Science Times: 4 Families Take On Rare Diseases

Plus: DNA Inherited From Neanderthals May Increase Risk of Covid-19 —

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story July 7, 2020 Monica Jorge for The New York Times   ‘It Will Consume Your Life’: 4 Families Take On Rare Diseases Confronted by illnesses that most scientists overlook, these families had to work out their own approaches to find treatments. By Gina Kolata Randall Munroe   Good Question Could You Make a Snowball of Neutrinos? You’ll need more than a few — say, 300 decillion. And good luck trying to throw it. By Randall Munroe Gailan Haji/EPA-EFE/REX   DNA Inherited From Neanderthals May Increase Risk of Covid-19 The stretch of six genes seems to increase the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus. By Carl Zimmer Email us Let us know how we’re doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK Victor Moriyama for The New York Times   The Pandemic’s Big Mystery: How Deadly Is the Coronavirus? Even with more than 500,000 dead worldwide, scientists are struggling to learn how often the virus kills. Here’s why. By Donald G. McNeil Jr. Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times   Fact Check Trump Falsely Claims ‘99 Percent’ of Virus Cases Are ‘Totally Harmless’ The president dismissed the severity of the pandemic, downplaying the effect of the disease even as infections surge across the Sunbelt and rebound in California. By Roni Caryn Rabin and Chris Cameron Mark Makela/Getty Images   239 Experts With One Big Claim: The Coronavirus Is Airborne The W.H.O. has resisted mounting evidence that viral particles floating indoors are infectious, some scientists say. The agency maintains the research is still inconclusive. By Apoorva Mandavilli Lauren Justice for The New York Times   U.S. Coronavirus Cases Are Rising Sharply, but Deaths Are Still Down This seemingly counterintuitive trend might not last, experts said. But the nation can still learn from the decline. By Katherine J. Wu Tony Luong for The New York Times   Can an Algorithm Predict the Pandemic’s Next Moves? Researchers have developed a model that uses social-media and search data to forecast outbreaks of Covid-19 well before they occur. By Benedict Carey National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, via Reuters   Did a Mutation Help the Coronavirus Spread? More Evidence, but Lingering Questions Researchers claim that a predominating variant had a “fitness advantage.” But many experts are not persuaded. By Benedict Carey CHINATOPIX, via Associated Press   Federal Officials Turn to a New Testing Strategy as Infections Surge Millions of additional coronavirus tests may be processed with “pooling,” enabling widespread surveillance as the country struggles to reopen. By Apoorva Mandavilli Nicolas Asfouri/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images   Researchers Debate Infecting People on Purpose to Test Coronavirus Vaccines The technique, called a human challenge trial, has been used to evaluate other vaccines. By Denise Grady Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Digital Event: Applying Covid-19’s Hard-Earned Lessons to Climate Change Thursday, July 9, 1:30 p.m. E.T. This year, to combat coronavirus, companies adapted their production, governments poured money into technology, central banks permitted exceptional stimulus packages, and societies mobilized to shield the most vulnerable. Has this created the blueprint for combating climate change? How can legacy systems and businesses transform to scale solutions at this unique moment in history? Climate Editor Hannah Fairfield will lead a discussion. R.S.V.P. here. MORE SCIENCE NEWS Scott M. Ramsay   Trilobites Canada’s Sparrows Are Singing a New Song. You’ll Hear It Soon. Over 20 years, scientists tracked the transformation of the traditional trill of a common bird from western Canada to Ontario. By Cara Giaimo Via Reuters   356 Elephants Died Suddenly. The Cause Is a Mystery. Some conservationists say the recent die-off in Botswana could be natural, but others expressed more concern. By Rachel Nuwer Doug Neasloss   Hair From Ghostly Bears Reveals New Genetic Secrets First Nations peoples along British Columbia’s Central Coast led research to help preserve the area’s white-furred Spirit bears. By Lesley Evans Ogden Carlos Jared   It’s Not a Snake, but Beware of Its Venomous Bite Animals called caecilians may have been among the first vertebrates on land to lace their bites with venom. By Katherine J. Wu HEALTH Jack Chang/Associated Press   Bubonic Plague Found in a Herder in Inner Mongolia, China Says A city put control measures in place after one confirmed case of the disease, which caused the Black Death in the Middle Ages. By Austin Ramzy Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press   Scientists Say New Strain of Swine Flu Virus Is Spreading to Humans in China A new study warns that the strain of H1N1, common on China’s pig farms since 2016, should be “urgently” controlled to avoid another pandemic. By Mike Ives Getty Images   PHYS ED How We Get Stronger Weight training prompts changes in the nervous system that prime the muscles to get bigger and stronger. By Gretchen Reynolds Gracia Lam   Personal Health Easing Arm and Shoulder Pain From a Rotator Cuff Injury Rotator cuff injuries are extremely common, especially as we age. The right exercises can speed healing and recovery. By Jane E. Brody Make a friend’s day: Forward this email. Got this from a friend? Subscribe to the Science Times newsletter. Check out other New York Times newsletters (all free!) including: Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Climate Fwd: for climate coverage and expert analysis. The Upshot for a data-driven look at the news. 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