Elah Feder

2 weeks ago | scientificamerican.com | Elah Feder

Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Parental care is costly. It uses up precious time, energy and resources—and in the animal world, it’s usually the moms who bear the brunt of it. For most mammals, the concept of fatherhood begins and ends at conception. So what drives a father to defy evolutionary norms? Today’s episode celebrates the superparent skills of a surprising—and adorable—little critter.

Nov 23, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Josh Fischman |Tanya Lewis |Elah Feder

Tanya Lewis: Hi, this is Your Health, Quickly, a Scientific American podcast series!Josh Fischman: We bring you the latest vital health news: Discoveries that affect your body and your mind.  Lewis: And we break down the medical research to help you stay healthy. I’m Tanya Lewis. Fischman: I’m Josh Fischman. Lewis: We’re Scientific American’s senior health editors.

Oct 10, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Katie Hafner |Elah Feder |Deborah Unger

It’s September 2024, and a group of American thalidomide survivors and their family members arrive in Washington, D.C., to lobby the government for support. More than 60 years have gone by since Food and Drug Administration medical examiner Frances Oldham Kelsey first stalled the new drug application for thalidomide from the pharmaceutical company Richardson-Merrell.

Oct 3, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Katie Hafner |Elah Feder |Deborah Unger

It’s the summer of 1962, and the drug thalidomide has been off the market in Europe for months after it was determined to be unsafe to use during pregnancy. But in the U.S., people are only just beginning to find out about the scandal. The Washington Post breaks the story and puts a picture of Food and Drug Administration medical examiner Frances Oldham Kelsey, who refused to approve the medication, on the front page. She’s the hero who saved American lives. President John F.

Sep 26, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Katie Hafner |Elah Feder |Deborah Unger

It’s the early 1960s, and Widukind Lenz, a German pediatrician, is going door to door in his efforts to find out what is causing an epidemic of babies born with shortened limbs and other serious medical conditions. In the U.S. the drug company Richardson-Merrell is battling with Frances Oldham Kelsey at the Food and Drug Administration about the pending approval of thalidomide. She’s asking for data that show it’s safe to use during pregnancy (spoiler alert: it’s not).