Maria Godoy

You don't even have to own one. Research shows just 5 to 20 minutes interacting with other people's pooches can reduce stress hormones and increase well-being.

What's four-legged, furry and often serves up a mood boost? That's right: dogs. As part of our series Weekly Dose of Wonder, here's how even brief interactions with pups can be good for health.

Little kids are like a "small potato" whose core can heat up faster than an adult's, an expert tells NPR. Here are tips for helping children stay safe in extreme temperatures.

Multiple organ failure, heart attack and kidney failure are the primary ways people die in extreme heat. Read on to find out how to stay safe in the heat wave.

The extreme summer heat impacting millions in the U.S. will likely continue through August. Of all extreme weather conditions - heat is the most deadly.

Living near parks can boost health and well being. But low-income communities and those of color often have less access than wealthier, white ones. Revamping schoolyards could be a game changer.

Living near parks can boost health. But low-income communities of color often have less access than their wealthier, white counterparts. One project aims to change that by revamping schoolyards.

Children in particular face health risks from wildfire smoke. Short-term exposure can trigger coughing and asthma attacks, while repeated encounters may reduce lung function.

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.

Kids today live in an ultra-processed world: Nearly 70% of what they eat is packaged, processed and probably not great for them. Here are ways to cut back, without cooking every meal from scratch.

Sure, they're tasty, but packaged snacks and meals can be packed with sugar, salt and a list of unpronounceable ingredients. So what are they doing to your health? Scientists are trying to find out.

The U.S. desperately needs more Black and Hispanic doctors, research shows. But financial pressures and discrimination can keep young people from even applying to med school.

Research suggests that diversifying the ranks of physicians is critical for saving lives. A new study highlights barriers that keep determined students of color from actually making it to med school.

A federal rule that protected coverage for Medicaid recipients during the pandemic will expire on March 31. When it does, tens of millions of people will need to re-enroll or lose benefits.

With a pandemic-era rule expiring this month, people on Medicaid will have to re-qualify to keep their coverage. Language barriers, housing instability and computer literacy could stand in their way.

A federal rule that prevents states from dropping people from Medicaid rolls during the pandemic expires at the end of March.

The platform banned food advertising, yet many videos viewed by millions of kids continue to showcase candy, soda and packaged snacks, likely affecting kids' food preferences, researchers say.

Child influencers have huge followings on social media. A new study finds that their videos are frequently exposing their young viewers to junk foods like candy, salty snacks and sugary drinks.

After months of COVID, flu and RSV infections, parents of little kids are kinda losing it. But the data shows kids have always brought home waves of respiratory illness.

With COVID, RSV, the flu and other bugs circulating, the last few months have been an endless cycle of illness for many families with young kids. While miserable, it's also normal in the grand scheme.