Why the United States Is Having a Coronavirus Data Crisis
Political meddling, disorganization and years of neglect of public-health data management mean the country is flying blind
Stories by Amy Maxmen
Two Decades of Pandemic War Games Failed to Account for Donald Trump
The scenarios foresaw leaky travel bans, a scramble for vaccines and disputes between state and federal leaders, but none could anticipate the current levels of dysfunction in the U.S.
World’s Second-Deadliest Ebola Outbreak Ends in Democratic Republic of the Congo
The epidemic killed more than 2,000 people—but involved the first widespread use of a vaccine against the virus
What a U.S. Exit from the WHO Means for COVID-19 and Global Health
As President Trump terminates the U.S.’s relationship with the agency, experts foresee incoherence, inefficiency and a resurgence of deadly diseases
More U.S. Labs Could Be Providing Coronavirus Tests
An online survey reveals bottlenecks, challenges and barriers faced by more than 1,700 biology labs
Thousands of Coronavirus Tests Are Going Unused in U.S. Labs
The lack of a national strategy has stymied the efforts of academic labs that underwent huge efforts to retool for COVID-19 testing
How Blood from Coronavirus Survivors Might Save Lives
New York City researchers hope antibody-rich plasma can keep people out of intensive care
Treatment for Extreme Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Wins U.S. Government Approval
The three-drug regimen cures 90 percent of people who have the deadliest form of the disease
Two Ebola Drugs Show Promise amid Ongoing Outbreak
People who receive either therapy soon after infection have a 90 percent survival rate, a clinical trial finds
Science Under Fire: Ebola Researchers Fight to Test Drugs and Vaccines in a War Zone
Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has interrupted clinical trials and forced scientists to change how they immunize people
Ebola Outbreak Declared an International Public Health Emergency
The World Health Organization’s action could increase the resources available to fight a year-old outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Doctor Who Beat Ebola—and Inspires Other Survivors to Care for the Sick
Maurice Kakule Mutsunga has started a motorcycle ambulance service and is working to dispel rumors about the virus
Meet the Ebola Workers Battling a Virus in a War Zone
Nature’s Amy Maxmen reports from the front line of the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
What Are the Biological Consequences of Homelessness?
Understanding why living on the street seems to cause rapid aging could help homeless people—and governments
First Proven Malaria Vaccine Rolled Out in Africa—But Doubts Linger
The vaccine is up to 40 percent effective at preventing malaria in young children
Violence Propels Ebola Outbreak toward 1,000 Cases
Surging conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is hampering efforts to stamp out the virus
Rare Genetic Sequences Illuminate Early Humans' History in Africa
Little-studied ethnic groups are helping researchers to understand the movements of people who lived on the continent tens of thousands of years ago
War Zone Complicates Ebola Vaccine Rollout in Latest Outbreak
Health workers must plan vaccination effort amidst fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Trump Budget Gives Last-Minute Reprieve to Science Funding
Funding for the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health would hold steady after Congress agrees to lift spending caps, but details are fuzzy
As Cape Town Water Crisis Deepens, Scientists Prepare for “Day Zero”
Researchers make plans to modify studies and prioritize public health as city reservoirs run dry
