The Trouble with “Native DNA”
Genetic testing to determine who is Native American is problematic, argues Native American studies scholar Kim TallBear.
Verbatim: Jonas Salk
Virologist Jonas Salk led the team that developed the breakthrough vaccine for polio. He was also a social critic.
These Good News Medical Stories Got Us through 2020
The science of COVID-19 vaccines, the 1957 flu vaccine that controlled that outbreak, eradicating polio in India with oral vaccines, and more.
How Scientists Tried to Find a Universal Flu Vaccine
The quest to “conquer” influenza with a shot that could be used every year started out with high hopes, and ended up a hot mess.
The COVID-19 Vaccines Arrived at Warp Speed
Are they safe if they were developed so quickly? Research-backed answers to your virus questions.
The Deadly Bilibid Prison Vaccine Trials
In 1906, physician Richard Strong's already-unethical vaccine experiment went horribly wrong. Then it was swept under the rug.
Dry Ice Will Help Keep COVID-19 Vaccines Cold
A brief history of dry ice, aka solid carbon dioxide, shows why some coronavirus vaccines will benefit from its use.
How Scientists Became Advocates for Birth Control
The fight to gain scientists' support for the birth control movement proved a turning point in contraceptive science—and led to a research revolution.
How the Internet Changed Chronic Illness
Online communities show that isolation doesn't have to define the experience of having a chronic disease.