How a tiny, wobbling particle could unlock mysteries of the universe
It’s an exciting time in particle physics. The results of a new experiment out of Fermilab in Illinois — involving a subatomic particle wobbling weirdly — could lead to new ways of understanding our universe. To understand why physicists are…
The CDC embraces the power of the vaccines
Over the past few months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was criticized for playing it too cautiously with its Covid-19 guidance. The agency had recommended people wear masks outdoors, even kids in the outdoor heat of summer…
3 possible futures for Covid-19 in the US — with hope for a return to normal
The future of America’s Covid-19 epidemic can now be distilled into this: long-term confidence and hope, but short-term uncertainty and, perhaps, even despair. Vaccines are rolling out quickly, setting up the country to crush the outbreaks that have warped our…
The next Covid-19 vaccine hurdle: Convincing millions of Americans they want the shot
In the coming months, America could reach a point when it has more Covid-19 vaccines than people want. Between efforts from the federal government and drug companies to step up manufacturing and distribution, the US’s vaccine supply is truly increasing:…
How to make this winter not totally suck, according to psychologists
This winter is brutal. The cold weather has made it hard to socialize outdoors, coronavirus variants are spreading, and the US is about to surpass half a million Covid-19 deaths. Many of us are feeling anxious about how we’re going…
What it’s like to die from Covid-19
We’ve reached half a million deaths from the coronavirus in the US. But most of these deaths — and the grueling medical ordeals leading up to them — have remained largely hidden from view. The majority of terminally ill Covid-19…
The Texan dream of going it alone was never real
The power was still out in my Dallas housing complex early last Tuesday, so I grabbed the survival hatchet from my emergency bag to chop up a couple of fallen trees, which were covered with six inches of down-soft snow…
FDA advisers unanimously recommend Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine
A panel of expert advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously on Friday afternoon to recommend the one-dose Covid-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson for an emergency use authorization. The next step is for the FDA…
The Senate just took a step toward actually lowering US greenhouse gas emissions
The Senate on Wednesday took an important step forward on limiting emissions — and meeting its commitments to curb global warming — by voting to limit the unbridled release of methane molecules, often a byproduct of natural gas production, into…
Will Covid-19 vaccines protect you against variants? 9 questions about variants, answered.
The Covid-19 pandemic now appears to be the worst it has ever been, with daily new cases worldwide topping 800,000 several times over the past week. More new cases have been reported in the past two weeks than in the…