Scientific American Today: COVID-19

Top Story: COVID-19: The Big Questions That Remain.

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July 28, 2020

Dear Reader,

Today’s roundup features several stories with updates on the coronavirus pandemic. First, new studies of immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, suggest timing could be critical for a class of proteins known as interferons, which are being researched as potential treatments. Next up, advocates of public transit say there is scant evidence tying major coronavirus outbreaks to buses and trains. Read our piece below to find out what the research actually shows. In a column from our August issue, Peter Glick explains why wearing a mask is not a sign of emasculation. And lastly, a video from Nature runs through some of the key questions about COVID-19 that researchers still don’t have answers to.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement
@sunyaaa

Public Health

COVID-19: The Big Questions That Remain

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the worst public-health crisis in a century. More than 500,000 people have died worldwide. It has also catalysed a research revolution, as scientists, doctors and other scholars have worked at breakneck speed to understand COVID-19 and the virus that causes it: SARS-CoV-2. Nature runs through some of the key questions that researchers still don’t have answers to.

By Dan Fox

PUBLIC HEALTH

An Immune Protein Could Prevent Severe COVID-19–if It Is Given at the Right Time

The antiviral interferon might help early but exacerbate disease in later stages

By Esther Landhuis

PUBLIC HEALTH

Little Evidence that Mass Transit Poses a Risk of Coronavirus Outbreaks

A major drop in public transit use coincides with concerns about reducing air pollution that can exacerbate lung conditions

By Maxine Joselow,E&E News

BEHAVIOR & SOCIETY

Why Doctors Are Posing in Swimwear on Social Media

A study purporting to uncover “unprofessionalism” spurred a #MedBikini backlash

By Arghavan Salles,Rena Malik

BEHAVIOR & SOCIETY

Picturing God as a White Man Is Linked to Racial Stereotypes about Leaders

Pervasive racial images associated with the Almighty shape who people see as worthy of being in charge

By Daisy Grewal

PUBLIC HEALTH

Why Some Male Leaders Won’t Follow COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Men often think masks and other precautions make them look like wimps

By Peter Glick

EVOLUTION

When the First Farmers Arrived in Europe, Inequality Evolved

Forests gave way to fields, pushing hunter-gatherers to the margins—geographically and socially

By Laura Spinney

BIOLOGY

The Brittle Star That Sees with Its Body

It turns out that eyes aren’t necessary for vision

By Jennifer Frazer

FROM THE STORE

Mind Over Mood: Understanding Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common conditions affecting mental health and overall quality of life, but there are tools for managing them. In this eBook, we’ll explore how depression shows up in the brain, different manifestations of depression and anxiety, various talk therapies, technological innovations, lifestyle interventions and more.