With any infectious disease, contact tracing helps prevent contagion by uncovering the interactions that tie us all together.
Author Archives: Mikki Gibson
Monstrous ‘murder hornets’ have reached the US
A recent arrival to the United States, Vespa mandarinia is a species of hornet capable of stinging multiple times and destroying honeybee colonies.
To find a coronavirus vaccine, can we ethically infect people with a disease with no cure?
An effective vaccine is a crucial element in the return to normalcy following the outbreak of COVID-19. But how far should researchers go in the effort to speed up development?
How Robots Are on the Front Lines in the Battle Against COVID-19
COVID-19 has the potential to overwhelm hospital resources and infect staff. Find out how robots are helping to ease both of those problems.
Virtual Dance Parties Are Popular. What’s Behind Their Rise?
During the coronavirus outbreak, people can’t get together to dance in person. But they can still maintain a connection online to avoid feeling isolated.
Land O’ Lakes replaces Native American woman logo, touts farmer-owned credentials instead
For nearly a century, a butter company’s logo featured a drawing of a Native American woman. Find out why that logo has finally changed.
This Virtual Library in Minecraft Gives a Voice to Censored Journalists
Learn about the brilliant solution Reporters Without Borders found for evading government censorship.
How the Virus Transformed the Way Americans Spend Their Money
See eye-opening graphs of the many ways consumer spending shifted in response to COVID-19.
Here are 7 creative ways you can still explore the world
With travel curtailed by a global virus outbreak, one good alternative for seeing the world is this virtual tour.
Surfers ride glowing bioluminescent waves
Click the video links to see an amazing natural phenomenon and learn why it happens.
Dual Axis Illusion named the Best Illusion of 2019
Optical illusions are fun to look at, but did you know there’s an annual competition for creating new illusions? Check out a recent winner.
Mountain Biking in the North Pole
Watch mountain biking taken where you might never have imagined it could go!
Colson Whitehead’s ‘Underground Railroad’ Is a Literal Train to Freedom
In this Fresh Air interview, author Colson Whitehead talks about how he re-imagined the escape from enslavement.
The Other Problematic Outbreak
Read about how the global coronavirus pandemic exacerbated existing prejudices around the world.
Here’s Why Teens Keep Diaries
Anne Frank’s reasons for keeping a diary might not be all that different from your own. Read some of the many ways teenagers today use diaries.
He went where no human had gone before. Our trash had already beaten him there.
Exploring one of the most remote places on earth, a deep-sea diver found new species as well as something depressingly familiar.
How we showed Homer’s Odyssey is not pure fiction, with a little help from Facebook
Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey may seem like pure fiction, but social media tools reveal that they’re at least partly based in fact.
The not-so-secret life of a TikTok-famous teen
Teenagers are making their voices heard in short, online snippets. Spend some time with an unassuming Internet star.
A day in the life of one emergency doctor in a New York hospital during coronavirus
During a pandemic, simply going to work is a big risk for medical professionals. Read one doctor’s story.
The Mexican American War
Learn about a controversial military engagement with far-reaching effects.