contaminated water The “worst cholera outbreak in years” has killed at least 40 people in the last week in Sudan, according to the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières. Overwhelmed medical centres are resorting to treating patients on mattresses on the floor,…
Why AI ‘Therapy’ Can Be So Dangerous
Why ChatGPT Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist Using AI chatbots for “therapy” is dangerous, mental health experts say. Here’s why By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Artificial intelligence chatbots don’t judge. Tell them the most private, vulnerable details of your life, and most of them will validate you and may even provide advice. This has…
Why ‘Use Your Words’ Can Be Good for Kids’ Health
The Science of ParentingMondays Why ‘Use Your Words’ Can Be Good for Kids’ Health Studies show that writing or expressing what we are feeling can help adults mentally and physically. Kids are no different By J. David Creswell edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting In…
The hidden costs of cutting Medicaid
By Emily Crawford With the passage of the big Republican tax and spending bill, the federal government is poised to reduce support for Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that these cuts could cause 10 million Americans to lose health insurance by 2034. Lawmakers have…
Amber health alerts as heatwave temperatures set to hit 34C
School summer holidays and another heatwave on the way means a busy day in central London and attempts to keep cool Temperatures have been rising and will continue to do so with the fourth heatwave of the summer on the way for some. The UK Health Security Agency, external has issued heat health alerts, for…
Federal agents spread out across D.C. streets amid Trump vow to crackdown on crime
Brian Mann WASHINGTON — Scores of federal agents fanned out across Washington D.C. on Sunday night, after President Donald Trump promised a swift crackdown on crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital. “The homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social. “We will give you places to stay,…
‘At least I’m safe’: A Kenyan immigrant opts to leave the U.S. on his own terms, leaving children and wife behind
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán LANSING, Mich. — On a recent Thursday afternoon, Samuel Kangethe pushes his 5-year-old daughter on the swings at a leafy park near his home. While she swings, the little girl eyes the nearby playground on top of a small hill. Nearby, Kangethe’s 13-year-old son is showing his dad a few things about fishing…
NYC shooter had two ‘mental health holds’ in Las Vegas. They didn’t affect his legal right to own guns
Martin Kaste Records released this week by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police confirm they had several contacts in recent years with Shane Tamura, the 27-year-old man who drove to New York and killed four people on July 28. The records show he was known to suffer from mental illness, had been the subject of two emergency…
The quest to create gene-edited babies gets a reboot
Rob Stein A Chinese scientist horrified the world in 2018 when he revealed he had secretly engineered the birth of the world’s first gene-edited babies. China imprisoned the scientist, He Jiankui, for three years for violating medical regulations. Fast forward to today: Mainstream scientific organizations are encouraging very careful basic research to explore gene-editing and…
Teens Are Flocking to AI Chatbots. Is this Healthy?
The Science of ParentingMondays Teens Are Flocking to AI Chatbots. Is this Healthy? Kids crave approval from their peers. Chatbots offer an alternative to IRL relationships, but they can come at a price By Elizabeth Englander edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting Relationships are messy,…
Terracotta Is a 3,000-Year-Old Solution to Fighting Extreme Heat
Terracotta Is a 3,000-Year-Old Solution to Fighting Extreme Heat Companies are adapting this humble clay-based ceramic to keep people cool—without electricity By Jyoti Thakur edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Cooling facade built from terracotta Join Our Community of Science Lovers! A little over 20 percent of India’s households own an air conditioner or cooler, and…
Trump’s dream of building a ballroom at the White House is becoming a reality
Tamara Keith The renderings are complete, the architects and contractors have been hired. After at least 15 years of talking about it, President Trump is building a ballroom at the White House. According to the White House, the work will begin this September, with a price tag of $200 million. “President Trump is a builder…
Christian refugees caught in crosshairs of U.S. immigration policy
By Ximena Bustillo , Juliana Kim On a Sunday in June, Pastor Ara Torosian gave a message to his congregation in Los Angeles: if detained by immigration officers, “first, call your lawyer and second, call your pastor.” It didn’t take long. By the end of the month, two families reached out to Torosian, one through…
Heatstroke and Extreme Heat Exposure Leads to Chronic Health Effects on Kidneys, Heart and Brain
Heatstroke and Extreme Heat can Hurt Health in the Long-Term, Too The immediate harms of extreme heat are well documented, but a growing body of research suggests that heatstroke may have long-term health effects throughout the body By Nora Bradford edited by Lauren J. Young Heatstroke can sneak up on anyone, especially when exercising outside.…
Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help
