Author: NPR

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Short Wave - Why Herd Immunity Won’t Save Us

Herd immunity. It's the idea that enough people become immune to an infectious disease that it's no longer likely to spread. It makes sense theoretically. But as NPR's Geoff Brumfiel tells us, the reality — in this coronavirus pandemic and without a vaccine — is potentially full of risk and maybe even unachievable.

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Consider This from NPR - President Trump Wants To Ban TikTok. Is It Really A National Security Threat?

The app doesn't seem to collect any more data than other social media platforms. But the Trump administration argues that data could fall into the hands of the Chinese government.

NPR's Bobby Allyn reported on TikTok's role in the racial justice movement.

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Short Wave - Micro Wave: Spreading Warm Bread With Socks

It's another Micro Wave! Today, what happens in your brain when you notice a semantic or grammatical mistake ... according to neuroscience. Sarah Phillips, a neurolinguist, tells us all about the N400 and the P600 responses.

Plus, we dive into some listener mail — which you can send to us by emailing shortwave@npr.org.

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Consider This from NPR - From Online Conventions To Teen Poll Workers, The Virus Is Transforming Election 2020

States are scrambling to replace older poll workers with younger ones. The two major political parties will hold their conventions mostly online. And in one big battleground state, the pandemic is shifting the political geography.

NPR's latest battleground state map is here.

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Short Wave - Wearing A Mask Could Be Even More Important Than We Thought

A new paper and growing observational evidence suggest that a mask could protect you from developing a serious case of COVID-19 — by cutting down on the amount of virus that takes root in your body.

Katherine Wu reported on that evidence for the New York Times.

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Consider This from NPR - The Patchwork Pandemic Continues As New States Approach A ‘Danger Point’

First New York, then the Sun Belt. Now, new states like Illinois and Mississippi are urging residents to wear masks and take the virus more seriously.

Bars remain one of the most dangerous places to be during the pandemic. Reporter Will Stone explains why, from Seattle.

While Michigan and New York saw similar spikes in cases near the beginning of the pandemic, New York has flattened the curve. Michigan hasn't. Reporters Kate Wells and Fred Mogul discuss what lessons can be learned from the disparity.

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Short Wave - How Gene Therapy Helped Conner Run

Gene therapy has helped a 9-year-old boy regain enough muscle strength to run. If successful in others, it could change the lives of thousands of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. NPR's Jon Hamilton tells us about Conner and his family...and one of the scientists who helped develop the treatment, a pioneer in the field of gene therapy.

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Consider This from NPR - Americans Want To Go Back To Normal, But ‘Normal’ Is What Got Us Here

After rising for weeks, the rate of daily COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has started to level off. But now, just as we saw in the spring, the country is facing a spike in deaths.

In the new issue of The Atlantic, two stories share the cover. One, by Ed Yong, is about the pandemic. The other, by Ibram Kendi, is about racism in America. Both ask the same question: how did it come to this?

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Consider This from NPR - The Virus Is Out Of Control, And Kids Are Headed Back To School Anyway

Millions of students are getting ready to head back to school. Some already have. NPR's Anya Kamentez reports on what happens when positive cases crop up — as they inevitably will.

School nurses understand the challenges of returning to school safely better than just about anyone. But NPR's Clare Lombardo reports somenurses have no input in the process.

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