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Rae Ellen Bichell

Latest Stories (3)

A nanoengineer teamed up with Rihanna’s tattoo artist to make smarter ink

Aug 21, 2023
Tattoos are more popular than ever. About a third of Americans have at least one. The creators of this new vanishing ink hope it's a first step toward smart tattoos that provide intel about our bodies.
Scientist Carson Bruns’ laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder makes tattoo inks by mixing, stirring, evaporating and spinning a series of liquids until they end up with particles of dye encased in beads of plexiglass.
Rae Ellen Bichell/KFF Health News

What does a contact tracer's job entail?

Jun 30, 2020
As states look for contact tracers to track potential coronavirus transmission, people with strong communication skills and an ability to work with people under stress are good candidates.
A contact tracer in Brussels. The U.S. could need as many as 100,000 of them to track potential coronavirus transmission.
Laurie Dieffembacq/Belga/AFP via Getty Images

In search of child care solutions, startups turn to home providers

Dec 2, 2019
Demand for child care is high and in some places, there are shortages. A number of startups believe the answer lies in in-home child care.
Tricia Shields organizes toys at the in-home child care center she just started in Parker, Colorado.
Rae Ellen Bichell/Mountain West News Bureau