Inquirer Health & Science

is preventable - so why don’t more people get screened? Check out this story from Philadelphia Inquirer about barriers to cancer screening and ways to get help.

Colonoscopies save lives, but many Americans don’t get one. Home tests could help change that. Screening colonoscopies are covered by insurance, but can cost thousands of dollars for people who are uninsured. There's another way to get screened that's much less expensive.

We want to hear from you: How has your pandemic survival strategy evolved?

It’s been almost two years of pandemic life and a lot has changed: we know more about the virus, vaccines and boosters are available, and safety measures are good enough to keep schools and businesses open.

What about you? How has your approach to the pandemic changed? Have you ventured out more now that you’re vaccinated and boosted — or decided vaccination isn’t for you? Perhaps you have a chronic health condition, unvaccinated young child or elderly family member and feel pressure to be more cautious than ever?

If you are interested in sharing your experience, contact Inquirer reporters Sarah Gantz ([email protected]) or Jason Laughlin ([email protected]) and your story may be used in an upcoming article.

If you are a health journalist with editing and management experience, let’s talk.

The Philadelphia Inquirer hiring Senior Editor, Health & Science in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | LinkedIn Posted 5:25:44 PM. SummarySenior Editor, Health and ScienceThe Philadelphia Inquirer is seeking a senior editor to…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

The messenger RNA that has enabled the most successful COVID vaccines has been around for so long, it's also being studied in a long list of other medical applications -- like heart and kidney disease.

Vaccines are just the beginning for RNA. The technology is being tested on heart and liver diseases. One Penn State physician says RNA technology could 'revolutionize medicine.'

The 40-inch diameter, 70-foot tree stood solo atop a grassy slope on Belmont Plateau for decades, and was probably the most photographed tree in the city. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/fairmount-sugar-maple-tree-cut-down-20211215.html

The iconic Fairmount Park tree featured in countless Philly skyline photos has been cut down The tree had been in decline over the past year and officials decided it had to come down for public safety reasons.

Next time you're dining out in a big restaurant, see if they have a little device that could save your life.

A Penn professor’s heart stopped at restaurant that had no defibrillator. Few are equipped with the lifesaving devices. Kevin Volpp survived, but he said the rarity of AED devices was 'inexcusable.'

The tree is ill. It failed to fully leaf-out. A bottom limb dangles like a broken bone. The hallowed trunk leaves an opening for insects. Graffiti on its peeling trunk is a final indignity. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/fairmount-park-philadelphia-sugar-maple-skyline-20211202.html

An iconic Fairmount Park tree featured in countless Philly skyline photos is dying — and being cut down Planted almost a century ago to honor World War I veterans, the tree -- a victim of age and climate change -- now poses a public danger.

Lots of people say they follow they science. If that sounds like you, here are some impressive scientists to follow that the The Franklin Institute is honoring.

Penn RNA pioneers and COVID-19 vaccine makers are among winners of Franklin Institute awards The science museum is honoring 13 people in nine categories.

The Evert Trail Preserve now totals 372 acres, and connects directly to the 37,000-acre Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in the heart of the NJ Pinelands.
https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/new-jersey-conservation-foundation-pinelands-evert-preserve-20211119.html

N.J. Pinelands preserve will more than double in size with the addition of 200 acres The New Jersey Conservation Foundation has added 202-acres of Pinelands property known as Blueberry Acres to its existing Evert Trail Preserve in the Pinelands.

Finally, some good news in recycling: Philly has stopped mixing it with trash, and markets for plastics and fiber (cardboard) are up. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/recycling-philadelphia-waste-management-plastics-cardboard-20211119.html

Recycling in Philly has ‘improved significantly.’ Now officials are asking us to get back to sorting our trash. In recent years, there hasn’t been a lot of good news about recycling. But Philly says it’s no longer mixing recycling with waste, and there’s renewed demand for plastic and cardboard.

