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Articles by Tom Duszynski
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health
By Tom Duszynski, Clinical Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Indiana University Imagine a city street at dusk, silent save for the rising sound of a collective guttural moan. Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead.
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health
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Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health Original
Imagine a city street at dusk, silent save for the rising sound of a collective guttural moan. Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead. A classic movie monster, the zombie surged in popularity in the 21st century during a time of global anxiety – the Great Recession, the specter of climate change, the lingering trauma of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health
Imagine a city street at dusk, silent save for the rising sound of a collective guttural moan. Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead. A classic movie monster, the zombie surged in popularity[1] in the 21st century during a time of global anxiety – the Great Recession, the specter of climate change, the lingering trauma of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health
Imagine a city street at dusk, silent save for the rising sound of a collective guttural moan. Suddenly, a horde of ragged, bloodied creatures appear, their feet shuffling along the pavement, their hollow eyes locked on fleeing figures ahead. kAmp 4=2DD:4 >@G:6 >@?DE6C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]334]4@>^4F=EFC6^2CE:4=6^a_`b`_ad\K@>3:6\?2E:@?QmE96 K@>3:6 DFC865 :? A@AF=2C:EJk^2m :?
COVID-19 lockdowns significantly impacting global air quality
Levels of two major air pollutants have been drastically reduced since lockdowns began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a secondary pollutant – ground-level ozone – has increased in China, according to new research. Two new studies in AGU’s journal Geophysical Research Letters find nitrogen dioxide pollution over northern China, Western Europe and the U.S. decreased by as much as 60 percent in early 2020 as compared to the same time last year.
Space junk: Astronomers worry as private companies push ahead with satellite launches
by Martin McCoustra Space junk is making low Earth orbit crowded. Johan Swanepoel/Shuttertock Since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, the lower orbit around the Earth has become an increasingly congested environment with more than 2,200 satellite launches to date. Those satellites – along with launch vehicle components and debris from mechanical disintegration, collisions and explosions – now fill this region with a “fog” of space debris. And it’s getting busier.
An astronaut got a blood clot in space – now our study shows how to best protect crew
by Varsha Jain Astronaut Peggy Whitson at the International Space Station in 2016. NASA, CC BY-SA You are locked inside and are encouraged to do one hour of physical exercise per day. You are isolated from the people you love, and there are limited forms of communication. And you know it will be months before life will return to normal. Sound familiar?
Technology, international bonds, and inspiration: why astronomy matters in times of crisis
by Fred Watson Alex Cherney / CSIRO In an international emergency like the present one, you might expect the science of the stars to be the last thing on people’s minds. The problems facing both individuals and governments are infinitely more pressing than events in the depths of space. People are suffering unprecedented hardships. Yet throughout history, astronomy has shown extraordinary resilience in times of crisis and has kept public support.
Science fiction builds mental resiliency in young readers
by Esther Jones Science fiction offers readers a way to rethink social dilemmas. MATJAZ SLANIC/Via Getty Images Young people who are “hooked” on watching fantasy or reading science fiction may be on to something. Contrary to a common misperception that reading this genre is an unworthy practice, reading science fiction and fantasy may help young people cope, especially with the stress and anxiety of living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Touching the asteroid Ryugu revealed secrets of its surface and changing orbit
Asteroid Ryugu photographed from a distance of about 12 miles (20 kilometers) looks just gray and bland, but a close-up provides more color. JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, University of Aizu and AIST, CC BY-SA On Feb. 21, 2019, we shot an asteroid.
ESO instrument finds closest black hole to Earth
A team of astronomers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and other institutes has discovered a black hole lying just 1000 light-years from Earth. The black hole is closer to our Solar System than any other found to date and forms part of a triple system that can be seen with the naked eye. The team found evidence for the invisible object by tracking its two companion stars using the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile.
Telescopes and spacecraft join forces to probe deep into Jupiter's atmosphere
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the ground-based Gemini Observatory in Hawaii have teamed up with the Juno spacecraft to probe the mightiest storms in the solar system, taking place more than 500 million miles away on the giant planet Jupiter.
