Health & Safety

Health & Safety

LA-area wildfires taking toll on mental health of disaster survivors

3:59am January 14, 2025

by Steve Inskeep

Today marks one week since the big fires in Los Angeles started. The disaster is taking a toll on peoples' mental health, but LA is working to help with their immediate- and long-term needs.

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How soda is changing the world

7:02pm January 13, 2025

A new study establishes that soda consumption is doing ever more damage to health — with rising rates of diabetes in regions where soda-drinking is on the rise, like sub-Saharan Africa.

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Health & Safety

Though not their purpose, some economic and social policies can help prevent suicide

6:01pm January 13, 2025

by Katia Riddle

Rates of suicide attempts have increased significantly for certain groups. Researchers found that some of the most effective strategies to combat the issue are not intended to help with suicide risk.

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Invasive crabs threatened West Coast ecosystems for decades. One solution? Otters

5:20pm January 13, 2025

by Sarah Handel

NPR's Juana Summers speaks to researcher Rikke Jeppesen about her work on how sea otters, which were hunted to almost near extinction, have been able to thrive by eating up to 120,000 crabs a year.

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Health & Safety

Saber teeth in predators evolved many times. Did it lead to their extinction?

5:19pm January 13, 2025

by Jonathan Lambert

Saber teeth — the large fangs of saber-tooth cat fame — are fearsome. They evolved at least five times in predators that are now extinct, but there's been something of a mystery as to why.

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COVID-19 vaccines are prepared at a clinic in Lynwood, Calif. on Friday. Oct. 28, 2022. MARK J. TERRILL/AP

Health & Safety

Triad area hospitals institute visitor restrictions amid wave of respiratory illness

2:51pm January 13, 2025

by Santiago Ochoa

Hospitals are trying to slow the spread of respiratory viruses during peak cold and flu season.

Weird weather isn't always because of climate change — but sometimes it is

5:15am January 13, 2025

Sometimes, weather is just weather. And other times human-caused climate change had an obvious impact.

The first full moon of 2025 is here

5:10am January 13, 2025

This moon phase is nicknamed the Wolf Moon, which is rooted in Native American culture.

Health & Safety

Science journalist Shayla Love discusses whether insects feel pain

4:05am January 13, 2025

by A Martínez

A Martinez speaks with science journalist Shayla Love about her article for the New Yorker titled "Do Insects Feel Pain?"

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Health & Safety

Saber teeth in predators evolved many times. Did it lead to their extinction?

4:04am January 13, 2025

by Jonathan Lambert

Saber teeth — the large canines — are pretty fearsome. These fangs have evolved at least five times in predators that are now extinct, but there's been something of a mystery as to why.

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