COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Search for Antibodies That 'First Do No Harm'

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May 28, 2020

Dear Reader, Several COVID-19 vaccine developers have launched human trials in record time, with the goal of eliciting the right antibodies to disarm the virus. But public health officials and scientists caution against moving too quickly, because these immune defenders occasionally exacerbate disease rather than guard against it. Our lead story has the details. Also in today's news roundup: The EU pandemic recovery package includes plans to address climate change. America is continuing its exodus from coal. And lastly, some corals under stress from warmer waters are turning neon instead of bleaching white.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Medicine COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Search for Antibodies That 'First Do No Harm' Biotechs and pharma want to protect patients without triggering immune system havoc By Esther Landhuis

Evolution Earliest 'Chickens' Were Actually Pheasants A new analysis ruffles the story of poultry domestication  By Rachel Nuwer

Climate E.U.'s Coronavirus Recovery Plan Also Aims to Fight Climate Change The proposed package would boost clean energy and transport to help the continent become carbon neutral by 2050 By Nathanial Gronewold,E&E News

Biology Colorful Corals Beat Bleaching Exposed to mildly warmer waters, some corals turn neon, instead of bleaching white. The dramatic colors may help coax symbiotic algae back. Christopher Intagliata reports.  By Christopher Intagliata | 02:15

Computing When Will Speech-Recognition Software Finally Be Good Enough? Think how much time we'd save if voice assistants always understood commands or questions the first time By Wade Roush

Energy Coal's Decline Continues with 13 Plant Closures Announced in 2020 The fuel is increasingly uncompetitive with cheaper natural gas and renewable energy By Benjamin Storrow,E&E News

Public Health A Day in the Life of a COVID-19 Physician The pandemic challenges a young critical care doctor in ways he could never have imagined By Benjamin Stix

Space The Angle of Doom When an asteroid hits a planet it's not just about the energy By Caleb A. Scharf

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FROM THE ARCHIVE Pocket Watch Catches Pickpockets Originally published in August 1856 | May 2020

QUOTE OF THE DAY "People say, we've got to get a vaccine yesterday. And on the other hand, you have people saying, 'Oh no, we have to be really careful.' How to balance this? We can't open up the country until we have a vaccine, until we have herd immunity. So it becomes a difficult question: What's the most correct course of action?" Stanley Perlman, physician and viral immunologist at the University of Iowa

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