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Weight loss drugs have transformed an American city. Is that a good thing?

Boxes of the diabetes drug Ozempic rest on a pharmacy counter in Los Angeles. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

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Weight loss drugs have transformed an American city. Is that a good thing?

They've been called "Hollywood's worst-kept secret."

Weight loss drugs have transformed an American city. Is that a good thing?

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Here's how firing a weapon might hurt your brain — literally

During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many U.S. military personnel were exposed to blast waves from nearby explosions. Over time, the military realized that soldiers' brains had been injured by these blast waves — and that being exposed to many smaller blast waves could cause some of the same problems as getting hit by one big one. Stocktrek Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Here's how firing a weapon might hurt your brain — literally

Some weapons used by the United States military are so powerful, they can pose a threat to the people who fire them — even in training. When weapons are fired, an invisible blast wave travels through the brains of anyone nearby. Exposure to lots of these blasts over time — even low level ones — has been shown to cause brain health problems for service members.

Here's how firing a weapon might hurt your brain — literally

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Cool off like an Olympian: Here's how athletes cope with intense heat

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the International Olympic Committee advised athletes to acclimatize to hot weather with a technique called heat training. Natacha Pisarenko/AP hide caption

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Natacha Pisarenko/AP

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Cool off like an Olympian: Here's how athletes cope with intense heat

Over the next week, forecasts project extreme heat across much of the South, Midwest and parts of the West. So, this episode, health correspondent Pien Huang helps us take heat training cues from Olympians, many of whom spent weeks preparing for a sweltering Paris Olympics, by training in the heat to get their bodies used to hot, humid weather. But heat training is not just for competitive athletes. It's recommended for people in the military and those who work outdoors in hot weather — and it could even be useful for generally healthy members of the public. Plus, we get into some important caveats about who is best positioned to heat train — and why doing so doesn't minimize the problems of a warming climate.

Cool off like an Olympian: Here's how athletes cope with intense heat

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Young people are dying of opioid overdoses. Are students and campuses prepared?

The front room of Monica Vera Schubert holds a photo of her son Bobby Schubert. Schubert died of an opioid overdose in his dorm room at UCLA in April. His mother has turned her living room into the "Museum of Bobby." Mette Lampcov for NPR @mettelampcov hide caption

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Mette Lampcov for NPR @mettelampcov

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Young people are dying of opioid overdoses. Are students and campuses prepared?

Overdose death rates have spiked dramatically for young adults, rising 34 percent between 2018 and 2022, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Young people are dying of opioid overdoses. Are students and campuses prepared?

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Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health

In 2009, only about half of teens said they used social media every day. By 2022, 95% of teens said they used some social media — and about a third say they use it constantly, a poll from Pew Research Center found. Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images hide caption

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Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health

Rates of depression and anxiety have risen among teens over the last decade. Amid this ongoing mental health crisis, the American Psychological Association issued guidelines for parents to increase protection for teens online. In this encore episode, NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff looks into the data on how that change has impacted the mental health of teenagers. In her reporting, she found that the seismic shift of smartphones and social media has re-defined how teens socialize, communicate and even sleep. In 2009, about half of teens said they were using social media daily, reported psychologist Jean Twenge. And by 2022, 95% of teens said they used some social media, and about a third said they use it constantly.

Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health

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Tested: Lumpers and Splitters
Dani Pendergast for NPR

Embedded

Tested: Lumpers and Splitters

Episode 6: Christine and Max are some of the most recent female athletes in this century-long history to face tests, stigma, and restrictions. But they are unlikely to be the last. In this episode, we find out whether Christine qualifies for the Paris Olympics, as well as the fate of Max's court case. And we explore the broader implications of the sex binary in sports. Is there a better way for sports to be categorized?

Tested: Lumpers and Splitters

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Tested: Unfair Advantage?
Dani Pendergast for NPR

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Tested: Unfair Advantage?

