All Stories by Erin Garcia de Jesús
- Neuroscience
Catnip repels insects. Scientists may have finally found out how
The plant deters mosquitoes and fruit flies by triggering a chemical receptor that, in other animals, senses pain and itch.
- Genetics
The oldest animal DNA ever recovered reveals mammoths’ evolution
Mammoths evolved to handle the cold over hundreds of thousands of years and North America may been home to a hybrid species, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Pfizer’s vaccine appears to reduce coronavirus transmission
People who carry low amounts of the coronavirus in their bodies are less likely to spread COVID-19. Pfizer’s shot appears to help reduce viral loads.
- Health & Medicine
How coronavirus variants may drive reinfection and shape vaccination efforts
New coronavirus variants could infect people who have already recovered from COVID-19 or been vaccinated, but there are still many unknowns.
- Health & Medicine
What do COVID-19 vaccines mean for daily life in the months ahead?
Effective COVID-19 vaccines are a ray of hope. But masks and distancing are still necessary, especially with contagious variants spreading.
- Health & Medicine
How coronavirus variants may pose challenges for COVID-19 vaccines
Some coronavirus mutations may make vaccines less effective, but the immune system is multifaceted and vaccines can be updated.
- Physics
50 years ago, scientists poked holes in the existence of polywater
In 1971, scientists were casting doubt on an anomalous form of water. Fifty years later, water’s odd properties are still mysterious.
- Animals
Some bacteria are suffocating sea stars, turning the animals to goo
For years, researchers thought an infectious pathogen was behind sea star wasting disease. Instead, bacteria deplete the starfishes’ oxygen.
- Health & Medicine
The more contagious coronavirus variant may soon be the U.S.’s dominant strain
More rigorous efforts to vaccinate, wear masks and social distance are needed to curb the variant’s spread, CDC says.
- Health & Medicine
Could delaying a second vaccine dose lead to more dangerous coronavirus strains?
Some experts worry extending the time between vaccine doses could help the virus evolve in potentially harmful ways, but viral evolution is complex.
- Health & Medicine
The new U.K. coronavirus variant is concerning. But don’t freak out
A new version of the coronavirus may be better at spreading from person to person, but there’s still a lot scientists don’t know.
- Health & Medicine
How does the newly authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine compare to Pfizer’s?
The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, bringing the number of vaccines available in the United States to two.
