Science

A walk through the streets of New York during the pandemic echoes the loneliness and isolation many Americans are feeling in their battle against a virus that has brought multiple traumas — with no end in sight.

Pandemic's Emotional Hammer Hits Hard

4:37pm September 02, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

Mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been profound, researchers find. Nearly 25% of Americans are depressed, particularly those who have low incomes and have lost a job or a loved one.

Gyms are reopening with fewer people and more protocols, and they want to rehabilitate their pandemic-battered image. Although there's not much evidence, they say the science is on their side.

Making Gyms Safer: Why The Virus Is Less Likely To Spread There Than In A Bar

11:12am September 02, 2020

by Will Stone

Gyms are reopening with fewer people and more protocols, and they want to rehabilitate their pandemic-battered image. Although there's not much evidence, they say the science is on their side.

Science

Bats Use Baby Talk To Teach Their Pups, Researchers Say

4:09pm August 31, 2020

Researchers say mother bats use baby talk to communicate with their pups. Experts say that it helps bats learn the language.

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'Disease tolerance' is the ability of an individual, due to a genetic predisposition or some aspect of behavior or lifestyle, to thrive despite being infected with an amount of pathogen that sickens others. It might play a role in asymptomatic coronavirus

Scientists Explore Why Some People Are Able To Live With An Infection Unscathed

6:00am August 29, 2020

by Emily Laber-Warren

What if your body could corral an infection instead of eliminating it? Immunologists who see this sort of "disease tolerance" in plants wonder what role it might play in asymptomatic human infections.

The five largest fires in California history have occurred since 2003, a sign that climate change is making extreme wildfires more frequent.

Science

Everything Is Unprecedented. Welcome To Your Hotter Earth

1:07pm August 28, 2020

Hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and disease outbreaks are all a preview of our hotter future. Dramatically cutting greenhouse gas emissions would help.

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Hurricane Laura caused a fire at a chemical plant owned by BioLab in Westlake, La. The plant manufactures chemicals for swimming pools.

Millions Of Pounds Of Extra Pollution Were Released Before Hurricane Laura's Landfall

12:55pm August 28, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

Hurricane Laura hit an area known for its refineries and chemical plants. They released millions of pounds of air pollution when they shut down, and many air monitors are not functioning.

Several influenza vaccines have been made in the form of a nasal spray, instead of an injection. The sprays confer two kinds of immunity to the recipient but can be difficult technologically to make.

What A Nasal Spray Vaccine Against COVID-19 Might Do Even Better Than A Shot

12:15pm August 28, 2020

by Joe Palca

A vaccine against the coronavirus needs to keep people from getting very sick and dying. But preventing the spread of the disease is also important, and vaccines delivered by nasal spray may do that.

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Teacher Alisha Morris created an interactive tracker of coronavirus in schools, current through Aug. 23, including this map, created by another volunteer. The National Education Association will now take on updates to the database.

How Many Coronavirus Cases Are Happening In Schools? This Tracker Keeps Count

9:57am August 28, 2020

Alisha Morris, a Kansas theater teacher, created a database of COVID-19 cases in schools. Now maintained by the National Education Association, it shares data that some schools prefer to keep quiet.

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Frances Acuña drives through southeast Austin with a sensor attached to her driver's side door. It's part of a federal study to measure rising urban heat.

Poor Neighborhoods Feel Brunt Of Rising Heat. Cities Are Mapping Them To Bring Relief

5:00am August 28, 2020

by Mose Buchele

In 13 U.S. cities this summer, volunteers are capturing detailed measurements that will include the heat index people experience. Cities will use the new heat maps to help cool the hottest spots.

Parnell McKay, the civil defense director of Pass Christian, Miss., looks over the town's main business district on Aug. 23, 1969 after Hurricane Camille passed through.

Historic Gulf Coast Hurricanes: How Does Laura Compare?

6:49pm August 27, 2020

by Scott Neuman

Hurricane Laura has been described as one of the most powerful storms to hit the Gulf Coast in decades. We take a look at other infamous storms to strike the region.