ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
A black-and-white photo of a person’s hands holding a black-and-white barred chicken. The feathers of its breast have been pulled back to reveal a large tumor.
Transmissible Tumors, 1909
Pathologist Peyton Rous made a groundbreaking discovery in the early 20th century, but his work wasn’t widely recognized until more than 40 years later. 
Transmissible Tumors, 1909
Transmissible Tumors, 1909

Pathologist Peyton Rous made a groundbreaking discovery in the early 20th century, but his work wasn’t widely recognized until more than 40 years later. 

Pathologist Peyton Rous made a groundbreaking discovery in the early 20th century, but his work wasn’t widely recognized until more than 40 years later. 

transmission

four wolves cluster together in the snow next to a tree. one wolf at the front looks out into the distance.
Toxoplasma-Infected Wolves More Likely to Lead Packs, Study Finds
Katherine Irving | Nov 29, 2022 | 3 min read
The parasite appears to make infected wolves less risk-averse, potentially influencing the behavior of packs.
a person in a black shirt crouches on a dirt bank and cups water drawn from a river.
Cholera Outbreak Strikes 29 Countries, Highlights Vaccine Shortage
Katherine Irving | Oct 31, 2022 | 3 min read
The international group coordinating emergency vaccines recommends administering one dose instead of two to combat the “dire shortage” of cholera vaccines worldwide.
Fluorescent cells in culture connected by tunneling nanotubules
SARS-CoV-2 Could Use Nanotubes to Infect the Brain
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Jul 21, 2022 | 4 min read
Stressed cells can form hollow actin bridges to neighbors to get help, but the virus may hijack these tiny tunnels for its own purposes, a study suggests.
Egyptian fruit bat hanging from branch
Marburg Virus Detected in Ghana for First Time
Andy Carstens | Jul 8, 2022 | 2 min read
Preliminary testing indicates that the two people died from the Ebola-like virus, the World Health Organization says.
Aerial view of crowd connected by lines
Monkeypox: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
Andy Carstens | Jun 24, 2022 | 7 min read
The longer and farther the virus spreads, the more likely it could become endemic in new areas, says UCLA epidemiologist Anne Rimoin.
Black and white photo of excavation<br><br>
Black Death Likely Originated in Central Asia
Andy Carstens | Jun 15, 2022 | 5 min read
Genetic testing of people who died in Kyrgyzstan eight years before plague reached Europe reveals an ancient strain of the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
Spraying spray bottle
Nasal Vaccines Are Commercially High Risk, Perhaps High Reward
Jef Akst | Jun 13, 2022 | 10+ min read
Dozens of intranasally delivered vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 are in development. Could they pave the way for widespread nasal vaccination in the future?
animation showing how proximity affects viral transmission
Monkeypox Likely Spread Undetected in US Before Recent Reports  
Andy Carstens | Jun 6, 2022 | 2 min read
Two strains of monkeypox have been detected in the US, suggesting the virus has been circulating in the country for some time, the CDC says.
A micrograph from the first US case of COVID-19, with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in blue
SARS-CoV-2 Can Spread Via Cell-to-Cell Transmission
Catherine Offord | Apr 4, 2022 | 2 min read
The virus’s ability to slip directly from one cell to another may help it avoid some of the body’s immune responses.
A young white-tailed deer in the snow
Possible Case of Deer-To-Human SARS-CoV-2 Transmission
Catherine Offord | Mar 3, 2022 | 2 min read
Canadian researchers identify a highly mutated variant of the virus in white-tailed deer and link it to a human COVID-19 case in the region—though they emphasize that the infection risk to people is low.
masked teacher sitting on floor showing masked students something on a tablet
Does Science Support Lifting School Mask Mandates?
Rachael Moeller Gorman | Feb 28, 2022 | 10+ min read
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.
Illustration of SARS-CoV-2 virus in red and blue
Scientists Investigate Omicron Subvariant BA.2
Catherine Offord | Jan 28, 2022 | 2 min read
This strain of SARS-CoV-2 is causing new outbreaks in Europe and Asia and may spread slightly faster than the better-known BA.1 Omicron subvariant, although it’s too early to say for sure.
Isolated Realistic Coronavirus Covid-19 Molecule in a Biological Environment stock photo
Tweak to N Protein Makes Delta Variant More Infectious
Chloe Tenn | Nov 5, 2021 | 2 min read
Using a novel lab technique, researchers identified a mutation that allows the virus to insert more genetic material into host cells.
Deer at grass field with autumn trees at the background stock photo
Researchers Detect Coronavirus in Iowa Deer
Chloe Tenn | Nov 3, 2021 | 3 min read
Multiple white tailed deer tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 likely transmitted from humans, a study finds, indicating the species could act as a reservoir for the virus.
Computer scientist Ashok Srinivasan masked in front of a plane
Random Plane Boarding Minimizes COVID-19 Risk: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Apr 27, 2021 | 5 min read
A modeling study of boarding behavior finds filling the plane from back to front extends the close contact time between passengers and therefore increases the risks posed by air travel.
Q&A: Data Gaps Hinder Monitoring of SARS-COV-2 Variants
Jef Akst | Mar 24, 2021 | 6 min read
Martha Nelson of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases talks about the need to balance data sharing and patient privacy concerns when tracking the spread of variants.
Second Person Dies in Latest Ebola Outbreak in DRC
Catherine Offord | Feb 11, 2021 | 2 min read
The woman may have had a link to another person, who was married to an Ebola survivor and who died a few days previously in Democratic Republic of Congo.
escape mutant vaccine resistance covid-19 sars-cov-2 sars2 coronavirus pandemic evolution variants antibodies neutralizing
Will Delaying Vaccine Doses Cause a Coronavirus Escape Mutant?
Chris Baraniuk | Feb 4, 2021 | 6 min read
With many millions of people waiting several weeks to receive a second COVID-19 vaccine dose in some countries, experts consider the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 could evolve vaccine resistance.
Pregnant COVID-19 Patients
The Scientist | Jan 11, 2021 | 1 min read
See a news report on a study of expectant mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infections.
ADVERTISEMENT