Health & Safety

One researcher said parents would be better off spending their money on good food for their kids instead of probiotics.

Health & Safety

Probiotics Found To Be Ineffective For Easing Symptoms Of Kids' Stomach Bugs

5:00pm November 21, 2018

by Rob Stein

Giving probiotics to children with gastroenteritis didn't help reduce diarrhea and vomiting, according to the findings of two clinical trials designed to test the popular products.

A cat's tongue is covered in hundreds of tiny, backward-facing spines called papillae that help to keep the animal clean. Researchers have discovered that papillae are scoop-shaped and hollow, which allows the spines to store and hold saliva.

Freaked Out By Your Cat's Scratchy Tongue? Don't Be! It's Keeping Them Cleaner.

2:57pm November 21, 2018

by Ashley Westerman

A new study published by researchers at Georgia Tech reveals that the tiny spines that cover a cat's tongue play a bigger role in feline grooming than previously thought.

Health & Safety

Sweet Potatoes: It's A Thin Line Between Love And Hate

1:30pm November 21, 2018

The sweet potato is not just a Thanksgiving staple — it's a staple of African life as well. We asked three sweet potato lovers (and one hater) to share their views.

A woman walks into the Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, on April 5.

U.S. Judge Strikes Down Mississippi Law That Bans Abortions After 15 Weeks

11:31am November 21, 2018

by Emily Sullivan

The judge blocked the state from enforcing its ban, writing that Mississippi passed a law that it knew was unconstitutional.

A CPAP machine can treat obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder which causes people to temporarily stop breathing throughout the night. But the machines, which blow air into a person's airways, take some getting used to.

Health & Safety

You Snooze, You Lose: How Insurers Dodge The Costs Of Popular Sleep Apnea Devices

10:21am November 21, 2018

by Marshall Allen

Millions of sleep apnea patients rely on CPAP breathing machines to get a good night's rest. Health insurers use a variety of tactics, including surveillance, to make patients bear the costs.

An Indian farmer burns rice stalks after harvesting the crop in fields on the outskirts of Amritsar in Punjab.

What Will Persuade Rice Farmers In Punjab To Stop Setting Fires In Their Fields?

7:23am November 21, 2018

by Lauren Frayer

Each fall, Indian farmers burn the stubble of rice plants — a fast way to clear fields. But the smoke adds to India's awful air pollution.

Queue Listen Now

At least 36 students at a North Carolina school have become infected with chickenpox. The school has many students whose parents claimed a religious exemption from state vaccination requirements.

Chickenpox Outbreak Hits N.C. Private School With Low Vaccination Rates

5:07pm November 20, 2018

by Laurel Wamsley

Three dozen students have been infected at Asheville Waldorf School — which has among the very highest rates of parents claiming religious exemption from state vaccine requirements.

Romaine lettuce is displayed on a shelf at a supermarket in California in April, during an E. coli outbreak traced to contaminated lettuce. The CDC says a new outbreak has made lettuce dangerous to eat, just in time for America's most foodcentric holiday.

Health & Safety

Beware The Thanksgiving Salad: CDC Says No Romaine Lettuce Is Safe

4:34pm November 20, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

A new outbreak of E. coli has hit dozens of people in 11 states. No deaths have been reported, but the CDC says consumers should not eat any romaine lettuce until more is learned about the outbreak.

Puerto Rico's governor pledged to run a transparent recovery process. But as billions of dollars are on the way, many people say there are indications that transparency may not be a top priority.

Advocates Fight 'Culture of Secrecy' In Post-Hurricane Puerto Rico

3:48pm November 20, 2018

by Adrian Florido

Puerto Rico's governor pledged to run a transparent recovery process. But as billions of dollars are on the way, many say there are indications that transparency may not be a top priority.

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Prince Charles speaks with a guest at an event in Lagos, Nigeria, where he delivered a speech using phrases in pidgin English.

Why Prince Charles Said 'God Don Butta My Bread!' In Nigeria

2:26pm November 20, 2018

by Malaka Gharib

This month, he visited Lagos and greeted the crowd with a few phrases in pidgin English. What was the local reaction?