Vicious Woodpecker Battles Draw an Avian Audience
Biologists who study acorn woodpeckers’ power struggles are not the only ones watching—so are rival woodpecker groups
Stories by Jim Daley
How to Avoid COVID while Voting
Epidemiologists offer tips for U.S. voters and poll workers to limit their chances of getting infected
Millions of Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Tests May Help Fill the Testing Gap
The assays may not detect all cases, but they are cheap and could be used at home
When and Why You Should Get a Flu Shot
Experts explain why getting vaccinated is important every year—and especially during a pandemic
How to Decide Who Should Get a COVID-19 Vaccine First
Medical ethicist Ezekiel Emanuel discusses a framework for equitably allocating COVID-19 vaccines based on preventing premature deaths and mitigating long-term economic impacts
After Surgery, Black Children Are More Likely to Die Than White Children
A study of nearly 200 U.S. medical centers found that even apparently healthy kids suffer racial disparities in complications associated with surgery
Vaccinations Have Sharply Declined Nationwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Rates of childhood immunization have fallen across the U.S., raising the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks
Bumblebees Bite Plants to Force Them to Flower (Seriously)
The behavior could be an evolutionary adaptation that lets bees forage more easily
CRISPR Gene Editing May Help Scale Up Coronavirus Testing
An inexpensive assay based on the technique can provide yes or no answers in under an hour—perhaps even in the home soon
Winged “PigeonBot” Flies with Real Feathers
A flying robot reveals how birds stay aloft and could inspire next-generation drones
Ocean Species Are Shifting toward the Poles
Changes in species abundance can throw food chains out of whack and put livelihoods at risk
Here’s How Coronavirus Tests Work—and Who Offers Them
PCR-based tests are being rolled out in hospitals nationwide, and the Food and Drug Administration is fast-tracking novel approaches as well
How to Triage Patients Who Need Intensive Care
A new computer model analyzes when to admit people to intensive care units—and when to move them out—which could help doctors handle the coronavirus surge
Three Fourths of Dogs Are Angst-Ridden—and Owners May Be Partly to Blame
Overly cautious humans and genetics may contribute to behavior problems in a survey of 13,700 Finnish animals
Deadly Air Pollution Doesn’t Respect State Borders
U.S. federal authorities have recently been reluctant to step in to mediate cross-border air quality issues among states
Old Drug, New Tricks: Existing Medicines Show Promise in Fighting Cancer
Dozens of compounds approved for other purposes can kill cancer cells selectively
Gene Therapy Arrives
After false starts, drugs that manipulate the code of life are finally changing lives
Strange Superconductor Sends Electrons Both Ways
A new material’s strange properties could be useful in future quantum computers
Ancient “Chewing Gum” Reveals a 5,700-Year-Old Microbiome
Archaeologists reconstructed a Neolithic woman’s complete genome and oral microbiome from a piece of birch tar she chewed
Now Hear This: New Fossils Reveal Early Ear-Bone Evolution
A change in chewing led to the emergence of the mammalian middle ear
