window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"science_1945452": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1945452",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945452",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1945448,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/20160920_TheMorrisons_BloomLife_195-768x512-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/20160920_TheMorrisons_BloomLife_195-768x512-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/20160920_TheMorrisons_BloomLife_195-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/20160920_TheMorrisons_BloomLife_195-768x512-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1563900874,
"modified": 1563900883,
"caption": "More than 10,000 women have used Bloomlife’s “smart pregnancy tracker,” which monitors uterine activity.",
"description": null,
"title": "20160920_TheMorrisons_BloomLife_195-768x512",
"credit": "Bloomlife",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1945384": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1945384",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945384",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1945379,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-160x111.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 111
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-e1563819784225.jpg",
"width": 1925,
"height": 1338
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-1020x709.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 709
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-1200x834.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 834
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-1920x1335.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1335
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-800x556.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 556
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS4476_148166024-768x534.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 534
}
},
"publishDate": 1563819671,
"modified": 1563819760,
"caption": "Kamala Harris speaks to reporters on July 11, 2012 in San Francisco, California. ",
"description": null,
"title": "Governor Brown Signs California Homeowner Bill Of Rights",
"credit": "Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1945181": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1945181",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945181",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1945176,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS33807_camp-fire-traffic-0186-sfi-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS33807_camp-fire-traffic-0186-sfi.jpg",
"width": 540,
"height": 360
}
},
"publishDate": 1563392324,
"modified": 1563466896,
"caption": "Maria Elena Amaya poses for a portrait with a N95 air mask in Berkeley, in November, 2018. The Butte County Camp Fire caused poor air quality throughout Northern California. ",
"description": null,
"title": "camp fire mask",
"credit": "J.P. Dobrin/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1945172": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1945172",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945172",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1945169,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/GettyImages-1130598362-768x432-160x90.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/GettyImages-1130598362-768x432-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/GettyImages-1130598362-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/GettyImages-1130598362-768x432-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
}
},
"publishDate": 1563385403,
"modified": 1563385463,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "GettyImages-1130598362-768x432",
"credit": "FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1934976": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1934976",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1934976",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1934969,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-520x361.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 361
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-160x111.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 111
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-960x666.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 666
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-375x260.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 260
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655.jpg",
"width": 3000,
"height": 2082
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1020x708.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 708
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1180x819.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 819
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1200x833.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 833
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-800x555.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 555
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1920x1332.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1332
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1180x819.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 819
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-1920x1332.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1332
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-768x533.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2018/11/GettyImages-173465655-240x167.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 167
}
},
"publishDate": 1543428296,
"modified": 1563237574,
"caption": "A heat danger warning sign in Death Valley, which holds the record for the hottest month ever recorded on the planet.",
"description": "A heat danger warning sign in Death Valley, which holds the record for the hottest month ever recorded on the planet.",
"title": "Annual Badwater Ultra Marathon Held In Death Valley's Extreme Heat",
"credit": "David McNew/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1944798": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1944798",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944798",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1944788,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-1200x800.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 800
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/RS25451_20170515_StateCapitol_Sen_BobWieckowski_credit_BertJohnson-1-qut-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1562703030,
"modified": 1562703220,
"caption": "California State Senator Bob Wieckowski in Sacramento on May 15, 2017.",
"description": null,
"title": null,
"credit": "Bert Johnson/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1944149": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1944149",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944149",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1944148,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/red-tide-788x576.jpg",
"width": 788,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/red-tide-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/red-tide-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/red-tide.jpg",
"width": 788,
"height": 590
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/red-tide-768x575.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 575
}
},
"publishDate": 1561764499,
"modified": 1561765597,
"caption": "A red tide off the coast of California. Algal blooms are especially common during the summer months, and are the cause of the state’s annual mussel quarantine. ",
"description": null,
"title": null,
"credit": "Peter Franks/Scripps Institution of Oceanography",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1944503": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1944503",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944503",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1944497,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-1038x576.jpeg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-160x107.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 800
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-1020x680.jpeg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-1200x800.jpeg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 800
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-800x533.jpeg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/DNA_AdobeStock_64573096-1200x800-768x512.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1562110059,
"modified": 1562110105,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "3d render of dna structure, abstract background",
"credit": "DigitalGenetics/via Adobe",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1943891": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1943891",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943891",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1943888,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-160x99.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 99
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1263
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-1020x629.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 629
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-1200x740.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 740
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-1920x1184.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1184
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-800x493.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 493
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/iStock-948400656-768x474.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 474
}
},
"publishDate": 1561420512,
"modified": 1561420593,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Reading Book on Beach",
"credit": "Sefa Ozel/IStock",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1943946": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1943946",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943946",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1943941,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/AdobeStock_241337941-768x432-160x90.jpeg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 90
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/AdobeStock_241337941-768x432-672x372.jpeg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/AdobeStock_241337941-768x432.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"height": 432
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/AdobeStock_241337941-768x432-768x432.jpeg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
}
},
"publishDate": 1561493962,
"modified": 1561493974,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "AdobeStock_241337941-768x432",
"credit": "Adobe",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1943827": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1943827",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943827",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1943825,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing.jpg",
"width": 1270,
"height": 846
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-1200x799.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 799
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1561395350,
"modified": 1561395390,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": null,
"credit": "Caitlin Hillyard/KHN illustration; Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1943580": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1943580",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943580",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1943578,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 106
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1363
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-1200x799.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 799
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-1920x1278.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1278
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-800x532.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 532
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/GettyImages-603968516-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 511
}
},
"publishDate": 1560965989,
"modified": 1560966033,
"caption": "Irrigation water at a cotton field in Porterville, California August 24, 2016. \nAgricultural fertilizers as well as cow manure from dairy farms have led to domestic wells in California's Central Valley having dangerously high levels of nitrates making it unsafe to drink. ",
"description": null,
"title": "GettyImages-603968516",
"credit": "ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_science_1945448": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1945448",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1945448",
"name": "Megan Thielking \u003cbr/>STAT News \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1945379": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1945379",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1945379",
"name": "Juana Summers \u003cbr/>Associated Press \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1945169": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1945169",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1945169",
"name": "Rebecca Robbins \u003cbr/>STAT News\u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1944497": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1944497",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1944497",
"name": "Berly McCoy \u003cbr/> PBS Newshour \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1943888": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1943888",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1943888",
"name": "Sarah Mupo \u003cbr/> STAT News \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1943941": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1943941",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1943941",
"name": "Sharon Begley \u003cbr/> STAT News \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1943825": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1943825",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1943825",
"name": "Julie Appleby and Elizabeth Lucas \u003cbr/> Kaiser Health News \u003cbr>",
"isLoading": false
},
"mpeterson": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11223",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11223",
"found": true
},
"name": "Molly Peterson",
"firstName": "Molly",
"lastName": "Peterson",
"slug": "mpeterson",
"email": "mpeterson@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": "Molly Peterson reports for KQED science and news on climate change, catastrophe and risk. Previously she was environment correspondent at Southern California Public Radio. Her work has also appeared at The New York Times, The Guardian, on NPR, at High Country News, on Code Switch, and other national outlets. She has been honored with awards from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Los Angeles Press Club, and RTNDA Edward R. Murrow awards, among others.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "Mollydacious",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/radiomolly/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Molly Peterson | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7908e2807131f776cc8165c649530b05?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/mpeterson"
},
"kevinstark": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11608",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11608",
"found": true
},
"name": "Kevin Stark",
"firstName": "Kevin",
"lastName": "Stark",
"slug": "kevinstark",
"email": "kstark@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Senior Editor",
"bio": "Kevin is a senior editor for KQED Science, managing the station's health and climate desks. His journalism career began in the Pacific Northwest, and he later became a lead reporter for the San Francisco Public Press. His work has appeared in Pacific Standard magazine, the Energy News Network, the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal and WBEZ in Chicago. Kevin joined KQED in 2019, and has covered issues related to energy, wildfire, climate change and the environment.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1f646bf546a63d638e04ff23b52b0e79?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "starkkev",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Kevin Stark | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1f646bf546a63d638e04ff23b52b0e79?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1f646bf546a63d638e04ff23b52b0e79?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/kevinstark"
},
"adicorato": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11615",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11615",
"found": true
},
"name": "Allessandra DiCorato",
"firstName": "Allessandra",
"lastName": "DiCorato",
"slug": "adicorato",
"email": "adicorato@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Allessandra is the 2019 AAAS Mass Media Fellow at KQED Science. She is currently a PhD candidate at Northwestern University, where she studies how nanomaterials interact with soft biological tissue in contexts ranging from sea urchins to cancer cells. Allessandra graduated from Cornell University in 2015, where she studied chemistry, creative writing, and biomedical engineering.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f725f664da1ae7668ca873d0b97d5bbb?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "science",
"roles": []
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Allessandra DiCorato | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f725f664da1ae7668ca873d0b97d5bbb?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f725f664da1ae7668ca873d0b97d5bbb?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/adicorato"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"science_category_health": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_39",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "39",
"score": 10.88648
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 41,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Health",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "science",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 39
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/science?category=health",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 39
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"science_1945448": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1945448",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945448",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1563906027000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1563906027,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Pregnancy Tech is Growing. But Women and Their Doctors Remain Wary",
"headTitle": "Pregnancy Tech is Growing. But Women and Their Doctors Remain Wary | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Pregnancy care is poised for a 21st century upgrade.\u003cbr>\n[pullquote align='right' citation='Dr. Thomas McElrath']‘Frequently people want the reassurance that it’s fine, but they haven’t thought through what happens if something isn’t fine. ‘[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Algorithms promise to detect the difference between real labor and a false alarm. Wearables give women a way to track contractions. Apps relay home blood pressure readings directly to doctors, offering a possible way to cut down on prenatal visits — and catch certain pregnancy complications before they become full-blown crises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors say the new technologies have the potential to transform prenatal care. But for all the promise, doctors caution that some direct-to-consumer devices might cause anxiety or unnecessary trips to the clinic — without strong evidence that they offer any real benefits to pregnant women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Prenatal care is burdensome. It requires patients to be in at minimum, once a month. People have jobs. It’s hard to get in… You could imagine some kind of virtual substitute would be very welcome,” said Dr. Thomas McElrath, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “But we would have to figure out and think carefully about how to do that,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obstetrician-gynecologists are particularly worried about direct-to-consumer devices that aren’t woven into the fabric of prenatal care. Among their concerns: Faulty or confusing data might send women to their doctors when they don’t need to go. And for some devices, doctors say the lack of research or a true need to use them means they’re simply a waste of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I [sometimes tell] my patients to save their money, because babies are expensive,” said Dr. LaVonne Simmons, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Washington.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their fears aren’t completely unfounded. Some women say they bought devices to give them more data about their pregnancy, but ultimately felt they were more of a headache than a help. Others say they raised false alarms or made them second-guess their gut instincts about what was happening in their bodies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But other women say DTC devices have given them peace of mind and the feeling of more control during a time that can be biologically overwhelming. That’s fueling a growing tension: As pregnancy tech grows more popular with patients, doctors are left to figure out if and how such devices fit into a woman’s prenatal care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clearly the way of the future,” said Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB-GYN at George Washington University “This is an enormously popular, highly utilized field … It’s not going away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A New Kind of Prenatal Care\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The field of pregnancy tech has grown rapidly in recent years, from home ultrasounds that capture kicks to wearable belts that play music to the womb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One popular device is Bloomlife, a sensor that’s designed to pick up uterine activity. Women stick the sensor three fingers below their belly buttons, sit still, and watch as uterine activity pops up in spiky peaks on the Bloomlife app. More than 10,000 women have rented Bloomlife’s $20-a-week “smart pregnancy tracker” to count millions of contractions since the company launched in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife’s office is in downtown San Francisco, situated in a coworking space that doubles as a retail store, with space-age phone pods lined up next to vintage furniture for sale. The basement is a lab space that was repurposed from a photo processing lab once run for Ansel Adams. Now, Bloomlife is using it as home base as it tries to do for pregnancy what its Silicon Valley peers are doing in other areas of health: Give it the tech treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The way that we manage prenatal care fundamentally hasn’t changed in decades,” said Eric Dy, Bloomlife’s president and a biomedical engineer by training. “That’s our North Star — we believe we can define a new standard within prenatal care,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because Bloomlife’s device hasn’t been approved by the FDA, the company is careful not to veer into medical advice. Many women use it simply to see what’s happening in their bodies. It’s popular among women who might live far from their providers — nearly half of users live in rural areas, according to a Bloomlife breakdown of users’ ZIP codes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Going direct-to-consumer has allowed the company to collect a massive amount of data, Dy said. While the company only relays contraction data to users, the device also tracks maternal heart rate. Bloomlife now has what it says is the world’s biggest physiological data set during pregnancy, with more than 500,000 hours of data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife is using that data to train artificial intelligence algorithms to not just track contractions, but identify labor. That could have a big impact, given the high cost of hospital trips for false labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company recently wrapped up an observational study to test the accuracy of a “digital biomarker” — specifically, data on uterine activity and heart rate variability — in 150 pregnant women who used Bloomlife’s device.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a medical conference earlier this year, Bloomlife’s team presented an abstract on results from the first 50 women in the study. The company reported that it is able to detect if a woman is in labor with 80% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Bloomlife says that shows its device is as accurate as the current standard of tracking contraction patterns and conducting a pelvic exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But outside experts still have questions, starting with the results from the other 100 women in the study. McElrath, the OB-GYN in Boston, said the analytic technique used to crunch the data wasn’t as rigorous as it needs to be to prove the test is valid. He also pointed out many women don’t have contractions in a clear pattern until the end stages of preterm labor and delivery. At that point, he said, it’s likely too late for a tool like Bloomlife’s to be useful in identifying the onset of preterm labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife says it is preparing the full results of the study for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The company plans to apply for clearance from the FDA next year and wants to run more studies on the device’s potential use in prenatal care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, though, the device continues to gain traction among women who say they like seeing data on their pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought this would be a good way to track things at home without staring at the clock,” said Christine Hall, a 32-year-old woman who lives in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Hall, who Bloomlife identified as a customer who could speak about her experience with its tracker, rented the device while pregnant with her fifth child. She started having contractions earlier than expected with previous pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me, it really just brought peace of mind,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘To a Patient, a False Positive Feels Very Real’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the potential peace of mind, some doctors are wary about what might happen when patients are flooded with health data from devices that aren’t part of their medical care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Frequently people want the reassurance that it’s fine, but they haven’t thought through what happens if something isn’t fine,” said McElrath, the OB-GYN in Boston.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McElrath and other providers said they’re worried that direct-to-consumer pregnancy tech might cause unnecessary anxiety, particularly if they’re not reliable and sometimes signal something is wrong when it actually isn’t. Some devices, like home heart rate monitors or ultrasounds, are also prone to user error if a patient isn’t trained properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The tact I take with [patients] is that this might actually increase anxiety. That’s my biggest concern with these devices,” said Simmons, the University of Washington OB-GYN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faulty results could also send women to their health care providers when they might not need to make the trip. OB-GYNs said they see patients who were using home fetal heart rate or activity monitors when they couldn’t pick up a heartbeat or saw less fetal movement than normal. The woman calls up a doctor, who isn’t sure how to interpret data she isn’t looking at from a device she isn’t familiar with. She asks the patient to come in, only to find that everything is fine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Then we’ve had a hospital visit and created an anxious patient. To a patient, a false positive feels very real. They don’t know it’s false,” said McElrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors also noted that in the case of many pregnancy tech products, there’s not much data to show whether the tools can even improve health outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of this [risk] is acceptable if we know it’s for a good reason,” said McElrath. “When we’re not sure, it becomes a potential burden.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s been the case for some women who have turned to tech while pregnant. Leah Hutson kept seeing Facebook ads for Bloomlife when pregnant with her first child. “I was like, this seems like it would be really cool. This is my first child, I want to be as informed as possible,” said Hutson, a 31-year-old who lives in San Antonio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She started using the monitor in January 2018, about a month before her due date. It picked up some uterine activity she felt. But a few days before her daughter was born, Hutson started feeling uncomfortable and wasn’t sure what was going on. She put on her Bloomlife, but it didn’t pick up any contractions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She bounced on a birth ball. She went to work. She took a trip to Target, hoping she could walk off the discomfort and grab some snacks for when she did go into labor. Hutson tried Bloomlife a few more times, but said she saw no activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Turns out, during that time, I was actually in the beginning of labor,” she said. By the time she went to the hospital, Hutson was already 7 centimeters dilated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Bloomlife made me second guess myself. It wasn’t showing any contractions,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tech Companies Court Providers as Customers\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By and large, health care providers and patients all agree on one thing: Tech does have the potential to make pregnancy care far better — if it’s done the right way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It [should be] an entry to interacting with the medical environment, rather than having patients do this on their own,” said McElrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But McElrath and other clinicians said new tools demand more research. They want evidence that at-home devices are as good as existing care or even better. Providers also say device makers need to think carefully about how new technology will fit into a woman’s overall care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to [need] more integration with clinical oversight to help make it safer to manage all this patient-generated data,” said DeNicola, the George Washington University OB-GYN. DeNicola also serves as the chair of the telehealth committee at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several companies are developing tech tools for clinicians that they hope will one day fit seamlessly into prenatal care. Rather than being shipped right to a pregnant woman’s door, the products would be “prescribed” by providers who send women home with the tools, monitor their data remotely, and help patients interpret it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola has conducted research on one such system, called Babyscripts. Women measure their blood pressure, glucose levels, and weight at home, then log that information in the Babyscripts app. The app also asks users questions about their mental health during pregnancy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Providers can see that data on a dashboard and call patients anytime something seems amiss. Women can keep using the app after birth, potentially giving providers a new way to see dangerous blood pressure problems after birth. An added bonus for clinicians, per the company’s website: “By automating elements of care, you can reduce the need for routine in-office visits while capturing the same global fee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another company, Nuvo, has developed a wearable belt that doctors send home with women to keep tabs on maternal and fetal heart rate, along with uterine activity. A woman can’t use the device to see data outside of the scheduled times and tests set by her provider, which Nuvo hopes will prevent patients from poring over data on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really believe in making the mother the point of care, and having the data seamlessly travel between the doctor’s office and the home,” said Debra Bass, the chief marketing officer of Nuvo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nuvo’s customer is the provider, not the patient. The company is eyeing maternal-fetal medicine specialists who care for women with high-risk pregnancies as its first target audience. The company knows it’s critical for its success to not only score the endorsement of clinicians, but also get them to adopt the technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To win over doctors — and demonstrate its efficacy — Nuvo has applied for FDA approval for its device, called Invu. As part of its application, the company ran two studies: one to demonstrate that the device works as well as existing tools to monitor heart rate, and one to show that it’s safe and simple for patients to use at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We could have been another gadget that launched at the [Consumer Electronics Show and started selling on our website or Buy Buy Baby,” Bass said. “It’s been harder, longer, and a lot more expensive, but we believe [running trials] is the right and responsible approach,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nuvo is expecting a decision from the agency later this year. Clinicians, meanwhile, are watching with anticipation as more research unfolds and regulators begin to review the new tools that have the potential to make prenatal care easier and more effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The whole idea is to protect against the potential hazards, so then we can take advantage of all the benefits,” DeNicola said. “This has much more promise than peril.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong> \u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/07/23/pregnancy-tech-help-headache/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2510,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 55
},
"modified": 1704848479,
"excerpt": "Wearable technologies could transform prenatal care, but doctors caution that some direct-to-consumer devices may not offer any real benefits to pregnant women.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Wearable technologies could transform prenatal care, but doctors caution that some direct-to-consumer devices may not offer any real benefits to pregnant women.",
"title": "Pregnancy Tech is Growing. But Women and Their Doctors Remain Wary | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Pregnancy Tech is Growing. But Women and Their Doctors Remain Wary",
"datePublished": "2019-07-23T11:20:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:01:19-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "pregnancy-tech-is-growing-but-women-and-their-doctors-remain-wary",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Megan Thielking \u003cbr/>STAT News \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "STAT News",
