Rae Ellen Bichell
Rae Ellen Bichell is a reporter for NPR's Science Desk. She first came to NPR in 2013 as a Kroc fellow and has since reported Web and radio stories on biomedical research, global health, and basic science. She won a 2016 Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award from the Foundation for Biomedical Research. After graduating from Yale University, she spent two years in Helsinki, Finland, as a freelance reporter and Fulbright grantee.
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The ancient disease is still around — and killed a couple in Mongolia just this month. Here's a look at the history — and persistence — of the plague.
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It's thought of as a disease of the past. But now there are outbreaks in Yemen and Bangladesh.
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Fake, substandard and expired medications are sold everywhere, from Canadian websites to pharmacies in Niger. Controlling them, says the World Health Organization, will be no small feat.
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An estimated 2,000 people fell ill and more than 170 died. But the latest news is that cases are dwindling.
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Tendons quietly do their jobs for decades, connecting muscle to bone. Then suddenly — it's done. Here's what happens when a biceps tendon calls it quits.
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The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.
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A bad outbreak is spreading in Madagascar. We checked in with a virologist and outbreak response specialist Dr. Daniel Bausch to see what's up.
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Scientists have found a group of worms that haven't reproduced sexually for 18 million years. Normally that would be a recipe for quick extinction, but these little guys seem none the worse for wear.
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Scientists were worried about Zika at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. But a recent study found there was no evidence of the virus in athletes and staff. They did, however, find other viruses.
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The number of cases has prompted a ban on public gatherings — and concern from the World Health Organization. The disease is spreading in cities and has claimed 30 lives so far.