Health
A writer lost his singing voice, then discovered the gymnastics of speech
John Colapinto developed a vocal polyp when he began "wailing" with a rock group without proper warmup. He talks about the frailty and feats of the human voice. Originally broadcast Jan. 26, 2021.
'Pandemic, Inc.' author says financial predators made more than $1 billion off COVID
When the COVID crisis hit in 2020, the federal government needed far more N95 masks and other protective equipment than it had — so it began awarding contracts to companies promising to provide them, often at a steep mark-up. J. David McSwane, a ProPublica reporter and author of the new book Pandemic, Inc: Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick, says a shocking number of those companies had no experience in providing medical equipment.
Stone Age brain surgery? It might have been more survivable than you think
Medical historian and surgeon Ira Rutkow points to physical evidence that suggests Stone Age people conducted — and survived — brain surgery. We talk about the evolution of surgery from ancient societies to robotic surgery today. His new book is Empire of the Scalpel.
A doctor reveals the hidden wonders of the human body
In his new book, The Unseen Body, Dr. Jonathan Reisman offers a guided tour inside the human body, from the remarkable design of our organs to the messages contained in our body fluids.
How long COVID sheds light on other mysterious (and lonely) chronic illnesses
Meghan O'Rourke says long COVID and other chronic illnesses put an unwieldy burden on patients, who have to testify to the reality of their own illness. Her new book, The Invisible Kingdom, chronicles her personal struggle to find diagnoses for her own nerve pain, brain fog, extreme fatigue and other symptoms."When you're at the edge of medical knowledge, the lack of evidence is treated as evidence that the problem is you and your mind," O'Rourke says. "I felt, in a sense, kind of locked away in a room like a 19th-century hysteric."
SCOTUS Ruling On Texas Abortion Law Could Foreshadow The End Of Roe V. Wade
Ian Millhiser covers the Supreme Court for Vox. He says the Court's decision to uphold the law was a generational victory for abortion opponents: "They've spent many decades working for this moment."
In 'Dopamine Nation,' Overabundance Keeps Us Craving More
Psychiatrist ANNA LEMBKE's new book Dopamine Nation is about the neuro transmitter - the chemical messenger released in the brain most involved in processing rewards. It plays a big part in addictions.
How An Anti-Vice Crusader Sabotaged The Early Birth Control Movement
In her new book, The Man Who Hated Women, author Amy Sohn writes about Anthony Comstock, an anti-vice crusader who later became a special agent to the U.S. Post office, giving him the power to enforce the law. And she writes about the eight women charged with violating the Comstock Act.
Did COVID-19 Leak From A Lab? A Reporter Investigates — And Finds Roadblocks
President Biden has asked the intelligence community to investigate whether or not the virus leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. Vanity Fair reporter Katherine Eban shares her findings.
COVID Is The 'Nightmare We Really Wanted To Avoid,' India-Based Journalist Says
Jeffrey Gettleman of the N.Y. Times says the air has been filled with smoke from crematories. Meanwhile, the health care system is collapsing and the black market for oxygen and medicine is thriving.