CRISPR Gene Drives and the Future of Evolution
CRISPR Gene Drives and the Future of Evolution
Genetic engineering pioneer Kevin Esvelt’s work highlights biotechnology’s immense potential for good—but also for catastrophe.
Genetic engineering pioneer Kevin Esvelt’s work highlights biotechnology’s immense potential for good—but also for catastrophe.
pandemic
The Evolution of Bats’ Super Immunity
Niki Spahich, PhD | Jan 10, 2024 | 4 min read
Researchers generated complete genomes of two important bat species and explored their immune- and cancer-related genes.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Abruptly Altered the Infant Microbiome
Kamal Nahas, PhD | Jan 4, 2024 | 4 min read
Microbial diversity in the infant gut shrank suddenly during the first lockdown, but the lasting health effects are less clear.
COVID-19: Lessons Learned
The Scientist | 2 min read
An expert panel will discuss what researchers have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and what lessons remain for the future.
How an Early Warning Radar Could Prevent Future Pandemics
Amos Zeeberg, Undark | Feb 27, 2023 | 8 min read
Metagenomic sequencing can help detect unknown pathogens, but its widespread use faces challenges.
Notable Science Quotes
The Scientist | Dec 14, 2022 | 2 min read
Leaving Twitter, improving science communication, understanding the dangers of avian flu, and more
The Scientist Speaks - Ancient Secrets of the Plague
Niki Spahich, PhD | 1 min read
Simon Rasmussen discusses his research tracking the origins of the plague by analyzing ancient DNA.
What Happens When You Catch More than One Virus?
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Dec 7, 2022 | 8 min read
The “tripledemic” shines a spotlight on viral interference, in which one infection can block another.
Blood Thinner Ineffective for COVID-19 Patients: Study
Dan Robitzski | Nov 28, 2022 | 2 min read
A clinical trial finds that the anticoagulant apixaban, which has been prescribed to help COVID-19 patients recover, is ineffective and in rare instances dangerous.
Characterizing Proteolysis During SARS-CoV-2 Infection
The Scientist Creative Services Team in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific | 1 min read
Edward Emmott will discuss mass spectrometry approaches to understand proteolysis during viral infection and their use in developing targeted strategies for COVID-19 treatment.
Scientists ID Heart-Damaging SARS-CoV-2 Protein
Grace van Deelen | Nov 22, 2022 | 3 min read
In flies and mice, a viral protein increases the rate of energy use by heart cells. But it’s not yet clear if the finding applies to humans.
Climate Change, Deforestation Drive Bat Virus Spillover Into Humans
Amanda Heidt | Nov 17, 2022 | 4 min read
Bats that experience food shortages due to climate change and habitat loss end up roosting in urban settings, where they shed more of the deadly Hendra virus.
Treatments for Disease Pandemics
The Scientist | 1 min read
Researchers develop new vaccines and therapeutics to combat the spread of infectious diseases.
FTX Collapse Imperils Philanthropic Research Funding
Shawna Williams | Nov 15, 2022 | 2 min read
Natural science research projects were among those promised funding by the now-collapsed crypto exchange’s “effective altruism” foundations.
![several blue office chairs sit empty in a carpeted room, with a paper sign saying "Vaccination centre welcome" pasted on the white wall above. ](https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/70641/aImg/48209/empty-chair-article-image-t.jpg "several blue office chairs sit empty in a carpeted room, with a paper sign saying "Vaccination centre welcome" pasted on the white wall above. ")
Is a Winter COVID-19 Case Surge Coming?
Katherine Irving | Oct 17, 2022 | 3 min read
Low booster rates and immune-evading SARS-CoV-2 variants could spell bad news, experts say.
The Impact of Influenza
The Scientist | 1 min read
Richard Webby and Edward Hutchinson discuss influenza viruses—the development of new strains, how they mediate virulence, and their threat to human society.
Oxford-AstraZeneca Nasal COVID-19 Vaccine Falters in Clinical Trial
Dan Robitzski | Oct 11, 2022 | 2 min read
Researchers say they’re abandoning the project in its current form—one of several that aims to induce what’s known as mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
Opinion: Eating Right to Avoid Catastrophe
Giulia Wegner and Kris A. Murray | Oct 3, 2022 | 5 min read
The key to averting cataclysmic events, such as pandemics, climate change, and mass extinction of species, lies partly in what’s on our plates.
Securing the Antibody Supply Chain through Recombinant Antibody Technology: A COVID-19 Case Study
The Scientist Creative Services Team in collaboration with Sartorius Corporation | 1 min read
Nicholas Hutchings will discuss how recombinant antibody technology can speed up the response to a pandemic.
Multiple Possible Causes of Long COVID Come into Focus
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Sep 28, 2022 | 10+ min read
Recent studies have lent support for a variety of hypotheses explaining the debilitating symptoms affecting millions of people after SARS-CoV-2 infection.