Sanaz Meshkinpour
Stories
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Health
Why we choke under pressure, according to a cognitive scientist
We all know the feeling of choking under pressure—but why does this happen? Cognitive scientist Sian Beilock shares the science behind why we mess up in high-stakes situations... and how to avoid it.
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How 40 different fruits grow from one single tree
Peaches, apricots, nectarines and cherries—one hybrid tree bears all these fruits. Artist Sam Van Aken cultivated the "Tree of 40 Fruits" to symbolize the biodiversity needed to feed our planet.
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Rice feeds the world. One farming family is trying to grow it sustainably
Rice feeds the world—but it uses more water and emits more methane than any other crop. Jim Whitaker and his daughter, Jessica Whitaker Allen, are changing that on their Arkansas family farm.
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Climate change is shifting what's on the menu
Imagine a world without access to wheat, grapes, salmon, chocolate, coffee, and more. Chef Sam Kass says that's the future we're handing our children unless we change how we grow and buy food.
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Health
If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?
Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"?On this episode, host Manoush Zomorodi talks to MIT sociologist and psychologist Sherry Turkle about her new research into what she calls "artificial intimacy" and its impact on our mental and physical health.Binge the whole Body Electric series here.Sign up for the Body Electric Challenge and our newsletter here.Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, or record a voice memo and email it to us at BodyElectric@npr.org.
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How one mom is fighting the opioid crisis by asking hospitals to provide pain coaches
After surgery, Christopher Wolf went home with a big bottle of Oxycontin. He overdosed from heroin 14 years later. His mom Cammie Wolf Rice now works to train pain coaches for patients.
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An equestrian was crushed by her horse. How she's surviving with chronic pain
Equestrian Kat Naud was on track to qualify for the Olympics when her 1500-pound horse fell on top of her. But the accident was only the beginning of a journey to manage pain that will never go away.
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The humble beginning of the word "president"
When George Washington took power, the U.S. House and Senate debated tirelessly how to address him. Writer Mark Forsyth explains how and why the U.S. leader is called "president."
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Rigged: What can go wrong when a word becomes linked with a political identity
If it sounds like political parties speak different languages, social scientist Dannagal Young says they do. She says politicians repeat certain words to speak to their base and move people to action.
