Meredith Rizzo Meredith Rizzo is a visuals editor and art director on NPR's Science desk.
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Tracking health threats, one sewage sample at a time

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Dropping water levels in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine have exposed fishing nets and roots of aquatic plants along the shoreline of the Dnipro river. Dmytro Smoliyenko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images hide caption

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Dmytro Smoliyenko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Russia is draining a massive Ukrainian reservoir, endangering a nuclear plant

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Ivermectin has developed an enormous following over the course of the pandemic – in part because of a small cadre of fringe doctors who promote it as an alternative to COVID vaccines, despite early studies which didn't support it as a treatment. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption

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Doubting mainstream medicine, COVID patients find dangerous advice and pills online

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Laurie's mother Stephanie, 75, died of COVID-19 in December. "I don't believe she was supposed to die," Laurie says. "I blame the misinformation." Stephanie had been wrapped up in a world of conspiracy theories online which led her to refuse treatments for COVID. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption

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Their mom died of COVID. They say conspiracy theories are what really killed her

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Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Annotations by NPR.

Video analysis reveals Russian attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant veered near disaster

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The annual town meeting in North Andover, Mass., which dates back to 1646, was held outside on June 16 on a high school football field to help keep participants a safe distance from each other. Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

In 2009, Australia's deadliest bushfires on record destroyed Kinglake, a town just over an hour's drive northeast of Melbourne. The disaster had long-term effects on families. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption

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The Fire, The Virus, The Violence: Australia And The Lessons Of Natural Disasters

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In Manhattan, Isiah Turner isn't particularly worried about the outbreak. Other than continuously washing his hands and cleaning, he says, "it's just another day." (Right) Ali Sky isn't worried about her own health but says, "I'm really worried about my husband." Elias Williams for NPR hide caption

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Elias Williams for NPR