Episode 5: A battle over science and ethics unfolds. World Athletics releases and then tweaks multiple policies impacting DSD athletes, while critics cry foul. In this episode, World Athletics doubles down on its claims, Caster Semenya challenges the rules again, and we dig deep on a big question: what constitutes an "unfair" advantage on the track?

Tested: Unfair Advantage?

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Tested: Running in Circles
Dani Pendergast for NPR

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Tested: Running in Circles

Episode 4: In 2009, South African sprinter Caster Semenya won gold at the World Championships. But instead of a celebration, she endured endless speculation about her body, her biology, and her gender. And soon, sports organizations would launch a new round of regulations, lead to multiple court cases, and require sporting organizations to justify their claim that DSD athletes have an unfair advantage.

Tested: Running in Circles

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Outer space changes you, literally. Here's what it does to the human body

Gemini IV spacewalk, June 3, 1965. NASA astronaut Ed White became the first American to walk in space. NASA hide caption

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NASA

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Outer space changes you, literally. Here's what it does to the human body

Lower gravity. Higher radiation. No ER access. These are just a few of the challenges that humans face in outer space. Emily and Regina talk to a NASA astronaut (and astronaut scientist) about the impact of spaceflight on the human body. Plus, we learn about telomeres (hint: They change in space)!

Outer space changes you, literally. Here's what it does to the human body

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Tested: Card-Carrying Females
Dani Pendergast for NPR

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Tested: Card-Carrying Females

Episode 3: We meet Kenyan sprinter Maximila Imali, who—like Christine Mboma—has been sidelined by DSD policies. She makes a different choice from Christine: to fight the regulations in court. And we learn about a previous fight, when scientists, athletes, and journalists spent thirty years trying to end an earlier version of sex testing.

Tested: Card-Carrying Females

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Tested: Questions of a Physical Nature
Dani Pendergast for NPR

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Tested: Questions of a Physical Nature

Episode 2: We go back almost 100 years, to the beginning of women's inclusion in elite sports. It turns out that men had an odd variety of concerns about women athletes. Some doubted these athletes were even women at all. And their skepticism resulted in the first policies requiring sex testing. To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Tested: Questions of a Physical Nature

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Tested: The Choice
Dani Pendergast for NPR

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Tested: The Choice

Episode 1: Would you alter your body for the chance to compete for a gold medal? That's the question facing a small group of elite athletes right now. Last year, track and field authorities announced new regulations that mean some women can't compete in the female category unless they lower their body's naturally occurring testosterone levels. You'll meet one of those runners, Christine Mboma, a reigning Olympic silver medalist, and hear about the difficult choice she faces. To listen to this series sponsor-free and support NPR, sign up for Embedded+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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Teens are following skincare trends on TikTok. Some dermatologists are wary
Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images

Short Wave

Teens are following skincare trends on TikTok. Some dermatologists are wary

TikTok is fuel for many trends, including a skin care craze among teens, pre-teens — okay, and us. The "glass skin" trend calls for a multi-step routine, often involving pricey products. It's all in pursuit of dewy, seemingly poreless, glowing complexion – like glass. But some dermatologists say these attempts can backfire, irritating, burning and even peeling sensitive pre-teen skin. As teens and tweens have become major consumers of skin care products, dermatologists are seeing more of these cases and are cautioning against these elaborate routines.

Teens are following skincare trends on TikTok. Some dermatologists are wary

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Introducing Tested from NPR and CBC
Illustration by Luke Medina/NPR; Photo/Getty Images

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Introducing Tested from NPR and CBC

Who gets to compete? Since the beginning of women's sports, there has been a struggle over who qualifies for the women's category. Tested follows the unfolding story of elite female runners who have been told they can no longer race as women, because of their biology. As the Olympics approach, they face hard choices: take drugs to lower their natural testosterone levels, give up their sport entirely, or fight. To understand how we got here, we trace the surprising, 100-year history of sex testing. Tested is a new 6-part series from NPR's Embedded and CBC. Hosted by journalist Rose Eveleth, it launches July 15, ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games. Embedded+ supporters enjoy early and ad-free access.

