Coronavirus Outbreak Now Reaches 40,000 Cases
More than 40,000 people have now been infected with the new coronavirus — most of them in China. Here's what's known and not known about the trajectory of this outbreak.
Health & Safety
With Plenty Of Trade With China, African Countries Fear Coronavirus Spreading
The extensive trade links between China and Africa have raised worries about the spread of coronavirus to the continent. African officials admit they're ill-prepared to deal with a major outbreak.
What Fictional Pandemics Can Teach Us About Real-World Survival
People have been telling stories about pandemics for thousands of years — once, they were tales of divine retribution, but today they're often rooted in current events like the coronavirus outbreak.
Michael Pollan Explains Caffeine Cravings (And Why You Don't Have To Quit)
When Pollan decided to write about caffeine, he gave it up — cold turkey. "I just couldn't focus," he says. "I was irritable. I lost confidence." Caffeine reshapes the brain in surprising ways.
An Oscar Goes To A Documentary About Skateboarding Girls In Afghanistan
The short documentary is called Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're A Girl. "This movie is my love letter to the brave girls of that country," says director Carol Dysinger.
Lozenges With Zinc May Shorten A Cold's Duration
Does Zinc help shorten the common cold? There's some evidence that it does, but it depends on the dose.
News Brief: Coronavirus, New Hampshire Primary, Academy Awards
Nearly 100 people in China died Sunday of the coronavirus. New Hampshire holds its primary Tuesday. And, a foreign-language film won the Oscar for best picture — the first time that's happened.
Amid Lebanon's Economic Crisis, The Country's Health Care System Is Ailing
"We are collecting from every person of goodwill," says a Roman Catholic priest who started a low-cost clinic. "We are not expecting a miracle. We hope to create a place where people feel respected."
Bats Carry Many Viruses. So Why Don't They Get Sick?
The winged mammal has a unique ability to carry viruses and not get sick from them. This tolerance may be a unique adaptation to flying.
What Life Is Like For 3,700 Cruise Ship Passengers Stuck In Coronavirus Quarantine
Dozens of passengers on a cruise ship have tested positive for coronavirus. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Gay and Philip Courter, among the 3,700 quarantined on a ship in Yokohama, Japan.