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Emma Betuel
I cover health, science and life on the internet.

The shadows of removed posts are hiding in plain sight on Reddit
Offending posts – including sexually explicit images – linger in comment histories long after removal from subreddits.

Should doxxing be illegal?
Doxxing has long existed in a legal grey area. Now some states are trying to make it illegal.

Delta-8-THC: The rise and fall of a cannabis wild West
Delta-8 exploded in popularity in 2020, but much of what's on the market could be unregulated or unsafe.

Why it took decades to make a malaria vaccine that works
The first WHO endorsed malaria vaccine isn't perfect, but it's a start.

Scientists are using psychedelics to help people cope with racial trauma
Psychologists are finally recognizing that racism causes trauma. Can psychedelics help?

The high stakes fantasy (and reality) of dating a digital nomad
Dating apps are catering to remote workers pursuing a "dream life." But does finding a soulmate mean compromising freedom?

Inside the world of QAnon merchandise
The cottage QAnon merchandise industry is slipping through social media platforms' content moderation policies.

Contact tracers are caring for America, even if the country doesn't care
The emotional lives of contact tracers who are suffering from compassion fatigue and burnout as coronavirus cases climb.

The 61-year-old queen of quarantine karaoke won't stop singing from her living room
An as-told-to story on Billie Hill, a rising star in a 700,000 member-strong Facebook karaoke group.

Dank vapes is the biggest conspiracy in pot that could put you in a coma
Investigation into the underground world of a fake THC vape company that sickened teenagers in summer 2019.

The strange psychology of Reddit's R/Roastme
The moderators of a notoriously trollish subreddit reflect on what we gain (and lose) from roasting people online.

Inside the social media movment claiming it changed the CDC's mind on masks
A hashtag, a facebook group, a graph and the movement that is claiming credit for the CDC's reversal on masks.

The strange story behind the "cure" for Covid-19 that's going viral
How Elon Musk's Twitter feed, and a flawed study, catapulted an unproven drug to fame.

What if dopamine fasting isn't silicon valley b.s.?
A story on the amateur neuroscience of dopamine fasting, and why, for practitioners, the truth of that theory doesn't matter much anyway.

A new vape with hazy origins takes JUUL's place
After the fall of JUUL, a shadowy disposable e-cigarette company rose in its place, and still sells flavored vapes to teenagers.
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