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.
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.
The Podcast