KBIA News brings you a look at health, science, and technology issues this week in mid-Missouri in Under the Microscope.

12/27/07 Missouri is currently home to nineteen coal-burning power plants speckled throughout the state. The 20th might be coming to Norborne. But the initiative is meeting with some resistance from in the small Missouri town...

...and according to the National Women's Health Report Card, the state of Missouri ranks 38th out of the fifty states in overall women’s health. The National Women's Law Center published the report this fall, and not one state received a satisfactory score. KBIA's Kevin Lorenz takes a closer look at the study and has more on why some area health officials are questioning the validity of the results.

12/20/07 A lot of people might not consider running a 5-K race fun. But as KBIA’s Matt Tarnawa found out, for one race held recently, that’s exactly the point. That's today's Under the Microscope. Encore broadcast from 11/22/07.

12/13/07 Last month, two teams of researchers announced they were able to make ordinary skin cells act like embryonic stem cells. It's a major breakthrough in the science world because it has the potential to remove the ethical and moral dilemmas that plague the embryonic stem cell research debate. But science reporter Julie Bierach from St. Louis found that's not exactly the case. She's been looking into the impact that the new research has had on the debate in Missouri and files this report.

And, area food banks are always looking to increase the amount of provisions that reach the tables of Mid-Missourians. KBIA's Kevin Schwaller reports on one organization that helps tackle an often difficult issue for hunger relief agencies.... by enlisting the aid of hunters.

12/06/07 Mid-Missourians are likely feeling the effects of a snowstorm that made its way through Kansas last night. Forecasters are predicting three-to five inches of snow generally north of Interstate 70, with one to three inches to the south. For some in the state, it's not the first blast of wintry weather to hit, but the mere thought of snow can serve as a reminder of just what mother nature can do in these cold months. But wintry weather can also bring increased health risks to some. According to the American Heart Association, activities like shoveling snow can trigger cardiovascular emergencies. KBIA's Pat Fleming sat down with one area doctor to discuss some of the concerns that arise during winter weather.

11/29/07 Millions of unheard conversations occur in yards, fields and other grassy areas every day. In fact, it’s a virtual jungle out there. But the speakers don’t talk with words and the listeners don’t hear with their ears…that’s because the individuals holding the conversations aren’t people, they’re bugs. MU biological sciences professor Rex Cocroft explored the subject as part of a new fall lecture series hosted by the Show-Me Science Alliance, a group interested in all things Science. KBIA’s Catherine Wolf attended the event and spoke with Cocroft in his own front yard to find out how some insects communicate, and just what they’re saying to each other.

View a slideshow about bugs by clicking on one of the following links:
small screen slideshow | large screen slideshow

And, it's National Influenza Vaccination Week, and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department is distributing vaccinations.

11/22/07 A lot of people might not consider running a 5-K race fun. But as KBIA’s Matt Tarnawa found out, for one race held recently, that’s exactly the point. That's today's Under the Microscope.

Above: Picture of Barut – a mental health patient awaiting treatment. Kelley Weiss/KCUR.

11/15/07 Last week we continued with a series on the state of mental health in Missouri. Today, we air the final segment. Health reporter Kelley Weiss from Kansas City's KCUR produced the series. In it, she examines concrete examples of issues surrounding the state's mental health system, and takes a broader look at those issues. Many of Missouri's poor and severely mentally ill in group homes have their money mismanaged, and live in squalor. At least five residents of these kinds of homes have died from alleged abuse or neglect. Some don't even have a home and live on the streets...or are stuck in a revolving door that shuffles them in and out of jail. In this final story, Kelley Weiss looks at the future of mental health care and some of the plans to fix the broken system. For photographs, slideshows, and documents pertaining to this series, visit the dedicated page on KCUR's website.

11/08/07 Last month we aired a special three-part series on the state of mental health in Missouri. Today, we begin the final two parts. Health reporter Kelley Weiss from Kansas City’s KCUR produced the series. In it, she examines concrete examples of issues surrounding the state’s mental health system, and takes a broader look at those issues. At least five residents have died from neglect in Missouri’s group homes for the mentally ill, and many more are living in substandard conditions. While some of these patients leave these facilities, it can be even worse on the outside. In the fourth story in this ongoing series, KCUR’s Kelley Weiss reports on how a broken system is making law enforcement take care of an increasing number of severely mentally ill on the streets and in the city jail. For photographs, slideshows, and documents pertaining to this series, visit the dedicated page on KCUR's website.

Above: Sgt. John Bryant, left, found Barut in crisis on Troost Avenue in June and transported him to a nearby hospital to get treatment for his mental illness. Kelley Weiss/KCUR.

11/01/07 Taking a look at how the weather has affected area apple orchards...a program that works to protect children...and, Walk-a-Hound, Lose-a-Pound. That's today's Under the Microscope.

10/25/07 This week on Under the Microscope:

University Hospital is providing free screenings this weekend for patients who might be at risk of having an abdominal aneurysm. KBIA’s Robby Berlin spoke with an assistant professor of vascular surgery about the event...and KBIA's Ashley Smith takes a look at the possibility of video game addiction.

