Posted on · Hurricane season begins tomorrow. The federal government expects 8 to 14 hurricanes this summer, when the average is only 6. Adding to the anxiety is the question of what happens if a hurricane hits the oil spill? Carrie Feibel takes a look into what might happen when a natural disaster crosses paths with a man-made disaster.
Posted on · Texas political leaders are taking sides in the confrontation between the EPA and Texas regulators on air pollution. Governor Perry criticized the EPA earlier this week. On Friday, some Democratic state legislators from the Houston area gathered to show their support for the EPA's investigations. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · It will be days before BP learns if the "top kill" procedure it started today has stopped the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Here in Houston, a local oil and gas historian is not very optimistic. Tyler priest has studied the history of offshore drilling, including the accidents. Carrie Feibel spoke with the University of Houston professor and got his perspective.
Posted on · The Harris County Sheriff's Department routinely uses DNA testing for homicides and other serious crimes. But now the department is trying to use DNA to solve property crimes. Carrie Feibel explains.
Posted on · Cancer of the ovaries is one of the deadliest cancers for women. It's usually diagnosed too late for treatment to work. But results announced today from a Houston-based study indicate that a screening test for ovarian cancer could be developed in the next five years. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · The Deepwater Horizon spill is still leaking oil, but wildlife agencies are already mobilizing to measure and contain the damage to the gulf ecosystem. Only a few dozen oil-covered birds have been found so far, but experts say that more biological damage is inevitable, and the scope will be extensive. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · The national health reform law could help millions of uninsured Americans get health coverage. But critics say the law neglected to address the question of where all those newly insured Americans will go. A survey of emergency physicians released today shows they are nervous about ER'S becoming even more crowded than they already are. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · A new report released today reveals that women in Harris County lag behind women nationally on key health measures such as access to doctors and maternal mortality. The report by the Women's Health Network of the Texas Medical Center is the first of its kind. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · NASA has begun the countdown for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on Friday afternoon from Cape Canaveral. This will be the shuttle program's 3rd to last flight. Mission specialists reported this morning that the weather forecast looks clear for an on-time departure. But eyes could get a little misty, since this is the last flight for this particular shuttle. Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · In 2007, clean-air activists declared victory when a Dallas company agreed not to build eight coal-burning power plants in Texas. But the so-called "Texas coal wars" are not over. Thirteen new coal-fired plants are currently under construction or seeking permits or financing. One would be located in Matagorda County, just 60 miles southwest of Houston. KUHF Health Science and Technology reporter Carrie Feibel reports on the ongoing fight.
Posted on · When it comes to medical acronyms, few are more frightening than ALS. ALS is short for amyotrophic (ay-my-uh-trof-ik) lateral sclerosis. Also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, ALS is a fatal nerve disease that slowly paralyzes the entire body. There is no cure, and no one knows the cause. But the ALS clinic at Methodist Hospital is hardly a place of somber despair. KUHF Health, Science and Technology reporter Carrie Feibel visited and has this report.
Posted on · In Galveston, scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch are doing their final checks on the new level four biosafety lab, or BSL four. BSL four labs have the tightest safety controls, so scientists can work with the deadliest and most dangerous pathogens on the planet — germs like Ebola. KUHF health science and technology reporter Carrie Feibel took a tour in the last months before the viruses are brought in and the lab goes "hot." After that, only approved researchers can get in and out.
Posted on · The new health care law could help an estimated 4.5 million uninsured people get affordable coverage in Texas, which according to the census has the highest rate of uninsured residents in the country. But the new law doesn't mean that free clinics and charity care for the uninsured will disappear. To find out why, KUHF health science and technology reporter Carrie Feibel sat down with Karen Love, executive director of the Harris County Healthcare Alliance.
Posted on · Health care reform is now law, but doctors remain unhappy and are still lobbying the federal government. Today the Texas Medical Association held seven press conferences across the state, including one at Houston's Park Plaza Hospital. The doctors say the new law fails to fix a major problem in Medicare payments. Health, science and technology reporter Carrie Feibel has more.
Posted on · Having a baby is complicated enough. But these days a pregnant mom must also decide whether to save the blood from her baby's umbilical cord. The blood contains medically useful stem cells that would otherwise be thrown away. Parents must make a biological gamble whether to keep the blood for their family, or try to donate it. KUHF Health, Science and Technology reporter Carrie Feibel reports.