The document, which was facilitated by the European Commission, establishes new benchmarks regarding how research assessments should be performed.

Evidence thus far shows that pregnant people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at higher risk for severe disease and death, as well as complications in their pregnancies.

Studies show that a fourth mRNA vaccine dose offers the elderly and other high-risk groups strong protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19, but experts say benefits for other populations may be more limited.

A lack of comprehension among some researchers about how to use ClinicalTrials.gov may be hindering public access to trial information and holding up drug study results, an investigation by The Scientist finds.

Researchers are going beyond fecal samples to understand how the patterns of commensal microbes in the gastrointestinal tract influence development and health.

And how do scientists go about answering that question?

Studies suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection could trigger the development of diabetes in some people, even those with no other risk factors.

Observational evidence for the connection is solidifying, and some clues are emerging about the mechanisms that may explain it.

Niacin, a form of vitamin B3 used to treat cardiovascular disease, helps immune cells in the brain fight neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s in mice models, according to recent studies. Researchers hope that human clinical trials will swiftly follow.

Ukrainian scientists and universities face extraordinary challenges as the Russian invasion continues.

The now month-long invasion of Ukraine has resulted in changes in policies and severances of international scientific collaborations with Russian universities and researchers. The war has also precipitated a moral reckoning for many scientists in Russia.

The CDC has given the OK to lift indoor mask mandates in much of the US, and a growing number of states no longer require face coverings in schools. But most experts agree that masks slow school spread of SARS-CoV-2, and whether now is the right time to allow teachers and students to unmask is a matter of debate.

Evidence suggests that COVID-19 is primarily an airborne disease. Yet the details of how transmission occurs are still debated and frequently misunderstood.

The field of ancient DNA, which combines archaeology and anthropology with cutting-edge genetics, is requiring scientists to have frank conversations about when research is justified and who it benefits.

Studies have found that organisms can inherit mitochondria from male parents in rare instances, and both theoretical and experimental work hint that this biparental inheritance is more than just a fluke.

Anecdotal reports and results from small studies on the diagnostics’ accuracy have prompted questions about the devices’ usage with the new variant, but researchers say more data are needed and emphasize the continued importance of SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Early reports that Omicron causes less-severe disease than Delta seem to be borne out, but it’s not yet clear to what extent that’s due to the variant itself versus the populations it’s infecting.

Experts have a decent grasp on how COVID-19 impacts cardiovascular health in the near term. The implications of long COVID, however, remain mysterious.

The International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes recently pulled the rank of phylum into its code of official nomenclature. Experts say the move will help standardize science in the long run but potentially disrupt research now.