"path": "/science/1945448/pregnancy-tech-is-growing-but-women-and-their-doctors-remain-wary",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Pregnancy care is poised for a 21st century upgrade.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Frequently people want the reassurance that it’s fine, but they haven’t thought through what happens if something isn’t fine. ‘",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"citation": "Dr. Thomas McElrath",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Algorithms promise to detect the difference between real labor and a false alarm. Wearables give women a way to track contractions. Apps relay home blood pressure readings directly to doctors, offering a possible way to cut down on prenatal visits — and catch certain pregnancy complications before they become full-blown crises.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors say the new technologies have the potential to transform prenatal care. But for all the promise, doctors caution that some direct-to-consumer devices might cause anxiety or unnecessary trips to the clinic — without strong evidence that they offer any real benefits to pregnant women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Prenatal care is burdensome. It requires patients to be in at minimum, once a month. People have jobs. It’s hard to get in… You could imagine some kind of virtual substitute would be very welcome,” said Dr. Thomas McElrath, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “But we would have to figure out and think carefully about how to do that,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Obstetrician-gynecologists are particularly worried about direct-to-consumer devices that aren’t woven into the fabric of prenatal care. Among their concerns: Faulty or confusing data might send women to their doctors when they don’t need to go. And for some devices, doctors say the lack of research or a true need to use them means they’re simply a waste of money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I [sometimes tell] my patients to save their money, because babies are expensive,” said Dr. LaVonne Simmons, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Washington.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their fears aren’t completely unfounded. Some women say they bought devices to give them more data about their pregnancy, but ultimately felt they were more of a headache than a help. Others say they raised false alarms or made them second-guess their gut instincts about what was happening in their bodies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But other women say DTC devices have given them peace of mind and the feeling of more control during a time that can be biologically overwhelming. That’s fueling a growing tension: As pregnancy tech grows more popular with patients, doctors are left to figure out if and how such devices fit into a woman’s prenatal care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clearly the way of the future,” said Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB-GYN at George Washington University “This is an enormously popular, highly utilized field … It’s not going away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A New Kind of Prenatal Care\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The field of pregnancy tech has grown rapidly in recent years, from home ultrasounds that capture kicks to wearable belts that play music to the womb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One popular device is Bloomlife, a sensor that’s designed to pick up uterine activity. Women stick the sensor three fingers below their belly buttons, sit still, and watch as uterine activity pops up in spiky peaks on the Bloomlife app. More than 10,000 women have rented Bloomlife’s $20-a-week “smart pregnancy tracker” to count millions of contractions since the company launched in 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife’s office is in downtown San Francisco, situated in a coworking space that doubles as a retail store, with space-age phone pods lined up next to vintage furniture for sale. The basement is a lab space that was repurposed from a photo processing lab once run for Ansel Adams. Now, Bloomlife is using it as home base as it tries to do for pregnancy what its Silicon Valley peers are doing in other areas of health: Give it the tech treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The way that we manage prenatal care fundamentally hasn’t changed in decades,” said Eric Dy, Bloomlife’s president and a biomedical engineer by training. “That’s our North Star — we believe we can define a new standard within prenatal care,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because Bloomlife’s device hasn’t been approved by the FDA, the company is careful not to veer into medical advice. Many women use it simply to see what’s happening in their bodies. It’s popular among women who might live far from their providers — nearly half of users live in rural areas, according to a Bloomlife breakdown of users’ ZIP codes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Going direct-to-consumer has allowed the company to collect a massive amount of data, Dy said. While the company only relays contraction data to users, the device also tracks maternal heart rate. Bloomlife now has what it says is the world’s biggest physiological data set during pregnancy, with more than 500,000 hours of data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife is using that data to train artificial intelligence algorithms to not just track contractions, but identify labor. That could have a big impact, given the high cost of hospital trips for false labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company recently wrapped up an observational study to test the accuracy of a “digital biomarker” — specifically, data on uterine activity and heart rate variability — in 150 pregnant women who used Bloomlife’s device.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a medical conference earlier this year, Bloomlife’s team presented an abstract on results from the first 50 women in the study. The company reported that it is able to detect if a woman is in labor with 80% sensitivity and 93% specificity. Bloomlife says that shows its device is as accurate as the current standard of tracking contraction patterns and conducting a pelvic exam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But outside experts still have questions, starting with the results from the other 100 women in the study. McElrath, the OB-GYN in Boston, said the analytic technique used to crunch the data wasn’t as rigorous as it needs to be to prove the test is valid. He also pointed out many women don’t have contractions in a clear pattern until the end stages of preterm labor and delivery. At that point, he said, it’s likely too late for a tool like Bloomlife’s to be useful in identifying the onset of preterm labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bloomlife says it is preparing the full results of the study for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The company plans to apply for clearance from the FDA next year and wants to run more studies on the device’s potential use in prenatal care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, though, the device continues to gain traction among women who say they like seeing data on their pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought this would be a good way to track things at home without staring at the clock,” said Christine Hall, a 32-year-old woman who lives in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Hall, who Bloomlife identified as a customer who could speak about her experience with its tracker, rented the device while pregnant with her fifth child. She started having contractions earlier than expected with previous pregnancies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me, it really just brought peace of mind,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘To a Patient, a False Positive Feels Very Real’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the potential peace of mind, some doctors are wary about what might happen when patients are flooded with health data from devices that aren’t part of their medical care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Frequently people want the reassurance that it’s fine, but they haven’t thought through what happens if something isn’t fine,” said McElrath, the OB-GYN in Boston.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McElrath and other providers said they’re worried that direct-to-consumer pregnancy tech might cause unnecessary anxiety, particularly if they’re not reliable and sometimes signal something is wrong when it actually isn’t. Some devices, like home heart rate monitors or ultrasounds, are also prone to user error if a patient isn’t trained properly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The tact I take with [patients] is that this might actually increase anxiety. That’s my biggest concern with these devices,” said Simmons, the University of Washington OB-GYN.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faulty results could also send women to their health care providers when they might not need to make the trip. OB-GYNs said they see patients who were using home fetal heart rate or activity monitors when they couldn’t pick up a heartbeat or saw less fetal movement than normal. The woman calls up a doctor, who isn’t sure how to interpret data she isn’t looking at from a device she isn’t familiar with. She asks the patient to come in, only to find that everything is fine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Then we’ve had a hospital visit and created an anxious patient. To a patient, a false positive feels very real. They don’t know it’s false,” said McElrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors also noted that in the case of many pregnancy tech products, there’s not much data to show whether the tools can even improve health outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of this [risk] is acceptable if we know it’s for a good reason,” said McElrath. “When we’re not sure, it becomes a potential burden.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s been the case for some women who have turned to tech while pregnant. Leah Hutson kept seeing Facebook ads for Bloomlife when pregnant with her first child. “I was like, this seems like it would be really cool. This is my first child, I want to be as informed as possible,” said Hutson, a 31-year-old who lives in San Antonio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She started using the monitor in January 2018, about a month before her due date. It picked up some uterine activity she felt. But a few days before her daughter was born, Hutson started feeling uncomfortable and wasn’t sure what was going on. She put on her Bloomlife, but it didn’t pick up any contractions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She bounced on a birth ball. She went to work. She took a trip to Target, hoping she could walk off the discomfort and grab some snacks for when she did go into labor. Hutson tried Bloomlife a few more times, but said she saw no activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Turns out, during that time, I was actually in the beginning of labor,” she said. By the time she went to the hospital, Hutson was already 7 centimeters dilated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Bloomlife made me second guess myself. It wasn’t showing any contractions,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tech Companies Court Providers as Customers\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By and large, health care providers and patients all agree on one thing: Tech does have the potential to make pregnancy care far better — if it’s done the right way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It [should be] an entry to interacting with the medical environment, rather than having patients do this on their own,” said McElrath.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But McElrath and other clinicians said new tools demand more research. They want evidence that at-home devices are as good as existing care or even better. Providers also say device makers need to think carefully about how new technology will fit into a woman’s overall care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to [need] more integration with clinical oversight to help make it safer to manage all this patient-generated data,” said DeNicola, the George Washington University OB-GYN. DeNicola also serves as the chair of the telehealth committee at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several companies are developing tech tools for clinicians that they hope will one day fit seamlessly into prenatal care. Rather than being shipped right to a pregnant woman’s door, the products would be “prescribed” by providers who send women home with the tools, monitor their data remotely, and help patients interpret it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola has conducted research on one such system, called Babyscripts. Women measure their blood pressure, glucose levels, and weight at home, then log that information in the Babyscripts app. The app also asks users questions about their mental health during pregnancy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Providers can see that data on a dashboard and call patients anytime something seems amiss. Women can keep using the app after birth, potentially giving providers a new way to see dangerous blood pressure problems after birth. An added bonus for clinicians, per the company’s website: “By automating elements of care, you can reduce the need for routine in-office visits while capturing the same global fee.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another company, Nuvo, has developed a wearable belt that doctors send home with women to keep tabs on maternal and fetal heart rate, along with uterine activity. A woman can’t use the device to see data outside of the scheduled times and tests set by her provider, which Nuvo hopes will prevent patients from poring over data on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We really believe in making the mother the point of care, and having the data seamlessly travel between the doctor’s office and the home,” said Debra Bass, the chief marketing officer of Nuvo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nuvo’s customer is the provider, not the patient. The company is eyeing maternal-fetal medicine specialists who care for women with high-risk pregnancies as its first target audience. The company knows it’s critical for its success to not only score the endorsement of clinicians, but also get them to adopt the technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To win over doctors — and demonstrate its efficacy — Nuvo has applied for FDA approval for its device, called Invu. As part of its application, the company ran two studies: one to demonstrate that the device works as well as existing tools to monitor heart rate, and one to show that it’s safe and simple for patients to use at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We could have been another gadget that launched at the [Consumer Electronics Show and started selling on our website or Buy Buy Baby,” Bass said. “It’s been harder, longer, and a lot more expensive, but we believe [running trials] is the right and responsible approach,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nuvo is expecting a decision from the agency later this year. Clinicians, meanwhile, are watching with anticipation as more research unfolds and regulators begin to review the new tools that have the potential to make prenatal care easier and more effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The whole idea is to protect against the potential hazards, so then we can take advantage of all the benefits,” DeNicola said. “This has much more promise than peril.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong> \u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/07/23/pregnancy-tech-help-headache/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1945448/pregnancy-tech-is-growing-but-women-and-their-doctors-remain-wary",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1945448"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_5181",
"science_3838",
"science_616",
"science_1504"
],
"featImg": "science_1945452",
"label": "source_science_1945448"
},
"science_1945379": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1945379",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945379",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1563820503000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1563820503,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Kamala Harris Introduces $220 Billion Clean Drinking Water Bill",
"headTitle": "Kamala Harris Introduces $220 Billion Clean Drinking Water Bill | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Sen. Kamala Harris is introducing legislation designed to ensure all Americans, particularly those in at-risk communities, have access to safe, affordable drinking water, the latest response to burgeoning water crises across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Democrat and presidential candidate’s “Water Justice Act” would invest nearly $220 billion in clean and safe drinking water programs, with priority given to high-risk communities and schools. As part of that, Harris’ plan would declare a drinking water infrastructure emergency, devoting $50 billion toward communities and schools where water is contaminated to test for contaminants and to remediate toxic infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation, being introduced on Monday, also would establish a $10 billion program to allow states to offset the cost of water bills in low-income communities and environmentally at-risk households. Additionally, Harris would invest $20 billion in a variety of sustainable water supply, recycling and conservation programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is focusing on the issue as she and other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates turn their sights on Michigan, where the city of \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/FlintWater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Flint has faced a major water crisis\u003c/a> . Harris, who \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/1648ca2ef0fe4d9897212b8e91571f5a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">launched her campaign\u003c/a> in January, is among the party’s candidates speaking at the NAACP’s national convention in Michigan this week. And \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/2756b13a05bb42d693e57def743d24aa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 candidates \u003c/a>seeking their party’s nomination will take the stage for the party’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/57b80aa37bd746b9a5160ba58f958dd3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">second set of presidential debates\u003c/a> in Detroit on July 30-31.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is partnering with Michigan Reps. Dan Kildee, who represents Flint, and Brenda Lawrence. While Flint has dealt with lead that leached into some homes after officials tapped into the Flint River in 2014, the problems also are dire in Harris’ home state, where 1 million of its nearly 40 million residents don’t have access to clean drinking water because of pollution from humans or natural causes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every American has the right to clean water, period,” Harris said. “We must take seriously the existential threat represented by future water shortages and acknowledge that communities across the country — particularly communities of color — already lack access to safe and affordable water. Achieving true justice in our nation will require us to recognize the precious nature of water and take bold action to invest in long-term, sustainable solutions to ensure it is accessible for all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is not the only presidential candidate to focus on the water crisis plaguing communities around the country. Among them are former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who earlier this year visited Flint and released a plan to combat lead exposure, and Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Cory Booker of New Jersey, who \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/87184b84e9c64c92b0d64c778121db2f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">traveled to Denmark, South Carolina,\u003c/a> where residents have struggled with tainted water.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 469,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 9
},
"modified": 1704848485,
"excerpt": "The California Democrat and presidential candidate’s “Water Justice Act” would invest in clean and safe drinking water programs, prioritizing at-risk communities. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The California Democrat and presidential candidate’s “Water Justice Act” would invest in clean and safe drinking water programs, prioritizing at-risk communities. ",
"title": "Kamala Harris Introduces $220 Billion Clean Drinking Water Bill | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Kamala Harris Introduces $220 Billion Clean Drinking Water Bill",
"datePublished": "2019-07-22T11:35:03-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:01:25-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "kamala-harris-introduces-220-billion-clean-drinking-water-bill",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Juana Summers \u003cbr/>Associated Press \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Associated Press",
"path": "/science/1945379/kamala-harris-introduces-220-billion-clean-drinking-water-bill",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Sen. Kamala Harris is introducing legislation designed to ensure all Americans, particularly those in at-risk communities, have access to safe, affordable drinking water, the latest response to burgeoning water crises across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Democrat and presidential candidate’s “Water Justice Act” would invest nearly $220 billion in clean and safe drinking water programs, with priority given to high-risk communities and schools. As part of that, Harris’ plan would declare a drinking water infrastructure emergency, devoting $50 billion toward communities and schools where water is contaminated to test for contaminants and to remediate toxic infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The legislation, being introduced on Monday, also would establish a $10 billion program to allow states to offset the cost of water bills in low-income communities and environmentally at-risk households. Additionally, Harris would invest $20 billion in a variety of sustainable water supply, recycling and conservation programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is focusing on the issue as she and other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates turn their sights on Michigan, where the city of \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/FlintWater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Flint has faced a major water crisis\u003c/a> . Harris, who \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/1648ca2ef0fe4d9897212b8e91571f5a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">launched her campaign\u003c/a> in January, is among the party’s candidates speaking at the NAACP’s national convention in Michigan this week. And \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/2756b13a05bb42d693e57def743d24aa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 candidates \u003c/a>seeking their party’s nomination will take the stage for the party’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/57b80aa37bd746b9a5160ba58f958dd3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">second set of presidential debates\u003c/a> in Detroit on July 30-31.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is partnering with Michigan Reps. Dan Kildee, who represents Flint, and Brenda Lawrence. While Flint has dealt with lead that leached into some homes after officials tapped into the Flint River in 2014, the problems also are dire in Harris’ home state, where 1 million of its nearly 40 million residents don’t have access to clean drinking water because of pollution from humans or natural causes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every American has the right to clean water, period,” Harris said. “We must take seriously the existential threat represented by future water shortages and acknowledge that communities across the country — particularly communities of color — already lack access to safe and affordable water. Achieving true justice in our nation will require us to recognize the precious nature of water and take bold action to invest in long-term, sustainable solutions to ensure it is accessible for all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harris is not the only presidential candidate to focus on the water crisis plaguing communities around the country. Among them are former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who earlier this year visited Flint and released a plan to combat lead exposure, and Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Cory Booker of New Jersey, who \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/87184b84e9c64c92b0d64c778121db2f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">traveled to Denmark, South Carolina,\u003c/a> where residents have struggled with tainted water.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1945379/kamala-harris-introduces-220-billion-clean-drinking-water-bill",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1945379"
],
"categories": [
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_4081",
"science_3838",
"science_201"
],
"featImg": "science_1945384",
"label": "source_science_1945379"
},
"science_1945176": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1945176",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945176",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1563469060000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1563469060,
"format": "standard",
"title": "State Regulators Move to Protect Workers From Wildfire Smoke",
"headTitle": "State Regulators Move to Protect Workers From Wildfire Smoke | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Wildfire smoke isn’t great for anybody, but a new rule California regulators vote on today recognizes that it’s particularly dangerous for workers while they’re on the job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board will decide whether to require employers to offer workers additional protections under specific circumstances when air quality is poor. The move comes after especially active fire seasons in 2017 and 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s all of California, and it’s not just a certain time, it’s all year round,” says attorney Nicole Marquez, with the advocacy group Worksafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' citation='Nicole Marquez, Worksafe']It’s an emergency because fire season is upon us. Workers are already being exposed to some of this fine particulate matter while they’re working outside, and they don’t have this protection.[/pullquote]Small and often toxic particles of pollution in smoke — also called PM2.5 — cause chest pain and coughing, trigger asthma attacks, and boost hospital admissions during wildfires. Under the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke-Emergency-txtbrdconsider.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">proposed rule\u003c/a>, employers who cannot reschedule shifts or move their workers away from smoke hazards must provide them with N95 filtering masks when air quality reaches “unhealthy” levels on the air quality index.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that way, they can use those respirators,” Marquez says, “and not be told that you have to go to Home Depot to buy an N95 when your employer should really be providing that for you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As fires still burned last December, Worksafe, the California Labor Foundation, and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation together petitioned the state’s Department of Industrial Regulation about the health risks of wildfire smoke on outdoor jobs such as construction, landscaping and farming. In March, the board \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-573-adopteddecision.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">approved consideration\u003c/a> of an emergency rule. Thursday, the board will consider both whether an emergency is happening, and if so, whether a temporary rule should take effect for 180 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_1926793']“It’s an emergency because fire season is upon us,” Marquez says. “Workers are already being exposed to some of this fine particulate matter while they’re working outside, and they don’t have this protection.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harmful wildfire smoke has long been common in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1929784/breathing-fire-californias-central-valley-bears-the-brunt-of-harmful-wildfire-smoke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central Valley\u003c/a> and in Southern California. But last year Northern California fires smothered San Francisco in more than a week of days deemed unhealthy on the AQI, and bad air hovered for almost two weeks in San Jose and Santa Rosa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quantifying the hazard of wildfire smoke is difficult for geophysical reasons: Smoke interacts with weather and wind patterns, for example, which is why the Bay Area’s inversion layers have locked pollutants in place for longer periods of time. And particles of the same size can contain different combinations and different amounts of toxicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, research is establishing stronger evidence that breathing smoke bears long-term health impacts as well as the acute ones during the fire itself. A \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018GH000144\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">study\u003c/span>\u003c/a> published last year projected that premature deaths associated with wildfire smoke could double nationally by century’s end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trade groups and the Chamber of Commerce have not objected to the rule in principle, but have \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/doshreg/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke/Comments-1/Chamber-Coalition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">critiqued\u003c/a> it as “impractically vague” and broad in scope. State workplace officials are already moving toward a permanent regulation, with a meeting \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/doshreg/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">scheduled\u003c/a> August 27th.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 583,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 13
},
"modified": 1704848496,
"excerpt": "Worker advocates say employers should protect employees who labor outdoors in construction, farming and other jobs, when wildfire smoke descends.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Worker advocates say employers should protect employees who labor outdoors in construction, farming and other jobs, when wildfire smoke descends.",
"title": "State Regulators Move to Protect Workers From Wildfire Smoke | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "State Regulators Move to Protect Workers From Wildfire Smoke",
"datePublished": "2019-07-18T09:57:40-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:01:36-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "state-regulators-move-to-protect-workers-from-wildfire-smoke",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1945176/state-regulators-move-to-protect-workers-from-wildfire-smoke",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Wildfire smoke isn’t great for anybody, but a new rule California regulators vote on today recognizes that it’s particularly dangerous for workers while they’re on the job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board will decide whether to require employers to offer workers additional protections under specific circumstances when air quality is poor. The move comes after especially active fire seasons in 2017 and 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s all of California, and it’s not just a certain time, it’s all year round,” says attorney Nicole Marquez, with the advocacy group Worksafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "It’s an emergency because fire season is upon us. Workers are already being exposed to some of this fine particulate matter while they’re working outside, and they don’t have this protection.",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Nicole Marquez, Worksafe",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Small and often toxic particles of pollution in smoke — also called PM2.5 — cause chest pain and coughing, trigger asthma attacks, and boost hospital admissions during wildfires. Under the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke-Emergency-txtbrdconsider.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">proposed rule\u003c/a>, employers who cannot reschedule shifts or move their workers away from smoke hazards must provide them with N95 filtering masks when air quality reaches “unhealthy” levels on the air quality index.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that way, they can use those respirators,” Marquez says, “and not be told that you have to go to Home Depot to buy an N95 when your employer should really be providing that for you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As fires still burned last December, Worksafe, the California Labor Foundation, and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation together petitioned the state’s Department of Industrial Regulation about the health risks of wildfire smoke on outdoor jobs such as construction, landscaping and farming. In March, the board \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-573-adopteddecision.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">approved consideration\u003c/a> of an emergency rule. Thursday, the board will consider both whether an emergency is happening, and if so, whether a temporary rule should take effect for 180 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1926793",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s an emergency because fire season is upon us,” Marquez says. “Workers are already being exposed to some of this fine particulate matter while they’re working outside, and they don’t have this protection.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harmful wildfire smoke has long been common in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1929784/breathing-fire-californias-central-valley-bears-the-brunt-of-harmful-wildfire-smoke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central Valley\u003c/a> and in Southern California. But last year Northern California fires smothered San Francisco in more than a week of days deemed unhealthy on the AQI, and bad air hovered for almost two weeks in San Jose and Santa Rosa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quantifying the hazard of wildfire smoke is difficult for geophysical reasons: Smoke interacts with weather and wind patterns, for example, which is why the Bay Area’s inversion layers have locked pollutants in place for longer periods of time. And particles of the same size can contain different combinations and different amounts of toxicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, research is establishing stronger evidence that breathing smoke bears long-term health impacts as well as the acute ones during the fire itself. A \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018GH000144\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">study\u003c/span>\u003c/a> published last year projected that premature deaths associated with wildfire smoke could double nationally by century’s end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trade groups and the Chamber of Commerce have not objected to the rule in principle, but have \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/doshreg/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke/Comments-1/Chamber-Coalition.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">critiqued\u003c/a> it as “impractically vague” and broad in scope. State workplace officials are already moving toward a permanent regulation, with a meeting \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/doshreg/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">scheduled\u003c/a> August 27th.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1945176/state-regulators-move-to-protect-workers-from-wildfire-smoke",
"authors": [
"11223"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_43",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_3370",
"science_3833",
"science_3693"
],
"featImg": "science_1945181",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1945169": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1945169",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1945169",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1563386858000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1563386858,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Elon Musk’s Latest Startup Wants to Test Brain-Reading Sensors in Paralyzed Patients",
"headTitle": "Elon Musk’s Latest Startup Wants to Test Brain-Reading Sensors in Paralyzed Patients | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>In front of a crowd of techies packed into a planetarium, Elon Musk strode out on stage, waxed philosophical about achieving symbiosis with artificial intelligence, and made his latest ambitious pronouncement in a career that’s been full of them: His startup Neuralink has developed technology meant to be implanted into the brain that’s designed to allow people to operate computers and smartphones with their thoughts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With some early animal testing under its belt, Neuralink wants to start human testing of its so-called “brain-machine interface” in paralyzed patients by the end of next year. Notably, the startup has yet to convince the Food and Drug Administration to allow it do so, said Musk, who has tangled with regulators over his other companies Tesla, SpaceX, and the Boring Company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And down the line? Musk wants the implants to be as safe and easy for healthy people to get as an elective procedure like LASIK vision correction surgery, the billionaire entrepreneur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s much-hyped presentation, delivered by Musk and his team Tuesday night here at a science museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, marked the first time that the secretive startup has spoken publicly about its work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company also released an \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6204648-Neuralink-White-Paper.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unpublished research paper\u003c/a>, authored by “Elon Musk & Neuralink,” that described its technology. At its core are thousands of electrodes, laced into flexible “threads,” which are high-tech wires much thinner than a human hair. Neuralink has also built a surgical robot to insert the threads deep into the brain. The idea is that the electrodes would relay brain signals to an AirPod-like device mounted behind the ear that would wirelessly hook up with a smartphone app that people could control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 19 surgeries on rats, the startup successfully placed the threads 87% of the time, the paper said. Musk and his team said the technique has promise to capture more neural data more safely than existing approaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink will face a long list of formidable obstacles as it aims to move from rats to the clinic. Decoding the mysteries of the brain is a steeper challenge than manufacturing cars or drilling tunnels or even building rockets. Even peer-reviewed and published data in rats usually disappoints when it gets translated to human patients — and Neuralink doesn’t even have that yet. And there are plenty of reasons that neuroscientists who have worked on brain-machine interfaces for years have yet to make nearly any commercial traction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk, whose eccentricities and outlandish Twitter presence have helped him build a cult following, put that offbeat personality on full display on Tuesday night. Donning a black jacket, a white button-up shirt, and no tie, he mused at one point about his technology giving people the option of merging with AI. “We are a brain in a vat,” he remarked at another point. Later, he spoke dreamily about communicating telepathically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked about Neuralink’s animal research by a member of the audience, Musk turned earnest for a moment in speaking about the startup’s seriousness in caring for the rats it uses in its research — before making a joke that didn’t quite land about “karmic payback” for the Black Plague.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink is also conducting research in monkeys at the University of California, Davis, Musk said. Then he spilled the goods: “A monkey has been able to control the computer with its brain,” Musk said. (At no point has the company provided evidence to support that assertion.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk had clearly gone off-script. Max Hodak, the company’s president up on stage beside him, seemed a bit rattled. “I didn’t realize we were running that result today, but there it goes,” Hodak said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for its planned clinical study, Neuralink said it would focus on enrolling patients with paralysis of all four limbs due to a spinal cord injury. No details were shared about the intended size of study, nor the specific endpoints it would aim to evaluate. Musk did, however, say offhandedly that one of the company’s goals is to allow patients who are paraplegic to use their thoughts to type at a rate of 40 words per minute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked about the company’s FDA pathway, Hodak said Neuralink would attempt to pursue an early feasibility study, under what’s known as an investigational device exemption.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Stellar, vice president of product management at Enzyme, a startup working on software to help life sciences companies with the regulatory process, told STAT that he expects technology as ambitious as Neuralink’s will demand rigorous, long-term study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unless the FDA is blinded by Elon’s star power, a premarket trial of significant size” — 100-1,000 people — “will probably be needed, with a minimum observational period of two years, but perhaps as much as seven,” Stellar speculated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Tuesday night’s event, Musk trotted out several key members of the team of scientists and executives he’s assembled to carry out the company’s ambitions. Among them were the company’s senior scientist, Philip Sabes, who was previously a full-time professor at the University of California, San Francisco, researching how the brain processes movement. Another was the company’s head neurosurgeon, Dr. Matthew MacDougall, who delivered his part of the presentation in blue scrubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk said the event’s primary purpose was to recruit talent to the San Francisco-based startup, which has a headcount near 100. Neuralink’s website \u003ca href=\"https://jobs.lever.co/neuralink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lists\u003c/a> a handful of job postings, including for an accountant and a software engineer who can build robots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink, which was incorporated in 2016, has brought in $158 million in funding, $100 million of it from Musk himself. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1708503/000170850319000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\u003c/a> this past May, the company said that it had brought in $39 million of an anticipated $51 million funding round.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s big reveal, which was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-vbh3t7WVI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">live-streamed online\u003c/a>, had an atmosphere unlike that of a typical corporate update. Attendees sipped red wine and posed for selfies. After the presentation, many of them crowded around a display case filled with several prototypes of Neuralink’s technology, jostling to take a perfectly framed smartphone photo. The scene was reminiscent of tourists in a museum shoving their way to the best position to snap a photo of a precious treasure from antiquity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s event was invitation-only — interested attendees had to fill out an online form making a case for why they should get a golden ticket — and those who received an emailed invitation were asked, “for security reasons,” to refrain from publicly sharing the location of the event and to avoid bringing “any bags larger than a purse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until Tuesday night, Neuralink had disclosed little about its research, despite big promises from Musk. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/07/elon-musk-discusses-neurolink-on-joe-rogan-podcast.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">September 2018 appearance\u003c/a> on the comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast, Musk smoked pot, drank whiskey, and posited that brain-machine interface technology “will enable anyone who wants to have superhuman cognition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/578542v1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paper posted to a preprint server\u003c/a> in March, a team of researchers affiliated with Neuralink described a technique, which they likened to a “sewing machine,” similar to what was unveiled on Tuesday night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink has the highest profile among a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbinsights.com/research/neurotech-startups-to-watch/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">number of startups working on brain-machine interfaces\u003c/a>. A few of the buzziest include \u003ca href=\"https://kernel.co/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kernel\u003c/a>, founded by the 41-year-old tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist Bryan Johnson, and \u003ca href=\"https://paradromics.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paradromics\u003c/a>, which is working on an implantable chip designed to record and stimulate electrical activity in the brain. DARPA, the U.S. Department of Defense agency focused on futuristic research projects, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-05-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">its own initiative\u003c/a> that’s funded research with an eye toward the development of brain-machine interfaces that could be used by members of the military.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the excitement around brain-machine interfaces, the field has made little commercial progress since the development of the first prototypes more than a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first applications of the technology focused on movement. They aimed to read electrical signals in the motor cortex corresponding to the intention to move — and then used software to try to translate those signals into instructions to operate a computer cursor or robotic arm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, decoding brain signals into speech has \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2018/11/15/brain-computer-interface-translate-thoughts-speech/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">become the next frontier\u003c/a> in the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/07/17/elon-musk-wants-to-test-brain-reading-implants-in-paralyzed-patients-next-year/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1483,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 29
