A new COVID vaccine; America's 'lost national park'; a Theranos whistleblower celebrates

Plus, one thing the Capitol riot suspects have in common. [View this email online]( [Best of NPR]( January 9, 2022 This week, we looked at a [new COVID vaccine]( the [re-emergence of a "lost national park]( and [arming for winter travel](. Plus, NPR's Scott Simon has a few recommendations. --------------------------------------------------------------- Scott’s Weekly Weigh-in [Cars and trucks are stranded on sections of Interstate 95 Tuesday Jan. 4] Steve Helber/AP A good weekend to you. I was cheered to see the story of twins Alfredo Antonio Trujillo and his sister, Aylin Yolanda Trujillo, born within moments of each other but a year apart in Salinas, Calif. It moved me to try to mull over in [this week’s essay]( what 2021 and 2022 may be remembered for as the twins grow up. One of my joys is working with talented producers who help me discover new cultural treasures. That phrase might be stretched in describing [Search Party]( which has begun its 5th and final season on HBO. But producer Isabella Gomez Sarmiento introduced me to it, and it’s edgy and funny — two things that might be even more treasured now. John Early and Alia Shawkat, two stars who so deftly puncture their own millennial generation, [are charming and wistful]( as they confront the end of their shared enterprise. Hanya Yanagihira’s hugely anticipated new novel To Paradise makes vivid three alternative societies: [past, future — and a state beset with a virus.]( It depicts a pandemic, but Yanagihira was already deep into her story before COVID struck. We saw [unmetaphorical Beltway gridlock]( this week when a snowstorm stopped all traffic for 40 miles along I-95 in Virginia. Many were stuck in their cars for more than a day, running their motors a few minutes every hour to stay warm. [Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine]( was able to give interviews from his car. But did the 2016 Democratic vice-presidential candidate ever wonder, “If Hilary Clinton and I had won, I could be in a mansion now, with my feet up in front of a fire …” And it’s a weekend to see and celebrate the films of [Sidney Poitier,]( who died Friday at the age of 94. Lilies of the Field and To Sir, With Love are always worth watching. But I’d also recommend the [1961 film Paris Blues]( in which he played an ex-pat Black jazz musician who feels freer in the City of Light. [Scott Simon]( Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of [Weekend Edition Saturday]( and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him [on Twitter](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Stories you might have missed [Eric Balken, executive director of the Glen Canyon Institute, walks through a canyon that was filled by Lake Powell until recent years]( Claire Harbage/NPR A megadrought in the West is revealing America's "lost national park" — a famed desert landscape that re-emerged as water levels in Lake Powell reservoir fell to record lows. Novelist Edward Abbey once described [the spectacular red-rock labyrinth]( as "a portion of Earth's original paradise." Things may seem grim on the pandemic front, with average daily case numbers soaring [this week](. But some experts see a ray of hope ahead. The country "could be in [good shape, maybe even great shape]( in six to eight weeks," said Dr. Bob Wachter of the University of California, San Francisco. Here's more of what we learned about the virus this week: ➡️ A vaccine from Texas could be a global game changer. It's [easy to make and relatively cheap]( — and India has already ordered 300 million doses. ➡️ Scientists say that a typical case of omicron seems to produce symptoms that are [slightly different from those caused by delta](. ➡️ A new study validates what many have experienced: Vaccination can cause [temporary changes to the timing of menstruation](. As researchers studied the more than 700 suspects arrested in connection with the Capitol attack, they found one thing that distinguishes that group: [a belief in replacement theory](. "They are very concerned about the idea that the rights of whites are being overtaken by the rights of minorities," one leading researcher explained. Tyler Shultz was not the only Theranos whistleblower, but he was the first to report troubling findings at the company to regulators nearly a decade ago. When the guilty verdict was read for CEO Elizabeth Holmes, [Shultz felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders]( and he celebrated with family, friends and champagne. ❄️ Winter travel can be rough, no matter where you're going (we're looking at you, I-95). Here's how to prepare for a [road trip in the cold]( and what you can do if [your flight is canceled or delayed](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go [Chakraman Shreshta Balami, who was married at 15, is pictured with his grandson]( Stephanie Sinclair for NPR A Nepalese teenager dreamed of becoming a doctor, but that dream was derailed by child marriage. It's a familiar story — but in this case, the details may surprise you: The 15-year-old wasn't a child bride. [He was a child groom](. Boys are often overlooked in the fight to stop child marriage. Read his story (complete with photos) and learn more about why that’s a problem. --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! [They can sign up here.]( Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]