Author: Michelle Korhonen
If there is one statistic that best captures the transformation of the American economy over the past half century, it may be this: Of Americans born in 1940, 92 percent went on to earn more than their parents; among those born in 1980, just 50 percent did. Over the course of a few decades, the chances of achieving the American dream went from a near-guarantee to a coin flip.What happened?One answer is that American voters abandoned the system that worked for their grandparents. From the 1940s through the ’70s, sometimes called the New Deal era, U.S. law and policy were…
Researchers Develop Ingestible Sensor for Non-Intrusive Sleep Disorder Monitoring -Researchers at MIT and collaborating institutions have developed a novel ingestible sensor, known as the VM pill, capable of non-invasive sleep disorder monitoring. This groundbreaking device holds immense promise for addressing the opioid overdose crisis and improving sleep disorder diagnosis.Background and SignificanceThe United States has witnessed a staggering rise in drug overdose deaths, particularly those involving opioids. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for effective tools to detect and intervene in opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD), a potentially fatal consequence of opioid overdose.Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder characterized…
A study from Johns Hopkins University reveals the extent of dog walking injuries that are bad enough to send people to the ER. (This story first aired on Weekend Edition on May 13, 2023.)
In his Surrealist Manifesto of 1924, André Breton wrote, “The marvelous is always beautiful, anything marvelous is beautiful, in fact only the marvelous is beautiful.” That line came to mind when I stood before Mother Nature, a giant canvas depicting a killer whale lifting a naked man into the air, eye level with a flock of gulls. The image was a highlight of “The Bathers,” Chase Hall’s standout debut at the David Kordansky Gallery in Chelsea this fall.The show, of mostly immense paintings priced from $60,000 to $120,000, was billed as an investigation into “nature, leisure, public space, and Black…
Experts warn against DIY faecal transplants side Effect Is dangerous as popular trend poses ‘significant risks’Faecal microbiota transplants (FMT) are a medical procedure that involves transferring poo or stool from a healthy donor to a patient’s gastrointestinal tract.FMT is an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection.However, there is a growing trend of people performing DIY FMT at home.Experts warn that DIY FMT is dangerous and can lead to serious infections.FMT should only be performed by a qualified medical professional.What is faecal microbiota transplant (FMT)?FMT is a medical procedure that involves transferring stool from a healthy donor to…
Equine therapy can help those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Two men receiving treatment near Philadelphia talk with NPR’s Scott Simon about their special bond with horses.
This Thanksgiving, America is divided: One half knows why the word squirle is funny, and one half does not. Are you in the latter group? Then you should know that earlier this month, a series of tweets surfaced by Taylor Swift’s new boyfriend, the Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. In one of them, from 2011, he offered this observation: “I just gave a squirle a peice of bread and it straight smashed all of it!!!! I had no idea they ate bread like that!! Haha #crazy.”Many more Kelce tweets like this soon emerged, rife with spelling near misses, extravagant…
Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: A Multi-faceted Approach to Address Pharmaceutical Effluents pollutionAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a looming global threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), leading to extended illnesses, increased antimicrobial consumption, escalating healthcare costs, and needless deaths. If left unchecked, AMR could plunge 24 million individuals into extreme poverty by 2030 and impede progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).AMR propagates through interconnected ecosystems, with humans, animals, and the environment acting as reservoirs. Pharmaceutical wastewater, laden with antibiotics and resistance genes, presents a substantial environmental hazard, primarily due to inadequate treatment and irresponsible disposal practices. The pharmaceutical industry is a…
A press release that President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign issued last week offered a revealing window into his advisers’ thinking about how he might overcome widespread discontent with his performance to win a second term next year.While the release focused mostly on portraying former President Donald Trump as a threat to legal abortion, the most telling passage came when the Biden campaign urged the political press corps “to meet the moment and responsibly inform the electorate of what their lives might look like if the leading GOP candidate for president is allowed back in the White House.”That sentence probably says…
A new study published in the journal BIO Integration has found a causal link between diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer. The study, which utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) methods and an extensive human genome-wide association study (GWAS) dataset, provides compelling evidence that diabetes mellitus significantly increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.New Study Reveals Causal Link Between Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer“Our findings underscore the importance of early screening and intervention strategies for pancreatic cancer in individuals with diabetes mellitus,” stated Dr. [Lead Author], senior author of the study. “Given the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer and its poor prognosis, early detection…