},
"modified": 1704848501,
"excerpt": "Elon Musk's startup Neuralink wants to begin human testing of its so-called “brain-machine interface” in paralyzed patients by the end of next year.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Elon Musk's startup Neuralink wants to begin human testing of its so-called “brain-machine interface” in paralyzed patients by the end of next year.",
"title": "Elon Musk’s Latest Startup Wants to Test Brain-Reading Sensors in Paralyzed Patients | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Elon Musk’s Latest Startup Wants to Test Brain-Reading Sensors in Paralyzed Patients",
"datePublished": "2019-07-17T11:07:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:01:41-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "elon-musks-latest-startup-wants-to-test-brain-reading-sensors-in-paralyzed-patients",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Rebecca Robbins \u003cbr/>STAT News\u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "STAT News",
"path": "/science/1945169/elon-musks-latest-startup-wants-to-test-brain-reading-sensors-in-paralyzed-patients",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In front of a crowd of techies packed into a planetarium, Elon Musk strode out on stage, waxed philosophical about achieving symbiosis with artificial intelligence, and made his latest ambitious pronouncement in a career that’s been full of them: His startup Neuralink has developed technology meant to be implanted into the brain that’s designed to allow people to operate computers and smartphones with their thoughts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With some early animal testing under its belt, Neuralink wants to start human testing of its so-called “brain-machine interface” in paralyzed patients by the end of next year. Notably, the startup has yet to convince the Food and Drug Administration to allow it do so, said Musk, who has tangled with regulators over his other companies Tesla, SpaceX, and the Boring Company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And down the line? Musk wants the implants to be as safe and easy for healthy people to get as an elective procedure like LASIK vision correction surgery, the billionaire entrepreneur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s much-hyped presentation, delivered by Musk and his team Tuesday night here at a science museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, marked the first time that the secretive startup has spoken publicly about its work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company also released an \u003ca href=\"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6204648-Neuralink-White-Paper.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unpublished research paper\u003c/a>, authored by “Elon Musk & Neuralink,” that described its technology. At its core are thousands of electrodes, laced into flexible “threads,” which are high-tech wires much thinner than a human hair. Neuralink has also built a surgical robot to insert the threads deep into the brain. The idea is that the electrodes would relay brain signals to an AirPod-like device mounted behind the ear that would wirelessly hook up with a smartphone app that people could control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 19 surgeries on rats, the startup successfully placed the threads 87% of the time, the paper said. Musk and his team said the technique has promise to capture more neural data more safely than existing approaches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink will face a long list of formidable obstacles as it aims to move from rats to the clinic. Decoding the mysteries of the brain is a steeper challenge than manufacturing cars or drilling tunnels or even building rockets. Even peer-reviewed and published data in rats usually disappoints when it gets translated to human patients — and Neuralink doesn’t even have that yet. And there are plenty of reasons that neuroscientists who have worked on brain-machine interfaces for years have yet to make nearly any commercial traction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk, whose eccentricities and outlandish Twitter presence have helped him build a cult following, put that offbeat personality on full display on Tuesday night. Donning a black jacket, a white button-up shirt, and no tie, he mused at one point about his technology giving people the option of merging with AI. “We are a brain in a vat,” he remarked at another point. Later, he spoke dreamily about communicating telepathically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked about Neuralink’s animal research by a member of the audience, Musk turned earnest for a moment in speaking about the startup’s seriousness in caring for the rats it uses in its research — before making a joke that didn’t quite land about “karmic payback” for the Black Plague.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink is also conducting research in monkeys at the University of California, Davis, Musk said. Then he spilled the goods: “A monkey has been able to control the computer with its brain,” Musk said. (At no point has the company provided evidence to support that assertion.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk had clearly gone off-script. Max Hodak, the company’s president up on stage beside him, seemed a bit rattled. “I didn’t realize we were running that result today, but there it goes,” Hodak said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for its planned clinical study, Neuralink said it would focus on enrolling patients with paralysis of all four limbs due to a spinal cord injury. No details were shared about the intended size of study, nor the specific endpoints it would aim to evaluate. Musk did, however, say offhandedly that one of the company’s goals is to allow patients who are paraplegic to use their thoughts to type at a rate of 40 words per minute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Asked about the company’s FDA pathway, Hodak said Neuralink would attempt to pursue an early feasibility study, under what’s known as an investigational device exemption.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Stellar, vice president of product management at Enzyme, a startup working on software to help life sciences companies with the regulatory process, told STAT that he expects technology as ambitious as Neuralink’s will demand rigorous, long-term study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unless the FDA is blinded by Elon’s star power, a premarket trial of significant size” — 100-1,000 people — “will probably be needed, with a minimum observational period of two years, but perhaps as much as seven,” Stellar speculated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Tuesday night’s event, Musk trotted out several key members of the team of scientists and executives he’s assembled to carry out the company’s ambitions. Among them were the company’s senior scientist, Philip Sabes, who was previously a full-time professor at the University of California, San Francisco, researching how the brain processes movement. Another was the company’s head neurosurgeon, Dr. Matthew MacDougall, who delivered his part of the presentation in blue scrubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Musk said the event’s primary purpose was to recruit talent to the San Francisco-based startup, which has a headcount near 100. Neuralink’s website \u003ca href=\"https://jobs.lever.co/neuralink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lists\u003c/a> a handful of job postings, including for an accountant and a software engineer who can build robots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink, which was incorporated in 2016, has brought in $158 million in funding, $100 million of it from Musk himself. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1708503/000170850319000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\u003c/a> this past May, the company said that it had brought in $39 million of an anticipated $51 million funding round.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s big reveal, which was also \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-vbh3t7WVI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">live-streamed online\u003c/a>, had an atmosphere unlike that of a typical corporate update. Attendees sipped red wine and posed for selfies. After the presentation, many of them crowded around a display case filled with several prototypes of Neuralink’s technology, jostling to take a perfectly framed smartphone photo. The scene was reminiscent of tourists in a museum shoving their way to the best position to snap a photo of a precious treasure from antiquity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink’s event was invitation-only — interested attendees had to fill out an online form making a case for why they should get a golden ticket — and those who received an emailed invitation were asked, “for security reasons,” to refrain from publicly sharing the location of the event and to avoid bringing “any bags larger than a purse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until Tuesday night, Neuralink had disclosed little about its research, despite big promises from Musk. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/07/elon-musk-discusses-neurolink-on-joe-rogan-podcast.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">September 2018 appearance\u003c/a> on the comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast, Musk smoked pot, drank whiskey, and posited that brain-machine interface technology “will enable anyone who wants to have superhuman cognition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/578542v1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">paper posted to a preprint server\u003c/a> in March, a team of researchers affiliated with Neuralink described a technique, which they likened to a “sewing machine,” similar to what was unveiled on Tuesday night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neuralink has the highest profile among a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbinsights.com/research/neurotech-startups-to-watch/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">number of startups working on brain-machine interfaces\u003c/a>. A few of the buzziest include \u003ca href=\"https://kernel.co/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kernel\u003c/a>, founded by the 41-year-old tech entrepreneur and venture capitalist Bryan Johnson, and \u003ca href=\"https://paradromics.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paradromics\u003c/a>, which is working on an implantable chip designed to record and stimulate electrical activity in the brain. DARPA, the U.S. Department of Defense agency focused on futuristic research projects, has \u003ca href=\"https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-05-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">its own initiative\u003c/a> that’s funded research with an eye toward the development of brain-machine interfaces that could be used by members of the military.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the excitement around brain-machine interfaces, the field has made little commercial progress since the development of the first prototypes more than a decade ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first applications of the technology focused on movement. They aimed to read electrical signals in the motor cortex corresponding to the intention to move — and then used software to try to translate those signals into instructions to operate a computer cursor or robotic arm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, decoding brain signals into speech has \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2018/11/15/brain-computer-interface-translate-thoughts-speech/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">become the next frontier\u003c/a> in the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/07/17/elon-musk-wants-to-test-brain-reading-implants-in-paralyzed-patients-next-year/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1945169/elon-musks-latest-startup-wants-to-test-brain-reading-sensors-in-paralyzed-patients",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1945169"
],
"categories": [
"science_30",
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_3663",
"science_5189",
"science_3838"
],
"featImg": "science_1945172",
"label": "source_science_1945169"
},
"science_1944972": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1944972",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944972",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1563264163000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1563264163,
"format": "standard",
"title": "This Will Be a Sweltering Century in California and the Nation",
"headTitle": "This Will Be a Sweltering Century in California and the Nation | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Extreme heat \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/phoenix-flights-canceled-heat/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">grounds\u003c/a> planes in Arizona. Last year in Australia, the government \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-44720166\">blamed\u003c/a> it for melting tires on a road. And during a particularly brutal July in 2006, heat \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/epic/impacts-biological-systems/heat-related-mortality-and-morbidity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">killed\u003c/a> at least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627866/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">163 Californians\u003c/a>, with state epidemiologists estimating that it contributed to hundreds more deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align='right' size='medium' citation='Kristina Dahl, Union of Concerned Scientists']‘These results are really terrifying to me.’[/pullquote]If emissions aren’t seriously curbed — that is, even if the climate continues to warm with some abatement — researchers at the Union of Concerned Scientists say millions more people in California alone can expect at least \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a month\u003c/a> of extreme heat days each year, those days bringing with them more health risks and rippling environmental impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even in the next few decades we’ll see \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">major increases\u003c/a> in the frequency of really hot days,” says Kristina Dahl, a researcher with the Union of Concerned Scientists, who authored the study. “These results are really terrifying to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Global climate models project how the planet will warm under various scenarios, anticipating a range of atmospheric conditions. The study’s authors ran climate models with two different emissions scenarios: one, where emissions begin to be curbed by mid-century; and a second, where no policies achieve significant reductions in emissions. Using daily high temperatures, the researchers calculated what’s known as heat indexes for cities and counties \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">around the country\u003c/a>; the heat index is what the temperature “feels like” when humidity is taken into account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6OZjI/8/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along a national “sunbelt,” inland cities, including in California’s Central Valley, could count dramatic increases in days with a heat index above 105 degrees. Until recently, Fresno averaged three such days a year, but the study found by late century, Fresno could have 58 days that feel like 105 degrees, in the absence of emissions limits. Even if governments rapidly move toward arresting global warming at a threshold of 2 degrees Celsius, parts of the Central Valley could still experience more than two-and-a-half weeks of heat that severe each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where high heat is already common, as in Southern California, the study projects it will continue to grow. Los Angeles has experienced a heat index of 90 for twenty days a year, on average; even with some emissions curbed, the study projects that number will triple toward the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/37joO/12/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indio, a Sonoran Desert town in San Bernardino County, historically has racked up more than 100 high heat days a year, but it’s been rare that the heat index is so high as to be “off the charts.” Without action to curb emissions, the study’s authors say Indio can expect, on average, 37 days a year of excessive and dangerous heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Significantly, modeling suggests that the most dramatic transformations in the state are likely to come where the climate has been temperate — along the coast and in Northern California. Within a half century, the Sonoma County town of Petaluma could have 11 times as many days where the heat feels like 90 degrees. Santa Barbara County could have 27 times the number of days where that happens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align='right' size='small']To Protect Yourself and Loved Ones From Heat:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Drink more water whether you’re active or not\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Go to an air-conditioned building, such as a library, movie theater, senior center, grocery store, or shopping mall.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Check on elderly people twice day\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11753650/bay-area-braces-for-extreme-heat-advisory-in-effect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">these tips\u003c/a> from KQED’s audience[/pullquote]\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>No one heat index or temperature definitely protects against health risks, and no one threshold triggers public response to heat. According to the National Weather Service, heat cramps, sun stroke, and heat exhaustion are possible at a heat index of 90 for some groups; in California, state labor regulations offer outdoor workers additional protections at that point. At a heat index of 105, according to federal authorities, even healthy adults are at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study may well underestimate some contributions to rising heat, especially in cities. In the built environment, concrete, asphalt and glass warm cities; so does energy consumption, including air conditioners that release heat to the atmosphere; so do greenhouse gases, like those released from cars and power plants. The resulting urban heat island isn’t accounted for in the new study, according to Dahl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That makes some of the results we have for cities conservative,” she says, “because, realistically, they’ll be experiencing even hotter temperatures earlier than we’re projecting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And the projections don’t account at all for some other climate-driven temperature shifts. In temperate northern California, nighttime lows have risen, making it harder for people’s bodies to recover when they become overheated. In 2017, during a Labor Day heat wave in San Francisco, it was still \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1932692/climate-change-dishes-up-dangerous-heat-even-in-the-bay-area\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">80 degrees near midnight\u003c/a>; that weekend, the city’s coroner’s office counted six deaths attributable to heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While Dahl says the new study focuses solely on high heat index days, “we do know that if people don’t have the opportunity to cool down at night, their bodies just carry that potential heat stress over from one day to the next, and that can build up over time.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1932736\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-674x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"334\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-674x1200.jpg 674w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-160x285.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-240x427.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-375x668.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-520x926.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\">\u003c/a>Some Bay Area counties trigger warnings well below a heat index of 90 degrees. The city of San Francisco considers it an extreme heat day when temperatures hit 85; based on Cal-Adapt projections, by late century city officials are \u003ca href=\"https://sfgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=093e26ddb26a4e3180fa1e35158858bf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">planning for \u003c/a>that to happen 15 days a year. Last month, San Francisco’s departments of public health and emergency management \u003ca href=\"https://sfmayor.org/article/mayor-breed-announces-update-citys-air-quality-and-extreme-weather-emergency-preparedness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">updated\u003c/a> the city’s emergency plan, including directions for respite centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a heat wave last month in San Francisco, two sites in Bayview and Hunters’ Point, Mother Brown’s Kitchen and the Adult Day Senior Center, provided cooling resources to their clients. The San Francisco Foundation has funded that work with a grant to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.empowersf.org/resilientbayview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Resilient Bayview\u003c/a> initiative, a program of the city’s Neighborhood Empowerment Network. The network also sponsors block-by-block potlucks known as Neighborfests; the idea is that through planning a party, neighbors can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933237/investigation-finds-home-can-be-the-most-dangerous-place-in-a-heat-wave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">develop skills\u003c/a> in community resilience and disaster response. This year, San Francisco’s Neighborfest idea is expanding in the East Bay and \u003ca href=\"https://srcity.org/2897/Neighborfest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in Santa Rosa\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But experts say planning for diffuse and spotty heat waves in the greater Bay Area is challenging when there’s no historical practice or a response infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I’ve had the impetus to take my kids to the library, thinking, ‘Well, of course the library will be cool,’ but not all of the libraries here are air-conditioned,” says UCS’s Dahl, a San Francisco resident. “So we don’t have places to escape the heat when our homes aren’t air-conditioned here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Risks related to heat, such as wildfires and air pollution, aren’t analyzed in the study. And local public officials are still taking the full measure of heat’s impacts. In San Mateo County, officials are using a CalTrans planning grant to study climate hazards, map heat islands where the tree canopy is low and more vulnerable people live, and communicate risk to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jasneet Sharma, an acting program manager for sustainability in San Mateo County, says the county is considering wider impacts. For example, sustained high temperatures threaten public transit systems by warping tracks. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“An inability to cool homes would mean not just discomfort but unsafe conditions for seniors, farmworkers on the coastside and vulnerable community members,” Sharma says. “We know for certain we’re going to be impacted by rising heat. The full story goes beyond just the temperatures.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": true,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1336,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [
"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6OZjI/8/",
"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/37joO/12/"
],
"paragraphCount": 25
},
"modified": 1704848508,
"excerpt": "Researchers say millions more people in California alone can expect at least a month of extreme heat days every year. Find out the predictions for your area, and for other states.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Researchers say millions more people in California alone can expect at least a month of extreme heat days every year. Find out the predictions for your area, and for other states.",
"title": "This Will Be a Sweltering Century in California and the Nation | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "This Will Be a Sweltering Century in California and the Nation",
"datePublished": "2019-07-16T01:02:43-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:01:48-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "this-will-be-a-sweltering-century",
"status": "publish",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/science/2019/07/PetersonHeatBseg190716.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"audioTrackLength": 204,
"source": "Climate",
"path": "/science/1944972/this-will-be-a-sweltering-century",
"audioDuration": 204000,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Extreme heat \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/phoenix-flights-canceled-heat/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">grounds\u003c/a> planes in Arizona. Last year in Australia, the government \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-44720166\">blamed\u003c/a> it for melting tires on a road. And during a particularly brutal July in 2006, heat \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/epic/impacts-biological-systems/heat-related-mortality-and-morbidity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">killed\u003c/a> at least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627866/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">163 Californians\u003c/a>, with state epidemiologists estimating that it contributed to hundreds more deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘These results are really terrifying to me.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Kristina Dahl, Union of Concerned Scientists",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If emissions aren’t seriously curbed — that is, even if the climate continues to warm with some abatement — researchers at the Union of Concerned Scientists say millions more people in California alone can expect at least \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a month\u003c/a> of extreme heat days each year, those days bringing with them more health risks and rippling environmental impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even in the next few decades we’ll see \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">major increases\u003c/a> in the frequency of really hot days,” says Kristina Dahl, a researcher with the Union of Concerned Scientists, who authored the study. “These results are really terrifying to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Global climate models project how the planet will warm under various scenarios, anticipating a range of atmospheric conditions. The study’s authors ran climate models with two different emissions scenarios: one, where emissions begin to be curbed by mid-century; and a second, where no policies achieve significant reductions in emissions. Using daily high temperatures, the researchers calculated what’s known as heat indexes for cities and counties \u003ca href=\"https://ucsusa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=e4e9082a1ec343c794d27f3e12dd006d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">around the country\u003c/a>; the heat index is what the temperature “feels like” when humidity is taken into account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6OZjI/8/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along a national “sunbelt,” inland cities, including in California’s Central Valley, could count dramatic increases in days with a heat index above 105 degrees. Until recently, Fresno averaged three such days a year, but the study found by late century, Fresno could have 58 days that feel like 105 degrees, in the absence of emissions limits. Even if governments rapidly move toward arresting global warming at a threshold of 2 degrees Celsius, parts of the Central Valley could still experience more than two-and-a-half weeks of heat that severe each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where high heat is already common, as in Southern California, the study projects it will continue to grow. Los Angeles has experienced a heat index of 90 for twenty days a year, on average; even with some emissions curbed, the study projects that number will triple toward the end of the century.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/37joO/12/\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indio, a Sonoran Desert town in San Bernardino County, historically has racked up more than 100 high heat days a year, but it’s been rare that the heat index is so high as to be “off the charts.” Without action to curb emissions, the study’s authors say Indio can expect, on average, 37 days a year of excessive and dangerous heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Significantly, modeling suggests that the most dramatic transformations in the state are likely to come where the climate has been temperate — along the coast and in Northern California. Within a half century, the Sonoma County town of Petaluma could have 11 times as many days where the heat feels like 90 degrees. Santa Barbara County could have 27 times the number of days where that happens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "To Protect Yourself and Loved Ones From Heat:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Drink more water whether you’re active or not\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Go to an air-conditioned building, such as a library, movie theater, senior center, grocery store, or shopping mall.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Check on elderly people twice day\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11753650/bay-area-braces-for-extreme-heat-advisory-in-effect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">these tips\u003c/a> from KQED’s audience",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "small",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>No one heat index or temperature definitely protects against health risks, and no one threshold triggers public response to heat. According to the National Weather Service, heat cramps, sun stroke, and heat exhaustion are possible at a heat index of 90 for some groups; in California, state labor regulations offer outdoor workers additional protections at that point. At a heat index of 105, according to federal authorities, even healthy adults are at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study may well underestimate some contributions to rising heat, especially in cities. In the built environment, concrete, asphalt and glass warm cities; so does energy consumption, including air conditioners that release heat to the atmosphere; so do greenhouse gases, like those released from cars and power plants. The resulting urban heat island isn’t accounted for in the new study, according to Dahl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That makes some of the results we have for cities conservative,” she says, “because, realistically, they’ll be experiencing even hotter temperatures earlier than we’re projecting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And the projections don’t account at all for some other climate-driven temperature shifts. In temperate northern California, nighttime lows have risen, making it harder for people’s bodies to recover when they become overheated. In 2017, during a Labor Day heat wave in San Francisco, it was still \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1932692/climate-change-dishes-up-dangerous-heat-even-in-the-bay-area\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">80 degrees near midnight\u003c/a>; that weekend, the city’s coroner’s office counted six deaths attributable to heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While Dahl says the new study focuses solely on high heat index days, “we do know that if people don’t have the opportunity to cool down at night, their bodies just carry that potential heat stress over from one day to the next, and that can build up over time.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1932736\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-674x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"334\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-674x1200.jpg 674w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-160x285.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-240x427.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-375x668.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B-520x926.jpg 520w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/10/KQEDScience_Heat_181012B.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\">\u003c/a>Some Bay Area counties trigger warnings well below a heat index of 90 degrees. The city of San Francisco considers it an extreme heat day when temperatures hit 85; based on Cal-Adapt projections, by late century city officials are \u003ca href=\"https://sfgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=093e26ddb26a4e3180fa1e35158858bf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">planning for \u003c/a>that to happen 15 days a year. Last month, San Francisco’s departments of public health and emergency management \u003ca href=\"https://sfmayor.org/article/mayor-breed-announces-update-citys-air-quality-and-extreme-weather-emergency-preparedness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">updated\u003c/a> the city’s emergency plan, including directions for respite centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a heat wave last month in San Francisco, two sites in Bayview and Hunters’ Point, Mother Brown’s Kitchen and the Adult Day Senior Center, provided cooling resources to their clients. The San Francisco Foundation has funded that work with a grant to the \u003ca href=\"http://www.empowersf.org/resilientbayview/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Resilient Bayview\u003c/a> initiative, a program of the city’s Neighborhood Empowerment Network. The network also sponsors block-by-block potlucks known as Neighborfests; the idea is that through planning a party, neighbors can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1933237/investigation-finds-home-can-be-the-most-dangerous-place-in-a-heat-wave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">develop skills\u003c/a> in community resilience and disaster response. This year, San Francisco’s Neighborfest idea is expanding in the East Bay and \u003ca href=\"https://srcity.org/2897/Neighborfest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in Santa Rosa\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But experts say planning for diffuse and spotty heat waves in the greater Bay Area is challenging when there’s no historical practice or a response infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“I’ve had the impetus to take my kids to the library, thinking, ‘Well, of course the library will be cool,’ but not all of the libraries here are air-conditioned,” says UCS’s Dahl, a San Francisco resident. “So we don’t have places to escape the heat when our homes aren’t air-conditioned here in the Bay Area.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Risks related to heat, such as wildfires and air pollution, aren’t analyzed in the study. And local public officials are still taking the full measure of heat’s impacts. In San Mateo County, officials are using a CalTrans planning grant to study climate hazards, map heat islands where the tree canopy is low and more vulnerable people live, and communicate risk to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jasneet Sharma, an acting program manager for sustainability in San Mateo County, says the county is considering wider impacts. For example, sustained high temperatures threaten public transit systems by warping tracks. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“An inability to cool homes would mean not just discomfort but unsafe conditions for seniors, farmworkers on the coastside and vulnerable community members,” Sharma says. “We know for certain we’re going to be impacted by rising heat. The full story goes beyond just the temperatures.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1944972/this-will-be-a-sweltering-century",
"authors": [
"11223"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_33",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_194",
"science_3370",
"science_3833",
"science_2184",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1934976",
"label": "source_science_1944972"
},
"science_1944788": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1944788",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944788",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1562712363000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1562712363,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Why This Bay Area Senator Was the Sole No Vote on Newsom's Clean Water Plan",
