Author: Asa Secher

Who Run The (Anxious) World? Girls.

Adolescence has never been easy – from worries about school, friends and all the ways their bodies are changing, teenagers have it rough. Mental health experts say these worries are taking their toll. According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health – anxiety is now the most common mental health diagnosis for college students. And this can be limiting, getting in the way of things you want to do in your life. As Åsa Secher reports, the focus is narrowing in on girls, who researchers say are twice as likely to be affected.

Read More

Advocates Petition for Science to be part of Presidential Debate

Counting last night’s debate in Brooklyn, there have been a total of 22 debates this campaign season. And there is one area that has hardly been talked about at all: science. To remedy that, a group of science enthusiasts are trying, for the third election in a row, to organize a science debate. As Åsa Secher reports, 50,000 people have signed their petition so far – among them are Nobel laureates as well as celebrities like Johnny Depp. So will this be the year it actually happens?

Read More

Debate Over Do-It-Yourself Gene Editing

Cluster regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats – CRISPR. It’s a mouthful, and a new scientific technique. In English, it’s like a new kind of scissor one that allows scientists to precisely correct mutations in a genome – like a cut and paste tool for DNA. Now, two big labs – one from Harvard and MIT and another from Berkeley – are fighting over the patent for the technology. But in the meantime, it’s already being used by the do-it-yourself community. And as Åsa Secher reports, that raises concerns about putting powerful scientific tools in the hands of lay people.

Read More

Independent Artists Stage Fair


It’s a big week for art lovers – the biggest art fair in New York – the Armory Show, opened yesterday. It’s a showcase for more than 200 art galleries from around the world who put their artists in the show. But it doesn’t feature art by artists who don’t have a gallery representing them. Those independent artists are having an art fair of their own. Åsa Secher reports.

Read More

NYU Holds Hack-A-Thon To Increase Access To Dental Care

Health officials say one in three New Yorkers have not had their teeth checked out in the past year. Yet going to the dentist regularly is the best way to make sure you don’t develop oral diseases. Increasing access to dental care is one of the challenges that 700 students are tackling tonight at the NYU Global Hackathon. Åsa Secher went to NYU ahead of tonight’s event.

Read More