Jessica Firger
Reporter
Jessica Firger is a staff writer at Newsweek, where she covers all things health. She previously worked as a health editor at CBSnews.com and Everyday Health. Before taking on the medical beat, she was a stringer for the Wall Street Journal's metro section and was the lead on-the-ground reporter for the paper's coverage of Occupy Wall Street. Jessica has also written for the New York Times, Al Jazeera America, Salon, Elle and Marie Claire, among others. She's a native New Yorker.
Can Tech Save the Planet? Cisco Thinks So
Investing in innovation—and allowing employees to work from home—can reduce a company's footprint.
At Hasbro, Sustainability Is Essential to Child's Play
The beloved toy company has found innovative ways to make its iconic brands more eco-friendly.
The Top Medical Stories Of The Year For 2017
From CRISPR bacon to Donald Trump's opioid war declaration, these are the top health stories of 2017.
Ecolab: U.S. Leader in Sustainability Solutions
This company helps corporations meet their bottom line while still helping to sustain the environment's resources.
Opioid Crisis Driven by Shady Drug Company Tactics
Investigators are closing in on Big Pharma, claiming that shady tactics fueled the opioid crisis.
Space Travel Leads to Neurological Disorders
The change in position causes blurry vision, migraines and other symptoms.
PSA Reminds Travelers to Leave the Pot in California
The PSA reads “Cannabis is legal, traveling with it is not. Leave it in California.”
Here's What's Really in Your Halloween Chocolate
The law lets a substance be called chocolate even when it contains minimal amounts. So what else is in there?
Young Women Resist Condom Use as Well
Many women use the same explanation and reasoning to forgo this type of contraception that prevents against sexually transmitted infections.
Chloe the Mini Frenchie Dies After Hospital Error
The pint-size pup was recovering from surgery when doctors made a terrible mistake.
Opioid Crisis to Be Declared a Public Health Emergency
Trump's formal announcement will allow the Department of Health and Human Services to take sweeping actions.
The Ethical Dilemma of Conjoined Twins
“Some people think separating them when you know one will die is an act of killing, and other people think it's the only humane thing.”
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Claims Another Hurricane Survivor
A carpenter working on demolition became the third person to become seriously ill, and the second to die from the disease following the storm recovery efforts.
Halloween Costume Ideas Inspired by Science
Real news inspires killer trick-or-treat looks.
How Depression Medication Is Polluting the Ocean
Shore crabs exposed to trace amounts of Prozac behaved in strange ways that could threaten the species.
Here's How to Be Happy: Shorten Your Work Commute
People who use public transportation to get to and from work tend to feel the least fulfilled in life.
Being Beautiful Can Hurt Your Chances of Employment
A new study suggests unattractive people are at an advantage when it comes to menial or boring work.
Depressed Patient Sweats Blood from Her Palms and Face
The condition is more often associated with biblical stories than medical reports.
Here's What the Future of Medicine Looks Like
From first responder drones and programmable flu shots to artificial wombs and virtual reality hospice pods—health care could begin to look like the stuff of science fiction.
People Want to Have Sex With Robots
It won’t be long until we see “a merging of dildonics with robotics.”
Oral Sex and Smoking Increase Oral HPV Cancer Risk
HPV-related cancer is many times more common in men than women.
Pot Is Becoming More Potent—Here's Why
Growers are cultivating strains that cause psychosis and memory loss.
Americans Are Gross: One in Ten Use Their Hair to Floss
Here's what many of us do when there's a little spinach stuck between teeth.
Researchers Identify Four Genes Linked to OCD
Sufferers of the crippling mental disorder may take solace in at least having some causative genes identified.
HPV: Oral Sex Risks Men Need to Know
There are some 11.5 million men in the U.S. who currently have oral HPV compared to only 3.2 million women.
Older Women of Color Are Now Considered Beautiful
People magazine's list of most beautiful celebrities suggests our society's idea of what makes someone attractive may actually be changing.
What Is Necrotizing Fasciitis?
Health experts recommend thorough wound cleaning to prevent this rare infection from ever occurring.
Debunking The Idea That 'Working Out' Will Save You
Exercise stemming from daily life had the most dramatic risk-reducing effects.
Magic Mushrooms Reset the Brain, Stop Depression
Brain scans revealed that psilocybin could be more effective than antidepressants.
What Happens to Women's Brains When They Orgasm?
Women's ability to multitask might not stop in the bedroom.
America Pops Opioids, While Developing Nations Suffer
Increasingly strict drug regulations are creating a new health crisis outside the U.S.
Anti-Vaxxers Should Know About Herd Immunity
Some health experts don’t completely agree on the number of kids that actually need to be immunized.