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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:
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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
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?
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Ethics + Religion
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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.
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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.
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Environment + Energy
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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.
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Health
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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.
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Politics/Election '20
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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.
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Arts + Culture
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Renee Schatteman, Georgia State University
In both countries, neglect and misinformation at the highest levels of government led to undue tragedy.
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Education
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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.
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From our International Editions
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Judi Atkins, Aston University
More than ever, the language used by Elizabeth II could be a source of reassurance for families seeking stability.
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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.
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Simon Evans, Anglia Ruskin University
India's last cheetah was killed 70 years ago. Should the country import a different subspecies from Namibia?
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