Stories by Rachel Feltman

States sue HHS for public health cuts, measles cases continue to rise, and a study finds Americans live shorter lives compared with their European counterparts.

USAID is responsible for global health efforts that have saved the lives of millions of children. What happens when those programs are cut?

A mysterious and often debated aspect of human sexuality colloquially known as “squirting” sparks controversy. This episode explores what research reveals.

Cuts to federal health and science agencies continue. Plus, we discuss the sounds of sharks, the meaning of Martian molecules and one big dino claw.

We’re taking you inside MIT.nano, a clean laboratory facility that is critical to nanoscale research, from microelectronics to medical nanotechnology.

Botanist Mason Heberling challenges how we think about invasive species and our role in their spread.

In this week’s news roundup, two NASA astronauts finally return to Earth after nine unexpected months in space, gray seals hold their breath for more than an hour, and penguin poop panics krill.

A neurosurgeon who has acted as a consultant for Severance explains the science behind the show’s brain-altering procedure—and whether it could ever become reality.

A colonoscopy can save your life, but misinformation keeps many people from getting one. A gastroenterologist sets the record straight.

The EPA rolls back regulations, NASA launches two exciting missions, and we discuss the surprising way whale urine moves nitrogen across the ocean.

A robotics researcher takes on the Russo brothers’ vision from the new movie The Electric State.

On COVID’s fifth anniversary, the U.S. is facing an outbreak of tuberculosis in Kansas that makes strong public health systems as important as ever.

In this week's news roundup, we dig into measles misinformation, ozone recovery and new findings on using nasal cartilage to treat knee injuries.

Novelist John Green talks about his new nonfiction book, Everything is Tuberculosis, and the inequities in treatment for the highly infectious disease.

Many people are concerned about microplastics reaching our brain—but few realize how this connects with petroleum production and the climate crisis

In this news roundup, we cover outbreak updates, microbes in space and a brain turned to glass.

Some songs get stuck in our head more than others, and scientists have uncovered what makes them so irresistible.

We look back on about 11 years of the Gaia spacecraft, now at the end of its mission to create the best map of the Milky Way.

In this week’s news roundup, we cover activity from the black hole at our galaxy’s center and a troubling measles outbreak in Texas.

Humans have a surprising lack of hair for mammals. Biological anthropology may provide insights into why the hair we have sometimes comes out curly.

Journalist Carl Zimmer chats about aerobiology and his new book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe.

Valentine’s Day often focuses on romance, but deep friendships deserve love, too. Here’s why they matter.

News of an asteroid with a 2 percent chance of hitting Earth in 2032 made headlines. But is its fluctuating risk really cause for concern?

In this week’s roundup, we’re reviewing some animal research, the latest on bird flu and the burden of microplastics on our brain.