With inspiration from Pope Francis, a new environmental education center at the tip of NJ would be in accord with the nuns’ “commitment to the ocean, climate and marine life,” according to an announcement of the deal.
https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/cape-may-point-saint-mary-by-sea-sisters-saint-joseph-environment-20211101.html

Philly-based nuns sell iconic Cape May Point retreat, which will become an environmental center The Sisters of St. Joseph, based in Chestnut Hill, are selling their more-than-a-century-old oceanfront, 138-bedroom building in Cape May Point to a newly formed nonprofit environmental center.

Please join us at 4:15 today for a much-needed conversation about coming out of the pandemic and reclaiming the physical and mental wellness these last months have tried to steal. "Twin Sister Docs" Elena McDonald, a pediatrician, and Delana Wardlaw, a family medicine doctor, join Jefferson Health clinical psychologist Shawn Blue to help us cover as many bases as we can in an hour. Audience questions are most welcomed!

Inquirer LIVE: Health Report Tune in to Inquirer LIVE: with Charlotte Sutton and Delana Wardlaw, Elana McDonald, and Shawn Blue on October 20 at 4:15 p.m.

The preserved land “will be like having a forest in the middle of Cape May." https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/cape-may-city-preservation-sewell-tract-20210818.html

Cape May’s largest undeveloped property will be preserved after 30-year legal fight New Jersey will pay $19 million to developers it has been in a legal fight with for three decades to preserve the largest undeveloped parcel in Cape May.

"High concentrations of visitors have led to visitor conflicts, pet waste issues, and excessive litter, among a multitude of other impacts.” https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/wissahickon-valley-park-leave-no-trace-hotspot-20210723.html

Wissahickon Valley Park designated a ‘hot spot’ because of overuse Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, a national nonprofit environmental organization, says the area is suffering from severe human-related impacts because of the high number of visitors it draws.

The illness is killing blue jays, European starlings, grackles, robins, and cardinals, all of which have been found with ocular and neurologic issues, sometimes dead in large numbers. The disorder is marked by swollen eyes with a crusty discharge, and erratic flight and stumbling. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/songbirds-dead-mystery-disease-pennsylvania-20210701.html

Mystery illness is killing songbirds in at least 10 states, including Pennsylvania The disorder is marked by swollen eyes with a crusty discharge, and erratic flight and stumbling.

The plan is to use eminent domain to take 213 acres, equivalent in size of 161 football fields, and turn it into a giant park. Most of the land is owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. https://www.inquirer.com/news/delaware-county-park-marple-don-guanella-school--20210616.html

Delco plans to take land from Archdiocese to create county’s largest park The decision by the Delaware County Council to take control of land near the former Don Guanella School would create the county's largest park.

They've helped turn around some hidden gems in Philadelphia. 🌳 🌹https://inquirer.com/science/climate/philadelphia-rose-garden-independence-national-park-20210610.html?utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=edit_social_share_twitter_traffic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=&utm_term=&int_promo= via

Volunteers dig in to help Independence Historical Park’s ‘secret gardens’ bloom The gardeners are more needed than ever as pocket parks around Independence Hall have drawn more visitors during the pandemic.

You've been vaccinated and you're ready to rejoin the world. But wait -- you've got questions about all those health issues you tried to ignore during lockdown. All the exercise you didn't do, the screenings you didn't get, the worry you can't quite shed, and is it just you or does Mom seem more forgetful? You've got lots of company. We're going to talk about all things health on Wednesday when Penn Medicine's Dr. Lisa Walke joins health editor Charlotte Sutton for a conversation fueled by your questions. It's Wednesday at 4:15 and absolutely free -- here's where to register:

Inquirer LIVE: Health Report Inquirer LIVE: Health Report | Presenting Sponsor: Independence Blue Cross

The property has a long history: home to Lenni Lenape; bought by William Penn by the Duke of York in 1682; owned by industrialist William Bancroft in the 1900s. Now, it's preserved.
https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/brandywine-valley-first-state-national-historical-park-20210520.html

254 acres of Delco’s ‘Wyeth country’ added to First State National Historical Park 254 acres along Brandywine Creek in Delaware County have been added to First State National Historical Park near the Delaware-Pennsylvania border.

