COVID-19: The Big Questions That Remain

Trouble viewing? View in your browser. View all Scientific American publications.

             

July 28, 2020

Dear Reader, Today's roundup features several stories with updates on the coronavirus pandemic. First, new studies of immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, suggest timing could be critical for a class of proteins known as interferons, which are being researched as potential treatments. Next up, advocates of public transit say there is scant evidence tying major coronavirus outbreaks to buses and trains. Read our piece below to find out what the research actually shows. In a column from our August issue, Peter Glick explains why wearing a mask is not a sign of emasculation. And lastly, a video from Nature runs through some of the key questions about COVID-19 that researchers still don't have answers to.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Public Health COVID-19: The Big Questions That Remain The COVID-19 pandemic has become the worst public-health crisis in a century. More than 500,000 people have died worldwide. It has also catalysed a research revolution, as scientists, doctors and other scholars have worked at breakneck speed to understand COVID-19 and the virus that causes it: SARS-CoV-2. Nature runs through some of the key questions that researchers still don't have answers to. By Dan Fox

Public Health An Immune Protein Could Prevent Severe COVID-19--if It Is Given at the Right Time The antiviral interferon might help early but exacerbate disease in later stages By Esther Landhuis

Public Health Little Evidence that Mass Transit Poses a Risk of Coronavirus Outbreaks A major drop in public transit use coincides with concerns about reducing air pollution that can exacerbate lung conditions By Maxine Joselow,E&E News

Behavior & Society Why Doctors Are Posing in Swimwear on Social Media A study purporting to uncover "unprofessionalism" spurred a #MedBikini backlash By Arghavan Salles,Rena Malik

Behavior & Society Picturing God as a White Man Is Linked to Racial Stereotypes about Leaders Pervasive racial images associated with the Almighty shape who people see as worthy of being in charge By Daisy Grewal

Public Health Why Some Male Leaders Won't Follow COVID-19 Safety Protocols Men often think masks and other precautions make them look like wimps By Peter Glick

Evolution When the First Farmers Arrived in Europe, Inequality Evolved Forests gave way to fields, pushing hunter-gatherers to the margins—geographically and socially By Laura Spinney

Biology The Brittle Star That Sees with Its Body It turns out that eyes aren't necessary for vision By Jennifer Frazer

FROM THE STORE Mind Over Mood: Understanding Anxiety and Depression Anxiety and depression are two of the most common conditions affecting mental health and overall quality of life, but there are tools for managing them. In this eBook, we'll explore how depression shows up in the brain, different manifestations of depression and anxiety, various talk therapies, technological innovations, lifestyle interventions and more.

ADVERTISEMENT

FROM THE ARCHIVE Poor Pluto Is Ten Times Smaller than Thought Originally published in July 1950 | July 2020

LATEST ISSUES

Questions?   Comments?

Download the Scientific American App

To view this email as a web page, go here. You received this email because you opted-in to receive email from Scientific American. To ensure delivery please add news@email.scientificamerican.com to your address book. Unsubscribe     Manage Email Preferences     Privacy Policy     Contact Us