Michaeleen Doucleff
NPR
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Michaeleen:
Can dogs smell time? Just ask Donut the dog
After decades of wondering, an NPR reporter finally figures out how her husband's family dog knew when the school bus would arrive everyday. She did some digging — and now it all makes scents. → Read More
COVID spreading faster than ever in China. 800 million could be infected this winter
Scientists predict China will see the largest COVID surge of the pandemic this winter, with hundreds of millions of people infected. But some experts say that it could have been even worse. → Read More
Why China's 'zero COVID' policy is finally faltering
For nearly three years, China has enforced incredibly strict rules to keep coronavirus transmission in check. But now they're facing a potentially deadly omicron surge. → Read More
Black Death survivors gave their descendants a genetic advantage — but with a cost
Nearly half of Europeans died from the plague. Now a new study shows a protective gene mutation that survivors passed on to help with future outbreaks might cause other problems. → Read More
Monkeypox cases in the U.S. are way down — can the virus be eliminated?
Early fears of an escalating outbreak have not come to pass. Scientists are finding that the virus needs a very particular set of circumstances to spread effectively. → Read More
What are your chances of catching monkeypox?
We crunch the current numbers for high-risk and low-risk groups. We also look at how the risk of monkeypox compares with chances of catching COVID, of being in a fatal car crash and of a shark attack. → Read More
So you haven't caught COVID yet. Does that mean you're a superdodger?
A new study suggests that. yes, there are superdodgers. But explaining why they've been able to avoid the virus is a bit complicated. → Read More
Why stinky sweat is good for you
So sweat doesn't really smell bad at all. But when bacteria eat the sweat — nostrils, look out! Only it turns out that these sweat-eating critters are responsible for a big health benefit. → Read More
There's a bit of good news about monkeypox. Is it because of the vaccine?
It's basically the same vaccine used against smallpox. Here's how it works — and whether researchers think it's playing a role in the fact that the current outbreak is starting to slow down. → Read More
Monkeypox: The myths, misconceptions — and facts — about how you catch it
Is it a sexually transmitted disease? Can you get it on a crowded bus? Trying on clothes? We talk to specialists about how this virus is transmitted and what kinds of precautions are warranted. → Read More
Monkeypox outbreak in U.S. is bigger than the CDC reports. Testing is 'abysmal'
The testing system set up by the CDC actually deters doctors from ordering a monkeypox test, and many physicians aren't familiar with the disease, resulting in too few tests and little tracking. → Read More
Polio is found in the U.K. for the first time in nearly 40 years. Here's what it means
Scientists in Britain have detected multiple versions of the virus in wastewater. Officials say the risk to the public is extremely low and urge people to ensure their polio vaccines are up to date. → Read More
Monkeypox can look different than what doctors thought. Here's what they're learning
Symptoms that doctors were taught about in medical school are not necessarily indicative of the cases of 2022. It can be much more subtle — and look a lot like other diseases. → Read More
Scientists warned us about monkeypox in 1988. Here's why they were right.
Their prediction stemmed from the eradication of smallpox. Here's what they said more than three decades ago — and how it foreshadowed events of 2022. → Read More
Do restrictive abortion laws actually reduce abortion? A global map offers insights
Click to see how restrictive or liberal local abortion laws are — and to look at the rate of abortion. The data offers a sense of whether stricter abortion laws reduce the number of abortions. → Read More
Monkeypox isn't like COVID-19 — and that's a good thing
Although monkeypox's recent spread has caused concern, its similarities to smallpox have given the public health world a head start on combating it. → Read More
Monkeypox isn't like COVID-19 — and that's a good thing
Although monkeypox's recent spread has caused concern, its similarities to smallpox have given the public health world a head start on combating it. → Read More
Rare monkeypox outbreak in U.K., Europe and U.S.: What is it and should we worry?
The cases point to possible sexual transmission of this cousin of smallpox — a previously unknown method of spread for monkeypox. → Read More
How COVID vaccines have boosted the development of an HIV vaccine
During the pandemic scientists launched a vaccine in record-breaking time. Their successful use of mRNA technology could lead to progress in the decades-long effort for an HIV inoculation. → Read More
One of the first clinical trials of a new mRNA vaccine for HIV is underway
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a surprising silver lining — it's breathing new life into the fight against HIV by accelerating the development of a new type of HIV vaccine. → Read More