Science

In a rather sudden change earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control revised their guidance for vaccinated Americans, now saying that in most circumstances, masks are no longer needed for indoor or outdoor activities. The CDC said the following in a release on their website; “Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.” Being fully vaccinated means being two weeks removed from the second dose of a two-dose vaccine regimen, or two weeks removed from the first shot of a single shot vaccine regimen.

At long last, the light at the end of the pandemic-induced-craze tunnel is well within sight. The record-breaking production time of multiple COVID-19 vaccines, developed with international cooperation and wartime efficiency, are readily available in the United States, with access growing with each passing day. What was once only available to essential workers is now being rolled out to the general adult population, though the speed varies from state to state. But let’s not forget how far we’ve come. Six months ago, a vaccine for the coronavirus was purely a hypothetical. Prior to this vaccine, the record time to develop an inoculation for any sort of disease was four years;

For weeks, residents of the pacigic northwest have been waking up to clouds of smoke, ash, and an apocalyptic orange haze lingering over the land, caused by the ever-growing number of wildfires threatening thousands in California, Oregon, and Washington. The fires, which have been spreading for weeks, are responsible for damage and destruction affecting thousands and threatening many more. Apart from the imminent presence of wildfires, the smoke emanating from the blaze is causing problems across the country. The smog has made for air so unhealthy in Portland and Seattle that it exceeds all precedent; it is thought to be the worst in the world right now. Even as far

With the dog days of summer nearly in the rear view mirror and autumn just around the corner, many students are trying to figure out what going back to school looks like during the coronavirus pandemic. For students in some of the largest school districts in the country, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, and now Chicago are starting online only, with tentative plans to ease back into in-person instruction as cases fall in each respective area. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had initially floated the idea of beginning with a hybrid model, but after widespread criticism and concern from students and parents, she pivoted to a fully remote plan. City officials

By‌ ‌now,‌ ‌you’ve‌ ‌probably‌ ‌heard‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ ‌race‌ ‌to‌ ‌develop‌ ‌a‌ ‌vaccine‌ ‌to‌ ‌cure‌ ‌the‌ ‌novel‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌wreaking‌ ‌havoc‌ ‌all‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌world.‌ ‌In‌ ‌the‌ ‌meantime,‌ ‌the‌ ‌best‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌slow‌ ‌the‌ ‌spread‌ ‌and‌ ‌flatten‌ ‌the‌ ‌curve‌ ‌is‌ ‌to‌ ‌test‌ ‌whenever‌ ‌and‌ ‌wherever‌ ‌possible.‌ ‌ ‌  ‌Some‌ ‌tests‌ ‌check‌ ‌for‌ ‌active‌ ‌infections,‌ ‌but‌ ‌others‌ ‌check‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌presence‌ ‌of‌ ‌an‌ ‌old‌ ‌virus‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌body;‌ ‌two‌ ‌of‌ ‌these‌ ‌are‌ ‌antigen‌ ‌and‌ ‌antibody‌ ‌tests.‌ ‌These‌ ‌tests‌ ‌are‌ ‌often‌ ‌confused‌ ‌for‌ ‌each‌ ‌other,‌ ‌though‌ ‌they’re‌ ‌two‌ ‌entirely‌ ‌different‌ ‌items.‌ ‌So,‌ ‌what’s‌ ‌the‌ ‌difference?‌ ‌  ‌Antigens‌ ‌are‌ ‌molecules‌ ‌that‌ ‌are‌ ‌capable‌ ‌of‌ ‌inducing‌ ‌a‌ ‌response‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌body’s‌ ‌immune‌ ‌system;‌ ‌usually,‌ ‌they‌ ‌serve‌ ‌to‌ ‌trigger‌ ‌‌ ‌illness‌ ‌or‌ ‌decline‌ ‌in‌

After some troubles earlier in the week, Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket has made it into space, representing the first successful launch from American soil in nearly a decade. The launch, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed just seventeen minutes before liftoff because of unfavorable launch conditions. When Saturday rolled around, NASA gave the rocket a green light, and astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were propelled into space. The astronauts went on to dock with the International Space Station, accomplishing the goal of the mission. From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Elon Musk and members of the SpaceX team celebrated the successful launch. The launch represents eighteen years of