Archive - Evolving Stories

X marks the spot — but doctors don't always listen

Why the dogma about genetic illnesses is changing

Oct 4, 2024 •

October 2022

A famous doctor’s cancer mystery

How a lymphoma flare after a COVID shot created a puzzle for a vaccine advocate.

Oct 5, 2022 •

March 2022

Can we make the human genome more diverse?

Scientists want to make a more inclusive 'reference genome' for humanity, but some people are not ready to sign on.

Mar 16, 2022 •

February 2022

The future of PCR testing

From a tape-based approach that speeds up results to solar-powered devices, testing for viruses is about to become radically different.

Feb 17, 2022 •

January 2022

A totally new way to test for infection

PCR, rapid antigen tests and antibody tests have made headlines, but there's a different method to spot infections, and it might detect them earlier.

Jan 6, 2022 •

November 2021

Double trouble and the 'Force of Infection'

Listen to a discussion about an overlooked pandemic phenomenon, and read about how we catch multiple viruses simultaneously.

Nov 22, 2021 •

October 2021

The COVID risks hiding in our DNA

Many people don't realize they have genetic mutations that make them immunocompromised.

Oct 6, 2021 •

August 2021

A totally tubular trick to make vaccines

The world needs way more vaccines. This group in Germany has a prototype to help make that possible.

Aug 11, 2021 •

A radio adventure from our gut fungus to Mars

Catch up on the special episode of Science Friday I guest-hosted, and also my first non-Covid article in a year.

Aug 5, 2021 •

July 2021

What toxic shock might teach us about kids and Covid

Scientists have found strong similarities between a fatal tampon-related condition and the molecular hallmarks of a complication of the coronavirus.

Jul 16, 2021 •

June 2021

Mixing vaccines? There's a long history

Countries around the world have recently issued guidelines on mix-and-match Covid shots, but the idea of combining vaccinations goes back to the 1980s.

Jun 14, 2021 •

May 2021

Why are you coughing? Multiplex tests can say.

New PCR tests now look simultaneously for multiple viruses—including influenza and the coronavirus.

May 11, 2021 •

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