What is SARS-CoV-2's original reservoir? By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 19 July 21 We may not know what animal SARS-CoV-2 came from, but similar viruses circulate in bats.
Do you need a COVID-19 booster vaccine to prevent delta variant? By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 17 July 21 People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the U.S. are strongly protected against the delta variant of the coronavirus, and do not need booster shots yet, according to experts.
Baby elephant abandoned by internet-famous herd has been rescued By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 15 July 21 An injured baby elephant that was abandoned by its herd in China has been rescued by a local animal rescue group, according to recent news reports.
Could poop transplants help treat COVID-19? By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 14 July 21 Poop transplants may have helped two patients with risk factors avoid severe COVID-19, a new case report suggests.
Manatees are dying in record numbers in Florida By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 12 July 21 Between Jan. 1 and July 2, 841 manatees died near and off the coast of Florida, a record-breaking number.
FDA to announce new warning for J&J vaccine after cases of rare autoimmune disorder By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 12 July 21 Around 100 cases of Guillain-Barré have been reported in people who received the J&J vaccine.
Johnson & Johnson says COVID-19 vaccine protects against delta variant By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 2 July 21 The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective against the highly transmissible delta variant, the company announced.
Respiratory virus spreads in the southern US By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 1 July 21 Parts of the southern U.S. are seeing off-season spikes in a respiratory virus called RSV, public health experts warn.
Free divers' heart rates can drop as low as 11 beats per minute By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 1 July 21 The world's best free divers can survive brain oxygen levels lower than those found in seals, according to a new study.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may provide years of protection from COVID-19 By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 29 June 21 The mRNA vaccines will likely provide protection against the coronavirus for years if it doesn't evolve significantly, a small new study suggests.
Fauci says delta variant is the 'greatest threat' in our fight against COVID-19. Why? By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 24 June 21 A highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant called "delta" has spread to nearly 100 countries around the world, including to the U.S., where it's likely to soon become the dominant variant.
Earth has a 'pulse' of 27.5 million years By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 22 June 21 Most major geological events in Earth's recent history have clustered in 27.5-million-year intervals — a pattern that scientists are now calling the "pulse of the Earth."
Scientists convert plastic waste into vanilla flavoring By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 18 June 21 Scientists have figured out a way to convert plastic waste into vanilla flavoring with genetically engineered bacteria, according to a new study.
'Supertasters' may have some innate protection against COVID-19 By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 17 June 21 Supertasters may be less likely to become infected with, or become severely ill from COVID-19, a new study finds.
Toxic hairy caterpillars invade Maine By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 15 June 21 The tiny caterpillars have thin poisonous hairs that can cause poison-ivy-like rashes and breathing problems in some people.
Frozen mouse sperm that spent 6 years in orbit used to conceive 8 healthy ‘space pups’ By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 11 June 21 Long-term storage on the International Space Station didn't cause DNA damage to freeze-dried mouse sperm.
The 'friendship paradox' doesn't always explain real friendships, mathematicians say By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 11 June 21 Your friends are on average more popular than you are, according to a phenomenon known as the "friendship paradox." But it turns out, there's some nuance to that.
7,000-year-old letter seal found in Israel hints at ancient long-distance trade By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 10 June 21 The tiny clay impression dates back 7,000 years and was likely used to seal and sign deliveries, as well as to keep storerooms closed, according to a new study.
How much does all the SARS-CoV-2 in the world weigh? By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 8 June 21 If all the circulating SARS-CoV-2 particles were gathered together into one place, they would weigh somewhere between the weight of an apple and that of a young toddler.
Mysterious event nearly wiped out sharks 19 million years ago By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 3 June 21 About 90% of sharks disappeared from the ancient oceans in less than 100,000 years, but it's unknown why.
Tons of toxic pellets blanket Sri Lanka beaches, causing environmental disaster By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 1 June 21 A burning container ship dumped tons of plastic debris onto Sri Lanka's beaches, prompting a widespread environmental disaster.
Hurricane season kicks off. Expect higher-than-normal storm activity. By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 1 June 21 The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun, and it's expected to bring a higher-than-average number of storms in the months ahead.
Giant tortoise thought extinct for a century discovered on Galapagos island By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 31 May 21 A giant tortoise in the Galápagos Islands that was thought to have gone extinct over a century ago just came out of hiding.
Diabetes vaccine shows promise for some patients in early trial By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 27 May 21 In an early trial, a vaccine for type 1 diabetes showed promise in helping preserve the body's natural production of insulin for a subset of diabetes patients.
Low testosterone in men linked to more severe COVID-19 By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 25 May 21 Men with low testosterone levels may be more likely to have severe COVID-19, a small new study suggests.