National Geographic | Your Weekly Checkup

National Geographic

YOUR WEEKLY CHECKUP

This week: The terrifying rise in drug-resistant, infectious fungi; the mystery behind COVID rebound; the CDC is tracking yet another Omicron variant; how smallpox nearly derailed the birth of the United States; why your health may depend on the fate of horseshoe crabs.

JUERGEN BERGER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Humans are not prepared for a pandemic caused by fungal infections

In India, a perfect storm led to a surge in COVID-19 patients contracting black-mold fungal infections. Then there's Candida auris, a virulent, blood-borne fungal infection that emerged out of nowhere to become a major human pathogen—one that's resistant to multiple antifungals and that can colonize surfaces for months. "Fungi are here ... and people are dying from these resistant infections."

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

WHERE WILL THE NEXT PANDEMIC START? This map could help prevent it +

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEX WELSH, THE NEW YORK TIMES VIA REDUX

More people are experiencing a COVID rebound. The reasons why are murky.

Rising numbers of people are getting sick again within days of testing negative. And while the phenomenon is often linked to antivirals—particularly Paxlovid—more than one factor may be involved. Here's what we know so far about who's most at risk, and what you can do about it.

SUSBCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

PHOTOGRAPH BY KATE GERAGHTY, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, GETTY

What happens to your body if you get COVID-19 multiple times?

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

PHOTOGRAPH BY HANNAH BEIER, BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

Should you get a second COVID booster now, or wait for updated shots?

PHOTOGRAPH BY FINE ART IMAGES, HERITAGE IMAGES/GETTY

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

How a public health crisis nearly derailed the American Revolution

When American colonists launched their revolution against Britain, they quickly encountered a second but invisible enemy that threatened to wipe out the new Continental Army: highly contagious smallpox. But luckily for the young nation, the army's commander was familiar with this formidable foe—and he used science-based medical treatments to fight it.

A CONTROVERSIAL PLAN

A GRUESOME KILLER: Smallpox killed 3 in 10, until the first vaccines conquered it +

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK THIESSEN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

These animals save human lives. But who's going to save them?

The toxin-sensitive blue blood of the horseshoe crab is the only known natural source of amebocyte lysate, a clotting agent used to detect dangerous endotoxins in a variety of human medical products, including insulin, intravenous devices, and COVID vaccines. And the global demand for their blood is growing.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

NG STAFF

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ TRACKING COVID‌ ‌ ‌

This is what COVID infections look like in the U.S. right now

The CDC has recently begun tracking a new Omicron variant spreading in the U.S., known as BA.4.6. Meanwhile, updated boosters that target BA.4 and BA.5 will be available by September.

THE LATEST NEWS AND NUMBERS

Mysterious wave of COVID toes still has scientists stumped

When you have COVID, here’s how you know you’re no longer contagious (Washington Post)

How many animal species have caught COVID? First global tracker has (partial) answers (NPR)

'The next public health disaster in the making': Studies offer new pieces of long Covid puzzle (CNN)

MORE HEALTH NEWS

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARCUS HARLAND-DUNAWAY

How will we feed a crowded planet? This potential breakthrough could help.

It sounds like science fiction. But experiments suggest that it might become possible to nourish plants without photosynthesis—a tool that could one day help feed astronauts and a crowded planet.

GROWING PLANTS IN THE DARK?

GRAPHIC: How to feed 10 billion people without destroying the planet +

As monkeypox spreads, U.S. declares a health emergency (New York Times)

New York polio case is the 'tip of the iceberg,' officials warn (USA Today)

To save children with cancer, doctors turn to new weapons (Washington Post)

Alzheimer's researchers are looking beyond plaques and tangles for new treatments (NPR)

Brushing your teeth effectively helps your overall health. Most of us are doing it wrong. (BBC)

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters, covering History, Environment, Science, Animals, Travel, Photography, and Family.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

We'd like to hear from you! Tell us what you think of our emails by sharing your feedback in this short survey.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply.

This email was sent to: [email protected]. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored.

This email contains an advertisement from:
National Geographic | 1145 17th Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036

Stop all types of future commercial email from National Geographic regarding its products, services, or experiences.

© 2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC, All rights reserved.