Some People With Covid-19 Never Get Sick. Why?

The prevailing theory is that their immune systems quickly and efficiently beat back pathogens. But some scientists see more to the story: Through “disease tolerance” the body could adjust to an infection so seamlessly that symptoms never materialize — and thus create the asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19.

Editorial Mission
We illuminate the complicated and fractious places where science collides with politics, economics, and culture, and where differing world views compete for resources and influence. Learn more here.
Editor's Pick:
Book Review: The Wonders of Materials Science

ICYMI Highlights

Book Review: The Past and Future of Fossils

In “Footprints” and “Some Assembly Required,” two authors explore different kinds of fossils. While Neil Shubin challenges misperceptions that many people have about mysteries of evolution, David Farrier ponders everyday objects that will be fossils in the future — and what else humans are leaving behind.

Abstracts: Russia’s Vaccine Worries Experts

On Tuesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that his country had become the first to approve a Covid-19 vaccine. There’s one major catch: The vaccine has not gone through the full, three-phase complement of trials that researchers conduct to ensure that a vaccine candidate is safe and effective.