PhysiologyOctober 4, 2021
2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Awarded for Discoveries in Sensing Temperature and Touch
David Julius’s and Ardem Patapoutian’s research revealed the molecular basis of these basic senses
Stories by Tanya Lewis
Tanya Lewis is senior desk editor for health and medicine at Scientific American. She writes and edits stories for the website and print magazine on topics ranging from COVID to organ transplants. She also appears on Scientific American’s podcast Science Quickly and writes Scientific American’s weekly Health & Medicine newsletter. She has held a number of positions over her nine years at Scientific American, including health editor, assistant news editor and associate editor at Scientific American Mind. Previously, she has written for outlets that include Insider, Wired, Science News and others. She has a degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University and one in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Follow her on Bluesky @tanyalewis.bsky.social
Public HealthSeptember 30, 2021
Why We Need to Upgrade Our Face Masks—and Where to Get Them
High-quality respirators such as N95s and KN95s are now widely available and provide the best protection against COVID, according to experts. Why aren’t more people wearing them?
Public HealthSeptember 24, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 15: Booster Shot Approvals—plus Vaccines for Kids?
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
VaccinesSeptember 15, 2021
An mRNA Pioneer Discusses How Her Work Led to the COVID Vaccines
Biochemist Katalin Karikó and her colleague Drew Weissman were recently awarded a $3-million Breakthrough Prize for their work
Public HealthSeptember 10, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 14: Best Masks, Explaining Mask Anger, Biden’s New Plan
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
Public HealthSeptember 1, 2021
The Pandemic’s Hidden Toll Is Revealed in Excess Death Counts
Many of the unexpected deaths in rural U.S. counties last year were not recorded as caused by COVID
SociologyAugust 30, 2021
The Pandemic Caused a Baby Bust, Not a Boom
Birth rates in many high-income countries declined in the months following the first wave, possibly because of economic uncertainty
Public HealthAugust 27, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 13: Vaccine Approval, Breakthrough Infections, Boosters
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
VaccinesAugust 20, 2021
Should You Get a Booster Shot? Here’s What We Know
Experts weigh in on common questions about whether and when additional doses of coronavirus vaccines may be needed
Public HealthJuly 30, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 12: Masking Up Again and Why People Refuse Shots
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
Public HealthJuly 22, 2021
Why Extreme Heat Is So Deadly
Heat waves kill more people than any other type of severe weather in the U.S. And climate change is making them more frequent and unpredictable
Public HealthJuly 16, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 11: Vaccine Booster Shots, and Reopening Offices Safely
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
Public HealthJuly 1, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 10: Long-haulers, Delta Woes, and Barbershop Shots
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Public HealthJune 29, 2021
WHO Urges Vaccinated People to Wear Masks; CDC Still Says No Need
World Health Organization leaders advised caution as new variants threaten progress against the pandemic
Public HealthJune 29, 2021
How Dangerous Is the Delta Variant, and Will It Cause a COVID Surge in the U.S.?
A new, more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly spreading in the country and poses a threat to unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people
Public HealthJune 18, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 9: Delta Variant, Global Vaccine Shortfalls, Beers for Shots
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
Public HealthJune 17, 2021
From $1-Million Lotteries to Free Beer: Do COVID Vaccination Incentives Work?
Doling out cash rewards and lifting mask mandates could increase vaccine uptake, some research suggests
Public HealthJune 9, 2021
COVID, Quickly: A Pop-Up Podcast
Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between
Public HealthJune 4, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 8: The Pandemic’s True Death Toll and the Big Lab-Leak Debate
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Public HealthJune 2, 2021
Excess Deaths Reveal the Pandemic’s Hidden Toll in Some U.S. Counties
A detailed analysis suggests that COVID deaths and other pandemic-related mortality may have been significantly undercounted in the rural South and West
Public HealthMay 21, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 7: The Coming Pandemic Grief Wave, and Mask Whiplash
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Public HealthMay 7, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 6: The Real Reason for India’s Surge and Mask Liftoff
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
Public HealthApril 28, 2021
CDC Says Vaccinated People Do Not Need to Wear Masks in Most Settings
The agency’s latest guidelines provide an incentive for people to get vaccinated, but some may see them as premature
Public HealthApril 23, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 5: Vaccine Safety in Pregnancy, Blood Clots and Long-Haul Realities
Today we bring you the fifth episode in our podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.