pandemics
Bird Flu Is Back in the US. No One Knows What Comes Next
The fast-moving pathogen, which has already invaded Europe, was found in East Coast ducks. The last outbreak that tore through the US killed 50 million birds.
75 Years On, the Doomsday Clock Keeps Ticking
The iconic graphic of a timepiece originated as a nuclear warning. It updates its time on Thursday amid threats like climate change and pandemics.
A Pandemic Historian Warns Us All to Stop Looking at the Past
Being trapped in my own quarantine reminded me of how little we’ve learned.
The Global Economy Ignores Developing Nations at Its Own Peril
Rebooting after two years of the pandemic is difficult—but leaving emerging economies behind only makes things worse.
Covid Will Become Endemic. The World Must Decide What That Means
The task of 2022 will be figuring out how much action we’re willing to take and how much disease and death we’ll tolerate.
The Pandemic Might Have Redesigned Cities Forever
Changes small and large—parklets, outdoor restaurants, bike lanes—could remake our relationship to cities (and help fix climate change).
Surprise! The Pandemic Has Made People More Science Literate
Despite rampant misinformation, Covid-19 has pushed science into the zeitgeist, as people have absorbed new words and how scientific discovery actually works.
My Brain Is Already Cyborg
We disabled people have been cyborgs since the dawn of time—but it took the pandemic for me to realize that my mind is one, too.
2021 Revealed the Depths of Global Vaccine Inequity
Previous pandemics saw rich countries grabbing up vaccine supplies, leaving poor countries behind. Has the world learned nothing since?
Good Luck Trying to Fix the Supply Chain Crisis
The system of getting things from A to B is broken. Fixing it will involve rethinking how pretty much everything moves.
SPOILER ALERT: Spoiler Alerts Are Making Us All Stupid
If you think they’re protecting the experience of experiencing art, you’re more deluded than you know.
Why Zillow Couldn’t Make Algorithmic House Pricing Work
The real estate site went into the business of buying and selling homes. But the pandemic messed up its predictions.
Another Global Pandemic Is Spreading—Among Pigs
African swine fever killed half the pigs in China. There is no vaccine and no treatment. Now it’s in the Caribbean and on the doorstep of the US.
The UK Has a Plan for a New ‘Pandemic Radar’ System
Disease surveillance schemes to catch the next rising virus already exist—they’re just not communicating with each other.
It’s Already Time to Stop the Next Pandemic. Can a Prize Help?
Covid-19 is still raging, but so are efforts to nip its successor in the bud—thanks to data sharing, political cooperation, or a multimillion-dollar challenge.
Gummy Bears and Candy Bars Are Casualties of the Pandemic
Shopping online means fewer unplanned purchases. But manufacturers and retailers are testing tactics to bring impulse buying to the web.
5 Strategies for Coping With Grief During a Pandemic
There’s no “right” way to deal with loss, whether it’s the loss of a job or a loved one. Here are some resources and practices for managing the pain from home.
The Pandemic Will End—but Covid-19 May Be Here to Stay
Some viruses became endemic over time, circulating constantly, perhaps in a less lethal form. We’ll need a new game plan if this one sticks around.
Premature Babies and the Lonely Terror of a Pandemic NICU
Baby Olivia weighed 1 pound, 10 ounces. Her doctors faced a stressful paradox: giving her the healing power of a parent's touch, while keeping the virus out.
It’s Time for a National Pandemic Prediction Agency
A federal office that collects outbreak data, models epidemics, and spreads the word to the public could keep the next Covid from being another Covid.
What's a Pandemic? Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered
Dr. Seema Yasmin, director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, shares how to protect yourself and others in this alarming time.
How Ebola Can Teach Us to Prepare for the Next Great Pandemic
The rapid increase of Ebola and MERS point toward the need to be vigilant, to anticipate, and to prepare for the next outbreak. While we don’t know what or when, we do know one thing: there will be another disease outbreak, posing a threat to both health and economy.