10/18/07 This week is Bi-National Health Week, a week dedicated to the health of Hispanic Americans. KBIA’s Catherine Wolf visited Columbia’s first Bi-National Health fair to learn about some of the health needs in the Hispanic community. And, a highly anticipated anatomy exhibit of human corpses is opening at the St. Louis Science Center. Created by German anatomist Guenther von Hagens, "Body Worlds," has lured 25-million people worldwide to view the bodies that have undergone a preservation process called plastination. From St. Louis, science reporter Julie Bierach takes a look at the major ethical concerns surrounding the display. That's this week's Under the Microscope.

Above: A body from "Body Worlds," now at the St. Louis Science Center. Julie Bierach/KWMU.

Above: The Campbell Care Center in Midtown Kansas City houses about 25 people with mental illness. Kelley Weiss/KCUR.

10/11/07 This week's Under the Microscope presents the final in a three-part series on Missouri's mental health system. Part Three gives a glimpse of daily-life inside a group home. Health reporter Kelley Weiss from Kansas City's KCUR produced this series. Kelly Weiss will return in November for two more weeks of reports. For photographs, slideshows, and documents pertaining to this series, visit the dedicated page on KCUR's website.

9/27/07 This week, Under the Microscope begins a three part series on the mental health system in Missouri.

For photographs, slideshows, and documents pertaining to this series, visit the dedicated page on KCUR's website.

9/20/07 Educators, business leaders, and public officials recently gathered at the Bond Life Sciences Center to help foster the relationship between the public and private sectors when it comes to nanotechnology research. KBIA's Henry Atkinson takes a look at this small science some think can be very big...

...It's no secret that many Mid-Missourians are in tune with foods grown locally...KBIA's Kevin Lorenz caught up some folks who are trying to take it a step further with Localvore, a challenge that starts Saturday that asks area residents to make a commitment.

9/13/07 The Rural Track Program in the University of Missouri's School of Medicine is one attempt at addressing physician shortages in rural areas. Students in the program receive loans from the state's Department of Health and Senior Services and work in small towns throughout Missouri....

...and, many people might say their least favorite chair is "the dentist's chair." But as KBIA’s Matt Tarnawa reports, some new technology under development at MU might someday take the pain—and the fear—out of drilling teeth.

Summer 2007 Archive

KBIA's Under the Microscope goes on hiatus during the summer and resumes in the fall.

Spring 2007 Archive

5/10/07 As the Missouri River rises over its banks, breaks and threatens levees, today's Under the Microscope centers around issues regarding flooding.


5/3/07 Technology in classrooms for students with learning disabilities...and a recent study that examines medical malpractice suits...that's this week's Under the Microscope.


4/26/07 This week on Under the Microscope, it's TV Turnoff Week. And, shoreline management in Central Missouri.


4/19/07 The shootings at Virginia Tech have brought up a lot of questions about university safety and the role that the mental health of students plays with regards to keeping students safe. KBIA's Jennifer Galt looked into what teachers should, and should not be, concerned about.

Doctors in Colorado put to sleep a four hundred pound abused Bengal tiger named Sulley this past weekend. Nearly one month ago, three MU veterinarians undertook the arduous task of performing corrective surgery on Sulley in a final effort to save him. Unfortunately, the cat's massive size resulted in serious complications. KBIA's Paula Smith has the story.


4/12/07 A conversation with Mizzou's Relay for Life faculty advisors, both of whom are cancer survivors ... on this week's Under the Microscope.


4/5/07 A closer glance at HealthNet and its critics, and a new system that just might whittle down online usernames and passwords to one, instead of many. That's on this week's Under the Microscope.


3/29/07 Earthquakes in Kansas and a new study from the University of Missouri on masculine men ... On this week's Under the Microscope.


3/22/07 Spring officially began this week, and along with the rise in temperatures comes the return of mosquitoes and ticks...and, a recent MU study found that people with a family history of alcoholism are more likely to develop negative personal traits and become alcoholics themselves.

Dr. Cooperstock explains proper tick removal procedures here.

3/15/07 A new program for diabetics in rural Missouri... and managing college stress. That's this week on Under the Microscope.

3/8/07: Our weekly programs are pre-empted this week because of the spring fund drive. See you next week!

3/1/07 From ancient chili peppers to modern day fat, this week is all about food. Chris Hrabe takes a look at trans fats, while Melissa Chee talks to researchers about the history of the chili pepper. Tune in to Under the Microscope for an edition that's sure to leave your stomach growling.

2/22/07 Come follow along as KBIA's Max Hyman takes a look at heart health ... from Boone Hospital's Heart Fair to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, Missouri's hearts aren't so healthy ... We also visit the world of probiotics, little tiny bacteria found in the body that are also marketed as dietary supplements. KBIA's Jennifer Galt breaks it down on Under the Microscope.

2/15/07 One thing today's stories have in common is germs and bacteria.  From peanut butter to grocery store carts, today we take a look at tiny little organisms that, for good or bad, are simply a part of life.

2/8/07 Welcome to the first-ever edition of "Under the Microscope," KBIA's new weekly glimpse into the worlds of health, science, and technology. This week, KBIA's Sean Powers discovers getting a lot of sleep may not be the best thing, as he examines a report on the relationship between sleepiness and injury ... while reporter Nick Renkoski dispels the myth that eating disorders don’t affect men.