Jon Hamilton Scientists have unveiled the strongest evidence yet that a combination of diet, exercise and brain training can improve thinking and memory in older Americans. A study of more than 2,100 sedentary people in their 60s and 70s found that those who spent two years on the intensive regimen not only improved their mental…
Medical groups are concerned that RFK Jr. may dismiss a panel of primary care experts
Pien Huang Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may soon dismiss the members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory panel of primary care experts, raising “deep concern” from the American Medical Association and other top medical groups. The plan was first reported in The Wall Street Journal. “It’s very…
NSW real estate agents threaten renters with fees if they are not home for tradespeople – but legally they don’t have to be
More than 2,100 people contacted the tenants’ union in 2024 for advice about access, despite ‘no basis’ for the charge Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast New South Wales real estate agents are threatening renters with fees as high as $330 if they are not at home to let maintenance…
Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 aid-seekers in Gaza since May, the U.N. says
By The Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the U.N. human rights office said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed 25 people across Gaza, according…
Biggest Trial of Four-Day Workweek Finds Workers Are Happier and Feel Just as Productive
The Biggest Trial Yet Confirms Four-Day Workweek Makes Employees Happier The largest yet study on a four-day workweek included 141 companies, 90 percent of which retained the arrangement at the end of the six-month experiment By Jenna Ahart & Nature magazine Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Moving to a four-day work week without losing…
Ozzy Osbourne, Who Suffered with Rare Form of Parkinson’s, Dies at 76
Ozzy Osbourne’s Death Puts Spotlight on a Form of Parkinson’s Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath, has died at age 76. He had been previously diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease linked to the gene PRKN By Lauren J. Young edited by Andrea Thompson Ozzy Osbourne at the press conference for Ozzy Osbourne…
Have all girls or all boys? Study suggests the odds aren’t 50/50
By Scott Neuman Couples who’ve been surprised by a string of baby boys or baby girls could be forgiven for wondering whether the odds in the offspring lottery are more than just pure chance. A new study by Harvard University researchers that examines the birthing records of 58,007 women suggests their hunch might be correct.…
Three-Person Mitochondrial IVF Leads to Eight Healthy Births
Eight Healthy Children Born Using Three-Person IVF Technique Long-awaited results of a three-person IVF technique suggest that mitochondrial donation can prevent babies from inheriting diseases caused by mutant mitochondria By Ewen Callaway & Nature magazine Eight children in the United Kingdom are living healthy lives — potentially due to a ground-breaking but controversial reproductive procedure…
Malaria ‘back with a vengeance’ in Zimbabwe as number of deaths from the disease triple
Withdrawal of USAID funds threatens decades of progress, say experts, with cuts to research and shortage of mosquito nets putting thousands at risk across the country Zimbabwe’s efforts to control malaria have been dealt a huge blow as experts say the disease has returned “with a vengeance” after US aid cuts, with 115 outbreaks recorded…
Ask your kids’ camps these key questions about heat and flood safety, experts say
Julia Simon The deaths of at least 27 children and staff at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas have some parents and guardians questioning the safety of summer camps, especially as global warming increases risks of extreme weather. Part of summer camp’s allure is that children are outside in nature. But that can also raise…
Maryland taps Affordable Care Act fund to help pay for abortion care
From By Scott Maucione Maryland is the first state to tap into a 15-year-old fund connected to the Affordable Care Act, to help solve a more recent problem: helping pay the expenses of patients who travel to Maryland for an abortion. The law passed this spring, and went into effect on July 1. Since the…
How a third parent’s DNA can prevent an inherited disease
Rob Stein Scientists can protect children from being born with certain devastating genetic disorders by creating “three-parent” babies, according to the results of a landmark study released Wednesday. British researchers used the experimental technique to help families have eight children who appear healthy. They now range in age from younger than 6 months to older…
Exclusive: Trump team withholds $140 million budgeted for fentanyl fight
Brian Mann The Trump administration has delayed and may cancel roughly $140 million in grants to fund fentanyl overdose response efforts, according to four staff members with close knowledge of the process at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The staffers shared detailed information with NPR about the funding disruption and potential cuts on…
With social prescribing, hanging out, movement and arts are doctor’s order
By Rhitu Chatterjee For more than 30 years, Frank Frost, worked as a long-distance truck driver, ferrying industrial chemicals across the U.K. “I worked away from home six days a week, working up to 12-15 hours a day,” says Frost, now 76. “My only exercise was looking for a fast food outlet in the evening…
New data reveals FEMA missed major flood risks at Camp Mystic
