In this 18-minute podcast, we share how Jessica Iclisoy was inspired to create all-natural baby products — after a fateful trip to the library.
Science & Innovation
Read our inspiring stories about women in STEM. These female scientists, engineers, researchers, and innovators are shaping the future. The Story Exchange, an award-winning, nonprofit news outlet, covers STEM careers, groundbreaking discoveries, and the women advancing science and technology.
An Alarming Spike in Sepsis Cases Linked to Lack of Abortion Access in Texas
A recent ProPublica analysis reveals that the state’s abortion ban caused an uptick in harm and hospitalizations among those who couldn’t get reproductive care.
6 Black Women Fighting the Good Climate-Change Fight
Through actions both local and global, they’re helping us protect and preserve our most vital resources – and making sure everyone benefits.
An Expectant LA Mom Makes a Tough Decision
Reality sets in for Lucy Sherriff, who lost her Palisades condo in the fires.
Menopause Care Grows Up: ‘We Want to Be the Company for Aging Beautifully’
It’s been a boom time (finally) for the menopause market. At Midi Health, founder Joanna Strober is helping 10,000 midlife women a week. And it’s covered by insurance.
Study: Cancer Diagnoses On the Rise in Young, Middle-Aged Women
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer deaths are declining – but at the same time, more women are being diagnosed with the disease, and at younger ages.
What It’s Been Like to Be Pregnant and (Now) Homeless in LA
Our writer Lucy Sherriff lost her condo in the fires. She shares her raw story – and her concerns about the impact of toxic air on her unborn baby’s health.
How Did the Los Angeles Wildfires Happen?
We asked wildfire expert Heather Hansen to tell us exactly how the fires started and explain how our changing climate got us into this deadly predicament.
As Los Angeles Burns, Here Are 8 Ways to Help
The wildfires raging through Los Angeles serve as a scorching reminder of our climate reality. We’ve rounded up a list of organizations assisting those left in need.
6 Bright Moments in Women’s Health Throughout 2024
This year, new research, significant investments and other initiatives led to major milestones in the betterment of women’s wellbeing.
Feeling Unheard by Doctors, Many Black Women Are Opting for Home Births
We spoke to Black women who say home births provided feelings of solace and safety after traumatic hospital experiences.
Announcing Our Women In Science Incentive Prize Winners
When it comes to droughts, wildfires, thunderstorms and other extreme events, these scientists are looking for answers. We’re awarding $5,000 grants to support them.
Do Clouds Contribute to Climate Change? This Scientist Wants to Find Out
At Columbia University, Juliet Pilewskie is studying how clouds and the environment exchange energy, a longtime mystery.
Her ‘Indigenous Knowledge’ Almost Cost Her a PhD. Now, She’s Using It to Help Desert Communities
Valerisa Gaddy heads up Cool Tucson, and is helping the Pascua Yaqui Nation develop rain gardens.
Helping the Karuk Tribe in California Prepare for Climate Challenges
Danielle Touma has stepped out of the lab and into Karuk territory, where she’s assisting the tribe in identifying wildfire, drought and extreme rainfall risks.
Investigating Extreme Heat in Salt Lake City
In Utah, Heather Holmes is working on better forecasting models, especially when heat waves mix with wildfire smoke in rural communities.
Beyond Fire and Smoke, Wildfires Might Just Spread Disease, Too
In California, Onja Davidson Raoelison is studying how extreme events like wildfires may spread pathogens through the water and air, a potential threat to human health.
A Prominent Climate Scientist’s Post-Election Advice: Fight Fear, Embrace Hope
Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech encourages collective action in the climate fight — and draws from her faith to emphasize our “spirit of power” in these times.
Women In ERs May Wait 30 Minutes Longer for Pain Relief Than Men, Study Finds
Sex bias in health care may be the culprit. The report found that women are often taken less seriously when they complain of pain symptoms.
Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Plan to Make Over-the-Counter Contraception Free
This new rule would herald the “most significant expansion of contraception coverage” in over a decade, officials say, and could potentially impact over 50 million women.
Despite Overall Decline, Breast Cancer Death Rates Remain Stagnant Among Indigenous Women
While women today are less likely to die from breast cancer in general, new research points to an alarming, persistent risk for Native American women.
Melinda French Gates Launches $250 Million Fund for Women’s Health
The “Action For Women’s Health” fund will financially support a range of organizations working to support women’s mentally and physically — a dire need in today’s world.
Million Mammogram Challenge Launched to ‘Save Lives and Change Narratives’
Media company founder and breast cancer survivor Mindie Kaplan is spearheading a bold campaign to get her sisters checked out – by the millions, she hopes.
Against All Odds, the Dams Fell. Now It’s Time to Study the Salmon
Brook Thompson of the Yurok Tribe helped win the fight to remove dams along the Klamath River. Now, she’s collecting DNA samples for better understanding of salmon.
