Wednesday the Environmental Protection Agency announced new drinking water standards to limit people's exposure to some PFAS chemicals. For decades, PFAS have been used to waterproof and stain-proof a variety of consumer products. These "forever chemicals" in a host of products — everything from raincoats and the Teflon of nonstick pans to makeup to furniture and firefighting foam. Because PFAS take a very long time to break down, they can accumulate in humans and the environment. Now, a growing body of research is linking them to human health problems like serious illness, some cancers, lower fertility and liver damage. Science correspondent Pien Huang joins the show today to talk through this new EPA rule — what the threshold for safe levels of PFAS in tap water is, why the rule is happening now and how the federal standards will be implemented.

Read more of Pien's reporting on the EPA's first ever rule on PFAS in drinking water.

Want to hear more about health and human safety? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might cover your question on a future episode!

In recent years, the body positivity movement has raised it's profile, especially on social media largely through self-described anti-diet and body positivity influencers.

These influencers and others like them represent a pivot away from the diet and fitness culture embodied by companies like weight watchers, which focuses on losing weight as a path to healthier living.

Today there is a broad "anti-diet" movement that posits that bodies can be healthy at any size. But some are trying to co-opt this movement.

An investigation by The Washington Post and the Examination found that large food companies are recruiting these influencers to promote sugary cereals and processed snacks.

As people who are part of the anti-diet movement saw an opportunity to practice and spread a message of self-love and acceptance, big food companies saw an opportunity to make money.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that an old law from the 1860s can stand in the state, outlawing nearly all abortions.

Claudia Evart, a woman who lost both her sister and her brother in separate accidents, created the day to honor the special relationships between siblings. It is on April 10 every year.

About 60,000 children a year in the U.S. lose a sibling. Zion Kelly joined that unlucky group in 2017 when his twin, Zaire, was killed. Zion has learned a lot about grief, and himself, since then.

PFAS chemicals have been used for decades to waterproof and stain-proof consumer products and are linked to health problems.

Eye damage is rare and sometimes temporary, but it never hurts to get it checked.

Researchers have learned a lot about blended families since the 1970s — when The Brady Bunch painted a perfect picture of stepsiblings getting along. Some of their advice might surprise you.

Having siblings can mean shared family and childhood experiences — and also shared bedrooms and rivalries. A growing body of research shows us that sibling relationships can shape us for life.

The secrecy that shrouded Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis is something that any new cancer patient can understand. It's daunting to decide when to share, whom to tell and how much to say.

For many people, meditation retreats bring peace of mind. But for some, it's the opposite. Reporters heard from dozens of people who experienced hallucinations, paralyzing fear – and worse.

Scientists think the timing of exercise might matter for performance — and for your overall health. Here's what to know about their latest findings.

After a fall near the first anniversary of her beloved aunt's death, a writer explored why grief can make us less sure-footed. She found answers, climbing a precarious staircase in Italy.

According to the CDC, about one in four adults has a fear of needles. Many of those people say the phobia started when they were kids. For some people, the fear of needles is strong enough that they avoid getting important treatments, vaccines or tests. That poses a serious problem for public health. Researchers have helped develop a five step plan to help prevent what they call "needless pain" for kids getting injections or their blood drawn. Guest host Tom Dreisbach talks with Dr. Stefan Friedrichsdorf of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, who works with a team to implement the plan at his own hospital. Friedrichsdorf told us some of the most important research on eliminating pain has come from researchers in Canada. Learn more about their work here.

This episode was inspired by the reporting of our colleague April Dembosky, a journalist at member station KQED and KFF Health News. Read her digital story here.

Got another question for a doctor? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

There are legal safeguards to protect patients from big bills like out-of-network air-ambulance rides. But insurers may not pay if they decide the ride wasn't medically necessary.