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Disabled students are struggling to get what they need at school

Tabitha (l) helps Sam (r) remove his socks and leg braces. Tuesday, June 18th, 2024 in Georgia, United States. Cindy Elizabeth/NPR hide caption

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Cindy Elizabeth/NPR

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Disabled students are struggling to get what they need at school

Students with disabilities often face a tough time getting the services they need at school. When they can't get them, many families seek help from the federal government. And, right now, the Department of Education is swamped with a record number of discrimination complaints. The backlog is leaving families across the country waiting months, even years, for help.

Disabled students are struggling to get what they need at school

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How noise pollution from planes, trains and automobiles can harm human health

Noise pollution from human activities can have negative impacts on our health—from sleep disturbances and stress to increases in the risk of heart disease and diabetes. tolgart/Getty Images hide caption

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How noise pollution from planes, trains and automobiles can harm human health

When's the last time you were in a place that was quiet — really quiet? No roadway noise, construction work or even the hum of a refrigerator. Our world is full of sounds, some of which are harming our health. The World Health Organization says "noise is an underestimated threat." Today, host Emily Kwong talks to health reporter Joanne Silberner about those health costs, what is too loud and some of the history of legislation to limit noise pollution in the United States.

How noise pollution from planes, trains and automobiles can harm human health

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Researchers are figuring out how African ancestry can affect certain brain disorders

Illustration of a brain and genomic DNA on a dark blue particle background. Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images hide caption

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Researchers are figuring out how African ancestry can affect certain brain disorders

Black Americans have been underrepresented in most genomic studies of neurological disorders. As a result, scientists don't know much about whether African ancestry affects a person's risk for these disorders or their response to a particular treatment. To help close this gap, the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, African American community leaders in Baltimore, and researchers from Duke University and Morgan State University created the African Ancestry Neuroscience Research Initiative in 2019. The team found that genes associated with African ancestry appear to affect certain brain cells in ways that could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and stroke.

Researchers are figuring out how African ancestry can affect certain brain disorders

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If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?
Daniel Hertzberg

Body Electric

If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?

Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"?

If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?

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Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

Participants hold signs during March for Our Lives 2022 on June 11, 2022 in Washington, DC. Paul Morigi/Getty Images for March For Our Lives hide caption

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Paul Morigi/Getty Images for March For Our Lives

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Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

The surgeon general's office has declared gun violence a national public health crisis.

Gun violence is getting worse. Can a shift in perspective be the solution?

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The human brain is hardwired to recognize faces. But what if you can't?

Freelance science writer Sadie Dingfelder is the author of the new book Do I Know You?, which explores human sight, memory and imagination. Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company hide caption

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Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company

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The human brain is hardwired to recognize faces. But what if you can't?

Humans are hardwired to see faces — even in inanimate objects. We have a lima bean-shaped part of our brains dedicated to facial recognition. But this process isn't always straightforward. Science journalist Sadie Dingfelder is one of 10 million Americans who are face blind, or struggle to recognize the faces of people they know. In her new book, Do I Know You? she dives into this, as well as the science of memory and imagination.

The human brain is hardwired to recognize faces. But what if you can't?

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More primary care doctors could begin to provide abortions

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: The examination room in a clinic, which provides abortion care on April 30, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. A six-week abortion ban that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed will go into effect on May 1st. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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More primary care doctors could begin to provide abortions

For decades, people seeking abortions went to specialty clinics like Planned Parenthood. But since Roe v. Wade was overturned, more general practitioners are stepping in to provide abortions.

More primary care doctors could begin to provide abortions

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The Vapes of Wrath
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Planet Money

The Vapes of Wrath

When the vape brand Juul first hit the market back in 2015, e-cigarettes were in a kind of regulatory limbo. At the time, the rules that governed tobacco cigarettes did not explicitly apply to e-cigarettes. Then Juul blew up, fueled a public health crisis over teen vaping, and inspired a regulatory crackdown. But when the government finally stepped in to solve the problem of youth vaping, it may have actually made things worse.

The Vapes of Wrath

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