Why Some People Get Terribly Sick from COVID-19

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

             

August 20, 2020

Dear Reader, What determines if someone gets desperately ill from COVID-19? Our lead story explains everything we know so far about the risk factors for severe or fatal cases. In space news, the interstellar object 'Oumuamua might be alien technology because an alternative, non-alien explanation might be fatally flawed, a new study argues. But most scientists think the idea is a long shot. And lastly, instead of suppressing fire, California has moved toward working with it—using controlled flames to restore ecosystems that evolved to burn in frequent, mostly low-intensity blazes.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Public Health Why Some People Get Terribly Sick from COVID-19 Beyond factors such as age and sex, underlying aspects of biology and society influence disease severity By Claudia Wallis

Public Health Schools Have No Good Options for Reopening during COVID-19 Bringing students back into classrooms or keeping them home can both have negative consequences By Sophie Bushwick

Natural Disasters California Looks to Battle Mega Wildfires with Fire As flames once again rage across the state, officials embrace a counterintuitive firefighting approach By Jane Braxton Little

Space Mystery of Interstellar Visitor 'Oumuamua Gets Trickier Aliens? Or a chunk of solid hydrogen? Which idea makes less sense? By Rafi Letzter,LiveScience

Public Health COVID-19 Spit Tests Used by NBA Are Now Authorized by FDA A new saliva-based diagnostic does not require a "brain-tickling" swab, and it can be used with a range of chemical reagents By Tanya Lewis

Climate Mounting Climate Impacts Threaten U.S. Nuclear Reactors Higher temperatures, rising flood risks and increased water stress mean facilities need to take additional resiliency measures By Avery Ellfeldt,E&E News

Behavior & Society How to Ensure the U.S.'s Quantum Future It hinges on the country remaining a global beacon for international STEM talent By Dario Gil

Environment Expanding Paved Areas Has an Outsize Effect on Urban Flooding Researchers have finally been able to determine just how much impervious surfaces exacerbate flood levels By Erica Gies

FROM THE STORE Scientific American Health & Medicine For just $19.99 per year, your subscription includes six bi-monthly digital issues and every digital Health & Medicine issue ever published!

ADVERTISEMENT

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