Laura Sullivan More cabins and buildings at Camp Mystic — the tragic site of more than two dozen deaths in the Texas flood — were at risk of flooding than what the federal government had previously reported, according to new analysis from NPR, PBS’s FRONTLINE and data scientists. Loading… Maps by First Street, a climate…
Former White House doctor declines to testify in GOP probe of Biden’s mental acuity
Elena Moore Former President Joe Biden’s longtime physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, has said he will not testify as part of a Republican-led congressional investigation into Biden’s health while in office. O’Connor declined to answer questions during a deposition scheduled for Wednesday in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government, asserting physician-patient privilege as…
Tracking Coral Reef Health with Bioacoustics
Hear the Sounds of a Sick Coral Reef The underwater world relies on sound signals—so what happens when a noisy reef falls silent? By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. In case you missed it we’re spending this week revisiting some of our favorite…
After Iran’s war with Israel, questions return about Khamenei’s potential successors
Jackie Northam In the aftermath of the 12-day war in June between Israel and Iran, questions have arisen about Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He is 86 years old and was a potential Israeli target during the conflict, leading to speculation about who might succeed him. There has only been one previous time when…
Gut Microbe Deficiency in U.S. Babies Tied to Asthma, Allergies, Autoimmune Disorders
Most U.S. Babies Are Deficient in Key Gut Microbes Essential for Their Health Babies lacking in key gut bacteria are at greater risk of developing asthma, allergies or eczema By Rachel Nuwer edited by Andrea Gawrylewski Dirty diapers are more than a messy reality of infant care—baby poop can be an indicator of an infant’s…
Supreme Court allows Trump to resume mass federal layoffs for now
By Nina Totenberg , Anuli Ononye The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a lower court order that had blocked President Trump’s executive order requiring government agencies to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees. The order was unsigned. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was appointed to the court by President Biden, dissented. Justice Sonia…
‘The worst day of my life:’ Texas’ Hill Country reels as deaths rise due to floods
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán KERRVILLE, Texas — Melvin and Melinda Harris were asleep in their grape-color motor home when they heard banging on the door. “Get out! It’s flooding!” Melvin Harris, 65, recalls the neighbors yelling in the early hours of Friday. He’s seen floods before, but this was different. The Guadalupe River had soared so much…
Will Trump’s megabill help Democrats win the House?
Domenico Montanaro Democrats feel that President Trump’s massive tax-and-spending bill is giving them an opening — and a message — ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The focus is Medicaid, which provides health insurance for tens of millions of lower-income and elderly Americans, and affordability. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in an hours-long speech in…
How Massive Medicaid Cuts Will Harm People’s Health
How Massive Medicaid Cuts Will Harm People’s Health Evidence shows that Medicaid improves people’s health and is particularly vital for babies, older people in need of long-term care and people in rural communities By Meghan Bartels edited by Lauren J. Young Editor’s Note (7/3/25): The House of Representatives passed the budget bill in a 218–214…
How Trump’s Federal Funding Cuts Are Hurting Early-Career Researchers and American Health
U.S. Budget Cuts Are Robbing Early-Career Scientists of Their Future Canceled grants and slashed budgets are disproportionately affecting junior health researchers, dealing a major blow to the future of science and society in the U.S. By Rachel Nuwer edited by Lauren J. Young People rally during a “Kill the Cuts” protest against U.S. President Donald…
States sue Trump administration for sharing health data with DHS
By Jude Joffe-Block Twenty states, led by California, sued the Trump administration Tuesday after federal health officials shared sensitive data about Medicaid recipients with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement. “The Trump Administration has upended longstanding privacy protections with its decision to illegally share sensitive, personal health data with ICE,” said California…
DOJ announces a record-breaking takedown of health care fraud schemes
Ryan Lucas The Justice Department has charged a Pakistani national who allegedly orchestrated a $650 million fraud scheme that primarily targeted an Arizona Medicaid program offering addiction treatment and other services for Native Americans. Court papers say the defendant, Farrukh Ali, conspired with at least 41 substance abuse clinics to bill the state for hundreds…
Meditation’s Benefits Stretch Beyond the Person Who Meditates
Meditation’s Benefits Stretch Beyond the Person Who Meditates Often framed as a boon for personal wellness, meditation helps us connect with and support others, too By Mariah G. Schug edited by Daisy Yuhas Listening to the daily news, with stories of war and conflict, can be disheartening. Unsurprisingly, data suggest that a majority of Americans…
RFK Jr.’s picks for CDC vaccine advisers meet this week amid controversy
