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Tuberculosis Outbreak, RFK, Jr.’s Confirmation Hearings and Polar Bear Hair

Tuberculosis Outbreak, RFK, Jr.’s Confirmation Hearings and Polar Bear Hair

In this week’s roundup, catch up on the spread of bird flu in the U.S., a tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas and lessons from fossilized vomit.

Science Quickly

February 3, 202511m 44s

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Show Notes

This week we’re recapping Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s confirmation hearings. Highly pathogenic H5N9, a strain of bird flu, was found in U.S. poultry. A tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas is making headlines—but how severe is the spread? Health equity reporter Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service and KCUR joins host Rachel Feltman to unpack the situation. Plus, we discuss fossilized puke and ice-resistant polar bear hair.

Recommended reading:

Shackelford-Nwanganga’s reporting on the tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas

The Latest on Bird Flu in Humans, Cats and Chickens

RFK, Jr., Confirmation Hearing Showed 5 Ways He Threatens Public Health 

E-mail us at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

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Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Madison Goldberg with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

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