"headTitle": "Why This Bay Area Senator Was the Sole No Vote on Newsom’s Clean Water Plan | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bob Wieckowski stands alone. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was the only state senator to vote against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to clean up dirty drinking water in the California’s poorest communities, which passed the Senate in a 38-1 vote on Monday.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill — \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB200\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SB 200\u003c/a> — passed the Assembly last week without a single vote in opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be clear, Wieckowski thinks clean water is an important priority. His quibble is that California will pay for it with revenue generated from the state’s cap-and-trade auction.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His argument: money in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) is supposed to be spent on, well, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Diverting limited GGRF dollars away from cutting greenhouse gas emissions to other important causes, is not a path we should go down now or in the future,” Wieckowski said in a speech on the Senate floor.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Members, we are falling farther behind in our commitment to meeting the Paris Accord,” he said. “We should not be creating a false dichotomy that is a by-product of this deal – pitting clean air against clean water. We know all Californians can, and must, have both.” \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill includes $100 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and another $33 million from the general fund to be spent on rebuilding broken drinking water infrastructure in unincorporated communities and small towns across the state. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And it’s not a one-time money diversion. The bill also seeks to use 5% of California’s cap-and-trade proceeds, up to $130 million annually, for clean water projects until 2030. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, the governor proposed a tax on all Californians’ water bills that would fund programs to clean up the dirty water, and in January, Newsom and his cabinet visited Monterey Park Tract in Ceres, a Central Valley city with contaminated wells, to highlight the issue.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/agsecross/status/1083853934081372160\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Legislature didn’t approve the plan, as some lawmakers worried that their constituents would object to a new monthly tax at a time when the state is enjoying a budget surplus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill hasn’t reached Newsom’s desk yet, but he will have 12 days to sign it, when it does.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 392,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 9
},
"modified": 1704848522,
"excerpt": "A state lawmaker is the lone dissenting vote against a plan to use climate change money to pay for cleaning up contaminated water. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "A state lawmaker is the lone dissenting vote against a plan to use climate change money to pay for cleaning up contaminated water. ",
"title": "Why This Bay Area Senator Was the Sole No Vote on Newsom's Clean Water Plan | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Why This Bay Area Senator Was the Sole No Vote on Newsom's Clean Water Plan",
"datePublished": "2019-07-09T15:46:03-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:02-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "why-this-lone-bay-area-senator-voted-no-on-newsoms-clean-water-plan",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Cap-and-trade",
"path": "/science/1944788/why-this-lone-bay-area-senator-voted-no-on-newsoms-clean-water-plan",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bob Wieckowski stands alone. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was the only state senator to vote against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to clean up dirty drinking water in the California’s poorest communities, which passed the Senate in a 38-1 vote on Monday.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill — \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB200\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SB 200\u003c/a> — passed the Assembly last week without a single vote in opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be clear, Wieckowski thinks clean water is an important priority. His quibble is that California will pay for it with revenue generated from the state’s cap-and-trade auction.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His argument: money in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) is supposed to be spent on, well, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Diverting limited GGRF dollars away from cutting greenhouse gas emissions to other important causes, is not a path we should go down now or in the future,” Wieckowski said in a speech on the Senate floor.\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Members, we are falling farther behind in our commitment to meeting the Paris Accord,” he said. “We should not be creating a false dichotomy that is a by-product of this deal – pitting clean air against clean water. We know all Californians can, and must, have both.” \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill includes $100 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and another $33 million from the general fund to be spent on rebuilding broken drinking water infrastructure in unincorporated communities and small towns across the state. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And it’s not a one-time money diversion. The bill also seeks to use 5% of California’s cap-and-trade proceeds, up to $130 million annually, for clean water projects until 2030. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003cstrong>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, the governor proposed a tax on all Californians’ water bills that would fund programs to clean up the dirty water, and in January, Newsom and his cabinet visited Monterey Park Tract in Ceres, a Central Valley city with contaminated wells, to highlight the issue.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1083853934081372160"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>But the Legislature didn’t approve the plan, as some lawmakers worried that their constituents would object to a new monthly tax at a time when the state is enjoying a budget surplus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill hasn’t reached Newsom’s desk yet, but he will have 12 days to sign it, when it does.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1944788/why-this-lone-bay-area-senator-voted-no-on-newsoms-clean-water-plan",
"authors": [
"11608"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_33",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_194",
"science_3830"
],
"featImg": "science_1944798",
"label": "source_science_1944788"
},
"science_1944148": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1944148",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944148",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1562166030000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1562166030,
"format": "standard",
"title": "How Scientists Detect the Most Lethal Shellfish Toxin You've Never Heard Of",
"headTitle": "How Scientists Detect the Most Lethal Shellfish Toxin You’ve Never Heard Of | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>There is a weapon that is released by algae around the world and concentrated, invisible, in the flesh of shellfish. An amount the size of a poppy seed is enough to kill a grown person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s part of an onslaught from which we’ve defended ourselves for decades, which might be why you’ve never heard of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saxitoxin is lethal at concentrations 1,000 times lower than is cyanide. It is a powerful neurotoxin released by plankton in algal blooms. Saxitoxin is so potent, in fact, that it was the only marine toxin declared a \u003ca href=\"http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/cwc/text\">chemical weapon\u003c/a> by the 1993 international treaty known as the Chemical Weapons Convention, and bears a long and complex history with the U.S. government in particular.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CIA \u003ca href=\"https://www.eucom.mil/media-library/article/23319/this-week-in-eucom-history-april-30-may-6\">reportedly gave\u003c/a> pilots of U-2 reconnaissance planes a coin containing saxitoxin that they could use to commit suicide if they were captured. President Nixon ultimately banned the military’s use of biological weapons, including saxitoxin, in 1969, but the CIA neglected to destroy a stockpile of 10 grams of the substance that it had distilled from butter clams. The supply was rediscovered in a storage facility and distributed to scientists at NIH after a pharmacologist begged the CIA not to destroy the cache. He predicted, correctly, that the toxin’s potency offered enormous potential for medical research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1946490\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1946490\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1200x798.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Washing or heating does not make saxitoxin-contaminated shellfish safe to eat. \u003ccite>(Fadel Senna/AFP/GettyImages)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In both marine and freshwater systems, shellfish accumulate saxitoxin and concentrate it into doses dangerous to humans, fish, birds and marine mammals, although the shellfish themselves remain unharmed. The toxin is undetectable by sight or smell and is heat-stable, which means that even a pan-seared toxic mussel is still a toxic mussel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When ingested by humans, saxitoxin causes paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, symptoms of which include tingling, numbness, and, if consumed in high enough quantities, paralysis, asphyxiation and death. There is no known cure for saxitoxin poisoning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>California’s History of Toxin Monitoring\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So why haven’t you heard of this potent algal toxin? Thank state health officials. In California, risk is managed by the diligent monitoring of the California Department of Public Health. Every year, CDPH issues a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/Shellfish/Annual-Mussel-Quarantine.aspx\">mussel quarantine\u003c/a> for all coastal areas from Oregon to the Mexican border between May 1 and Oct. 31, adjusting its window according to changes in saxitoxin concentration. When concentrations are dangerously high, the state prohibits all recreational harvesting of mussels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The public health department requires commercial seafood harvesters to submit shellfish samples at least weekly to retain their certification, which is one reason shellfish are available even when bans are in place. However, no commercial shellfish harvest occurs in San Francisco Bay, and that’s because, while coastal shellfish are monitored for paralytic shellfish toxins, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988318300258\">no such monitoring \u003c/a>occurs in the bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the earliest recorded instances of saxitoxin poisoning occurred in San Francisco, before seasonal bans were commonplace, even before scientists knew what was poisoning their coast. In 1927, more than 100 people fell ill and six people died from paralytic shellfish poisoning. Panic spread. Public health workers quickly posted warning signs and scientists worked to identify the source of the widespread sickness. No cases were reported the following year, perhaps, as noted in a scientific paper published in 1937, because “people showed little desire, after the experience of 1927, to gather shell-fish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the most part, the monitoring that began in 1927 has kept poisoning numbers low; Dr. Eddie Garcia, a fellow in medical toxicology at UCSF and the California Poison Control Center, says that in 2017, only 117 cases were reported across the entire United States, none of them fatal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why Saxitoxin is Relevant Now\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944161\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/psp-e1562172091893.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-complete_open_graph wp-image-1944161\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/psp-1200x1129.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"602\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Recorded cases of PSP in 1970 and 2018. Scientists say that we’ve only recently begun to understand the full extent of how common PSP really is. \u003ccite>(US National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scientists agree it’s critically important to have infallible toxin detection methods, particularly in the coming years. For one thing, experts say algal blooms are becoming more common, likely due to pollution and climate change, among other reasons. And even with decent monitoring already in place, some people are still getting sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a sense, it’s like a bad intersection where, if you put up some good traffic lights, you can improve it a lot,” said Don Anderson, a biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, who has spent more than 40 years studying harmful algal blooms. “It’s the people who don’t obey the restrictions, whether it be a stop light or a closure, that get sick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2014, for instance, a family vacationing on the coast of Washington made a soup out of mussels. It was midnight, too dark to read the signs that might have warned them not to eat shellfish they had caught themselves, and all seven ended up in the emergency room. One woman lost the ability to stand. The next day, the Washington Department of Health detected a saxitoxin concentration over 75 times the alert level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in daylight, not every Californian might be aware of the quarantine; some may not be able to read signs because of a language barrier, or they may think different rules apply. If you’re relying on the old adage that you can’t eat mussels in months without the letter ‘r’, for example, it’s time to update your guidelines — this belief can be traced all the way back to at least 1599, when a \u003ca href=\"https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A17373.0001.001/1:12.19?rgn=div2;view=fulltext\">cookbook\u003c/a> warned against consuming oysters during summer months, most likely because bacteria were especially rampant during summer heat without refrigeration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944164\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1944164\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"290\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign.jpg 547w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign-160x243.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of a warning sign posted in San Mateo County. \u003ccite>(San Mateo County Health)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although widely performed, saxitoxin testing is not terribly humane. In order to determine saxitoxin concentration, the most popular of three FDA-approved methods is to inject a mouse with a small amount of liquid containing an expected toxin, wait for the mouse to die, and record the time of its last breath. According to Maggie Broadwater, acting Harmful Algal Bloom Program Manager at NOAA, this mouse test is still used by CDPH to monitor toxin levels. Other methods do exist, but they involve transporting samples back to a laboratory and days of testing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As algal blooms become more frequent and we begin to better understand how saxitoxin levels change, new methods have emerged that may transform the dynamics of our relationship with toxins — how we detect them, how we treat them, and how we learn from them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Lesson from the Bullfrog\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The future of saxitoxin detection may come from an unlikely source: the common bullfrog. Researchers at UCSF published a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/06/414716/frog-protein-may-mitigate-dangers-posed-toxic-marine-microbes-fueled-climate\">recent study\u003c/a> describing the structure of a protein called \u003ca href=\"https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/6/eaax2650\">saxiphilin\u003c/a>. It’s found in the heart and blood of the American bullfrog, which is resistant to saxitoxin poisoning. Using x-ray crystallography, researchers in the laboratory of Daniel Minor, professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, identified a pocket-like region in this protein that binds to saxitoxin. Scientists think that the bullfrog’s store of saxiphilin naturally reduces the concentration of saxitoxin in its bloodstream, giving the liver time to destroy the toxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Structurally, the protein and its binding pocket look a lot like transferrin — that’s a family of proteins that bind to iron and ferry it around the body. Saxiphilin is so similar, in fact, that Minor believes the two proteins must share a common origin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is really evolution at work: repurposing a protein scaffold to do something else,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ability to bind to saxitoxin could also someday lead to a treatment for shellfish poisoning. It might provide scientists with a blueprint for developing synthetic molecules that could be administered to patients who digest the toxin, to prevent paralysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A New Vision for Monitoring Shellfish\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists are also designing new-generation detection methods to improve coastal monitoring efforts. A hundred miles south of UCSF, scientists are developing a robotic technology that could replace the mouse-poison test. A team of researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has a device they affectionately call “lab in a trashcan,” or more officially, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mbari.org/technology/emerging-current-tools/instruments/environmental-sample-processor-esp/\">Environmental Sample Processor\u003c/a>. [pullquote size='medium' align='left' citation='Daniel Minor, UCSF']‘This is really evolution at work: repurposing a protein scaffold to do something else.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When submerged in seawater, the substances in these devices sense algae toxin levels and can provide health officials with real-time data. Some are already being tested \u003ca href=\"http://science.whoi.edu/esp/fieldcelldata\">across the country\u003c/a>, and researchers have their sights set on a next-generation sample processor, shaped like a torpedo, which could move across the ocean floor, monitoring toxin levels as it goes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute say the sensor elements, particularly those that detect saxitoxin, could still be improved by a greater knowledge of what governs the toxin’s binding behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944186\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 424px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1944186\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"424\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robotic sensors, called Environmental Sample Processors, are designed by Chris Scholin and colleagues at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. ESPs could be the future of toxin detection, leading to more dynamic monitoring systems informing shellfish bans. \u003ccite>(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“To have that information, the structural information, and to potentially synthesize that, is really a pretty big step,” said Greg Doucette, a research oceanographer at NOAA who works on the ESPs. “[It’s] something that might provide us with another tool that we could use on instruments like the ESP to detect the toxins.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers like Don Anderson are excited by the potential of a toxin-binding blueprint to impact new detection methods. Anderson dreams of a future, maybe only 5 to 10 years away, in which coasts are lined with robotic sensors like the ESP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>States could then lift mussel consumption bans for portions of the coast. Families could make soup with shellfish. It’s possible that, in this imagined future, a little frog protein would be the key to opening the coast again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that the saxitoxin coin was given to pilots of spy planes during WWII. That is incorrect; during WWII, pilots had a pill they could take to commit suicide if they were shot down. The CIA developed saxitoxin in a search for a replacement for the pill.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1774,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 33
},
"modified": 1704848539,
"excerpt": "Saxitoxin is a potent neurotoxin released by shellfish all around the world. So why haven't you heard of it?",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Saxitoxin is a potent neurotoxin released by shellfish all around the world. So why haven't you heard of it?",
"title": "How Scientists Detect the Most Lethal Shellfish Toxin You've Never Heard Of | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How Scientists Detect the Most Lethal Shellfish Toxin You've Never Heard Of",
"datePublished": "2019-07-03T08:00:30-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:19-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-scientists-detect-the-most-lethal-shellfish-toxin-youve-never-heard-of",
"status": "publish",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1944148/how-scientists-detect-the-most-lethal-shellfish-toxin-youve-never-heard-of",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There is a weapon that is released by algae around the world and concentrated, invisible, in the flesh of shellfish. An amount the size of a poppy seed is enough to kill a grown person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s part of an onslaught from which we’ve defended ourselves for decades, which might be why you’ve never heard of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saxitoxin is lethal at concentrations 1,000 times lower than is cyanide. It is a powerful neurotoxin released by plankton in algal blooms. Saxitoxin is so potent, in fact, that it was the only marine toxin declared a \u003ca href=\"http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/cwc/text\">chemical weapon\u003c/a> by the 1993 international treaty known as the Chemical Weapons Convention, and bears a long and complex history with the U.S. government in particular.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CIA \u003ca href=\"https://www.eucom.mil/media-library/article/23319/this-week-in-eucom-history-april-30-may-6\">reportedly gave\u003c/a> pilots of U-2 reconnaissance planes a coin containing saxitoxin that they could use to commit suicide if they were captured. President Nixon ultimately banned the military’s use of biological weapons, including saxitoxin, in 1969, but the CIA neglected to destroy a stockpile of 10 grams of the substance that it had distilled from butter clams. The supply was rediscovered in a storage facility and distributed to scientists at NIH after a pharmacologist begged the CIA not to destroy the cache. He predicted, correctly, that the toxin’s potency offered enormous potential for medical research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1946490\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 500px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1946490\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1200x798.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/07/mussels_GettyImages-150458709.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Washing or heating does not make saxitoxin-contaminated shellfish safe to eat. \u003ccite>(Fadel Senna/AFP/GettyImages)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In both marine and freshwater systems, shellfish accumulate saxitoxin and concentrate it into doses dangerous to humans, fish, birds and marine mammals, although the shellfish themselves remain unharmed. The toxin is undetectable by sight or smell and is heat-stable, which means that even a pan-seared toxic mussel is still a toxic mussel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When ingested by humans, saxitoxin causes paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, symptoms of which include tingling, numbness, and, if consumed in high enough quantities, paralysis, asphyxiation and death. There is no known cure for saxitoxin poisoning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>California’s History of Toxin Monitoring\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So why haven’t you heard of this potent algal toxin? Thank state health officials. In California, risk is managed by the diligent monitoring of the California Department of Public Health. Every year, CDPH issues a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/EMB/Shellfish/Annual-Mussel-Quarantine.aspx\">mussel quarantine\u003c/a> for all coastal areas from Oregon to the Mexican border between May 1 and Oct. 31, adjusting its window according to changes in saxitoxin concentration. When concentrations are dangerously high, the state prohibits all recreational harvesting of mussels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The public health department requires commercial seafood harvesters to submit shellfish samples at least weekly to retain their certification, which is one reason shellfish are available even when bans are in place. However, no commercial shellfish harvest occurs in San Francisco Bay, and that’s because, while coastal shellfish are monitored for paralytic shellfish toxins, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988318300258\">no such monitoring \u003c/a>occurs in the bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the earliest recorded instances of saxitoxin poisoning occurred in San Francisco, before seasonal bans were commonplace, even before scientists knew what was poisoning their coast. In 1927, more than 100 people fell ill and six people died from paralytic shellfish poisoning. Panic spread. Public health workers quickly posted warning signs and scientists worked to identify the source of the widespread sickness. No cases were reported the following year, perhaps, as noted in a scientific paper published in 1937, because “people showed little desire, after the experience of 1927, to gather shell-fish.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the most part, the monitoring that began in 1927 has kept poisoning numbers low; Dr. Eddie Garcia, a fellow in medical toxicology at UCSF and the California Poison Control Center, says that in 2017, only 117 cases were reported across the entire United States, none of them fatal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why Saxitoxin is Relevant Now\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944161\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/psp-e1562172091893.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-complete_open_graph wp-image-1944161\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/psp-1200x1129.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"602\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Recorded cases of PSP in 1970 and 2018. Scientists say that we’ve only recently begun to understand the full extent of how common PSP really is. \u003ccite>(US National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scientists agree it’s critically important to have infallible toxin detection methods, particularly in the coming years. For one thing, experts say algal blooms are becoming more common, likely due to pollution and climate change, among other reasons. And even with decent monitoring already in place, some people are still getting sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In a sense, it’s like a bad intersection where, if you put up some good traffic lights, you can improve it a lot,” said Don Anderson, a biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, who has spent more than 40 years studying harmful algal blooms. “It’s the people who don’t obey the restrictions, whether it be a stop light or a closure, that get sick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2014, for instance, a family vacationing on the coast of Washington made a soup out of mussels. It was midnight, too dark to read the signs that might have warned them not to eat shellfish they had caught themselves, and all seven ended up in the emergency room. One woman lost the ability to stand. The next day, the Washington Department of Health detected a saxitoxin concentration over 75 times the alert level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even in daylight, not every Californian might be aware of the quarantine; some may not be able to read signs because of a language barrier, or they may think different rules apply. If you’re relying on the old adage that you can’t eat mussels in months without the letter ‘r’, for example, it’s time to update your guidelines — this belief can be traced all the way back to at least 1599, when a \u003ca href=\"https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A17373.0001.001/1:12.19?rgn=div2;view=fulltext\">cookbook\u003c/a> warned against consuming oysters during summer months, most likely because bacteria were especially rampant during summer heat without refrigeration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944164\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 290px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1944164\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"290\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign.jpg 547w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/warning-sign-160x243.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of a warning sign posted in San Mateo County. \u003ccite>(San Mateo County Health)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although widely performed, saxitoxin testing is not terribly humane. In order to determine saxitoxin concentration, the most popular of three FDA-approved methods is to inject a mouse with a small amount of liquid containing an expected toxin, wait for the mouse to die, and record the time of its last breath. According to Maggie Broadwater, acting Harmful Algal Bloom Program Manager at NOAA, this mouse test is still used by CDPH to monitor toxin levels. Other methods do exist, but they involve transporting samples back to a laboratory and days of testing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As algal blooms become more frequent and we begin to better understand how saxitoxin levels change, new methods have emerged that may transform the dynamics of our relationship with toxins — how we detect them, how we treat them, and how we learn from them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A Lesson from the Bullfrog\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The future of saxitoxin detection may come from an unlikely source: the common bullfrog. Researchers at UCSF published a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2019/06/414716/frog-protein-may-mitigate-dangers-posed-toxic-marine-microbes-fueled-climate\">recent study\u003c/a> describing the structure of a protein called \u003ca href=\"https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/6/eaax2650\">saxiphilin\u003c/a>. It’s found in the heart and blood of the American bullfrog, which is resistant to saxitoxin poisoning. Using x-ray crystallography, researchers in the laboratory of Daniel Minor, professor at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, identified a pocket-like region in this protein that binds to saxitoxin. Scientists think that the bullfrog’s store of saxiphilin naturally reduces the concentration of saxitoxin in its bloodstream, giving the liver time to destroy the toxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Structurally, the protein and its binding pocket look a lot like transferrin — that’s a family of proteins that bind to iron and ferry it around the body. Saxiphilin is so similar, in fact, that Minor believes the two proteins must share a common origin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is really evolution at work: repurposing a protein scaffold to do something else,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ability to bind to saxitoxin could also someday lead to a treatment for shellfish poisoning. It might provide scientists with a blueprint for developing synthetic molecules that could be administered to patients who digest the toxin, to prevent paralysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>A New Vision for Monitoring Shellfish\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists are also designing new-generation detection methods to improve coastal monitoring efforts. A hundred miles south of UCSF, scientists are developing a robotic technology that could replace the mouse-poison test. A team of researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has a device they affectionately call “lab in a trashcan,” or more officially, \u003ca href=\"https://www.mbari.org/technology/emerging-current-tools/instruments/environmental-sample-processor-esp/\">Environmental Sample Processor\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘This is really evolution at work: repurposing a protein scaffold to do something else.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "left",
"citation": "Daniel Minor, UCSF",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When submerged in seawater, the substances in these devices sense algae toxin levels and can provide health officials with real-time data. Some are already being tested \u003ca href=\"http://science.whoi.edu/esp/fieldcelldata\">across the country\u003c/a>, and researchers have their sights set on a next-generation sample processor, shaped like a torpedo, which could move across the ocean floor, monitoring toxin levels as it goes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute say the sensor elements, particularly those that detect saxitoxin, could still be improved by a greater knowledge of what governs the toxin’s binding behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1944186\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 424px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1944186\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"424\" height=\"282\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/esp1.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robotic sensors, called Environmental Sample Processors, are designed by Chris Scholin and colleagues at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. ESPs could be the future of toxin detection, leading to more dynamic monitoring systems informing shellfish bans. \u003ccite>(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“To have that information, the structural information, and to potentially synthesize that, is really a pretty big step,” said Greg Doucette, a research oceanographer at NOAA who works on the ESPs. “[It’s] something that might provide us with another tool that we could use on instruments like the ESP to detect the toxins.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers like Don Anderson are excited by the potential of a toxin-binding blueprint to impact new detection methods. Anderson dreams of a future, maybe only 5 to 10 years away, in which coasts are lined with robotic sensors like the ESP.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>States could then lift mussel consumption bans for portions of the coast. Families could make soup with shellfish. It’s possible that, in this imagined future, a little frog protein would be the key to opening the coast again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated that the saxitoxin coin was given to pilots of spy planes during WWII. That is incorrect; during WWII, pilots had a pill they could take to commit suicide if they were shot down. The CIA developed saxitoxin in a search for a replacement for the pill.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1944148/how-scientists-detect-the-most-lethal-shellfish-toxin-youve-never-heard-of",
"authors": [
"11615"
],
"categories": [
"science_2874",
"science_30",
"science_29",
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_3840",
"science_3370",
"science_3832",
"science_3834",
"science_5155",
"science_997"
],
"featImg": "science_1944149",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1944497": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1944497",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1944497",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1562112271000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1562112271,
"format": "standard",
"title": "CRISPR Wipes Out HIV in Some Mice",
"headTitle": "CRISPR Wipes Out HIV in Some Mice | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>For the millions of people infected with HIV, the best way to manage the disease is antiretroviral therapy, which can lower the amount of HIV replicating in the body to undetectable levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003carticle>\n\u003cdiv class=\"body-text\">\n\u003cp>But antiretroviral therapy (ART) can only manage HIV, never eliminate it — leading people to rely on the \u003ca href=\"https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/html/1/adult-and-adolescent-arv/459/cost-considerations-and-antiretroviral-therapy\">expensive drugs\u003c/a> for decades. Plus if ART is halted by these patients, HIV bounces back and its levels rise in a matter of weeks. In 2017 the World Health Organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/gho/hiv/en/\">reported that of\u003c/a> 36.9 million people living with HIV, 21.7 million were taking ART.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A new study of mice charts a preliminary path to eliminating this medication dependency, through an injection of gene-editing \u003ca href=\"https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/genomicresearch/genomeediting\">CRISPR\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Removing HIV from a person’s body is so hard because “once the virus infects cells [the] viral genome integrates into the host genome and then becomes part of our DNA,” said Kamel Khalili, a neurovirologist at Temple University who co-led the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once this integration happens, ART can’t reverse it — at least not on its own. But Khalili and his colleagues found combining CRISPR, which can alter DNA, with ART can remove the lingering signs of HIV in a mouse model of the disease. The collaborative effort between researchers at Temple University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10366-y\">reported today in Nature Communications\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Results in mouse models do not always translate into effective treatments in humans, but Fyodor Urnov says this study is an “important next step” in addressing a disease like HIV with a technique.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Gene editing is the first-ever technology we have had to address disease at the DNA level,” said Urnov, who works at the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California Berkeley and was not involved in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CRISPR, which scientists can program to cut DNA at specific sites, has garnered attention as a potential cure for genetic diseases, such as \u003ca href=\"https://cysticfibrosisnewstoday.com/crisprcas9-approach-for-cystic-fibrosis/\">cystic fibrosis\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2019/02/26/more-progress-toward-gene-editing-for-kids-with-muscular-dystrophy/\">muscular dystrophy\u003c/a>. Using CRISPR and ART to develop an HIV cure could eventually eliminate the cost and distribution barriers that come with current treatments. To date, \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/05/london-patient-becomes-second-man-to-be-cleared-of-aids-virus\">only two people have been cured of HIV\u003c/a>after receiving stem cell therapy to treat cancer. This expensive and invasive treatment has failed in every other HIV patient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But CRISPR comes with its own caveats — namely, at the moment it isn’t as precise as many in the general public might think.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What the Study Did\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The researchers used “humanized” mice, meaning mice were infused with the type of human immune cells that HIV infects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In three separate trials, HIV-infected mice were given one of three injection therapies: a slow-release version of the common HIV drug ART, the CRISPR protein that finds and cuts genome-incorporated HIV, or a combination of the two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After four weeks of ART treatment, the researchers dispensed CRISPR into the mice by packaging the protein inside of a completely separate virus, called adeno-associated virus, or AAV. AAV doesn’t cause illness, but it acts like a mail carrier, increasing the circulation of CRISPR. CRISPR then becomes more likely to find and cut out all of the HIV DNA, an essential step to prevent the disease from rebounding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers waited eight weeks after all the mice were taken off of ART, then searched for traces of HIV genetic material in blood, spleen, kidneys, gut, lungs, bone marrow and the brain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After eight ART-free weeks, more than 30 percent of the mice that received ART and CRISPR lacked detectable amounts of HIV in any of the tissues the researchers studied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, HIV was still detectable in all of the other mice, including those that were treated with ART or CRISPR alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Cautious Way Forward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Though the researchers used “humanized mice,” the technology has a long way to go. “Clinical trials…will not start tonight. It will take a few years,” said Urnov. However, Khalili revealed that early data from preliminary trials in monkeys looks promising.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khalili and his colleagues have applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to start human clinical trials as early as next year. Khalili has also launched a for-profit company that is developing CRISPR-based technology to treat disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That the technology is moving this fast concerns Zandrea Ambrose, a retrovirologist at the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved in the study. CRISPR comes with a downside, in that it sometimes accidentally cuts the wrong gene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Relative to other gene editors, CRISPR has fewer of these “off-target effects” as they’re called, but even a single error is worrisome. If CRISPR makes a hazardous mutation, it could disrupt any cell’s normal behavior and cause an inadvertent disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With billions of letters in the genome, it’s going to take a lot of work to avoid all possible off-target effects, Ambrose said. This study is promising, she added, but scientists in the CRISPR field need to get better at detecting these potential accidents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before clinical trials can begin, she said, researchers need to be sure these accidents won’t occur in humans by first testing them in animals. When researchers scanned the DNA from the “cured” mice, they didn’t find any signs that CRISPR had made cuts outside of the HIV DNA. But they could tell that CRISPR had made cuts within the HIV DNA, meaning the instructions for making new virus were broken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with possible off-target effects, Ambrose worries that CRISPR, enclosed in an AAV virus, will remain in the body long after its job is done. If that’s the case, she says “there’s no way to turn” the CRISPR editing off, increasing the chances of an off-target cut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Khalili is confident that CRISPR is only cutting the DNA where it’s supposed to, based on searches for the “footprints” CRISPR leaves on DNA when it cuts. And CRISPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/jumping-genes-could-help-crispr-replace-disease-causing-dna-study-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">continues to improve everyday\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a comprehensive, single-shot cure for HIV may be years away, Khalili is encouraged that this milestone “will give those affected hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/crispr-gene-editing-eliminates-hiv-in-some-mice-what-does-it-mean-for-humans\">This story\u003c/a> was originally published on PBS Newshour.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/article>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1074,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 27
