In Philadelphia, A Scandal Erupts Over Vaccination Startup Led By 22-Year-Old

City officials gave coronavirus vaccines to Philly Fighting Covid, whose brash CEO had no health care experience. After a WHYY investigation, the city cut ties with the group over alleged misconduct.

In Philadelphia, A Scandal Erupts Over Vaccination Startup Led By 22-Year-Old City officials gave coronavirus vaccines to Philly Fighting Covid, whose brash CEO had no health care experience. After a WHYY investigation, the city cut ties with the group over alleged misconduct. Read More You received this message because you're subscribed to Breaking News Alerts emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

APOD - Asteroids in the Distance

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2021 January 31

Asteroids in the Distance
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; R. Evans & K. Stapelfeldt (JPL)

Explanation: Rocks from space hit Earth every day. The larger the rock, though, the less often Earth is struck. Many kilograms of space dust pitter to Earth daily. Larger bits appear initially as a bright meteor. Baseball-sized rocks and ice-balls streak through our atmosphere daily, most evaporating quickly to nothing. Significant threats do exist for rocks near 100 meters in diameter, which strike the Earth roughly every 1000 years. An object this size could cause significant tsunamis were it to strike an ocean, potentially devastating even distant shores. A collision with a massive asteroid, over 1 km across, is more rare, occurring typically millions of years apart, but could have truly global consequences. Many asteroids remain undiscovered. In the featured image, one such asteroid -- shown by the long blue streak -- was found by chance in 1998 by the Hubble Space Telescope. A collision with a large asteroid would not affect Earth's orbit so much as raise dust that would affect Earth's climate. One likely result is a global extinction of many species of life, possibly dwarfing the ongoing extinction occurring now.

Tomorrow's picture: bunny-moon

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How To Set Healthy Boundaries

Why Can't We All Get N95s?

Shots Christoper Smith for KHN Blindsided By The ‘Birthday Rule’, New Parents Hit With Massive Medical Bill What does a parent’s birthday have to do with a newborn’s health insurance? Quite a lot, as Kayla Kjelshus and her husband, Mikkel, found out after their daughter Charlie arrived, along with a $271,000 medical bill. Both parents were insured separately, and they chose Kayla’s insurance -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City -- for Charlie’s birth because it offered better rates and was located in-state. But when Charlie had to go into the NICU from complications at birth, Blue Cross started investigating, discovered Mikkel had his own insurance, and stopped paying the bills. The Kjelshus were caught up in the so-called birthday rule, an insurance rule that requires a newborn to be primarily covered by the plan of the parent whose birthday comes first in the calendar year. In this case, that was Mikkel’s more expensive, less-comprehensive health plan. Read their cautionary tale and find out how they straightened out their bills. BONUS: NPR's Bill of the Month series has more stories of shocking medical bills and the lengths people go to get their care paid for. Newsletter continues after sponsor message Cha Pornea for NPR How To Set Healthy Boundaries With Family – And Stick To Them With all the COVID concerns on our minds, a lot of us are trying to figure out how to establish boundaries with the people we're close to. Whether that means saying, "Sorry, I can't attend this indoor gathering" or speaking up when a relationship has become toxic, boundaries can look different to different people. NPR's Life Kit asked two experts — writer and wellness consultant Alex Elle and therapist and author Andrea Bonior — to share tools and principles for setting boundaries.  Read more for their advice, including simple tips to make boundaries stick. BONUS: How an Olympic athlete learned to ask for help with her mental health struggles. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images Why Are N95 Masks Still So Hard To Find In The U.S.? Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, most consumers cannot get a true N95 mask -- the kind that filters out 95% of airborne infectious particles -- despite begging and pleading with retailers. That's because supply is limited and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still says that N95 masks should be prioritized for health care workers. Yet even health care workers are still being asked to ration their masks, which are intended for single-use-only. So what gives? The story is pretty much the same with all medical supplies during this pandemic -- from ventilators and exam gloves to syringes and vaccines, NPR’s Yuki Noguchi explains. The demand is global and sustained, and puts pressure on a fragile supply chain that can’t keep up. And fraud is rampant, so some seller choose to remain out of stock rather than take a chance on a international supplier. Read on to find out how mask makers and the Biden administration are working to increase supply. BONUS: How’s The Vaccine Rollout Going In Your State? More of this week's health stories from NPR How A Vocal Chord Injury Led A Writer To Document The Wonders Of The Human Voice The Medical Reserve Corps Are Here To Help Vaccinate Us These New Yorkers Are Dancing Their Way Through The Pandemic Could Outdoor Recreation Therapy Be The Solution For Veterans Struggling With PTSD? We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. -- Your Shots Editors   Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

APOD - Southern Sky from 38,000 Feet

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2021 January 30

Southern Sky from 38,000 Feet
Image Credit & Copyright: Ralf Rohner

Explanation: Celestial sights of the southern sky shine above a cloudy planet Earth in this gorgeous night sky view. The scene was captured from an airliner's flight deck at 38,000 feet on a steady westbound ride to Lima, Peru. To produce the sharp airborne astrophotograph, the best of a series of short exposures were selected and digitally stacked. The broad band of the southern Milky Way begins at top left with the dark Coalsack Nebula and Southern Cross. Its expanse of diffuse starlight encompasses the the Carina Nebula and large Gum Nebula toward the right. Canopus, alpha star of Carina and second brightest star in Earth's night is easy to spot below the Milky Way, as is the dwarf galaxy known as the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Small Magellanic cloud just peeks above the cloudy horizon. Of course, the South Celestial Pole also lies within the starry southern frame.