Carbon Emissions Harm Women’s Mental Health — to Suicidal Extents, New Study Finds
Oil and gas plants disproportionately harm women of color and low-income women by exposing them to chemicals that put them at a higher risk of dire health issues.
Terrifying Weather Events, Part 1: Climate Changes Lives
Nearly 20 years ago, Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans. Hear how that impacted Lisa Dyson of Air Protein. Bernadette Woods Placky talks extreme weather.
Terrifying Weather Events, Part 2: Enter the Protesters
Activists, ordinary citizens and luminaries like Jane Fonda want action – and accuse governments and big corporations of failing to manage the climate crisis.
A Troubling Diagnosis Led This Grandmother Into Environmental Activism
Sharon Lavigne of Louisiana fights against the construction of industrial plants, saying pollutants have harmed her health and that of area residents.
Worried For the Future, Women Speak Out Against Climate Change
Generations of women at “Summer of Heat” protests in New York City share concerns about how extreme weather events will impact their loved ones’ lives.
A Timeline of Extreme Storms Throughout U.S. History
From 1840 onward, weather catastrophes have taken thousands of lives and cost billions of dollars in damages.
False-Positive Mammogram Results Have Women Opting Out of Future Screenings, Study Finds
Women who receive false-positive results in breast cancer screenings are less likely to return for another – which could have dire consequences, experts say.
CDC: A Growing Number of Women Aren’t Getting Prenatal Care
Experts say that the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022 likely made it harder than ever for pregnant people to access OB/GYN care.
Aging Can Be Dangerous for Women. Here’s Why
Discrimination within the U.S. healthcare system results in insufficient care that lowers patients’ quality of life and decreases survival rates – especially for older women.
How Climate Change is Hurting Women’s Livelihood in India
As global temperatures go up, job opportunities for many tribal Indian women go down, forcing them into constrictive gender roles.
Generations of Women Protesting Climate Change — Together
Scared for the future, these grandmothers, mothers and children are on a shared mission to save the planet.
An Emerging Climate Threat: Sexist AI Technology
Artificial intelligence drains our resources, in part by utilizing an astonishing amount of energy. And to what end? Candice Helfand-Rogers breaks it down in this op-ed.
Rural Regions Are Losing Maternity Care. This HBCU Wants to Fix That.
The Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta is training doulas in southwest Georgia, where maternal mortality rates are high.
Climate Protesters Target Wall Street in ‘Summer of Heat’
We follow Marlena Fontes of Climate Families NYC as she preps for a season of activism. Watch our 10-minute video.
Our Pig Podcast: Touring Wild Harmony Farm
We visit Wild Harmony in Exeter, Rhode Island, where owners Rachael Slattery and Ben Coerper use regenerative farming techniques to raise their Berkshire pigs. Listen to our 16-minute podcast.
Meet the State Senator Behind Vermont’s Historic Climate Bill
Sen. Anne Watson, a lead sponsor of the Climate Superfund Act, wants to hold Big Oil accountable for environmental damage.
How Extreme Weather Events Put Women at Risk
From sexual violence to reproductive issues, climate change can harm women all over the world.
Women Scientists, Apply for $5,000 Grants for Study of Extreme Weather
The Story Exchange will award $5,000 grants to women in science investigating climate’s impact on hurricanes, droughts, heat waves and more.
The Cicadas Are Here. And They’re Edible
We have an alternative idea for handling the emergence of Broods XIX and XIII.
Climate Change Is a Big Concern for Millennials and Gen Zs, New Data Reveals
Younger people, anxious about climate, want the government and businesses to do more. But whether it will impact voting is unclear.
30-Year Study Will Investigate Why Black Women Die From Cancer at High Rates
The American Cancer Society’s landmark VOICES of Black Women study aims to reduce rates of death from breast, stomach and other cancers.
U.S. Grassroots Organizer Wins International Environmental Activism Award
Andrea Vidaurre has dedicated herself to battling California’s significant smog problem. Because of that work, she was named a 2024 Goldman Prize winner.
How Do We Deal With Bad Air Quality?
We talk to Utah dust expert Kerry Kelly, who has a plan for countering the impact of hazy skies on our health. Listen to our 18-minute podcast, named “Best Audio Feature” by the Newswomen’s Club of New York.
Study: Risk of Death Lower for Senior Women Treated by Female Doctors
Seeking care from a woman doctor could save an additional 5,000 lives each year, new research indicates.
She’s on a Mission to Save Queen Conch From Extinction
Megan Davis of the Queen Conch Lab has dedicated her career to preserving a Caribbean icon.
Lack of Sleep Leads to Higher Risk of Heart Disease in Women
Women who experience inadequate hours of sleep can have up to a 75% increased risk of developing heart disease.