},
"modified": 1704848541,
"excerpt": "The new study could be an “important next step” in developing a pathway for addressing HIV with a gene-editing technique. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The new study could be an “important next step” in developing a pathway for addressing HIV with a gene-editing technique. ",
"title": "CRISPR Wipes Out HIV in Some Mice | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "CRISPR Wipes Out HIV in Some Mice",
"datePublished": "2019-07-02T17:04:31-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:21-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "crispr-wipes-out-hiv-in-some-mice",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Berly McCoy \u003cbr/> PBS Newshour \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "PBS Newshour",
"path": "/science/1944497/crispr-wipes-out-hiv-in-some-mice",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the millions of people infected with HIV, the best way to manage the disease is antiretroviral therapy, which can lower the amount of HIV replicating in the body to undetectable levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003carticle>\n\u003cdiv class=\"body-text\">\n\u003cp>But antiretroviral therapy (ART) can only manage HIV, never eliminate it — leading people to rely on the \u003ca href=\"https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/html/1/adult-and-adolescent-arv/459/cost-considerations-and-antiretroviral-therapy\">expensive drugs\u003c/a> for decades. Plus if ART is halted by these patients, HIV bounces back and its levels rise in a matter of weeks. In 2017 the World Health Organization \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/gho/hiv/en/\">reported that of\u003c/a> 36.9 million people living with HIV, 21.7 million were taking ART.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A new study of mice charts a preliminary path to eliminating this medication dependency, through an injection of gene-editing \u003ca href=\"https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/genomicresearch/genomeediting\">CRISPR\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Removing HIV from a person’s body is so hard because “once the virus infects cells [the] viral genome integrates into the host genome and then becomes part of our DNA,” said Kamel Khalili, a neurovirologist at Temple University who co-led the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once this integration happens, ART can’t reverse it — at least not on its own. But Khalili and his colleagues found combining CRISPR, which can alter DNA, with ART can remove the lingering signs of HIV in a mouse model of the disease. The collaborative effort between researchers at Temple University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10366-y\">reported today in Nature Communications\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Results in mouse models do not always translate into effective treatments in humans, but Fyodor Urnov says this study is an “important next step” in addressing a disease like HIV with a technique.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Gene editing is the first-ever technology we have had to address disease at the DNA level,” said Urnov, who works at the Innovative Genomics Institute at the University of California Berkeley and was not involved in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CRISPR, which scientists can program to cut DNA at specific sites, has garnered attention as a potential cure for genetic diseases, such as \u003ca href=\"https://cysticfibrosisnewstoday.com/crisprcas9-approach-for-cystic-fibrosis/\">cystic fibrosis\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2019/02/26/more-progress-toward-gene-editing-for-kids-with-muscular-dystrophy/\">muscular dystrophy\u003c/a>. Using CRISPR and ART to develop an HIV cure could eventually eliminate the cost and distribution barriers that come with current treatments. To date, \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/05/london-patient-becomes-second-man-to-be-cleared-of-aids-virus\">only two people have been cured of HIV\u003c/a>after receiving stem cell therapy to treat cancer. This expensive and invasive treatment has failed in every other HIV patient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But CRISPR comes with its own caveats — namely, at the moment it isn’t as precise as many in the general public might think.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What the Study Did\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The researchers used “humanized” mice, meaning mice were infused with the type of human immune cells that HIV infects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In three separate trials, HIV-infected mice were given one of three injection therapies: a slow-release version of the common HIV drug ART, the CRISPR protein that finds and cuts genome-incorporated HIV, or a combination of the two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After four weeks of ART treatment, the researchers dispensed CRISPR into the mice by packaging the protein inside of a completely separate virus, called adeno-associated virus, or AAV. AAV doesn’t cause illness, but it acts like a mail carrier, increasing the circulation of CRISPR. CRISPR then becomes more likely to find and cut out all of the HIV DNA, an essential step to prevent the disease from rebounding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The researchers waited eight weeks after all the mice were taken off of ART, then searched for traces of HIV genetic material in blood, spleen, kidneys, gut, lungs, bone marrow and the brain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After eight ART-free weeks, more than 30 percent of the mice that received ART and CRISPR lacked detectable amounts of HIV in any of the tissues the researchers studied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In contrast, HIV was still detectable in all of the other mice, including those that were treated with ART or CRISPR alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Cautious Way Forward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Though the researchers used “humanized mice,” the technology has a long way to go. “Clinical trials…will not start tonight. It will take a few years,” said Urnov. However, Khalili revealed that early data from preliminary trials in monkeys looks promising.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khalili and his colleagues have applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to start human clinical trials as early as next year. Khalili has also launched a for-profit company that is developing CRISPR-based technology to treat disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That the technology is moving this fast concerns Zandrea Ambrose, a retrovirologist at the University of Pittsburgh, who was not involved in the study. CRISPR comes with a downside, in that it sometimes accidentally cuts the wrong gene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Relative to other gene editors, CRISPR has fewer of these “off-target effects” as they’re called, but even a single error is worrisome. If CRISPR makes a hazardous mutation, it could disrupt any cell’s normal behavior and cause an inadvertent disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With billions of letters in the genome, it’s going to take a lot of work to avoid all possible off-target effects, Ambrose said. This study is promising, she added, but scientists in the CRISPR field need to get better at detecting these potential accidents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before clinical trials can begin, she said, researchers need to be sure these accidents won’t occur in humans by first testing them in animals. When researchers scanned the DNA from the “cured” mice, they didn’t find any signs that CRISPR had made cuts outside of the HIV DNA. But they could tell that CRISPR had made cuts within the HIV DNA, meaning the instructions for making new virus were broken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along with possible off-target effects, Ambrose worries that CRISPR, enclosed in an AAV virus, will remain in the body long after its job is done. If that’s the case, she says “there’s no way to turn” the CRISPR editing off, increasing the chances of an off-target cut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Khalili is confident that CRISPR is only cutting the DNA where it’s supposed to, based on searches for the “footprints” CRISPR leaves on DNA when it cuts. And CRISPR \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/jumping-genes-could-help-crispr-replace-disease-causing-dna-study-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">continues to improve everyday\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a comprehensive, single-shot cure for HIV may be years away, Khalili is encouraged that this milestone “will give those affected hope.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/crispr-gene-editing-eliminates-hiv-in-some-mice-what-does-it-mean-for-humans\">This story\u003c/a> was originally published on PBS Newshour.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/article>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1944497/crispr-wipes-out-hiv-in-some-mice",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1944497"
],
"categories": [
"science_2874",
"science_39",
"science_3890",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_1287",
"science_660"
],
"featImg": "science_1944503",
"label": "source_science_1944497"
},
"science_1943888": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1943888",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943888",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1561555840000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1561555840,
"format": "standard",
"title": "The Best Health and Science Books to Dip Into This Summer",
"headTitle": "The Best Health and Science Books to Dip Into This Summer | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"big-cap-wrap\">\u003cspan class=\"big-cap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/span>he first day of summer has arrived, and so has STAT’s annual book list of great reads in health, science, and medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on for recommendations from CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna and CDC Director Robert Redfield. Plus, STAT readers from Boston to Ireland to Australia share their picks, in addition to our staff. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Notable Figures\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805071806/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0805071806&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7bf123ab6184f5cac33d58beddbb56f6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Scientific Conversations: Interviews on Science from The New York Times”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Claudia Dreifus\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis is an awesome collection of 38 interviews, published originally in the Science Times section of the New York Times, that captures the wonder and excitement of scientific discovery. As an outstanding journalist and a relative outsider to science, Dreifus elicits from her subjects the passion, frustration, inspiration and, ultimately, the joy of doing science. Her writing reminds me of the work of John McPhee: deep and expansive with a sense of fun. A great read!\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jennifer Doudna, professor and HHMI Investigator, UC Berkeley; director, Innovative Genomics Institute of UC Berkeley/UCSF/Gladstone Institutes\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006122796X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=006122796X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7cfcc6b0801cc1e4c567331d7f105411\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Paul A. Offit\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nPhysicians, parents, and public health professionals seeking credible, timely information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines will find those answers in Dr. Offit’s “Vaccinated.” He writes a compelling narrative, sharing the underlying science and historical context behind the vaccine regimen recommended today. This fact-based retrospective dispels myths and underscores the importance of immunization for children and adults alike. Readers will have a better understanding of the science-based reasoning to embrace vaccination for themselves, their families, and their communities.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520229134/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0520229134&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=f6872536969b6885c29cba642778c5ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Paul Farmer\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis book highlights so well the very inception of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute itself and our mission to develop treatments and preventive agents for diseases burdening the world’s poorest people. Tenderly, Farmer tells the stories of those who suffer, offering their complex circumstances in the face of overwhelming data. The Partners in Health co-founder challenges those determined to care for the most vulnerable to challenge the status quo. Although written 20 years ago, the stories ring truer than ever. Inequities in health have only become magnified and are now manifest in our own backyard. Although sobering, it is also inspiring and may make the reader leap to other resources such as “The Age of Living Machines” by Susan Hockfield, who posits that convergence across scientific disciplines led to the current technological capabilities. Can these not be leveraged with know-how and fortitude to meaningfully address inequities in health?\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Penny Heaton, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1845291557/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1845291557&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=424b9e11f98c4fb76b3a018ce157005a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“A Brief History of Medicine: from Hippocrates to Gene Therapy”\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003cem>By Paul Strathern\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Among the many histories of medicine, Paul Strathern’s narrative stands out for its lively prose and colorful portraits of figures who broke with dogma and proved new paradigms. Even the expert reader will find much that is novel and nuanced, not only in stories about prominent characters like Galen and Harvey, but less well known individuals like the Venerable Bede, an English monk who revived Greek and Roman knowledge during the Dark Ages, and Al-Razi, an Islamic scholar who challenged Aristotle’s prevailing notions with experimental data and showed that pediatric disorders need not be viewed as untreatable and hopeless. Each chapter offers a rich tableau depicting advances in medical thinking based on astute observation and rigorous induction. Strathern brilliantly succeeds in both educating and entertaining his reader, a perfect blend for a summer treat.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Jerome Groopman, New Yorker staff writer and author; Recanati Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345804570/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0345804570&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=137ae7f66e5eee834172c881aa8f1b7a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Richard Prum\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWhether you agree with Prum or not, his case for renewed attention to Darwin’s theory of sexual selection — that considerations of beauty, and not just functional adaptation, shape evolution — is eye-opening. The book also reminds us that politics (in this case, 19th-century disapproval of Darwin’s views on female mate choice) can influence what we are taught about science. Even if you are skeptical, Prum will make you think twice about the natural world, and will definitely change how you look at ducks.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Ron Klain, President Obama’s Ebola czar during the West African outbreak\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062338781/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062338781&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=a08377a6dbaebf506ffcb6efb996c457\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Katherine Eban\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>In her fierce and fearless book, “Bottle of Lies,” the investigative journalist Katherine Eban takes us on a journey through the loosely regulated and often corrupt manufacture of generic drugs. Weaving together the story of a terrified but determined whistleblower from India, shady drug producers from China, and a notably timid FDA, Eban’s compelling book should serve as cautionary tale and a wake-up call for consumers, manufacturers, and physicians — “should” being the operative word.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Deborah Blum, author of “The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century” and director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>STAT Readers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735224153/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0735224153&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=e88ba9aa97ec231e13dcca5e20cbc7bf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Michael Pollan\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWith cannabis medicine now getting the attention it deserves, Michael Pollan has done a tremendous job at digging into the history of psychedelic use, both recreationally and in therapy, together with his own observations as a new psychedelic experimenter at the age of 60. All in all, a comprehensive history of the topic, together with interviews from key psychedelic researchers, and a call for serious researchers to think twice about hasty judgments surrounding this interesting compound.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jon Calder, Belfast, Northern Ireland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006289627X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=006289627X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ea6fc765acd3cc5ad1ccd85342cb04ae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Kris Newby\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Bitten” is a riveting narrative that digs into the origins of the Lyme disease epidemic. It connects many dots with compelling evidence and page-turning storytelling that point to the likelihood that a bio-weaponized tick program gone awry could have contributed to the more virulent forms of tick-borne illnesses that have been wreaking havoc on unwitting people for the past five decades. Doctors are not well-trained on tick-borne illness, diagnostics are inadequate, and there are no career tracks in the field other than a few courageous pioneers. Biotech is largely on the sidelines. Yet millions of people are being disabled. Perhaps this book will help stir some action. After all, we all are just one bite away from a nightmare illness.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Nancy Dougherty, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544114515/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544114515&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=4f6ff933051d07a5d66bb8d7906db1a2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Gregory Berns\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nFabulous book for anyone interested in the realities of research. Getting MRI data on dogs to confirm the similarities in where dogs and human brains respond to stimuli sounds like a good idea. Getting permission to get the dogs into the places where there are MRIs, getting the dogs used to the MRI, selecting real-life animals, and the implications for the experimental conclusions is very different from what usually shows up in methods and results.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Joanna Haas, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316418080/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316418080&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ab87c536d62f16a84be8997dbe897c72\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Perfect Predator: A Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Steffanie Strathdee and Thomas Patterson\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Riveting account of a scientist trying to save her husband through a combination of sheer will, determination, and cutting-edge science. It’s an amazing blend of mystery, thriller, and microbiology.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Mallory Johnson, Berkeley, Calif.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671510576/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0671510576&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=cb77504e40e1a9467241ae7547ca194a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Billion Dollar Molecule: One Company’s Quest for the Perfect Drug”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Barry Werth\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Billion Dollar Molecule” is a thrilling story about the development of a now powerful pharmaceutical company, its revolutionary approach in structure-based drug development, and how closely it came to failing along the way. At a time when people doubt the justifications of pricing for pharmaceutical drugs, peeking at the risks involved in development and the arduous journeys of the scientists involved through this story could add nuance to the conversation.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eric Kishel, Buffalo, N.Y.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0190916834/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0190916834&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=4c465b27e88b48c0879f78555b17f6ef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Well: What We Need to Talk About When We Talk About Health”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Sandro Galea\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Well” moves beyond talk of health disparities as simply numbers and statistics, dissecting the factors that influence health and well-being. This is an excellent read for health professionals or anyone interested in better understanding all the variables that impact our decisions and behaviors, like power, politics, and luck.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jamie Klufts, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312430000/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312430000&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=35421e550159f565498198501246b2c1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Atul Gawande\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nYears after reading it, the message and themes of this book still resonate with me. One for everyone involved in health.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eliza Metcalfe, Melbourne, Australia \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/154164414X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=154164414X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=9df8ac5f5bb7af175e206e2ce490fcfb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Richard Harris\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Rigor Mortis” delves into data reproducibility and scientific rigor in biomedical research. Using deft anecdotes and commentary, Harris explores how sociocultural forces and perverse incentives in funding mechanisms can conspire to create a dirge of confidence in the research process. Anyone interested in learning about how flawed science undermines medicine should pick up this book for a relatively quick and incisive read.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Kyle Penrod, Providence, R.I.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316051632/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316051632&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=102a5090c27ba3b32e74ee3014fa30fc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Sam Kean\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis book is an entertaining and amazing look at the history of the periodic table and the discovery of the elements. Kean writes in a narrative fashion that gripped me from the very first page. This book is a must for lovers of science, history, and science history.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Katie Reeves, Augusta, Ga.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>STAT Reporters\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608192075/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1608192075&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7aa079684701270fecebca869fe0c79e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Nick Reding\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe 2016 election sparked a national obsession with reporting from “flyover country” — a hasty attempt from the national media to remember the forgotten swathes of land between the coasts. But some of the resulting coverage was so full of caricatures it seemed like just another version of flying over. Stumbling across “Methland” in the public library provided a strong antidote to those datelines without depth. Nick Reding’s portraits of small-town Iowans who are cooking, using, or working against meth are so deeply reported that you feel as if you’ve met these people in the flesh. The details are striking — kids mixing “crank” in soda bottles as they tootle around on their bikes, a dealer investing in car selling and horse racing as fronts for her drug empire — but the book also has an impressive sweep: It chronicles rural economies overtaken by agricultural behemoths, towns left behind by everyone with the means to leave, and public health and existential crises ensnaring the people who remain.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eric Boodman, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568585810/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1568585810&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=c7392af7e5427afc8fbd10e2f028fc99\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women’s Pain”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Abby Norman\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nAny woman whose pain has been dismissed as being “part of what it means to be a woman” will highly relate to this book. “Ask Me About My Uterus” is the story of Abby Norman, whose long and frustrating journey of finding out what was causing her excruciating pain, unexplainable weight loss, and a host of other symptoms meant she had to drop out of college her freshman year. Norman describes how relationships and hobbies all fell by the wayside as the constant pain kept her at home. Only after she got a job at a hospital and spent hours educating herself did Norman finally get a diagnosis of endometriosis. The book weaves together Norman’s own story as well as research and evidence to indicate how medicine continues to ignore women’s pain. I learned a lot of things, but how to be more assertive when I visit with a physician is at the top of the list!\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Shraddha Chakradhar, reporter and Morning Rounds writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DP6MSJG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07DP6MSJG&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=169853d1a860b739e89a5805d07eee17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of us Can Learn From the Strange Science of Recovery”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Christie Aschwanden\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nLike many who live life with a daily dose of sweat, I’m always on the lookout for the best ways to recover from exercise and get myself back out the door. In her new book, science journalist and athlete Christie Aschwanden deftly unravels the complex web of science, pseudoscience, and downright bogus claims in the world of exercise recovery. She takes the reader into infrared saunas, ice baths, and float spas and tests techniques I’d never heard of (meditation headbands are a thing?) meant to help athletes bounce back from their hard efforts.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Brittany Flaherty, news intern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812997417/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0812997417&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=3df4e39b8793e8725667e7c8b16161f3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Lake Success”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Gary Shteyngart\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Lake Success” is the story of Barry Cohen, a superlatively successful hedge fund manager whose enviable Manhattan life comes hideously unglued after he makes an ill-advised bet on what is clearly a stand-in for Valeant Pharmaceuticals. What ensues is a never sanguine, always empathetic, reliably funny portrait of a fabulously wealthy person who seems to have forgotten the concept of failure. It’s also a fascinating character study for those of us biotech schnooks who looked at alleged insider traders like Mathew Martoma and wondered how on earth they thought they’d get away with it all. Plus there’s fancy watches, generational angst, and a meditation on the creeping financialization of everything that promises to bring about a new Gilded Age. You know, beach stuff.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Damian Garde, national biotech reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1524732710/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1524732710&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=f0f49695f97eea1f87af0be2c561a5fe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Dani Shapiro\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWherever she speaks during her book tour for “Inheritance,” memoirist Dani Shapiro is approached by people who, like her, discovered through a DNA spit test that their biological father is not who they thought he was, and that their family history is a lot more twisted than they realized. Indeed, when I heard her in Boston, a man stood up during the Q&A and announced he’d learned he was the product of a sperm donor who turned out to be a fertility doctor who’d fathered dozens of children. Shapiro’s book is a very personal story, but clearly one that resonates broadly in our DNA-obsessed age.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Gideon Gil, managing editor\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501168681/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1501168681&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=22c75b403593e8a3a77e635029a3d63f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought The American Ideal West”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By David McCullough\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nA great way to gain perspective on the impact of modern medicine is to consider life before it arrived. McCullough’s account of the pioneers who settled America’s Northwest Territory — an area that includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin — offers a window into the ruggedness required of both doctors and patients who stared down deadly illnesses in the unbroken wilderness with few defenses. Episodic disease outbreaks swept across the frontier like wildfire, often decimating settlements and taking the lives of multiple children in the same family. As a father living in present-day Ohio, it is hard to imagine the panic this must have instilled, and the resolve required to push forward despite the heart-wrenching costs. But this book has given me fresh insight and a few reasons to reconsider my own grievances in the relative utopia we’ve carved out of the Wild West.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Casey Ross, national technology correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812982525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0812982525&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ca6e6c07db5238906a40e5ea31a25d71\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Luke Dittrich\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe book weaves the neuroscience legend of Henry Molaison with author Luke Dittrich’s own family dramas. After Dittrich’s grandfather operated on Molaison’s brain in an effort to treat his debilitating epilepsy, he wasn’t able to form any short-term memories. For decades after the surgery, researchers worked with Molaison to better understand how human memory works. Patient H.M.’s story is interesting enough. But when the story is mentioned, the surgeon is usually a minor player. This time, Dittrich brings his grandfather to life — and uses his family’s own history to explore some of the darker chapters in neuroscience history.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Kate Sheridan, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525552960/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525552960&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=0abcda54b107dd77066adae0db4d637f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Darius The Great is Not Okay”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Adib Khorram\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nAdib Khorram’s debut novel is about many things: identity, immigration, family, friendship. It’s also about living with clinical depression as a teen, and being a teen with a parent who has depression. Khorram is able to give readers a window into living with mental illness without making it the sole focus of the characters or their stories. And while it’s technically a young adult book, I’d recommend it to adults of all ages.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Megan Thielking, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/05/01/from-protegee-to-whistleblower-a-former-theranos-scientist-says-elizabeth-holmes-should-come-forward-and-apologize/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2935,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 31
},
"modified": 1704848559,
"excerpt": "A collection of the best science books for summer produced by the health and medicine news site STAT.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "A collection of the best science books for summer produced by the health and medicine news site STAT.",
"title": "The Best Health and Science Books to Dip Into This Summer | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Best Health and Science Books to Dip Into This Summer",
"datePublished": "2019-06-26T06:30:40-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:39-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-best-health-and-science-books-to-dip-into-this-summer",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Sarah Mupo \u003cbr/> STAT News \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "STAT News",
