Health This new MacArthur “genius” says she defied caste prejudice thanks to Dad and Mom Shailaja Paik faced prejudice because of her family's Dalit caste and her gender. As a historian she's written ground-breaking books on India's Dalits and is now a MacArthur 'genius grant' awardee. Kamala Thiagarajan
Health 'America's Nobel' goes to a power couple who made a startling discovery about HIV This year's Lasker Prize for public service goes to South African researchers Salim and Quarraisha Abdool-Karim. The married couple made a startling discovery about HIV — and did something about it. Kate Bartlett
Global Health 2 detectives cracked the mysterious case of lead poisoning in New York and Bangladesh Half of children in low- and middle-income countries have concerning levels of lead in their blood. Now, UNICEF and USAID are taking on the issue with a $150 million global initiative. Gabrielle Emanuel
Global Health New data sheds light — and raises objections — on COVID-19 origins New data samples from the Wuhan market points to an intermingling of SARS-CoV-2, raccoon dogs and humans. The authors of a new paper say it bolsters the animal origin theory. Other researchers object. Gabriel Spitzer
Health New research points to raccoon dogs in Wuhan market as pandemic trigger. It's controversial With genetic samples from the infamous Wuhan market, a new study makes the case that raccoon dogs are likely the animal that infected humans. Proponents of the lab leak theory are dubious. Gabriel Spitzer
Health Ukraine keeps up the fight against HIV while fighting a war Progress in preventing infections was being made in the country with Europe's second-highest number of HIV cases. Then came the Russian invasion. David Cox
Health This preventive drug could be a 'game changer' in ending the HIV epidemic In newly released data, lenacapavir, given via a twice-yearly injection, has shown remarkable effectiveness at eliminating HIV transmission during sexual contact. But its cost could be an issue. David Cox Maria Isabel Barros Guinle
Arts & Life How one shaman helps others find healing and meaning in a modern world Helena Soholm, a Korean American shaman and transpersonal psychologist, integrates Western and Indigenous systems of knowledge to facilitate healing and growth in modern, technologically advanced societies. Arin Yoon
Health Whatever happened to ... the global effort to wipe out cervical cancer with a vaccine? Now that the World Health Organization has endorsed a one-dose vaccine, global health groups are amping up their effort to inoculate the world's girls. How are they doing? Fran Kritz
Health Whatever happened to ... the Brazilian besties creating an mRNA vaccine as a gift to the world NPR's coverage of their effort to invent an mRNA vaccine that would be free for all countries to manufacture brought them an award for altruism in health. We checked in on their progress. Nurith Aizenman
