The Complicated Connection Between Football and ALS
The film Gleason explores the heartbreaking toll of Lou Gehrig’s disease on a young athlete.
Ideas 2016
Dispatches from the Aspen Ideas Festival/Spotlight Health
How Can We Get More Living Organ Donors?
Allowing people to sell organs is a fraught issue, but maybe they could be reimbursed for the costs of donation.
Zika Is the ‘Most Difficult’ Emergency Health Response Ever, CDC Official Says
How the virus is spread, its disproportionate danger for pregnant women, and the delay in its worst effects combine to make this outbreak particularly tough.
A Distaste for the Memory of the Tale
Across centuries and generations, Americans have been unpleasantly surprised by the failure of our attempts to forget and transcend history.
100 Percent Is Overrated
People labeled “smart” at a young age don’t deal well with being wrong. Life grows stagnant.
What If the Oceans Were National Parks?
Ocean conservationists want to bring the same approach to the ocean that the century-old National Park Service brought to the land.
Don’t Worry So Much About Whether Your Food Is ‘Processed’
As long as people are eating fruits and vegetables, it’s not that important whether they’re fresh, frozen, or canned.
Antibiotic Resistance Is Everyone's Problem
How can doctors, drug companies, and governments prevent a future where people die of minor infections?
Preventing the Next Pandemic
As the Ebola outbreak nears its end, the world prepares for future public-health threats.
What Does It Mean to Be Healthy, Anyway?
The search for answers often leads to more questions. Notes from Spotlight Health.