Tomorrow's picture: rocks from space

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Press Pause And Hit Play: The Best New Music You May Have Missed

Plus, Miley Cyrus' Tiny Desk (home) concert.

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Lars Gotrich If you’re anything like us, chances are, you’re busier than ever these days. And while we can’t help you walk your dog, shepherd your children through online school or cook dinner (though we wish we could!), we can help with one thing: keeping you updated on the best releases of each week. To hone in on the very best new songs you may have missed, we’re always updating our Press Pause playlist, recently relaunched for the new year, and the Alt.Latino playlist of noteworthy new releases in the wide world of Latin music. On Tuesdays, get a fresh dose of the loud and weird from Viking’s Choice, and on Thursdays, check out Tom Huizenga’s latest NPR Classical playlist (this week’s update focuses on a new golden age of percussion).  And each Friday as new releases drop, stay updated with our New Music Friday playlist (and get deep dives into the week’s best albums in podcast form on All Songs Considered New Music Friday). Hey Mr. DJ, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music From intriguing singer-songwriters to a violin concerto that includes whistling, this week's All Songs Considered has some surprises. Plus, on New Music Friday: stunning debuts from singers Celeste and Arlo Parks, orchestral pop from Weezer, intricate guitar music from Tiny Desk Contest alum Yasmin Williams and more great new albums out Jan. 29. As the country seems to feel more and more divided, it can be a lot to ask of a person to "love thy neighbor.” But it’s exactly that challenge that motivated Ani DiFranco’s new album, Revolutionary Love, as she explained to All Things Considered.  Featuring Almost Famous — a coming-of-age story that touches on journalism, sex, rock and roll, parenthood and the perils of trying to be cool — is a must-see for many aspiring rock critics. The film recently turned 20, and in its honor, our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour gave it a critical reassessment. For 50 years, pianist Billy Lester dedicated a musical life to purism and mastery out of the spotlight. But back in 2019 he headlined two sold out sets at the Jazz Standard in New York City. Jazz Night in America has highlights from the show — plus, an exploration of how and why the spotlight eluded Lester for so long. For over two decades, Madlib's work has been defined by the artist’s stylistic breadth and tireless output. On Sound Ancestors, his new collaboration with British electronic producer Four Tet, the polymath compiles his artifacts. Tiny Desk NPR Make no mistake: No room can contain the power of Miley Cyrus’ voice, especially not a miniature set piece. For her Tiny Desk (home) concert, Cyrus opened the set in a pastel-hued children’s room with a dreamy rendition of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” before literally breaking free and joining her band on a soundstage.  Also this week, two quarantine concerts filmed from theater stages: It’s been a decade since Future Islands performed behind Bob Boilen’s desk; for the group’s (home) concert, the Baltimoreans set up shop at the city’s Carroll Baldwin Memorial Hall for a rousing, dance-worthy set. And from Reade’s Old Kingston Theater in the Hudson Valley, it was a reunion seven months in the making as Muzz, the trio of Paul Banks, Josh Kaufman and Matt Barrick, teamed up for a set of tunes from the group’s self-titled debut album.  Incoming Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 2 and continuing all month long, the Tiny Desk will honor Black History Month through the lens of music by paying tribute with a series of all new (home) concerts featuring Black artists from across genres, including jazz, hip-hop, R&B and more.  One More Thing 25 x 525,600 Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music! You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy

APOD - North American Nightscape

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2021 January 29

North American Nightscape
Composite Image Credit & Copyright: Liron Gertsman

Explanation: On January 21, light from the Moon near first quarter illuminated the foreground in this snowy mountain and night scene. Known as The Lions, the striking pair of mountain peaks are north of Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, North America, planet Earth. Poised above the twin summits, left of Deneb alpha star of the constellation Cygnus, are emission regions NGC 7000 and IC 5070. Part of a large star forming complex about 1,500 light-years from Vancouver, they shine with the characteristic red glow of atomic hydrogen gas. Outlines of the bright emission regions suggest their popular names, The North America Nebula and The Pelican Nebula. The well-planned, deep nightscape is a composite of consecutive exposures made with a modified digital camera and telephoto lens. Foreground exposures were made with camera fixed to a tripod, background exposures were made tracking the sky. The result preserves sharp natural detail and reveals a range of brightness and color that your eye can't quite see on its own.

Tomorrow's picture: southern sky from 38,000 feet

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
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