"path": "/science/1943888/the-best-health-and-science-books-to-dip-into-this-summer",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"big-cap-wrap\">\u003cspan class=\"big-cap\">T\u003c/span>\u003c/span>he first day of summer has arrived, and so has STAT’s annual book list of great reads in health, science, and medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on for recommendations from CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna and CDC Director Robert Redfield. Plus, STAT readers from Boston to Ireland to Australia share their picks, in addition to our staff. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Notable Figures\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805071806/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0805071806&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7bf123ab6184f5cac33d58beddbb56f6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Scientific Conversations: Interviews on Science from The New York Times”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Claudia Dreifus\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis is an awesome collection of 38 interviews, published originally in the Science Times section of the New York Times, that captures the wonder and excitement of scientific discovery. As an outstanding journalist and a relative outsider to science, Dreifus elicits from her subjects the passion, frustration, inspiration and, ultimately, the joy of doing science. Her writing reminds me of the work of John McPhee: deep and expansive with a sense of fun. A great read!\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jennifer Doudna, professor and HHMI Investigator, UC Berkeley; director, Innovative Genomics Institute of UC Berkeley/UCSF/Gladstone Institutes\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006122796X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=006122796X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7cfcc6b0801cc1e4c567331d7f105411\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Paul A. Offit\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nPhysicians, parents, and public health professionals seeking credible, timely information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines will find those answers in Dr. Offit’s “Vaccinated.” He writes a compelling narrative, sharing the underlying science and historical context behind the vaccine regimen recommended today. This fact-based retrospective dispels myths and underscores the importance of immunization for children and adults alike. Readers will have a better understanding of the science-based reasoning to embrace vaccination for themselves, their families, and their communities.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520229134/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0520229134&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=f6872536969b6885c29cba642778c5ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Paul Farmer\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis book highlights so well the very inception of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute itself and our mission to develop treatments and preventive agents for diseases burdening the world’s poorest people. Tenderly, Farmer tells the stories of those who suffer, offering their complex circumstances in the face of overwhelming data. The Partners in Health co-founder challenges those determined to care for the most vulnerable to challenge the status quo. Although written 20 years ago, the stories ring truer than ever. Inequities in health have only become magnified and are now manifest in our own backyard. Although sobering, it is also inspiring and may make the reader leap to other resources such as “The Age of Living Machines” by Susan Hockfield, who posits that convergence across scientific disciplines led to the current technological capabilities. Can these not be leveraged with know-how and fortitude to meaningfully address inequities in health?\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Penny Heaton, CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1845291557/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1845291557&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=424b9e11f98c4fb76b3a018ce157005a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“A Brief History of Medicine: from Hippocrates to Gene Therapy”\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003c/strong>\u003cem>By Paul Strathern\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Among the many histories of medicine, Paul Strathern’s narrative stands out for its lively prose and colorful portraits of figures who broke with dogma and proved new paradigms. Even the expert reader will find much that is novel and nuanced, not only in stories about prominent characters like Galen and Harvey, but less well known individuals like the Venerable Bede, an English monk who revived Greek and Roman knowledge during the Dark Ages, and Al-Razi, an Islamic scholar who challenged Aristotle’s prevailing notions with experimental data and showed that pediatric disorders need not be viewed as untreatable and hopeless. Each chapter offers a rich tableau depicting advances in medical thinking based on astute observation and rigorous induction. Strathern brilliantly succeeds in both educating and entertaining his reader, a perfect blend for a summer treat.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Dr. Jerome Groopman, New Yorker staff writer and author; Recanati Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345804570/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0345804570&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=137ae7f66e5eee834172c881aa8f1b7a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us”\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Richard Prum\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWhether you agree with Prum or not, his case for renewed attention to Darwin’s theory of sexual selection — that considerations of beauty, and not just functional adaptation, shape evolution — is eye-opening. The book also reminds us that politics (in this case, 19th-century disapproval of Darwin’s views on female mate choice) can influence what we are taught about science. Even if you are skeptical, Prum will make you think twice about the natural world, and will definitely change how you look at ducks.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Ron Klain, President Obama’s Ebola czar during the West African outbreak\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062338781/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062338781&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=a08377a6dbaebf506ffcb6efb996c457\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Katherine Eban\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>In her fierce and fearless book, “Bottle of Lies,” the investigative journalist Katherine Eban takes us on a journey through the loosely regulated and often corrupt manufacture of generic drugs. Weaving together the story of a terrified but determined whistleblower from India, shady drug producers from China, and a notably timid FDA, Eban’s compelling book should serve as cautionary tale and a wake-up call for consumers, manufacturers, and physicians — “should” being the operative word.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Deborah Blum, author of “The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century” and director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>STAT Readers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735224153/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0735224153&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=e88ba9aa97ec231e13dcca5e20cbc7bf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Michael Pollan\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWith cannabis medicine now getting the attention it deserves, Michael Pollan has done a tremendous job at digging into the history of psychedelic use, both recreationally and in therapy, together with his own observations as a new psychedelic experimenter at the age of 60. All in all, a comprehensive history of the topic, together with interviews from key psychedelic researchers, and a call for serious researchers to think twice about hasty judgments surrounding this interesting compound.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jon Calder, Belfast, Northern Ireland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006289627X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=006289627X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ea6fc765acd3cc5ad1ccd85342cb04ae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Kris Newby\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Bitten” is a riveting narrative that digs into the origins of the Lyme disease epidemic. It connects many dots with compelling evidence and page-turning storytelling that point to the likelihood that a bio-weaponized tick program gone awry could have contributed to the more virulent forms of tick-borne illnesses that have been wreaking havoc on unwitting people for the past five decades. Doctors are not well-trained on tick-borne illness, diagnostics are inadequate, and there are no career tracks in the field other than a few courageous pioneers. Biotech is largely on the sidelines. Yet millions of people are being disabled. Perhaps this book will help stir some action. After all, we all are just one bite away from a nightmare illness.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Nancy Dougherty, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544114515/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0544114515&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=4f6ff933051d07a5d66bb8d7906db1a2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Gregory Berns\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nFabulous book for anyone interested in the realities of research. Getting MRI data on dogs to confirm the similarities in where dogs and human brains respond to stimuli sounds like a good idea. Getting permission to get the dogs into the places where there are MRIs, getting the dogs used to the MRI, selecting real-life animals, and the implications for the experimental conclusions is very different from what usually shows up in methods and results.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Joanna Haas, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316418080/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316418080&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ab87c536d62f16a84be8997dbe897c72\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Perfect Predator: A Scientist’s Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Steffanie Strathdee and Thomas Patterson\u003cbr>\n\u003c/em>Riveting account of a scientist trying to save her husband through a combination of sheer will, determination, and cutting-edge science. It’s an amazing blend of mystery, thriller, and microbiology.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Mallory Johnson, Berkeley, Calif.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671510576/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0671510576&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=cb77504e40e1a9467241ae7547ca194a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Billion Dollar Molecule: One Company’s Quest for the Perfect Drug”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Barry Werth\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Billion Dollar Molecule” is a thrilling story about the development of a now powerful pharmaceutical company, its revolutionary approach in structure-based drug development, and how closely it came to failing along the way. At a time when people doubt the justifications of pricing for pharmaceutical drugs, peeking at the risks involved in development and the arduous journeys of the scientists involved through this story could add nuance to the conversation.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eric Kishel, Buffalo, N.Y.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0190916834/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0190916834&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=4c465b27e88b48c0879f78555b17f6ef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Well: What We Need to Talk About When We Talk About Health”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Sandro Galea\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Well” moves beyond talk of health disparities as simply numbers and statistics, dissecting the factors that influence health and well-being. This is an excellent read for health professionals or anyone interested in better understanding all the variables that impact our decisions and behaviors, like power, politics, and luck.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Jamie Klufts, Boston\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312430000/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312430000&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=35421e550159f565498198501246b2c1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Atul Gawande\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nYears after reading it, the message and themes of this book still resonate with me. One for everyone involved in health.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eliza Metcalfe, Melbourne, Australia \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/154164414X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=154164414X&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=9df8ac5f5bb7af175e206e2ce490fcfb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Richard Harris\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Rigor Mortis” delves into data reproducibility and scientific rigor in biomedical research. Using deft anecdotes and commentary, Harris explores how sociocultural forces and perverse incentives in funding mechanisms can conspire to create a dirge of confidence in the research process. Anyone interested in learning about how flawed science undermines medicine should pick up this book for a relatively quick and incisive read.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Kyle Penrod, Providence, R.I.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316051632/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316051632&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=102a5090c27ba3b32e74ee3014fa30fc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Sam Kean\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThis book is an entertaining and amazing look at the history of the periodic table and the discovery of the elements. Kean writes in a narrative fashion that gripped me from the very first page. This book is a must for lovers of science, history, and science history.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Katie Reeves, Augusta, Ga.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>STAT Reporters\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608192075/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1608192075&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=7aa079684701270fecebca869fe0c79e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Nick Reding\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe 2016 election sparked a national obsession with reporting from “flyover country” — a hasty attempt from the national media to remember the forgotten swathes of land between the coasts. But some of the resulting coverage was so full of caricatures it seemed like just another version of flying over. Stumbling across “Methland” in the public library provided a strong antidote to those datelines without depth. Nick Reding’s portraits of small-town Iowans who are cooking, using, or working against meth are so deeply reported that you feel as if you’ve met these people in the flesh. The details are striking — kids mixing “crank” in soda bottles as they tootle around on their bikes, a dealer investing in car selling and horse racing as fronts for her drug empire — but the book also has an impressive sweep: It chronicles rural economies overtaken by agricultural behemoths, towns left behind by everyone with the means to leave, and public health and existential crises ensnaring the people who remain.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Eric Boodman, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1568585810/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1568585810&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=c7392af7e5427afc8fbd10e2f028fc99\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women’s Pain”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Abby Norman\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nAny woman whose pain has been dismissed as being “part of what it means to be a woman” will highly relate to this book. “Ask Me About My Uterus” is the story of Abby Norman, whose long and frustrating journey of finding out what was causing her excruciating pain, unexplainable weight loss, and a host of other symptoms meant she had to drop out of college her freshman year. Norman describes how relationships and hobbies all fell by the wayside as the constant pain kept her at home. Only after she got a job at a hospital and spent hours educating herself did Norman finally get a diagnosis of endometriosis. The book weaves together Norman’s own story as well as research and evidence to indicate how medicine continues to ignore women’s pain. I learned a lot of things, but how to be more assertive when I visit with a physician is at the top of the list!\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Shraddha Chakradhar, reporter and Morning Rounds writer\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DP6MSJG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07DP6MSJG&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=169853d1a860b739e89a5805d07eee17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of us Can Learn From the Strange Science of Recovery”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Christie Aschwanden\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nLike many who live life with a daily dose of sweat, I’m always on the lookout for the best ways to recover from exercise and get myself back out the door. In her new book, science journalist and athlete Christie Aschwanden deftly unravels the complex web of science, pseudoscience, and downright bogus claims in the world of exercise recovery. She takes the reader into infrared saunas, ice baths, and float spas and tests techniques I’d never heard of (meditation headbands are a thing?) meant to help athletes bounce back from their hard efforts.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Brittany Flaherty, news intern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812997417/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0812997417&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=3df4e39b8793e8725667e7c8b16161f3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Lake Success”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Gary Shteyngart\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n“Lake Success” is the story of Barry Cohen, a superlatively successful hedge fund manager whose enviable Manhattan life comes hideously unglued after he makes an ill-advised bet on what is clearly a stand-in for Valeant Pharmaceuticals. What ensues is a never sanguine, always empathetic, reliably funny portrait of a fabulously wealthy person who seems to have forgotten the concept of failure. It’s also a fascinating character study for those of us biotech schnooks who looked at alleged insider traders like Mathew Martoma and wondered how on earth they thought they’d get away with it all. Plus there’s fancy watches, generational angst, and a meditation on the creeping financialization of everything that promises to bring about a new Gilded Age. You know, beach stuff.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Damian Garde, national biotech reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1524732710/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1524732710&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=f0f49695f97eea1f87af0be2c561a5fe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Dani Shapiro\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nWherever she speaks during her book tour for “Inheritance,” memoirist Dani Shapiro is approached by people who, like her, discovered through a DNA spit test that their biological father is not who they thought he was, and that their family history is a lot more twisted than they realized. Indeed, when I heard her in Boston, a man stood up during the Q&A and announced he’d learned he was the product of a sperm donor who turned out to be a fertility doctor who’d fathered dozens of children. Shapiro’s book is a very personal story, but clearly one that resonates broadly in our DNA-obsessed age.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Gideon Gil, managing editor\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501168681/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1501168681&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=22c75b403593e8a3a77e635029a3d63f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought The American Ideal West”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By David McCullough\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nA great way to gain perspective on the impact of modern medicine is to consider life before it arrived. McCullough’s account of the pioneers who settled America’s Northwest Territory — an area that includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin — offers a window into the ruggedness required of both doctors and patients who stared down deadly illnesses in the unbroken wilderness with few defenses. Episodic disease outbreaks swept across the frontier like wildfire, often decimating settlements and taking the lives of multiple children in the same family. As a father living in present-day Ohio, it is hard to imagine the panic this must have instilled, and the resolve required to push forward despite the heart-wrenching costs. But this book has given me fresh insight and a few reasons to reconsider my own grievances in the relative utopia we’ve carved out of the Wild West.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Casey Ross, national technology correspondent\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812982525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0812982525&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=ca6e6c07db5238906a40e5ea31a25d71\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Luke Dittrich\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nThe book weaves the neuroscience legend of Henry Molaison with author Luke Dittrich’s own family dramas. After Dittrich’s grandfather operated on Molaison’s brain in an effort to treat his debilitating epilepsy, he wasn’t able to form any short-term memories. For decades after the surgery, researchers worked with Molaison to better understand how human memory works. Patient H.M.’s story is interesting enough. But when the story is mentioned, the surgeon is usually a minor player. This time, Dittrich brings his grandfather to life — and uses his family’s own history to explore some of the darker chapters in neuroscience history.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Kate Sheridan, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525552960/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525552960&linkCode=as2&tag=stat03d-20&linkId=0abcda54b107dd77066adae0db4d637f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cstrong>“Darius The Great is Not Okay”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>By Adib Khorram\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\nAdib Khorram’s debut novel is about many things: identity, immigration, family, friendship. It’s also about living with clinical depression as a teen, and being a teen with a parent who has depression. Khorram is able to give readers a window into living with mental illness without making it the sole focus of the characters or their stories. And while it’s technically a young adult book, I’d recommend it to adults of all ages.\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>— Megan Thielking, reporter\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/05/01/from-protegee-to-whistleblower-a-former-theranos-scientist-says-elizabeth-holmes-should-come-forward-and-apologize/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1943888/the-best-health-and-science-books-to-dip-into-this-summer",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1943888"
],
"categories": [
"science_2874",
"science_28",
"science_30",
"science_29",
"science_31",
"science_32",
"science_33",
"science_89",
"science_35",
"science_38",
"science_39",
"science_3890",
"science_40",
"science_2873",
"science_42",
"science_3947",
"science_98",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_3838",
"science_309"
],
"featImg": "science_1943891",
"label": "source_science_1943888"
},
"science_1943941": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1943941",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943941",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1561495618000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1561495618,
"format": "aside",
"title": "Here We Go Again: Feds Reopen Patent Dispute Between UC and Broad Institute",
"headTitle": "Here We Go Again: Feds Reopen Patent Dispute Between UC and Broad Institute | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>The U.S. patent office has \u003ca href=\"https://www.broadinstitute.org/files/news/pdfs/106115-NoticeDeclaringInterference.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">declared an interference\u003c/a> between a dozen key patents awarded to the Broad Institute on the genome-editing technology CRISPR and 10 CRISPR patent applications submitted by the University of California and its partners, according to documents posted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1943947\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-800x531.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-800x531.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-768x510.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-1020x677.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The declaration of an interference means that the patent office has determined that one or more patent applications describe inventions that are substantially the same as those for which patents have already been issued. In this case, the patents awarded to the Broad, beginning in 2014, describe the use of CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of eukaryotes — organisms whose genomes are enclosed within a cell nucleus, including all plants and animals — based on the research of Broad biologist Feng Zhang. UC’s patent applications also cover the use of CRISPR in eukaryotes, based on the work of UC Berkeley biochemist Jennifer Doudna and her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC and the Broad already went through an interference proceeding that went all the way to federal appeals court, with the Broad \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2018/09/10/appeals-court-upholds-crispr-patents-awarded-to-broad-institute/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prevailing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That history made patent experts react almost identically to this latest development. “Here we are again,” said attorney Kevin Noonan of the Chicago law firm McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP, who specializes in biotech patents. “I can only imagine that this will go on, and on, and on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the Doudna and Zhang teams did their research under a system that awarded patents based on who was the first to invent (the current system, in place since 2013, awards patents based on who was the first to file). The interference proceeding will entail motions filed with the patent office, which will likely take a year, and then possibly a hearing. At some point, the patent office will therefore have to determine who was the inventor of CRISPR genome editing in higher organisms — not bacteria, and not DNA floating freely in a test tube.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now we’re having the fight over who invented CRISPR in eukaryotes,” said Eldora Ellison of Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox, who represents UC. The declaration of interference, she said, “means that the patent office has recognized that it has a duty to determine who invented this important invention. The fact that the Broad has patents does not resolve that question.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The answer to that question would reverberate well beyond the potentially billion-dollar market for CRISPR therapies. Those are being developed by at least three companies, including Editas Medicine, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Intellia Therapeutics. The outcome could also affect who the science record books, to say nothing of the Nobel Prize committee, recognizes as the inventors of this revolutionary technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Broad said, “We welcome this action by the [patent office], which has previously ruled that the claims of the Broad patents, issued for methods for eukaryotic genome editing, were properly granted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the last interference, which UC requested, neither party asked for this one. But that can be done “indirectly,” Noonan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The interesting thing in terms of the [University of California] strategy is that they seem to have filed a bunch of patent applications intended to provoke an interference,” by describing the use of CRISPR in eukaryotes even though the UC team was not the first to achieve that, Noonan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you write the [patent] claim the right way, and the patent examiner is aware that the Broad’s patents [on that invention] exist, it wouldn’t take a genius examiner to say, aha,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The patent office has designated the Broad as the “senior party” in the interference and UC as the “junior party.” That means the Broad, with patents in hand since 2014, is presumed to be the rightful, first inventor. UC therefore has to prove its case to the patent office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/05/01/from-protegee-to-whistleblower-a-former-theranos-scientist-says-elizabeth-holmes-should-come-forward-and-apologize/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 694,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 16
},
"modified": 1704848566,
"excerpt": "The U.S. patent office declared an interference between CRISPR patents awarded to the Broad Institute and the University of California. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The U.S. patent office declared an interference between CRISPR patents awarded to the Broad Institute and the University of California. ",
"title": "Here We Go Again: Feds Reopen Patent Dispute Between UC and Broad Institute | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Here We Go Again: Feds Reopen Patent Dispute Between UC and Broad Institute",
"datePublished": "2019-06-25T13:46:58-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:46-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "here-we-go-again-feds-reopen-patent-dispute-between-uc-and-broad-institute",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Sharon Begley \u003cbr/> STAT News \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "STAT News",
"path": "/science/1943941/here-we-go-again-feds-reopen-patent-dispute-between-uc-and-broad-institute",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The U.S. patent office has \u003ca href=\"https://www.broadinstitute.org/files/news/pdfs/106115-NoticeDeclaringInterference.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">declared an interference\u003c/a> between a dozen key patents awarded to the Broad Institute on the genome-editing technology CRISPR and 10 CRISPR patent applications submitted by the University of California and its partners, according to documents posted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1943947\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-800x531.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-800x531.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-768x510.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-1020x677.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/DESKTOP_CRISPR_171115-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The declaration of an interference means that the patent office has determined that one or more patent applications describe inventions that are substantially the same as those for which patents have already been issued. In this case, the patents awarded to the Broad, beginning in 2014, describe the use of CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of eukaryotes — organisms whose genomes are enclosed within a cell nucleus, including all plants and animals — based on the research of Broad biologist Feng Zhang. UC’s patent applications also cover the use of CRISPR in eukaryotes, based on the work of UC Berkeley biochemist Jennifer Doudna and her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC and the Broad already went through an interference proceeding that went all the way to federal appeals court, with the Broad \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2018/09/10/appeals-court-upholds-crispr-patents-awarded-to-broad-institute/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prevailing\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That history made patent experts react almost identically to this latest development. “Here we are again,” said attorney Kevin Noonan of the Chicago law firm McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP, who specializes in biotech patents. “I can only imagine that this will go on, and on, and on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the Doudna and Zhang teams did their research under a system that awarded patents based on who was the first to invent (the current system, in place since 2013, awards patents based on who was the first to file). The interference proceeding will entail motions filed with the patent office, which will likely take a year, and then possibly a hearing. At some point, the patent office will therefore have to determine who was the inventor of CRISPR genome editing in higher organisms — not bacteria, and not DNA floating freely in a test tube.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now we’re having the fight over who invented CRISPR in eukaryotes,” said Eldora Ellison of Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox, who represents UC. The declaration of interference, she said, “means that the patent office has recognized that it has a duty to determine who invented this important invention. The fact that the Broad has patents does not resolve that question.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The answer to that question would reverberate well beyond the potentially billion-dollar market for CRISPR therapies. Those are being developed by at least three companies, including Editas Medicine, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Intellia Therapeutics. The outcome could also affect who the science record books, to say nothing of the Nobel Prize committee, recognizes as the inventors of this revolutionary technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Broad said, “We welcome this action by the [patent office], which has previously ruled that the claims of the Broad patents, issued for methods for eukaryotic genome editing, were properly granted.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike the last interference, which UC requested, neither party asked for this one. But that can be done “indirectly,” Noonan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The interesting thing in terms of the [University of California] strategy is that they seem to have filed a bunch of patent applications intended to provoke an interference,” by describing the use of CRISPR in eukaryotes even though the UC team was not the first to achieve that, Noonan said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you write the [patent] claim the right way, and the patent examiner is aware that the Broad’s patents [on that invention] exist, it wouldn’t take a genius examiner to say, aha,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The patent office has designated the Broad as the “senior party” in the interference and UC as the “junior party.” That means the Broad, with patents in hand since 2014, is presumed to be the rightful, first inventor. UC therefore has to prove its case to the patent office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/2019/05/01/from-protegee-to-whistleblower-a-former-theranos-scientist-says-elizabeth-holmes-should-come-forward-and-apologize/\">story\u003c/a> was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://www.statnews.com/\">STAT\u003c/a>, an online publication of Boston Globe Media that covers health, medicine, and scientific discovery.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1943941/here-we-go-again-feds-reopen-patent-dispute-between-uc-and-broad-institute",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1943941"
],
"categories": [
"science_30",
"science_29",
"science_39",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_5178",
"science_1287",
"science_3838"
],
"featImg": "science_1943946",
"label": "source_science_1943941"
},
"science_1943825": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1943825",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943825",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1561406860000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1561406860,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Surgeons Are Still Prescribing Opioids at Alarming Rates",
