Laurel Wamsley
NPR
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Laurel:
Thanks to the 'tripledemic,' it can be hard to find kids' fever-reducing medicines
Makers of products like Children's Tylenol say they're trying to keep up with big demand as RSV, flu, and COVID spread. But medical experts note that kids' fevers don't always call for medicine. → Read More
Looking to leave Twitter? Here are the social networks seeing new users now
Can a network like Hive Social or Mastodon foster the communities and conversations that thrived on the bird app's good days? It's too soon to know for sure, but many hope the answer is yes. → Read More
All we want for Christmas is ... Spam Figgy Pudding?
This seasonal Spam includes additional "fig and orange flavors, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and all spice." As ever, it is shelf stable in case of the apocalypse. → Read More
Indian startup launches country's first privately built rocket
The launch is a milestone in India's effort to foster a private space industry. The rocket, made by Hyderabad-based Skyroot, was aloft for about five minutes and reached peak altitude of 55 miles. → Read More
The 'Hand of God' soccer ball punched by Diego Maradona is up for auction
The ball was used in the infamous quarterfinal match between Argentina and England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico City. It's expected to sell for as much as $3.6 million. → Read More
It's the end of the boom times in tech, as layoffs keep mounting
Amazon will reportedly lay off 10,000 employees as soon as this week. That follows job cuts at Meta, Twitter, and Stripe, with CEOs citing economic uncertainty and a slowdown in online ad buying. → Read More
It turns out that chimpanzees and gorillas can form lasting friendships
Two decades of research in Nouabalé-Ndoki Park in the Republic of Congo found the primates foraging alongside each other, wrestling, seeking out their pals — and occasionally making threats. → Read More
Dozens of species were assumed to be mute — until they were recorded making sounds
Some animals like birds and frogs are famous for the sounds they make. But have you ever heard a turtle talk? Most turtles were thought to not make sounds at all — before researchers went deep. → Read More
Most teens who start puberty suppression continue gender-affirming care, study finds
A new study from a Dutch clinic found that 98% of transgender adolescents who received puberty suppression treatment went on to continue gender-affirming treatment. → Read More
Just before a trial concerning George Floyd's murder, an ex-officer pleads guilty
A trial was set to begin in Minnesota court for former officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. In a turnabout, Kueng will plead guilty to aiding and abetting the manslaughter of Floyd. → Read More
What's in the so-called Don't Say Gay bill that could impact the whole country
If the bill were to become law, it could affect not only schools but also programs, events and literature at any federally-funded institution. But its prospects are dim for now. → Read More
A black hole is releasing some strange burps, baffling scientists
Astronomers were stunned to find that the black hole was emitting energy, two years after it pulled apart a star that had come too close. → Read More
A jury recommends life in prison for Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz
Fourteen students and three staff members were killed in the rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine's Day in 2018. Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder. → Read More
The father who helped his son cross the finish line at the Olympics has died
A torn hamstring left sprinter Derek Redmond painfully limping through the last 200 meters at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Then his father Jim emerged to help him cross the finish line, together. → Read More
5 takeaways from the report on abuse in the National Women's Soccer League
A new investigative report details sexual misconduct and verbal abuse by coaches in the league – and a lack of action by those in charge to address problems, despite years of players' complaints. → Read More
An amusement park Haunted Mansion delivers summer screams and lifelong memories
At an old-school amusement park in Rehoboth Beach, Del., called Funland, a generation of thrillseekers who grew up screaming in the park's Haunted Mansion now brings their kids to do the same. → Read More
The U.S. cities hosting the 2026 World Cup are announced
The U.S., Canada and Mexico will host the first-ever 48-team World Cup. Sixty of the matches will be played at stadiums across the U.S. → Read More
In Uvalde, a woman in clown colors makes kids smile
A few yards from the central memorial for the shooting victims, a clown hands out snow cones and toys for free to all. She says it's her way to give back — and she wants the gun violence to stop. → Read More
The U.S. is uniquely terrible at protecting children from gun violence
The massacre in Uvalde, Texas, was yet another grim reminder that in the U.S., children are more likely to die from gun violence than in any other wealthy nation. And it's getting worse. → Read More
The Buffalo shooting is a reminder that millions don't live near a grocery store
Grocery stores provide healthy foods, create jobs and offer a place for community connection. "We started calling them front-line and essential workers for a reason," says one food access advocate. → Read More