Health & Safety

Viruses can spread through the air in two ways: inside large droplets that fall quickly to the ground (red), or inside tiny droplets that float in the air (gray). In the first route, called droplet transmission, the virus can spread only about 3 to 6 feet

Ebola In The Air: What Science Says About How The Virus Spreads

8:58am December 02, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Turns out, Ebola is transmitted through the air, but it's not very good at spreading through the airborne route. What in the heck does that mean? We dig into the science to clear up the kerfuffle.

Health & Safety

Hispanics Targeted During Second Round Of Affordable Care Act

8:10pm December 01, 2014

by Michael Burke

This year the government is focusing on reaching people in North Carolina's growing Hispanic communities who have been long uninsured or never insured.

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A couple from Namibia's Twe tribe outside their home. Tribe members took part in a study that examined the relationship between navigation skills and mating success.

Mr. Right Won't Get Lost, Knows How To Pack Bags In A Trunk

2:32pm December 01, 2014

by Susan Brink

Two tribes in Namibia played with computers and looked at maps. The results of these tests shed light on why guys who are expert navigators might father more children than men who get lost.

Supporters of the Congress for Democratic Change party take part in a meeting in Monorovia on Nov. 20 for the opening of political campaign activities for senatorial elections. Elections are due to take place on Dec. 16, after being suspended because of t

Health & Safety

Campaign Rallies Resume In Liberia, Raising Uncertainty Over Ebola Risk

12:54pm December 01, 2014

by Kelly McEvers

In Liberia's capital, Ebola precautions are easing and people are gathering again in crowds to hear speeches for upcoming elections. But some say it's too early for Liberia to let its guard down.

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Do you want to go to the park? Mango Doucleff, of San Francisco, responds to her favorite command by perking up her ears and tilting her head.

How Dogs Understand What We Say

11:42am December 01, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Dogs pay close attention to the emotion in our voices, but what about the meaning of words? A clever experiment with 250 canines shows that dogs understand more of our speech than previously thought.

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In the 1983 movie A Christmas Story, all Ralphie wanted was a BB gun.

Eyeing That BB Gun For Christmas? Don't Go There, Doctors Say

7:59am December 01, 2014

by Nancy Shute

Sure as the season, some toys that turn up on the most-popular lists are also considered a safety hazard. So best to skip the LED crossbow, eye doctors say.

This Chinese teenager weighs 353 pounds. At a "slimming center" in China's central Hubei province, he's exercising and undergoing acupuncture to lose weight.

The Whole World Is Fat! And That Ends Up Costing $2 Trillion A Year

5:37pm November 30, 2014

by Jason Beaubien

Nearly a third of us are overweight, and some of the worst rates of obesity are in the developing world. All this corpulence takes a huge economic toll.

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Workers Brave Militant Attacks To Vaccinate For Polio

12:44pm November 30, 2014

Those who vaccinate children in Pakistan risk their lives. Correspondent Philip Reeves tells NPR's Rachel Martin that the Taliban is gunning down health workers, who are suspected of being spies.

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Superintendent Alberto Carvalho of Miami-Dade County Public Schools says he knows how much gets paid out in health care claims, but the school system's insurance carrier, Cigna, won't disclose the charges.

School District Pays For Health Care But Can't Get Itemized Bill

4:20pm November 29, 2014

by Sammy Mack

Large employers like the Miami-Dade school district pay for employees' health insurance, but are often forbidden from knowing how much providers charge and insurers pay for care.

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Medical residents including Dr. Amy Ho (bottom right) helped with first aid at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

Millennial Doctors May Be More Tech-Savvy, But Is That Better?

3:04pm November 29, 2014

by Lauren Silverman

Text messages from your doctor are just the start. Millennials are the next generation of doctors and they're not afraid to say "chillax" in a consultation or check Twitter to find medical research.

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