Why Countries Need To Make Sure Their Kids Learn To Play Nice
A study offers a rare look at how well toddlers are doing in low- and middle-income countries.
Health & Safety
California Raises Smoking Age To 21
NPR's Robert Siegel talks to state Sen. Ed Hernandez about California becoming the second state to raise the smoking age to 21. Hernandez authored the bill to raise the smoking age.
Taxing Sugar: 5 Things To Know About Philly's Proposed Soda Tax
The Philadelphia City Council this week took a major step toward approving a tax on sweetened drinks. Passing a tax in a city this big would be historic and could set a precedent.
Cancer Scientist Jams With Willie Nelson One More Time
Joe Palca was fresh out of college in 1975, when he got a job as a lab tech, working for a young scientist and country music fan who would one day harness the immune system to fight cancer.
Legal Medical Abortions Are Up In Texas, But So Are DIY Pills From Mexico
Women seeking an abortion in restrictive Texas now often pick the medical version, thanks to FDA rules making it easier. Others seek cheaper pills in Mexico, and aren't getting guidance from a doctor.
In Texas, Strict Laws On Clinics Drive Demand For Abortion Pill
The abortion pill is booming in Texas. Since the FDA loosened restrictions, more women are circumventing strict state laws on Texas abortion clinics by taking the pill as an alternative to surgery.
An Army Buddy's Call For Help Sends A Scientist On A Brain Injury Quest
Harvard researcher Kit Parker built his academic career studying the heart. But Parker, also an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, switched his focus to figuring out how IED blasts damage the brain.
New Genetic Engineering Method Called Promising — And Perilous
A technology known as a gene drive might be deployed to re-engineer species and stop diseases like malaria. But a scientific advisory panel says research and use should proceed with great caution.
This Is How Much Celebrities Get Paid To Endorse Soda And Unhealthy Food
Beyonce got $50 million to push Pepsi. Justin Timberlake: $6 million in a deal with McDonald's. A study describes the lucrative deals celebs popular with teens and young adults inked to sell food.
FDA Moves To Speed Access To Compassionate-Use Drugs
A simplified form should make it easier for doctors to treat seriously ill patients with experimental drugs after other options run out. But that's not the only obstacle to compassionate use.