Jane Greenhalgh
Jane Greenhalgh is a senior producer and editor on NPR's Science Desk.
She produces the weekly Health segment on NPR's Morning Edition and writes and edits for NPR's health blog, "Shots." Greenhalgh also produces stories on science, health, and global health across NPR's many platforms.
Greenhalgh was part of the team of broadcast, digital, and multimedia journalists who produced the 2015 award-winning series "#15Girls," which examined the struggles teenage girls face throughout the developing world. Greenhalgh's story "Banished to the Shed" was one of NPR's most listened to and viewed stories of 2015.
She has twice won The American Association for the Advancement of Science award: In 2020 for her work on Victoria's Story: Gene editing helps people with sickle cell, and for NPR's 2014 series "The human microbiome: guts and glory." Greenhalgh also won The National Academies of Science Communication award in 2014, and she was part of the digital team which won for the 2009 series Climate Connections. She traveled extensively for this year-long, multi-platform project, examining how climate change is affecting people across the globe. From Timbuktu, where the desert nomads are giving up their way of life, to Peru, where potato farmers are moving their crops higher up the mountain, and to Bangladesh, where scientists are experimenting with drought and flood resistant rice, the stories Greenhalgh produced chronicled the impact of climate change.
Greenhalgh has traveled extensively covering health issues in developing countries, including cholera in Haiti, polio in Indonesia, tuberculosis in Kenya, AIDS in India, malaria in the Gambia, malnutrition in Bolivia, and menstrual health in Nepal.
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Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known to science – more contagious than Ebola, smallpox or COVID-19. Declining vaccination rates over the past few years, plus a recent outbreak in West Texas, have public health experts concerned. Here's what to know about the science of this virus — plus how to protect against it. For the latest, host Regina G. Barber talks to NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy. Interested in other stories about public health? Tell us what you want to hear about by emailing shortwave@npr.org!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave. -
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced it is banning the dye called Red No. 3, a food dye additive in many processed foods, like sodas, sweets and snacks. Recently, it and other dyes were linked to behavior issues in children. But high levels of Red No. 3 were linked to cancer in rats decades ago. So why is the ban happening now? Senior editor and science desk correspondent Maria Godoy answers our questions about Red No. 3 and other dyes that may replace it. Plus, how should parents think about feeding their kids products that may contain Red No. 3 before the ban takes affect. Questions, story ideas or want us to dig into another food science issue? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave. -
Rates of depression and anxiety have risen among teens over the last decade. Amid this ongoing mental health crisis, the American Psychological Association issued guidelines for parents to increase protection for teens online. In this encore episode, NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff looks into the data on how that change has impacted the mental health of teenagers. In her reporting, she found that the seismic shift of smartphones and social media has re-defined how teens socialize, communicate and even sleep. In 2009, about half of teens said they were using social media daily, reported psychologist Jean Twenge. And by 2022, 95% of teens said they used some social media, and about a third said they use it constantly. -
Updated versions of the mRNA vaccines roll out this week. Experts say they offer good protection against current COVID variants. Who should get them, and when's the best time to roll up your sleeve? -
The rate at which women in the U.S. are dying from pregnancy related causes more than doubled in recent decades. A new study, published in JAMA shows Black women and Native Americans are most at risk. -
Much of the Northeast U.S. is blanketed in a murky haze of wildfire smoke. For most people breathing this air is unpleasant, for others it can be life-threatening. There are ways to reduce the risk. -
Toxic metal can be harmful to developing brains. New lead targets are part of a broad FDA imitative to reduce children's exposure to the lowest levels possible. -
The COVID-19 vaccine strategy may be shifting toward Americans getting yearly vaccinations, like many do with annual flu shots. -
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has signed off on updated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that target the original virus and the omicron subvariants. -
Americans' life expectancy dropped for the second year in a row and is the biggest drop since the 1920s. COVID-19 is driving the downward trend, according to CDC data.
