Roe Is Overturned After 49 Years. It Revolutionized Life for Women
The national right to abortion pushed back the age of childbearing, increased college and workforce participation, and created economically stable families.
Covid Shots for Little Kids Are Here. Now for the Hardest Part
Hesitancy, bureaucracy, inequity, and the need to explain new formulas could slow down vaccine delivery to the last unprotected group.
When Covid Came for Provincetown
In a queer vacation hot spot on Cape Cod, an ad hoc community proved that Americans can stifle large outbreaks—if they want to.
When the Next Covid Wave Breaks, the US Won’t Be Able to Spot It
Lab programs are closing. Home testing has shrunk the pool of publicly reported data. Will we still see the next surge before it arrives?
The War in Ukraine Is Threatening the World’s Wheat Supply
Millions of tons of grain may not make it out of the country this year. The shortfall could spread hunger and civil unrest worldwide.
The Pandemic Tanked Rates of Childhood Vaccination—for Everything
Routine shots are down for everything from measles to tetanus to polio, leaving kids unprotected and raising the risk of outbreaks.
Sewage Sampling Already Tracks Covid. What Else Can It Find?
Everyone poops—and that reveals traces of pathogens. Comprehensively analyzing wastewater could help find flu and detect the next pandemic.
The Omicron Variant Has New Versions Already. What Comes Next?
Viruses keep evolving until they run out of hosts to infect. Worldwide, billions remain unvaccinated against Covid—which means Omicron isn’t the end.
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.