Issue_83
23 articles-
Be Wary of a Model That Shows a Decline in COVID-19 Deaths
We have no idea what will happen if, for example, New York runs out of ventilators or if people are sent away from hospitals too soon and infect many others.Illustration by eamesBot / Shutterstock On April 15, 2020, 2,271 people in the United States will die from COVID-19. That day, the U.S. will be short […] -
The Superorganism That Created the Pandemic
A spotlight on the species that dominates the global ecosystem. -
The Pandemic Can’t Lock Down Nature
The nonhuman world is free of charge; sunlight is a disinfectant, physical distance easily maintained, and no pandemic can suspend it. Nature offers not just escape but reassurance.Photograph by Tim Zurowski / Shutterstock Needing to clear my head, I went down to the Penobscot River. There they were, swimming with the mergansers, following an early […] -
How Genetic Mutations Turned the Coronavirus Deadly
Tracing the path of a pandemic. -
Only Disconnect! A Pandemic Reading of E.M. Forster
The astonishing relevance of the British writer’s story, “The Machine Stops.”
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What if Another Crisis Strikes During This Pandemic?
A warning from history about simultaneous disasters.
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A Doctor Puts Telemedicine to the Test During COVID-19
An advocate of virtual exams has a second opinion.
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A Warning from History About Simultaneous Disasters
If an earthquake now hits India or Iran, like in 2001 and 2003, respectively, killing over 20,000 people in each country—or if we witness a repeat of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina in the US or 2011’s tsunami in Japan—will the world respond? Would the world wish to respond?Photograph by Microgen / Shutterstock Parts of the world […]
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Let’s Aim for Physical Rather Than Social Distancing
Isolation can be toxic. Let’s reduce physical distance while staying connected.Illustration by Tartila / Shutterstock Amid all the calls in nearly every country for social distancing, the most powerful tool we have to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, one important fact gets lost: We are fundamentally social beings, and social distancing can carry a heavy […]
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Will We Have a COVID-19 Vaccine Before 2021?
Is there a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2? The internet is awash with articles and posts seeking to shed light on this very question.Currently, there is no approved vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. While several companies have announced vaccine candidates in development, it is still unlikely that a vaccine will play a significant role in the current outbreak. Nautilus […]
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Why I Built a Dumb Cell Phone with a Rotary Dial
You too can build a phone that feels good to use. Some soldering required.
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To Beat COVID-19, Think Like a Fighter Pilot
How an aerial-combat theory can help fight the outbreak. -
The Good and Bad News from a Coronavirus Pandemic Model
An alarming warning from experts before the real outbreak. -
The Pandemic Is Showing Us How to Live with Uncertainty
During the Spanish flu of 1918, it was Vick’s VapoRub. During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, it was canned food. Now, as the number of cases of COVID-19 grows worldwide, it’s, among other things, toilet paper. In times of precarity, people often resort to hoarding resources they think are likely to become scarce—panic buying, as […] -
The Good and Bad News from a Coronavirus Pandemic Model
Hospitals in the U.S. are above 90 percent capacity without any considerations for COVID-19 demands. According to the planners of Event 201, and other experts, we will soon see a surge in demand at U.S. hospitals that is almost impossible to imagine.Photo illustration by enzoalessandra / Shutterstock How many people could die from a novel […] -
A Professor of Disasters and Health on COVID-19
It is no mystery why pandemics happen. Those with the knowledge, wisdom, and resources must choose to decide to avoid these disasters that afflict everyone.Photograph by Pavel L Photo and Video / Shutterstock A new virus sweeps the world, closing borders, shutting down arts and sports, and killing thousands of people. Is this coronavirus pandemic, […]