The Conversation - Should we fear a mutant coronavirus?

+ why you should feel empathy for strangers as much as friends ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Just as the world was about to breathe a sigh of relief that vaccines may soon bring an end to the pandemic, there is news of a possibly more contagious version of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – spreading in the U.K. Fear of this new strain has led France, Canada and dozens of other countries to close their borders to travelers from Britain.

Should we worry? And will the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines still be effective?

David Kennedy, an evolutionary microbiologist at Penn State University, answers these and other questions about this variant of the COVID-19 virus.

Also today:

Bijal Trivedi

Science and Technology Editor

The French government will not accept any passengers arriving from the U.K. amid fears over the new mutant coronavirus strain. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

Why it matters that the coronavirus is changing – and what this means for vaccine effectiveness

David Kennedy, Penn State

A new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be spreading fast in the the UK. What does this mean for vaccine developers and vaccinations?

Ethics + Religion

The psychology of fairness: Why some Americans don’t believe the election results

David M. Mayer, University of Michigan

When a decision is made and people don't get the outcome they want, they often tend to see it as unfair. Here's why.
The morality of feeling equal empathy for strangers and family alike

Brendan Gaesser, University at Albany, State University of New York; Zoë Fowler, University at Albany, State University of New York

Feelings of empathy for others may be plentiful in a year of suffering. But is feeling more empathy to loved ones than strangers morally right? A research team sought to find out.

Environment + Energy
Thousands of ocean fishing boats could be using forced labor – we used AI and satellite data to find them Gavin McDonald, University of California Santa Barbara Forced labor is a widespread problem in fisheries on the high seas. Between 2012 and 2018, an estimated 100,000 people may have been victims of forced labor on thousands of different boats.

Health
Why should I trust the coronavirus vaccine when it was developed so fast? A doctor answers that and other reader questions Lana Dbeibo, Indiana University School of Medicine Now that two COVID vaccines have been authorized by the FDA, questions arise. Today, a physician from Indiana University School of Medicine answers five reader questions.

Politics/Election '20
Oppression in the kitchen, delight in the dining room: the story of Caesar, an enslaved chef and chocolatier in Colonial Virginia Kelley Fanto Deetz, University of California, Berkeley There's a bittersweet history to chocolate in America. At one plantation museum in Virginia, the story of enslaved chocolatier Caesar shows the oppression that lay behind the elite's culinary treat.

Arts + Culture
South Africa’s inability to honestly confront AIDS shows the dangers of America’s COVID-19 denialism Renee Schatteman, Georgia State University In both countries, neglect and misinformation at the highest levels of government led to undue tragedy.

Education
How high school sports became the latest battleground over transgender rights Elizabeth A. Sharrow, University of Massachusetts Amherst New legislative proposals want to allow 'sex testing' of girl athletes through genital exams and genetic and hormone testing.

From our International Editions

Can the Queen save Christmas?

Judi Atkins, Aston University

More than ever, the language used by Elizabeth II could be a source of reassurance for families seeking stability.
How to prepare and protect your gut health over Christmas and the silly season

Claus T. Christophersen, Edith Cowan University

If your gut is healthy to begin with, it will take more to knock it out of whack. Prepare yourself now by making food choices that feed the microbiome and enhance gut health.
Not so fast: why India’s plan to reintroduce cheetahs may run into problems

Simon Evans, Anglia Ruskin University

India's last cheetah was killed 70 years ago. Should the country import a different subspecies from Namibia?

The Conversation - Should we fear a mutant coronavirus?

Why it matters that the coronavirus is changing – and what this means for vaccine effectiveness

Ethics + Religion

The psychology of fairness: Why some Americans don’t believe the election results

The morality of feeling equal empathy for strangers and family alike

Environment + Energy

Thousands of ocean fishing boats could be using forced labor – we used AI and satellite data to find them

Health

Why should I trust the coronavirus vaccine when it was developed so fast? A doctor answers that and other reader questions

Politics/Election '20

Oppression in the kitchen, delight in the dining room: the story of Caesar, an enslaved chef and chocolatier in Colonial Virginia

Arts + Culture

South Africa’s inability to honestly confront AIDS shows the dangers of America’s COVID-19 denialism

Education

How high school sports became the latest battleground over transgender rights

From our International Editions

Can the Queen save Christmas?

How to prepare and protect your gut health over Christmas and the silly season

Not so fast: why India’s plan to reintroduce cheetahs may run into problems

Older messages

Seniors are enduring COVID-19 better than you think

What you need to know about Monday's winter solstice

Share insight with the world

Your gift tripled, for a limited time

The pandemic's drain on creativity

You Might Also Like

☕ Great chains

Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing.

Honourable Roulette

📬 No. 62 | What I learned about newsletters in 2024

⚡️ ‘Skeleton Crew’ Answers Its Biggest Mystery

I Tried All The New Eye-Shadow Sticks

How To Stop Worrying And Learn To Love Lynn's National IQ Estimates

☕ Olympic recycling

Ozempic has entered the chat

How a major bank cheated its customers out of $2 billion, according to a new federal lawsuit