Pien Huang An influential committee that helps craft federal vaccine policy and recommendations for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention begins a two-day meeting in Atlanta Wednesday. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, often meets in obscurity, but was thrown into the spotlight two weeks ago when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy,…
How to Keep Your Home Cool in Extreme Heat
How to Keep Your Home Cool in Extreme Heat When extreme heat arrives, here are science-based tips to keep your home cool, from the most efficient way to use air conditioning to strategic uses of fans By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser This summer’s first extreme heat wave in North America—the result of a…
Home sales just posted their slowest May in 16 years
Laurel Wamsley The home sales slump in the U.S. continues: Last month was the slowest May for existing home sales since 2009. Existing home sales in May fell 0.7% compared to the same month last year. Measured monthly, sales were up slightly, 0.8%, from the month before — but that marks an increase from the…
What children in poverty could lose from the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
Cory Turner Low-income children and families would be among the groups hit hardest by Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While the bill would be a boon to wealthy Americans, it would scale back resources for the nation’s poorest households, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warned in a recent letter to lawmakers. In an…
When Wildfire Smoke Arrived from Canada, Federal Safety Experts Were Gone
When Wildfire Smoke Arrived from Canada, Federal Safety Experts Were Gone Health specialists were put on leave, and a report on how to protect 20 million workers from wildfire smoke has stalled By Ariel Wittenberg & E&E News Buildings as smoke from Canada wildfires creates haze in Chicago, Illinois, on June 27, 2023. CLIMATEWIRE |…
Planning to be outside on a hot day? Take these precautions
Clare Marie Schneider The first significant heat wave of the summer is expected to hit much of the United States this weekend, impacting regions from the Midwest to the East Coast. Temperatures are forecasted to be well into the 90s, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So if you’re planning to be outside,…
Supreme Court Skrmetti Decision Permits Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Children
How Supreme Court Trans Health Care Ruling Will Affect Kids The Supreme Court has decided to uphold a state ban on gender-affirming care for minors in U.S. v. Skrmetti By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Hundreds of trans people, activists and supporters rally outside of the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington,…
Air-Conditioning Can Help the Power Grid instead of Overloading It
Air-Conditioning Can Surprisingly Help the Power Grid during Extreme Heat Switching on air-conditioning during extreme heat doesn’t have to make us feel guilty—it can actually boost power grid reliability and help bring more renewable energy online By Johanna Mathieu & The Conversation US The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online…
RFK Jr. overhauled the CDC’s vaccine panel. Here’s what it does and why it matters
Maria Godoy Until this week, it’s likely many people hadn’t heard much about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel. But the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, plays a key role in determining which vaccines children and adults receive, what gets covered by insurance and which shots are made available…
Planned NIH Cuts Threaten Americans’ Health, Senators Charge in Tense Hearing
Planned NIH Cuts Threaten Americans’ Health, Senators Charge in Tense Hearing Senators grilled NIH director Jayanta Bhattacharya the day after more than 300 NIH staff members sent him a fiery letter protesting the cancellation of thousands of research projects By Max Kozlov & Nature magazine U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jayanta (Jay) Bhattacharya…
Drug deaths plummet among young Americans as fentanyl carnage eases
Brian Mann When Justin Carlyle, 23, began experimenting with drugs a decade ago, he found himself part of a generation of young Americans caught in the devastating wave of harm caused by fentanyl addiction and overdose. “I use fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, yeah, all of it,” Carlyle said, speaking to NPR on the streets of…
NIH scientists call on director to protect biomedical research
Rob Stein Hundreds of scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a call for action they dubbed the Bethesda Declaration on Monday to push back against cutbacks and changes at the biomedical research agency. Organizers say more than 340 staffers on the NIH’s sprawling campus in Bethesda, Md., just outside Washington, D.C., sent…
What Will Happen to Opioid and Drug Overdose Deaths after CDC Cuts?
Inside the Collapse of America’s Overdose Prevention Program Layoffs and funding freezes have gutted the CDC’s response to the opioid crisis—just as harm reduction was beginning to work By Lois Parshley edited by Lauren J. Young A worker checks on a patient at an overdose prevention center in New York City on February 8, 2022.…
Recovery Failure: Why we struggle to rebuild for the next storm
Laura Sullivan This is the first of two episodes from NPR’s The Sunday Story from Up First. You can listen to both episodes here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Loading… When Shalana Jordan finally arrived at her parents’ trailer home in Swannanoa, N.C., alongside the river, she paused and let out a long sigh. The building was…