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Featured News
Mark Stockwell
/
The Associated Press
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has coasted to victory in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate Democratic Primary over challenger U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton.

WAMC Programs

We've all heard of the placebo effect, the remarkable ability of positive expectations to make us feel better. But what about its darker twin? In her new book, ‘This Book May Cause Side Effects, The Curious and Dangerous Power of the Nocebo Effect, Placebo's Evil Twin.’ Dr. Helen Pilcher explores how negative expectations can produce very real symptoms, intensify pain, and even contribute to illness.Pilcher is a science writer and former scientist with advanced training in neuroscience and a former reporter for ‘Nature.’ Her new book takes us from chronic pain and medication side effects to mass psychogenic illness, asking a provocative question, can what we believe about our health actually change our health?

New York Public Media
Dennis Jarvis
/
Wikimedia Commons
Staff at the closed tourist attraction have completed the largest collective move of captive whales ever seen in the world.
NPR News
Masoud Mohammadi
/
Tasnim News Agency via AP
The six-month war has led to a spike in oil prices, roiled the global economy and posed increasing political problems for President Trump's Republican Party ahead of November midterm elections.