- May 18, 2021 8:00 pm
- 16:25
Much of this last year, we’ve been hearing that the goal for ending the COVID-19 pandemic is to reach “herd-immunity.” But now many public health officials say that won’t happen. Still, we’re told it’s safe for vaccinated people to remove their masks in most places. So are we in the clear? William Petri, a professor of medicine and immunology at the University of Virginia, gives some answers.
Israel/Palestine Conflict
Fighting in Israel is still raging, despite international calls for a cease-fire. Though President Joe Biden joined that chorus on Monday, the US still refuses to take a critical stance against their long-term ally. Mark Perry, senior analyst at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statescraft and author of “A Fire in Zion: Inside the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process,” explores these events.
Fighting in Israel is still raging, despite international calls for a cease-fire. Though President Joe Biden joined that chorus on Monday, the US still refuses to take a critical stance against their long-term ally. Mark Perry, senior analyst at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statescraft and author of “A Fire in Zion: Inside the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process,” explores these events.
Humanized Pigs
Pigs are actually so close to humans biologically that they’re some of the best animal models for human medicine. The issue is, animals do have their own immune systems—that usually reject human cells. Researchers at Iowa State University are getting around this problem by breeding pigs without a natural immune system. Christopher Tuggle, a professor of animal science at Iowa State University, directs this lab. (Photo courtesy of Ahlea Forster)
Pigs are actually so close to humans biologically that they’re some of the best animal models for human medicine. The issue is, animals do have their own immune systems—that usually reject human cells. Researchers at Iowa State University are getting around this problem by breeding pigs without a natural immune system. Christopher Tuggle, a professor of animal science at Iowa State University, directs this lab. (Photo courtesy of Ahlea Forster)
Family Meals and Mental Health
Family therapist Anne Fishel’s top piece of advice for families is this: eat a meal together regularly. Could be dinner or breakfast. Takeout or home-cooked. Fishel is a clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and co-founder of The Family Dinner Project.
Family therapist Anne Fishel’s top piece of advice for families is this: eat a meal together regularly. Could be dinner or breakfast. Takeout or home-cooked. Fishel is a clinical professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and co-founder of The Family Dinner Project.
142-Year-Old Experiment
How long can the seeds of a plant lay dormant in the ground before those seeds can no longer grow? Over 140 years ago a botanist planted 20 bottles of seeds under the soil of Michigan State University’s campus. Michigan State plant biologist David Lowry is the current keeper of the seeds and he recently unearthed some of those bottles. (Photo courtesy of Michigan State University)
How long can the seeds of a plant lay dormant in the ground before those seeds can no longer grow? Over 140 years ago a botanist planted 20 bottles of seeds under the soil of Michigan State University’s campus. Michigan State plant biologist David Lowry is the current keeper of the seeds and he recently unearthed some of those bottles. (Photo courtesy of Michigan State University)
Unnecessary MRIs
More and more doctors are going to work for hospitals. When they do, they’re more likely to refer patients for unnecessary MRI scans that just happen to make a lot of profit for the hospital. Director of the Northeastern University Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Research Gary Young explains why this is happening—and what else doctors might be recommending that we shouldn’t need to pay for.
More and more doctors are going to work for hospitals. When they do, they’re more likely to refer patients for unnecessary MRI scans that just happen to make a lot of profit for the hospital. Director of the Northeastern University Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Research Gary Young explains why this is happening—and what else doctors might be recommending that we shouldn’t need to pay for.
Herd Immunity
Much of this last year, we’ve been hearing that the goal for ending the COVID-19 pandemic is to reach “herd-immunity.” But now many public health officials say that won’t happen. Still, we’re told it’s safe for vaccinated people to remove their masks in most places. So are we in the clear? William Petri, a professor of medicine and immunology at the University of Virginia, gives some answers.
Much of this last year, we’ve been hearing that the goal for ending the COVID-19 pandemic is to reach “herd-immunity.” But now many public health officials say that won’t happen. Still, we’re told it’s safe for vaccinated people to remove their masks in most places. So are we in the clear? William Petri, a professor of medicine and immunology at the University of Virginia, gives some answers.