Why Racism, Not Race, Is a Risk Factor for Dying of COVID-19

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June 12, 2020

Dear Reader, COVID-19 is disproportionately killing people of color, particularly Black Americans, who have been dying at more than twice the rate of white people. The reason for these disparities is not biological. It is the result of the deep-rooted and pervasive impacts of racism, according to epidemiologist and physician Camara Phyllis Jones. In an interview with Scientific American, featured in our lead story, Jones explains the ways that discrimination has shaped the suffering produced by the pandemic. Also in today's news, researchers have discovered that a virtually indestructible type of chemical has been building up in the Arctic since the 1990s. The presence of these "forever chemicals" is undoubtedly growing worldwide, scientists say. And lastly, check out the latest episode of our 60-Second Science podcast on delicate mucus houses built by undersea creatures.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Public Health Why Racism, Not Race, Is a Risk Factor for Dying of COVID-19 Public health specialist and physician Camara Phyllis Jones talks about ways that jobs, communities and health care leave Black Americans more exposed and less protected By Claudia Wallis

Environment 'Forever Chemicals' Are Building Up in the Arctic--and Likely Worldwide An ice-core analysis reveals the chemicals that replaced ozone-depleting substances are leading to an increase of nondegradable compounds in the environment By Annie Sneed

Biology 'Snot Palaces' Reveal Undersea Creature Secrets Scientists are studying the delicate mucus houses built by creatures called larvaceans to better understand how they live. Christopher Intagliata reports.  By Christopher Intagliata | 02:12

Policy & Ethics Soot Rule Thrusts EPA into Spotlight on Race Air pollution disproportionately impacts minority communities and proposed changes would stymie efforts to address the disparity By Jean Chemnick,E&E News

Policy & Ethics For Scientific Institutions, Racial Reconciliation Requires Reparations Antiracism in science must be about much more than challenging the bigoted graybeards of our past By C. Brandon Ogbunu

Cognition Wrong-Headed Arrows This illusion takes the right of way with your perspective By Susana Martinez-Conde,Stephen Macknik

Policy & Ethics Bad Medicine Is Worse Than No Medicine History shows that advocating for a "cure" without evidence can be deadly—and it's happening again By Starane Shepherd

FROM THE STORE New Frontiers in Alzheimer's Until recently, one idea has dominated research in treating Alzheimer's disease: the amyloid hypothesis. Those therapies have repeatedly fallen short, and in this eBook we take a look at where that hypothesis stands today. We examine recent research into the spectrum of disease causes, including inflammation and immune dysfunction; cutting-edge treatments, including deep-brain stimulation and magnetic resonance–guided focused ultrasound; as well as lifestyle interventions that can help protect from disease.

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FROM THE ARCHIVE Iron Ponies Are Best for Swarming Military Tanks Originally published in January 1942 | June 2020

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Perhaps this nation is awakening to the realization that racism does indeed hurt us all." Camara Phyllis Jones, epidemiologist and family physician

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