"headTitle": "Surgeons Are Still Prescribing Opioids at Alarming Rates | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>As opioid addiction and deadly overdoses escalated into an epidemic across the U.S., thousands of surgeons continued to hand out far more pills than needed for postoperative pain relief, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/opioid-prescribing/\">Kaiser Health News-Johns Hopkins analysis\u003c/a> of Medicare data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[pullquote align='right' citation='Dr. Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins']“I think there’s an ‘aha’ moment that many of us in medicine have had or need to have.”[/pullquote]\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many doctors wrote prescriptions for dozens of opioid tablets after surgeries — even for operations that cause most patients relatively little pain, according to the analysis, done in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It examined almost 350,000 prescriptions written for patients operated on by nearly 20,000 surgeons from 2011 to 2016 — the latest year for which data are available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some surgeons wrote prescriptions for more than 100 opioid pills in the week following the surgery. The total amounts often exceeded current guidelines from several academic medical centers, which call for zero to 10 pills for many of the procedures in the analysis, and up to 30 for coronary bypass surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While hundreds of state and local lawsuits have been filed against opioid manufacturers, claiming they engaged in aggressive and misleading marketing of these addictive drugs, the role of physicians in contributing to a national tragedy has received less scrutiny. Research shows that a significant portion of people who become addicted to opioids started with a prescription after surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sheer numbers, opioid prescribing in the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6626a4.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">peaked in 2010\u003c/a>, but it remains \u003ca href=\"https://theconversation.com/what-the-us-can-learn-from-other-countries-in-dealing-with-pain-and-the-opioid-crisis-97491\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">among the highest in the world\u003c/a>, according to studies and other data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, opioids of all kinds were linked to 42,249 deaths, up from the 33,091 reported in 2015. The opioid-related death rate jumped nearly 28% from the year before, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6712a1.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to the CDC\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet long-ingrained and freewheeling prescribing patterns changed little over the six years analyzed. KHN and Johns Hopkins examined the prescribing habits of all U.S. surgeons who frequently perform seven common surgical procedures and found that in the first week after surgery:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coronary artery bypass patients operated on by the highest-prescribing 1% of surgeons filled prescriptions in 2016 exceeding an average of 105 opioid pills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patients undergoing a far less painful procedure — a lumpectomy to remove a breast tumor — were given an average of 26 pills in 2016 the week after surgery. The highest-prescribing 5% of surgeons prescribed 40 to 70 pills on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some knee surgery patients took home more than 100 pills in the week following their surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those amounts — each “pill” in the analysis was the equivalent of 5 milligrams of oxycodone — are many times what is currently recommended by some physician groups to relieve acute pain, which occurs as a result of surgery, accident or injury. The analysis included only patients not prescribed opioids in the year before their operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Prescribers should have known better” based on studies and other information available at the time, said Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at Brandeis University and director of the advocacy group Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the dataset included only prescriptions written for patients on Medicare, the findings may well understate the depth of the problem, since doctors are more hesitant to give older patients the powerful painkillers because of their sedating side effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surgeons’ prescribing habits are significant because \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2618383\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">studies show\u003c/a> that 6% of patients who are prescribed opioids after surgery will still be taking them three to six months later, having become dependent. The likelihood of persistent use rises with the number of pills and the length of time opioids are taken during recuperation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, unused pills in medicine cabinets can make their way onto the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Marty Makary, a surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins, admits that he too once handed out opioids liberally. Now he is marshaling a campaign to get surgeons to use these powerful painkillers more consciously and sparingly. “I think there’s an ‘aha’ moment that many of us in medicine have had or need to have,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But old habits are hard to kick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KHN contacted dozens of the surgeons who topped the ranks of opioid prescribers in the 2016 database. They hailed from small, community hospitals as well as major academic medical centers. The majority declined to comment, some bristling when questioned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can search the KHN database by doctor and hospital \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/opioid-prescribing/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of those surgeons were critical of the analysis, saying it didn’t take into account certain essential factors. For example, it was not possible to determine whether patients had complications or needed higher amounts of pain medication for another reason. And some surgeons had only a handful of patients who filled prescriptions, making for a small sample size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But surgeons also indicated that the way they prescribe pain pills was less than intentional. It was sometimes an outgrowth of computer programs that default to preset amounts following procedures, or practice habits developed before the opioid crisis. Additionally, they blame efforts in the late 1990s and early 2000s that encouraged doctors and hospitals to consider pain as “the fifth vital sign.” A major hospital accrediting group required providers to ask patients how well their pain was treated. Pharmaceutical companies used the fifth vital sign campaign as a way to promote their opioid treatments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Makary, who oversaw the analysis of the Medicare dataset, said that, while opioid prescribing is slowly dropping, to date many surgeons have not paid enough attention to the problem or responded with sufficient urgency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Audrey Garrett, an oncologic surgeon in Oregon, said she was “surprised” to hear that she was among the top tier of prescribers. She said she planned to re-evaluate her clinic’s automated prescribing program, which is set to order specific amounts of opioids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KHN will analyze data for 2017 and subsequent years when it becomes available to follow how prescribing is changing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prescribing Patterns Highlight What’s At Stake\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis examined prescribing habits after seven common procedures: coronary artery bypass, minimally invasive gallbladder removal, lumpectomy, meniscectomy (which removes part of a torn meniscus in the knee), minimally invasive hysterectomy, open colectomy and prostatectomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the board, the analysis showed that physicians gave a large number of narcotics when fewer pills or alternative medications, including over-the-counter pain relief tablets, could be equally effective, according to recent guidelines from Makary and other academic researchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On average, from 2011 to 2016, Medicare patients in the analysis took home 48 pills in the week following coronary artery bypass; 31 following laparoscopic gallbladder removal; 28 after a lumpectomy; 41 after meniscectomy; 34 after minimally invasive hysterectomy; 34 after open colon surgery; and 33 after prostatectomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1943831\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-800x533.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-800x533.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-1020x679.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-1200x799.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2.png 1270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solvethecrisis.org/best-practices\">post-surgical guidelines\u003c/a> spearheaded by Makary for his hospital last year, those surgeries should require at most 30 pills for bypass; 10 pills for minimally invasive gallbladder removal, lumpectomy, minimally invasive hysterectomy and prostatectomy; and eight pills for knee surgery. It has not yet published a guideline for open colon surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johns Hopkins’ doctors developed their own standards because of a dearth of national guidelines for post-surgical opioids. They arrived at those figures after \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/doling-out-pain-pills-post-surgery-an-ingrown-toenail-not-the-same-as-a-bypass/\">reaching a consensus\u003c/a> among surgeons, nurses, patients and other medical staff on how many pills were needed after particular surgeries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hoping to reduce overprescribing, Makary is preparing to send letters next month to surgeons around the country who are among the highest opioid prescribers under a grant he received from the Arnold Foundation, a nonprofit group whose focus includes drug price issues. (Kaiser Health News also received funding from the Arnold Foundation.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if the prescription numbers have fallen since 2016, the amounts given today are likely still excessive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When prescribing may have been five to 20 times too high, even a reduction that is quite meaningful still likely reflects overprescribing,” said Dr. Chad Brummett, an anesthesiologist and associate professor at the University of Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brummett is also co-director of the Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network, a collaboration of physicians that makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.opioidprescribing.info/\">surgery-specific recommendations\u003c/a>, many of them in the 10- to 20-pill range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reducing unnecessary exposure is key to reducing the risk of new addiction,” said former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb. In August 2018, when Gottlieb was at the agency’s helm, it commissioned a report from the National Academy of Sciences on how best to set opioid prescribing guidelines for acute pain from specific conditions or surgical procedures. Its findings are expected later this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are still too many 30-tablet prescriptions being written,” said Gottlieb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Healers Sowing Disease?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naturally, surgeons rankle at the idea that they played a role in the opioid epidemic. But studies raise serious concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Transplant surgeon Dr. Michael Engelsbe, director of the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, points to the study showing 6% of post-op patients who get opioids for pain develop long-term dependence. That means a surgeon who does 300 operations a year paves the way for 18 newly dependent people, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many patients do not need the amounts prescribed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intermountain Healthcare, a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics, and doctors in Utah, began surveying patients two years ago to find out how much of their prescribed supply of opioids they actually took following surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Globally, we were overprescribing by 50%,” said Dr. David Hasleton, senior medical director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Intermountain approached individual doctors carefully. “If you go to a prescriber to say, ‘You are overprescribing,’ it never goes well. A common reaction is, ‘Your data is wrong’ or ‘My patients are different than his,’” said Hasleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the analysis, KHN attempted to contact more than 50 surgeons whose 2016 numbers ranked them among the top prescribers in each surgical category.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One who did agree to speak was Dr. Daniel J. Waters, who 13 years ago had his chest cut open to remove a tumor, an operation technically similar to what he does for a living: coronary artery bypass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I have both the doctor perspective and the patient perspective,” said Waters, who practices in Mason City, Iowa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, Waters’ Medicare bypass patients who filled their prescriptions took home an average of nearly 157 pills each, according to the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I went home from the hospital, 30 would not have been enough,” said Waters of the number recommended by the Hopkins team for that surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he said he has recently curbed his prescribing to 84 pills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, the average prescription filled for a coronary artery bypass was 49 pills in 2016 and had changed little since 2011, the analysis shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others who spoke with KHN said they had developed the habit of prescribing copiously — sometimes giving out multiple opioid prescriptions — because they didn’t want patients to get stuck far from the office or over a weekend with pain or because they were trying to avoid calls from dissatisfied, hurting patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the KHN-Johns Hopkins data, the seven patients of Dr. Antonio Santillan-Gomez who filled opioid prescriptions after minimally invasive hysterectomies in 2016 received an average of 77 pills each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A gynecologic oncologist, Santillan-Gomez said: “I’m in San Antonio, and some of my patients come from Laredo or Corpus Christi, so they would have to drive two to three hours for a prescription.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, he said, since e-prescribing of opioids became more widespread in the past few years, he and other surgeons in his group have limited prescriptions to 20 to 30 pills and encouraged patients to take Tylenol or other over-the-counter medications if they run out. E-prescribing can not only help track patients getting opioids but also reduce the problem of patients having to drive back to the office to get a written prescription.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Janet Grange, a breast surgeon in Omaha, Neb., said that in her experience, opioid dependence had not been a problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can absolutely tell you I don’t have even 1% who become long-term opioid users,” said Grange.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis showed that Grange had 12 opioid-naïve Medicare patients who had a lumpectomy in 2016. Eight of them filled prescriptions for an average of 47 pills per patient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She called Johns Hopkins’ zero-to-10-pill pain-control recommendation following that procedure “miserly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Pendulum Swings\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the higher-prescribing surgeons in the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis reflected on their potential contribution to a national catastrophe and are changing their practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is a shocking number,” said oncologist Garrett, speaking of the finding that 6% of patients who go home with opioids will become dependent. “If it’s true, it’s something we need to educate physicians on much earlier in their medical careers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garrett, in Eugene, Ore., said she has cut back on the number of pills she gives patients since 2016. The KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis showed that seven of her 13 opioid-naïve Medicare patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomies filled a prescription for opioids in 2016. Those patients took home an average of 76 pills each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Johns Hopkins guidelines call for no more than 10 opioid pills following this procedure, while Brummett’s Michigan network recommends no more than 15.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surgeon and researcher Dr. Richard Barth, once a heavy prescriber himself, said that his own experience convinced him that physicians’ preconceptions about how much pain relief is needed are often way off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis showed his lumpectomy patients in 2013 filled an average of 33 pills in the week after surgery. By 2016, that average had dropped to seven pills. Many patients, he said, can do just fine after lumpectomy with over-the-counter medications — and often no opioids at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The key, he said, is to set patients’ expectations upfront.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I tell them it’s OK to have a little discomfort, that we’re not trying to get to zero pain,” said Barth, who is chief of general surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and has published extensively on opioid prescribing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After lumpectomy, “what I recommend is Tylenol and ibuprofen for at least a few days and to use the opioids only if the discomfort isn’t relieved by those.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, the data analysis showed that a significant number of patients given prescriptions for opioids never filled them because they don’t need that level of pain relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 2011 and 2016, for example, only 62% of lumpectomy patients in the analysis filled prescriptions, similar to hysterectomy patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, patients of Dr. Kimberli Cox, a surgeon in Peoria, Ariz., were prescribed about 59 pills in the week following lumpectomy, well above the recommendations from both Johns Hopkins and others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis of that year’s data shows that half of her patients never filled a painkiller prescription — a fact she acknowledges has changed her thinking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am now starting to prescribe less because many patients say, ‘You gave me too many’ or ‘I didn’t fill it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced by \u003ca href=\"http://khn.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a>, an editorially independent program of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Family Foundation\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a> (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.kff.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation\u003c/a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2649,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 79
},
"modified": 1704848572,
"excerpt": "A new data analysis by Kaiser Health News and Johns Hopkins researchers shows that even as the CDC issued warnings, surgeons handed out many times the number of opioid pills needed for post-op pain.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "A new data analysis by Kaiser Health News and Johns Hopkins researchers shows that even as the CDC issued warnings, surgeons handed out many times the number of opioid pills needed for post-op pain.",
"title": "Surgeons Are Still Prescribing Opioids at Alarming Rates | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Surgeons Are Still Prescribing Opioids at Alarming Rates",
"datePublished": "2019-06-24T13:07:40-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T17:02:52-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "surgeons-are-still-prescribing-opioids-at-alarming-rates",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Julie Appleby and Elizabeth Lucas \u003cbr/> Kaiser Health News \u003cbr>",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Kaiser Health News",
"path": "/science/1943825/surgeons-are-still-prescribing-opioids-at-alarming-rates",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As opioid addiction and deadly overdoses escalated into an epidemic across the U.S., thousands of surgeons continued to hand out far more pills than needed for postoperative pain relief, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/opioid-prescribing/\">Kaiser Health News-Johns Hopkins analysis\u003c/a> of Medicare data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "“I think there’s an ‘aha’ moment that many of us in medicine have had or need to have.”",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"citation": "Dr. Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many doctors wrote prescriptions for dozens of opioid tablets after surgeries — even for operations that cause most patients relatively little pain, according to the analysis, done in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It examined almost 350,000 prescriptions written for patients operated on by nearly 20,000 surgeons from 2011 to 2016 — the latest year for which data are available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some surgeons wrote prescriptions for more than 100 opioid pills in the week following the surgery. The total amounts often exceeded current guidelines from several academic medical centers, which call for zero to 10 pills for many of the procedures in the analysis, and up to 30 for coronary bypass surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While hundreds of state and local lawsuits have been filed against opioid manufacturers, claiming they engaged in aggressive and misleading marketing of these addictive drugs, the role of physicians in contributing to a national tragedy has received less scrutiny. Research shows that a significant portion of people who become addicted to opioids started with a prescription after surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In sheer numbers, opioid prescribing in the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6626a4.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">peaked in 2010\u003c/a>, but it remains \u003ca href=\"https://theconversation.com/what-the-us-can-learn-from-other-countries-in-dealing-with-pain-and-the-opioid-crisis-97491\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">among the highest in the world\u003c/a>, according to studies and other data.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, opioids of all kinds were linked to 42,249 deaths, up from the 33,091 reported in 2015. The opioid-related death rate jumped nearly 28% from the year before, \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6712a1.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to the CDC\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet long-ingrained and freewheeling prescribing patterns changed little over the six years analyzed. KHN and Johns Hopkins examined the prescribing habits of all U.S. surgeons who frequently perform seven common surgical procedures and found that in the first week after surgery:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coronary artery bypass patients operated on by the highest-prescribing 1% of surgeons filled prescriptions in 2016 exceeding an average of 105 opioid pills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patients undergoing a far less painful procedure — a lumpectomy to remove a breast tumor — were given an average of 26 pills in 2016 the week after surgery. The highest-prescribing 5% of surgeons prescribed 40 to 70 pills on average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some knee surgery patients took home more than 100 pills in the week following their surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those amounts — each “pill” in the analysis was the equivalent of 5 milligrams of oxycodone — are many times what is currently recommended by some physician groups to relieve acute pain, which occurs as a result of surgery, accident or injury. The analysis included only patients not prescribed opioids in the year before their operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Prescribers should have known better” based on studies and other information available at the time, said Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at Brandeis University and director of the advocacy group Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the dataset included only prescriptions written for patients on Medicare, the findings may well understate the depth of the problem, since doctors are more hesitant to give older patients the powerful painkillers because of their sedating side effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surgeons’ prescribing habits are significant because \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2618383\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">studies show\u003c/a> that 6% of patients who are prescribed opioids after surgery will still be taking them three to six months later, having become dependent. The likelihood of persistent use rises with the number of pills and the length of time opioids are taken during recuperation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, unused pills in medicine cabinets can make their way onto the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Marty Makary, a surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins, admits that he too once handed out opioids liberally. Now he is marshaling a campaign to get surgeons to use these powerful painkillers more consciously and sparingly. “I think there’s an ‘aha’ moment that many of us in medicine have had or need to have,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But old habits are hard to kick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KHN contacted dozens of the surgeons who topped the ranks of opioid prescribers in the 2016 database. They hailed from small, community hospitals as well as major academic medical centers. The majority declined to comment, some bristling when questioned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can search the KHN database by doctor and hospital \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/opioid-prescribing/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of those surgeons were critical of the analysis, saying it didn’t take into account certain essential factors. For example, it was not possible to determine whether patients had complications or needed higher amounts of pain medication for another reason. And some surgeons had only a handful of patients who filled prescriptions, making for a small sample size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But surgeons also indicated that the way they prescribe pain pills was less than intentional. It was sometimes an outgrowth of computer programs that default to preset amounts following procedures, or practice habits developed before the opioid crisis. Additionally, they blame efforts in the late 1990s and early 2000s that encouraged doctors and hospitals to consider pain as “the fifth vital sign.” A major hospital accrediting group required providers to ask patients how well their pain was treated. Pharmaceutical companies used the fifth vital sign campaign as a way to promote their opioid treatments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Makary, who oversaw the analysis of the Medicare dataset, said that, while opioid prescribing is slowly dropping, to date many surgeons have not paid enough attention to the problem or responded with sufficient urgency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Audrey Garrett, an oncologic surgeon in Oregon, said she was “surprised” to hear that she was among the top tier of prescribers. She said she planned to re-evaluate her clinic’s automated prescribing program, which is set to order specific amounts of opioids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KHN will analyze data for 2017 and subsequent years when it becomes available to follow how prescribing is changing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prescribing Patterns Highlight What’s At Stake\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis examined prescribing habits after seven common procedures: coronary artery bypass, minimally invasive gallbladder removal, lumpectomy, meniscectomy (which removes part of a torn meniscus in the knee), minimally invasive hysterectomy, open colectomy and prostatectomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the board, the analysis showed that physicians gave a large number of narcotics when fewer pills or alternative medications, including over-the-counter pain relief tablets, could be equally effective, according to recent guidelines from Makary and other academic researchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On average, from 2011 to 2016, Medicare patients in the analysis took home 48 pills in the week following coronary artery bypass; 31 following laparoscopic gallbladder removal; 28 after a lumpectomy; 41 after meniscectomy; 34 after minimally invasive hysterectomy; 34 after open colon surgery; and 33 after prostatectomy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1943831\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-800x533.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-800x533.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-1020x679.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2-1200x799.png 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/06/opioid-prescribing-chart2.png 1270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.solvethecrisis.org/best-practices\">post-surgical guidelines\u003c/a> spearheaded by Makary for his hospital last year, those surgeries should require at most 30 pills for bypass; 10 pills for minimally invasive gallbladder removal, lumpectomy, minimally invasive hysterectomy and prostatectomy; and eight pills for knee surgery. It has not yet published a guideline for open colon surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johns Hopkins’ doctors developed their own standards because of a dearth of national guidelines for post-surgical opioids. They arrived at those figures after \u003ca href=\"https://khn.org/news/doling-out-pain-pills-post-surgery-an-ingrown-toenail-not-the-same-as-a-bypass/\">reaching a consensus\u003c/a> among surgeons, nurses, patients and other medical staff on how many pills were needed after particular surgeries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hoping to reduce overprescribing, Makary is preparing to send letters next month to surgeons around the country who are among the highest opioid prescribers under a grant he received from the Arnold Foundation, a nonprofit group whose focus includes drug price issues. (Kaiser Health News also received funding from the Arnold Foundation.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if the prescription numbers have fallen since 2016, the amounts given today are likely still excessive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When prescribing may have been five to 20 times too high, even a reduction that is quite meaningful still likely reflects overprescribing,” said Dr. Chad Brummett, an anesthesiologist and associate professor at the University of Michigan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brummett is also co-director of the Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network, a collaboration of physicians that makes \u003ca href=\"https://www.opioidprescribing.info/\">surgery-specific recommendations\u003c/a>, many of them in the 10- to 20-pill range.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Reducing unnecessary exposure is key to reducing the risk of new addiction,” said former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb. In August 2018, when Gottlieb was at the agency’s helm, it commissioned a report from the National Academy of Sciences on how best to set opioid prescribing guidelines for acute pain from specific conditions or surgical procedures. Its findings are expected later this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are still too many 30-tablet prescriptions being written,” said Gottlieb.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Healers Sowing Disease?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naturally, surgeons rankle at the idea that they played a role in the opioid epidemic. But studies raise serious concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Transplant surgeon Dr. Michael Engelsbe, director of the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, points to the study showing 6% of post-op patients who get opioids for pain develop long-term dependence. That means a surgeon who does 300 operations a year paves the way for 18 newly dependent people, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many patients do not need the amounts prescribed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intermountain Healthcare, a not-for-profit system of hospitals, clinics, and doctors in Utah, began surveying patients two years ago to find out how much of their prescribed supply of opioids they actually took following surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Globally, we were overprescribing by 50%,” said Dr. David Hasleton, senior medical director.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Intermountain approached individual doctors carefully. “If you go to a prescriber to say, ‘You are overprescribing,’ it never goes well. A common reaction is, ‘Your data is wrong’ or ‘My patients are different than his,’” said Hasleton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the analysis, KHN attempted to contact more than 50 surgeons whose 2016 numbers ranked them among the top prescribers in each surgical category.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One who did agree to speak was Dr. Daniel J. Waters, who 13 years ago had his chest cut open to remove a tumor, an operation technically similar to what he does for a living: coronary artery bypass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So I have both the doctor perspective and the patient perspective,” said Waters, who practices in Mason City, Iowa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, Waters’ Medicare bypass patients who filled their prescriptions took home an average of nearly 157 pills each, according to the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I went home from the hospital, 30 would not have been enough,” said Waters of the number recommended by the Hopkins team for that surgery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he said he has recently curbed his prescribing to 84 pills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, the average prescription filled for a coronary artery bypass was 49 pills in 2016 and had changed little since 2011, the analysis shows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others who spoke with KHN said they had developed the habit of prescribing copiously — sometimes giving out multiple opioid prescriptions — because they didn’t want patients to get stuck far from the office or over a weekend with pain or because they were trying to avoid calls from dissatisfied, hurting patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the KHN-Johns Hopkins data, the seven patients of Dr. Antonio Santillan-Gomez who filled opioid prescriptions after minimally invasive hysterectomies in 2016 received an average of 77 pills each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A gynecologic oncologist, Santillan-Gomez said: “I’m in San Antonio, and some of my patients come from Laredo or Corpus Christi, so they would have to drive two to three hours for a prescription.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, he said, since e-prescribing of opioids became more widespread in the past few years, he and other surgeons in his group have limited prescriptions to 20 to 30 pills and encouraged patients to take Tylenol or other over-the-counter medications if they run out. E-prescribing can not only help track patients getting opioids but also reduce the problem of patients having to drive back to the office to get a written prescription.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Janet Grange, a breast surgeon in Omaha, Neb., said that in her experience, opioid dependence had not been a problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can absolutely tell you I don’t have even 1% who become long-term opioid users,” said Grange.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis showed that Grange had 12 opioid-naïve Medicare patients who had a lumpectomy in 2016. Eight of them filled prescriptions for an average of 47 pills per patient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She called Johns Hopkins’ zero-to-10-pill pain-control recommendation following that procedure “miserly.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Pendulum Swings\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the higher-prescribing surgeons in the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis reflected on their potential contribution to a national catastrophe and are changing their practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That is a shocking number,” said oncologist Garrett, speaking of the finding that 6% of patients who go home with opioids will become dependent. “If it’s true, it’s something we need to educate physicians on much earlier in their medical careers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Garrett, in Eugene, Ore., said she has cut back on the number of pills she gives patients since 2016. The KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis showed that seven of her 13 opioid-naïve Medicare patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomies filled a prescription for opioids in 2016. Those patients took home an average of 76 pills each.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Johns Hopkins guidelines call for no more than 10 opioid pills following this procedure, while Brummett’s Michigan network recommends no more than 15.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surgeon and researcher Dr. Richard Barth, once a heavy prescriber himself, said that his own experience convinced him that physicians’ preconceptions about how much pain relief is needed are often way off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The analysis showed his lumpectomy patients in 2013 filled an average of 33 pills in the week after surgery. By 2016, that average had dropped to seven pills. Many patients, he said, can do just fine after lumpectomy with over-the-counter medications — and often no opioids at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The key, he said, is to set patients’ expectations upfront.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I tell them it’s OK to have a little discomfort, that we’re not trying to get to zero pain,” said Barth, who is chief of general surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and has published extensively on opioid prescribing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After lumpectomy, “what I recommend is Tylenol and ibuprofen for at least a few days and to use the opioids only if the discomfort isn’t relieved by those.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, the data analysis showed that a significant number of patients given prescriptions for opioids never filled them because they don’t need that level of pain relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 2011 and 2016, for example, only 62% of lumpectomy patients in the analysis filled prescriptions, similar to hysterectomy patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2016, patients of Dr. Kimberli Cox, a surgeon in Peoria, Ariz., were prescribed about 59 pills in the week following lumpectomy, well above the recommendations from both Johns Hopkins and others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the KHN-Johns Hopkins analysis of that year’s data shows that half of her patients never filled a painkiller prescription — a fact she acknowledges has changed her thinking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am now starting to prescribe less because many patients say, ‘You gave me too many’ or ‘I didn’t fill it,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was produced by \u003ca href=\"http://khn.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a>, an editorially independent program of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kff.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Family Foundation\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a> (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.kff.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation\u003c/a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1943825/surgeons-are-still-prescribing-opioids-at-alarming-rates",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1943825"
],
"categories": [
"science_39",
"science_3890",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_3838"
],
"featImg": "science_1943827",
"label": "source_science_1943825"
},
"science_1943578": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1943578",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1943578",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1560974843000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "climate-funds-for-clean-water-democrats-enviro-groups-are-split",
"title": "Newsom Catches Heat for Using Climate Funds on Drinking Water Plan",
