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.
Wren Folklore and St. Stephen’s Day
The tiny winter songbirds are clever kings to the Irish. They're also fodder (literally) for post-Christmas ritual.
Plant of the Month: Venus Flytrap
The carnivorous plant, native to the Carolinas, has beguiled botanists and members of the public alike since the eighteenth century.
The COVID-19 Vaccines Arrived at Warp Speed
Are they safe if they were developed so quickly? Research-backed answers to your virus questions.
How Do Archaeologists Know Where to Dig?
Archaeologists used to dig primarily at sites that were easy to find thanks to obvious visual clues. But technology—and listening to local people—plays a bigger role now.
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.
Plant of the Month: Cascarilla
Epidemics revive old remedies and accelerate experimentation with new ones.