State Park alone drew 92,994 visits in March, marking a 212% increase from pre-pandemic levels in March 2019. 🌳🐟🐦
https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/pennsylvania-parks-philadelphia-camping-outdoors-covid-1-20210504.html

Interest in Pennsylvania’s state parks has only grown even as pandemic restrictions lift Equipped with new kayaks, bikes, and camping gear, thousands of freshly minted outdoor enthusiasts continue to flock in record numbers to Pennsylvania’s parks.

Cape May is sinking, making the impact of sea level rise even worse than elsewhere on the East Coast, notes new, peer-reviewed Rutgers-led study. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/new-jersey-sea-level-rise-rutgers-climate-change-20210326.html

South Jersey has fastest sea level rise on East Coast, study finds A Rutgers study that looked at sea level rise over the past 2,000 years found that levels rose twice as fast on average in the 20th Century, with South Jersey seeing the highest rates.

Dr. Ala Stanford, founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, joins Philadelphia Inquirer health editor Charlotte Sutton on Friday, March 26 at 11 a.m. for a live discussion about the pandemic, the vaccine and the mission to make health care more equitable. Please click the link below to register, and we hope to see you then and there.

Inquirer LIVE: Health Report Inquirer LIVE: Health Report

The plan calls for 191 megawatts of new arrays in 6 counties, Gov. Wolf says. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/pennsylvania-solar-governor-wolf-20210322.html

Pennsylvania plans to generate 50% of government building energy through solar, Wolf says Governor Tom Wolf announced today a plan to produce half of all the state government’s electricity through seven new solar energy arrays totaling 191-megawatts, which is says is the the largest solar

The sheer size of just one wind turbine gives a hint at what's to come off the coast of New Jersey with the coming new age of offshore wind power. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/new-jersey-offshore-wind-20210320.html

PFAS “forever chemicals” have been detected in 33 of 46 public water locations in Philadelphia’s suburban counties, or 72% of samples, although none exceeded totals of federally suggested limits, according to an Inquirer analysis https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/pfas-pfoa-forever-chemicals-pennsylvania-philadelphia-20210317.html

PFAS found in 72% of drinking water samples in Philly’s suburbs Though none of the PFAS exceeded the current EPA guideline, advocacy groups and some scientists contend there are no safe levels of the widely-used family of chemical compounds.

Philadelphia’s most iconic skyscrapers, such as the Comcast towers, BNY Mellon Center, and the Liberty Place buildings will soon go dark overnight as their owners take part in a program to protect migrating birds from being lethally drawn to the lights.🐦🐦🐦https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/philadelphia-birds-lights-out-audubon-20210311.html

Philly skyline will go mostly dark at night starting April 1 in an effort to save birds Most migrating birds fly at night, and they can become disoriented by artificial lights, causing them to collide with buildings or windows. The lights also throw birds off migration paths.

“There are folks who buy groups of these turtles and will sell them on the median on big bustling strips ... Instead of selling bottles of water, they sell turtles.” https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/salmonella-turtles-philadelphia-20210305.html

Turtles sold by roadside sellers have sickened eight in Philly area with salmonella. One person has died. You might not think that cute little pet could kill you. But for the young, the old and the immune-compromised, the risk is real.

Studies suggest microplastics — tiny polymer fragments — are ubiquitous in local waterways, even finding their way into the guts and digestive tracts of the prized blue crabs that populate the Delaware Bay. https://www.inquirer.com/science/climate/philadelphia-microplastics-schuylkill-delaware-pennenvironment-20210303.html

Microplastics found in 100% of sampled Pennsylvania waterways, study shows Microplastics were found in 100% of samplings of 53 locations in waterways in Pennsylvania, including the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, and Wissahickon, Ridley, Darby and Tookany creeks.