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Features

Illustration of a person sick next to a calendar indicating they've had covid for a long time
Mechanisms of Long COVID Remain Unknown but Data Are Rolling In
Sruthi S. Balakrishnan | Sep 1, 2021
A year and a half into the pandemic, the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection are garnering more research attention as millions of long COVID patients emerge.
An image depicting where covid affects the body
SARS-CoV-2’s Wide-Ranging Effects on the Body
Diana Kwon | Sep 1, 2021
Researchers’ painstaking examinations have begun to reveal how the virus wreaks havoc in multiple organs and tissues.

Editorial

Image of an abstract Earth view from space with fiber optic cables rising from major cities.
Delta Blues
Delta Blues
Humanity was hoping to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic this year. But viruses have plenty of tools at their disposal, and we should plan for a long-term future in which SARS-CoV-2 is a persistent threat.

Speaking of Science

Crossword image for October's puzzle
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.

Critic at Large

Image of the microscopic view of an infectious virus cell, RNA.
Opinion: The Pandemic and the RNA Sequencing Gap
Opinion: The Pandemic and the RNA Sequencing Gap
RNA sequencing technology lags far behind researchers’ ability to decode and understand DNA. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this dangerous shortcoming.

Notebook

Megalodon from prehistoric times scene 3D illustration
Classroom Science Leads to Revision of Megalodon’s Size
Classroom Science Leads to Revision of Megalodon’s Size
A handful of high schoolers prompt scientists to develop a new approach for calculating the size of the ancient behemoth.
Ionizing Radiation sign near Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone of alienation, Ukraine
New Chernobyl Initiative Aims to Boost Research on the Area
New Chernobyl Initiative Aims to Boost Research on the Area
Sergii Mirnyi, one of the people who helped clean up after the 1986 disaster, says he founded Chornobyl University to promote much-needed interdisciplinary research on the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

Modus Operandi

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, 3D illustration. Microscopic fungi, baker's or brewer's yeast, are used as probiotics to restore normal flora of intestine
Yeast “Mini Labs” Help Researchers Probe Histone Modifications
Yeast “Mini Labs” Help Researchers Probe Histone Modifications
By harnessing a unique property of yeast, scientists can synthesize histones and the enzymes that modify these proteins, which spool DNA and influence gene expression.

The Literature

Five morphs of Poecilia parae—from top: melanzona yellow, melanzona blue, melanzona red, parae, immaculata—and a female (bottom) of the same species
Fish Species’ Y Chromosomes Diverged Even Without Recombination
Fish Species’ Y Chromosomes Diverged Even Without Recombination
Researchers discover surprisingly high levels of genetic diversity among the colorful male morphs of a freshwater fish.
Immunofluorescence image of human tenocytes (cell nuclei in blue, actin in red) with PIEZO1 protein labeled in green (Scale bar: 20 ?m)
Mechanosensory Protein Helps Tendons Stiffen After Exercise
Mechanosensory Protein Helps Tendons Stiffen After Exercise
Researchers identify a role for PIEZO1 in tendon adaptation, and show that people with certain versions of the Piezo1 gene tend to be better jumpers.

Scientist to Watch

A smiling Black man leans against a colorful wall
Shane Campbell-Staton Dissects the Anthropocene
Shane Campbell-Staton Dissects the Anthropocene
The Princeton University evolutionary biologist studies how animals are changing due to human activity.

Careers

Illustration of a person confused looking at a computer
When Researchers Sound the Alarm on Problematic Papers
When Researchers Sound the Alarm on Problematic Papers
Finding and reporting an irregularity in a published study can lead people down an unexpected path.

Reading Frames

Human blood in a plastic Intravenous drip bag, the tube running out of the image. Square crop. Horizontal with copy space.
Opinion: What the History of Blood Transfusion Reveals About Risk
Opinion: What the History of Blood Transfusion Reveals About Risk
Every medical intervention—even one with a centuries-long history—brings dangers, some of which become clear only later.

Foundations

A black and white photo of two sets of flowers in test tubes, one of which is wilting
Posies, Poison, and Periods, Early 1920s
Posies, Poison, and Periods, Early 1920s
Centuries of folklore backed by scientists in the early 1900s have perpetuated the idea that menstruating women can exert dangerous forces.

Infographics

Illustration showing the bodily systems affected by Long COVID
Infographic: Bodily Systems Affected by Long COVID
Infographic: Bodily Systems Affected by Long COVID
Symptoms documented in cases of long COVID are wide ranging and variable.
An illustration showing the damage SARS-CoV-2 wreaks on the body
Infographic: The Havoc SARS-CoV-2 Wreaks on the Body
Infographic: The Havoc SARS-CoV-2 Wreaks on the Body
COVID-19 affects far more than just the lungs. Researchers are actively documenting the damage the disease causes to the heart, brain, liver, and much more.
Illustration showing how yeast is used to study histone modifications
Infographic: A Yeast Model for Studying Histone Modifications
Infographic: A Yeast Model for Studying Histone Modifications
The methodology involves modifying histones and displaying them on the cell surface for analysis.