"publishDate": 1560974843,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Newsom Catches Heat for Using Climate Funds on Drinking Water Plan | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>California lawmakers are poised to fund the cleanup of dirty drinking water in the state’s poorest communities — a problem most everyone agrees needs to be addressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" citation=\"State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont\" size=\"small\"]‘I would caution that every worthy cause should not be financed through this fund.’[/pullquote] Not everyone, however, agrees on where the money should come from to pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue? The Legislature wants to use revenue from California’s cap-and-trade climate change program, which was created to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by making companies pay for the right to emit them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The money the program generates is required by law to go toward programs that reduce the planet-warming gases. While that mandate hasn’t stopped lawmakers in the past from allocating funds to projects that are, arguably, only marginally related to greenhouse gas reduction, it could leave the funding for water cleanup open to a legal challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State attorneys made that clear to the Legislature last year in a legal opinion asserting cap-and trade money can, for the time being, only be spent “for purposes that reasonably relate to the reduction of [greenhouse gas] emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislative Counsel prepared the opinion for state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, the chair of the subcommittee that oversees the cap-and-trade program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He voiced his frustration with the state’s plan to spend the funds on water cleanup on the Senate floor last week, saying it “further weakens the integrity of our Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AB 32 requires the Governor and the Legislature to only use revenues from the auctions of Cap and Trade for programs that reduce carbon emissions into our atmosphere,” Wieckowski said. AB 32 is California’s landmark climate change law, which sets targets for reductions in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously, this does not bode well for future GGRF budgets,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While AB 32 was set to expire in 2020, the \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Legislature\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> passed an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11593491/brown-schwarzenegger-celebrate-extension-of-cap-and-trade\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">extension\u003c/span>\u003c/a> through 2030 \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">two years ago.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That bill, AB 398, also removes the limits on how cap-and-trade money is spent \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Legislative Counsel’s opinion. The analysis attributes the freeing of those funds to the way AB 398 was written and because of its passage by a supermajority, both of which transformed cap-and-trade revenue from a fee, designated for specific use, into a tax, available for general spending. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wieckowski said on the Senate floor he was worried about how cap-and-trade money might be “broadened to include other uses” after 2021. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>“I would caution that every worthy cause should not be financed through this fund,” he said. “We have been instructed by the scientific community that our window is closing, and we may even be at the point of no return on permanent, irreversible climate consequences.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Newsom administration doesn’t see it that way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kate Gordon, director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, said it’s time for California to stop thinking about climate issues in a “segregated budget box” with separate policies for reducing emissions and addressing climate impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the administration is looking to integrate climate considerations into housing, fire management and water policy. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The governor’s focus on putting new funds into the infill infrastructure fund is a climate policy, because it’s about building housing in denser areas so people drive less,” she said. “That’s climate policy. How do we think about fire management as a climate policy? How do we think about water movement as a climate policy?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clean Drinking Water\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across California, about a million people lack access to safe drinking water, even though the state has spent $3 billion since 2010 to solve the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, state lawmakers have fought over plans to address the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a tax on water bills that would fund programs to rebuild broken drinking water infrastructure in some of the state’s poorest communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Legislature didn’t approve the plan, with some lawmakers worried that their constituents wouldn’t accept a new monthly tax given the state’s huge budget surplus. (The political peril entailed in voting for new taxes was driven home last June, when Orange County voters \u003ca href=\"https://voiceofoc.org/2018/06/josh-newman-is-recalled-ending-democrats-supermajority-in-state-senate/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recalled\u003c/a> Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman after his vote to increase the gas tax.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So instead of the new water tax, lawmakers crafted a compromise that includes $100 million from cap-and-trade revenue and $33.4 million from the general fund. A trailer bill also seeks to use 5% of the cap-and-trade proceeds, up to $130 million annually, for clean water projects until 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Danny Cullenward, an energy economist and a member of the cap-and-trade oversight committee, said the new plan marks a “real shift,” and not for the good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are moving towards something that very clearly is not about climate,” he said. “It’s about water quality and it’s about water access. It’s not really about reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Newsom administration originally argued the expenditure on the water plan is in compliance with the cap-and-trade directive because trucks will no longer have to deliver bottled water to people whose tap water is undrinkable, and so will reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cullenward, who in addition to being on the cap-and-trade oversight committee is the policy director for the climate group \u003ca href=\"http://www.nearzero.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Near Zero\u003c/a>, said that’s a stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is getting much closer to the line, if it’s not over the line,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gordon, who also advises Newsom on climate issues, said the water plan would also replace the existing water delivery system with one that’s more energy efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A massive amount of our energy goes into moving water, and making that more efficient would have a huge impact,” she said. “If you’re not resilient, then your systems fall apart. We have a climate impact that’s creating this situation and we need to solve this situation in a way that reduces emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The water expenditure is just the latest appropriation to rile critics of the way cap-and-trade money is spent. Former Gov. Jerry Brown drew \u003ca href=\"https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/01/10/critics-uniting-against-california-high-speed-rail-funding-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">criticism\u003c/a> when he spent more than $1 billion from the fund on the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project. More questionable was Brown’s 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992624\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diver\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992624\">sion\u003c/a> of $500 million cap-and-trade dollars to help balance the state’s budget, although the money was eventually repaid. Last week the Los Angeles Times published an \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-cap-and-trade-safe-drinking-water-budget-20190614-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">editorial\u003c/a> saying that lawmakers are turning cap-and-trade revenue into a “slush fund.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Enviro Groups Split\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate over using cap-and-trade funds on clean drinking water has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">split\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">the\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">environmental\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">community\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, argue that the program should primarily be used to stave off the worst impacts of climate change by curbing emissions. Kathryn Phillips, director of the Sierra Club California, told \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CALmatters\u003c/a> that the money for the water project should have been taken out of the general fund instead of cap-and-trade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But environmental justice groups have fought cap and trade for years, arguing that it allows industry to pay to pollute in communities already burdened with pollution. These groups have also advocated that any funds from the program be used to meet the needs of communities most impacted by dirty air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That includes places like Fresno and the Central Valley, where they are struggling not only with toxic drinking water, but also some of the worst air quality in the state,” said Marie Choi, spokesperson for Asian Pacific Environmental Network. “For us, solutions aren’t about carbon counting, it’s about making our neighborhoods and people healthy and whole again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the last three years, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, an advocacy group for lower-income communities, pushed state lawmakers to approve a water tax, with the money going to pay for clean water programs in the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys, among other areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These places are most impacted by the hot, dry conditions exacerbated by climate change, the group argues, and in light of the tax plan’s failure, the group wants to see the current proposal to use cap-and-trade money enacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Drought in particular has impacted drinking water quantity and quality,” said Phoebe Seaton, the group’s co-director. “We have seen since the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s inception the link between drinking water and climate, from an adaptation side and from a climate mitigation side,”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1941438/millions-for-climate-environmental-priorities-in-newsoms-may-budget\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">presented\u003c/a> his May budget revision, he defended his proposed tax on water bills, saying it would be a “proud day, when the Legislature and the governor can align on providing a basic fundamental right. That’s clean and drinkable water at an affordable price for the most vulnerable Californians.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even then, he signaled an openness to alternatives. “I’m not consumed by process, but by outcome,” he said in answer to a reporter’s question. “But we will get to a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Everyone agrees that California's dirty drinking water is a crisis. Not everyone agrees on how to pay to clean it up. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1725578038,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 42,
"wordCount": 1642
},
"headData": {
"title": "Newsom Catches Heat for Using Climate Funds on Drinking Water Plan | KQED",
"description": "Everyone agrees that California's dirty drinking water is a crisis. Not everyone agrees on how to pay to clean it up. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Newsom Catches Heat for Using Climate Funds on Drinking Water Plan",
"datePublished": "2019-06-19T13:07:23-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-05T16:13:58-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Polluted water",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/2019/06/CamhiStarkWater.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1943578/climate-funds-for-clean-water-democrats-enviro-groups-are-split",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California lawmakers are poised to fund the cleanup of dirty drinking water in the state’s poorest communities — a problem most everyone agrees needs to be addressed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I would caution that every worthy cause should not be financed through this fund.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"citation": "State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont",
"size": "small",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> Not everyone, however, agrees on where the money should come from to pay for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue? The Legislature wants to use revenue from California’s cap-and-trade climate change program, which was created to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by making companies pay for the right to emit them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The money the program generates is required by law to go toward programs that reduce the planet-warming gases. While that mandate hasn’t stopped lawmakers in the past from allocating funds to projects that are, arguably, only marginally related to greenhouse gas reduction, it could leave the funding for water cleanup open to a legal challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State attorneys made that clear to the Legislature last year in a legal opinion asserting cap-and trade money can, for the time being, only be spent “for purposes that reasonably relate to the reduction of [greenhouse gas] emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Legislative Counsel prepared the opinion for state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, the chair of the subcommittee that oversees the cap-and-trade program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He voiced his frustration with the state’s plan to spend the funds on water cleanup on the Senate floor last week, saying it “further weakens the integrity of our Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“AB 32 requires the Governor and the Legislature to only use revenues from the auctions of Cap and Trade for programs that reduce carbon emissions into our atmosphere,” Wieckowski said. AB 32 is California’s landmark climate change law, which sets targets for reductions in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously, this does not bode well for future GGRF budgets,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While AB 32 was set to expire in 2020, the \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Legislature\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> passed an \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11593491/brown-schwarzenegger-celebrate-extension-of-cap-and-trade\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">extension\u003c/span>\u003c/a> through 2030 \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">two years ago.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">That bill, AB 398, also removes the limits on how cap-and-trade money is spent \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Legislative Counsel’s opinion. The analysis attributes the freeing of those funds to the way AB 398 was written and because of its passage by a supermajority, both of which transformed cap-and-trade revenue from a fee, designated for specific use, into a tax, available for general spending. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wieckowski said on the Senate floor he was worried about how cap-and-trade money might be “broadened to include other uses” after 2021. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>“I would caution that every worthy cause should not be financed through this fund,” he said. “We have been instructed by the scientific community that our window is closing, and we may even be at the point of no return on permanent, irreversible climate consequences.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Newsom administration doesn’t see it that way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kate Gordon, director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, said it’s time for California to stop thinking about climate issues in a “segregated budget box” with separate policies for reducing emissions and addressing climate impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the administration is looking to integrate climate considerations into housing, fire management and water policy. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The governor’s focus on putting new funds into the infill infrastructure fund is a climate policy, because it’s about building housing in denser areas so people drive less,” she said. “That’s climate policy. How do we think about fire management as a climate policy? How do we think about water movement as a climate policy?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clean Drinking Water\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across California, about a million people lack access to safe drinking water, even though the state has spent $3 billion since 2010 to solve the problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For years, state lawmakers have fought over plans to address the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a tax on water bills that would fund programs to rebuild broken drinking water infrastructure in some of the state’s poorest communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the Legislature didn’t approve the plan, with some lawmakers worried that their constituents wouldn’t accept a new monthly tax given the state’s huge budget surplus. (The political peril entailed in voting for new taxes was driven home last June, when Orange County voters \u003ca href=\"https://voiceofoc.org/2018/06/josh-newman-is-recalled-ending-democrats-supermajority-in-state-senate/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recalled\u003c/a> Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman after his vote to increase the gas tax.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So instead of the new water tax, lawmakers crafted a compromise that includes $100 million from cap-and-trade revenue and $33.4 million from the general fund. A trailer bill also seeks to use 5% of the cap-and-trade proceeds, up to $130 million annually, for clean water projects until 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Danny Cullenward, an energy economist and a member of the cap-and-trade oversight committee, said the new plan marks a “real shift,” and not for the good.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are moving towards something that very clearly is not about climate,” he said. “It’s about water quality and it’s about water access. It’s not really about reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Newsom administration originally argued the expenditure on the water plan is in compliance with the cap-and-trade directive because trucks will no longer have to deliver bottled water to people whose tap water is undrinkable, and so will reduce emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cullenward, who in addition to being on the cap-and-trade oversight committee is the policy director for the climate group \u003ca href=\"http://www.nearzero.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Near Zero\u003c/a>, said that’s a stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is getting much closer to the line, if it’s not over the line,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gordon, who also advises Newsom on climate issues, said the water plan would also replace the existing water delivery system with one that’s more energy efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A massive amount of our energy goes into moving water, and making that more efficient would have a huge impact,” she said. “If you’re not resilient, then your systems fall apart. We have a climate impact that’s creating this situation and we need to solve this situation in a way that reduces emissions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The water expenditure is just the latest appropriation to rile critics of the way cap-and-trade money is spent. Former Gov. Jerry Brown drew \u003ca href=\"https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/01/10/critics-uniting-against-california-high-speed-rail-funding-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">criticism\u003c/a> when he spent more than $1 billion from the fund on the state’s beleaguered high-speed rail project. More questionable was Brown’s 2013 \u003ca href=\"https://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992624\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">diver\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992624\">sion\u003c/a> of $500 million cap-and-trade dollars to help balance the state’s budget, although the money was eventually repaid. Last week the Los Angeles Times published an \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-cap-and-trade-safe-drinking-water-budget-20190614-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">editorial\u003c/a> saying that lawmakers are turning cap-and-trade revenue into a “slush fund.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Enviro Groups Split\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate over using cap-and-trade funds on clean drinking water has \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">split\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">the\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">environmental\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\">community\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, argue that the program should primarily be used to stave off the worst impacts of climate change by curbing emissions. Kathryn Phillips, director of the Sierra Club California, told \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/articles/california-clean-drinking-water-funding-greenhouse-gas-fund-climate-change/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CALmatters\u003c/a> that the money for the water project should have been taken out of the general fund instead of cap-and-trade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But environmental justice groups have fought cap and trade for years, arguing that it allows industry to pay to pollute in communities already burdened with pollution. These groups have also advocated that any funds from the program be used to meet the needs of communities most impacted by dirty air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That includes places like Fresno and the Central Valley, where they are struggling not only with toxic drinking water, but also some of the worst air quality in the state,” said Marie Choi, spokesperson for Asian Pacific Environmental Network. “For us, solutions aren’t about carbon counting, it’s about making our neighborhoods and people healthy and whole again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the last three years, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, an advocacy group for lower-income communities, pushed state lawmakers to approve a water tax, with the money going to pay for clean water programs in the San Joaquin and Coachella valleys, among other areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These places are most impacted by the hot, dry conditions exacerbated by climate change, the group argues, and in light of the tax plan’s failure, the group wants to see the current proposal to use cap-and-trade money enacted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Drought in particular has impacted drinking water quantity and quality,” said Phoebe Seaton, the group’s co-director. “We have seen since the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s inception the link between drinking water and climate, from an adaptation side and from a climate mitigation side,”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Newsom \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1941438/millions-for-climate-environmental-priorities-in-newsoms-may-budget\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">presented\u003c/a> his May budget revision, he defended his proposed tax on water bills, saying it would be a “proud day, when the Legislature and the governor can align on providing a basic fundamental right. That’s clean and drinkable water at an affordable price for the most vulnerable Californians.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even then, he signaled an openness to alternatives. “I’m not consumed by process, but by outcome,” he said in answer to a reporter’s question. “But we will get to a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1943578/climate-funds-for-clean-water-democrats-enviro-groups-are-split",
"authors": [
"11608"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_33",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_98",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_121",
"science_194",
"science_3832",
"science_554",
"science_3830"
],
"featImg": "science_1943580",
"label": "source_science_1943578"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/science?category=health": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 456,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 1297,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"science_1945448",
"science_1945379",
"science_1945176",
"science_1945169",
"science_1944972",
"science_1944788",
"science_1944148",
"science_1944497",
"science_1943888",
"science_1943941",
"science_1943825",
"science_1943578"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science_category_health": {
"isLoading": true
},
"science_39": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_39",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "39",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 41,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/health"
},
"source_science_1945448": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1945448",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "STAT News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1945379": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1945379",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Associated Press",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1945169": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1945169",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "STAT News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1944972": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1944972",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Climate",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1944788": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1944788",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Cap-and-trade",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1944497": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1944497",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "PBS Newshour",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1943888": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1943888",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "STAT News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1943941": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1943941",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "STAT News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1943825": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1943825",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Kaiser Health News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1943578": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1943578",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Polluted water",
"isLoading": false
},
"science_40": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_40",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "40",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 42,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/news"
},
"science_5181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5181,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/health"
},
"science_3838": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3838",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3838",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ingest",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ingest Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3838,
"slug": "ingest",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/ingest"
},
"science_616": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_616",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "616",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pregnancy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pregnancy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 622,
"slug": "pregnancy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pregnancy"
},
"science_1504": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1504",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1504",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wearables",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wearables Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1513,
"slug": "wearables",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wearables"
},
"science_35": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_35",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "35",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 37,
"slug": "environment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/environment"
},
"science_4081": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4081",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4081",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Associated Press",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Associated Press Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4081,
"slug": "associated-press",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/associated-press"
},
"science_201": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_201",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "201",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "water",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "water Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 205,
"slug": "water-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/water-2"
},
"science_31": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_31",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "31",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/climate"
},
"science_43": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_43",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "43",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Radio",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Radio Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 45,
"slug": "radio",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/radio"
},
"science_3730": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3730",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3730",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Wildfires",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3730,
"slug": "wildfires",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/wildfires"
},
"science_505": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_505",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "505",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 511,
"slug": "air-pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/air-pollution"
},
"science_3370": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3370",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3370",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3370,
"slug": "featured",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured"
},
"science_3833": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3833",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3833",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "FeatureRadio",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "FeatureRadio Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3833,
"slug": "featureradio",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featureradio"
},
"science_3693": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3693",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3693",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfire smoke",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfire smoke Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3693,
"slug": "wildfire-smoke",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfire-smoke"
},
"science_30": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_30",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "30",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Biology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Biology Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 32,
"slug": "biology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/biology"
},
"science_3663": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3663",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3663",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "artificial intelligence",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "artificial intelligence Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3663,
"slug": "artificial-intelligence",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/artificial-intelligence"
},
"science_5189": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5189",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5189",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Elon Musk",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Elon Musk Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5189,
"slug": "elon-musk",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/elon-musk"
},
"science_33": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_33",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "33",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Energy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Energy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 35,
"slug": "energy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/energy"
},
"science_194": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_194",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "194",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 198,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-change"
},
"science_2184": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2184",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2184",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "heat",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "heat Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2196,
"slug": "heat",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/heat"
},
"science_113": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_113",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "113",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfire",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfire Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 117,
"slug": "wildfire",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfire"
},
"science_3830": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3830",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3830",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Staff",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Staff Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3830,
"slug": "staff",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/staff"
},
"science_2874": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2874",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2874",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Animals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Animals Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2874,
"slug": "animals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/animals"
},
"science_29": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_29",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "29",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Chemistry",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Chemistry Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "chemistry",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/chemistry"
},
"science_3840": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3840",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3840",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "daily",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "daily Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3840,
"slug": "daily",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/daily"
},
"science_3832": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3832",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3832",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "FeatureText",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "FeatureText Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3832,
"slug": "featuretext",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featuretext"
},
"science_3834": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3834",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3834",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Freelance",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Freelance Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3834,
"slug": "freelance",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/freelance"
},
"science_5155": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5155",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5155",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "UCSF",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "UCSF Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5155,
"slug": "ucsf",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/ucsf"
},
"science_997": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_997",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "997",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "water quality",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "water quality Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1005,
"slug": "water-quality",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/water-quality"
},
"science_3890": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3890",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3890",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Medical Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Medical Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3890,
"slug": "medical-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/medical-science"
},
"science_1287": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1287",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1287",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CRISPR",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CRISPR Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1296,
"slug": "crispr",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/crispr"
},
"science_660": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_660",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "660",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "HIV",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "HIV Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 666,
"slug": "hiv",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/hiv"
},
"science_28": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_28",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "28",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Astronomy",
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Explore the universe with KQED Science! Dive into the latest astronomy news, discover celestial events, and unravel the mysteries of outer space.",
"title": "Astronomy Articles | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30,
"slug": "astronomy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/astronomy"
},
"science_32": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_32",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "32",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Education",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Education Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 34,
"slug": "education",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/education"
},
"science_89": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_89",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "89",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Engineering",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Engineering Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 92,
"slug": "engineering",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/engineering"
},
"science_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Geology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Geology Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 40,
"slug": "geology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/geology"
},
"science_2873": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2873",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2873",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oceans",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oceans Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2873,
"slug": "oceans",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/oceans"
},
"science_42": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_42",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "42",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Physics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Physics Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 44,
"slug": "physics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/physics"
},
"science_3947": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3947",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3947",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Space",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Space Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3947,
"slug": "space",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/space"
},
"science_98": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_98",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "98",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Water",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Water Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 102,
"slug": "water",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/water"
},
"science_309": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_309",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "309",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 314,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/science"
},
"science_5178": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5178",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5178",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5178,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california"
},
"science_121": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_121",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "121",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cap and trade",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cap and trade Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 125,
"slug": "cap-and-trade",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/cap-and-trade"
},
"science_554": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_554",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "554",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 560,
"slug": "pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pollution"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
