Lesley McClurg

1 week ago | kqed.org | Lesley McClurg

Failed to save articlePlease try againA nuclear medicine Technologist at Georgetown University Hospital, on May 19, 2015, in Washington. A new UCSF study estimates that CT scans performed in a single year could lead to more than 100,000 future cancer cases, reflecting a sharp rise in their use and higher radiation doses.

1 week ago | kqed.org | Lesley McClurg

Failed to save articlePlease try againA houseboat floating off of Sausalito in Richardson Bay. Off the coast of Sausalito lies one of the nation’s oldest unhoused communities. Known as “anchor-outs,” residents live aboard makeshift boats moored in the bay, carving out a precarious existence. For nearly a decade, author Joe Kloc immersed himself in their world, documenting their struggles and growing tensions with shoreline residents determined to push them out.

3 weeks ago | kqed.org | Lesley McClurg

Has someone you love ever been enmeshed in online conspiracy theories? Podcast host Zach Mack’s father fell deep into a rabbit hole and wagered Mack $10,000 that 10 of his far-fetched political and apocalyptic beliefs would come true within the year. Mack created a podcast about the experience called “ Alternate Realities ,” which New York Magazine has already named one of the best of the year.

3 weeks ago | kqed.org | Lesley McClurg

Mar 31Failed to save articlePlease try againAI therapy chatbots such as Woebot, Rosebud and TherapistGPT offer 24/7 mental health support, but what happens when they get it wrong?  (Anna Vignet/KQED)When Lilly Payne turned to Woebot, a therapy chatbot powered by artificial intelligence, she was deeply unmoored. “I also felt like I was annoying people when I reached out for support,” she said.

1 month ago | kqed.org | Matthew Green |Lesley McClurg

Mar 25Failed to save articlePlease try againThe US Department of Agriculture on Monday released a reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used to calculate SNAP benefits. A new study estimates the Republican proposal to cut upward of $880 billion in funding for Medicaid and $230 billion for SNAP over the next 10 years would collectively reduce state GDPs by $113 billion in 2026, resulting in the loss of more than 1 million jobs.