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Scientific American Logo
MedicineMarch 27, 2020

Inside the Race to Blast COVID-19 Off the Surfaces of New York City

As the Covid-19 pandemic overwhelms hospitals and shuts down American cities, it has also placed new demands on janitors and specialized cleaners. In New York City, it's Reuven Noyman's job to clean up after the coronavirus. He's fought it in apartments, hotel, hospitals, gyms, and office buildings. And unfortunately, his work is just beginning. 

Read more about Noyman here.

Jeffery DelViscio

Scientific American Logo
Public HealthFebruary 5, 2020

Will the New Coronavirus Keep Spreading or Not? You Have to Know One Little Number

Whenever there’s a new outbreak, scientists rush to calculate a number called R0, or R-naught. Why? It’s been a critical part of the scientific effort to understand just how transmissible the new virus is. Here’s how.

Editor’s Note (2/11/20): The video in this story has been revised after posting. It originally incorrectly referred to SARS as “sudden acute respiratory syndrome.” The full name is “severe acute respiratory syndrome.”

Jeffery DelViscio, Tanya Lewis, Amanda Montañez

Scientific American Logo
Climate ChangeJanuary 15, 2020

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods: A New Climate-Related Threat from Above

As the climate changes and glaciers melt, a lesser-known threat lurks in alpine areas: glacial lake outburst floods. These events happen rapidly, releasing huge amounts of water with little or no warning. Unsuspecting communities lying in the flood path can suffer serious losses.

Researchers seek better ways to predict these outburst floods and mitigate their danger. Take a hike through the Swiss Alps with glaciologist Fabian Walter to learn about this phenomenon and our ongoing efforts to understand it.

Kelso Harper