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What a forbidden hug from a nurse during lockdown meant to one a cancer patient

NPR

Published August 11, 2026 at 4:23 PM CDT

Shortly after the COVID-19 lockdown began, Ashleigh Bell Pedersen was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. She came to desperately miss physical touch during treatment.

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All Things Considered

Researchers have successfully used AI to create brand new viruses

Katia Riddle

For the first time, researchers have used artificial intelligence to generate novel viruses in a laboratory setting, according to a paper in the journal Science.
Troops have been patrolling D.C. for a year. Experts are worried about elections

Kat Lonsdorf

As the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., hits the one year mark, experts worry about the potential for President Trump to deploy the military during the upcoming election.
A nonprofit helps thousands of musicians in Austin pay for insurance

Olivia Aldridge

Austin is lauded for its live music scene, but many musicians struggle to get by. A nonprofit helps thousands of them pay their monthly insurance premiums. And the model is being tried elsewhere.
A once-overlooked album that paved the way for electronic music gets a new life

Christopher Intagliata, Vincent Acovino, Ashley Brown

Light in the Attic is reissuing Synthesizing: Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat by Charanjit Singh, a foundational album for the genre of acid house.
The West's wildfire season is already breaking records, and it's not over

Kirk Siegler

It's shaping up to be a historic wildfire season in the Western U.S. In Oregon, more acres have already burned than any time in modern history. At least 10 wildland firefighters have also died.