Sci Fi Generation - AI can tackle the climate emergency - if developed...
by Victor Galaz William Potter/Shutterstock Our planet is altering at a dangerous pace due to climate change. And at the same time, we seem to be entering a period of unprecedented technological transformation. Advances in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and internet-connected devices are creating increasingly complex intelligent technological systems.
4-billion-year-old nitrogen-containing organic molecules discovered in Martian meteorites
A research team including research scientist Atsuko Kobayashi from the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan and research scientist Mizuho Koike from the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, have found nitrogen-bearing organic material in carbonate minerals in a Martian meteorite. This organic material has most likely been preserved for 4 billion years since Mars’ Noachian age.
Scientists regenerate neurons in mice with spinal cord injury and optic nerve damage
Like power lines in an electrical grid, long wiry projections that grow outward from neurons – structures known as axons – form interconnected communication networks that run from the brain to all parts of the body. But unlike an outage in a power line, which can be fixed, a break in an axon is permanent.
New study examines which galaxies are best for intelligent life
Giant elliptical galaxies are not as likely as previously thought to be cradles of technological civilizations such as our own, according to a recent paper by a University of Arkansas astrophysicist.
How people react to the threat of disease could mean COVID-19 is reshaping personalities
by Vivian Zayas Your body wants you to freak out about germs so you avoid them. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images The effects of the coronavirus pandemic will be “imprinted on the personality of our nation for a very long time,” predicted Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. No doubt in the future people will mourn those who’ve died and remember the challenges of this period. But how would COVID-19 shape people’s personalities – and into what?
'Elegant' solution reveals how the universe got its structure
The universe is full of billions of galaxies – but their distribution across space is far from uniform. Why do we see so much structure in the universe today and how did it all form and grow? A 10-year survey of tens of thousands of galaxies made using the Magellan Baade Telescope at Carnegie’s Las Campanas Observatory in Chile provided a new approach to answering this fundamental mystery.
Tomanowos, the meteorite that survived mega-floods and human folly
by Daniel Garcia-Castellanos Surface detail of the Tomanowos meteorite, showing cavities produced by dissolution of iron. Eden, Janine and Jim/Wikipedia, CC BY The rock with arguably the most fascinating story on Earth has an ancient name: Tomanowos. It means “the visitor from heaven” in the extinct language of Oregon’s Clackamas Indian tribe. The Clackamas revered the Tomanowos – also known as the Willamette meteorite – believing it came to unite heaven, earth and water for their people.
Dystopian story ‘Ready Player One’ has tips for life after coronavirus
by Tom Ue Wade Watts becomes a better global citizen when he reconnects to the real world in Ernest Cline’s novel ‘Ready Player One.’ Tye Sheridan stars as Watts in Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation. (2018 edition of ‘Ready Player One’/Penguin Random House) Dystopian fiction seems so alluring during the coronavirus pandemic. As we eagerly await a return to normalcy, many say we can aspire to do better — whether we are talking about wealth distribution or global warming.
The 'first scientist's' 800-year-old tonic for what ails us: The truth
by Richard Gunderman English scientist Roger Bacon believed everyone has a responsibility to think for themselves. Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de santé, CC BY It seems that science has been taking a beating lately. From decades of denial by the tobacco industry that smoking causes cancer to more recent attempts to use the COVID-19 pandemic to score political points, a presumption seems to have taken root that it is okay to seek and speak the truth only when it suits personal interest.
The US military has officially published three UFO videos. Why doesn't anybody seem to care?
by Adam Dodd US Department of Defense On April 27, 2020, the US Department of Defense issued a public statement authorising the release of three “UFO” videos taken by US Navy pilots. The footage appears to depict airborne, heat-emitting objects with no visible wings, fuselage or exhaust, performing aerodynamically in ways that no known aircraft can achieve.
Social video games to play during the coronavirus quarantine
by Joe Todd Video games can be played across distances with new and old friends, as a family and for learning. (Jeshoots.com/Pexels) The #PlayApartTogether campaign has recently been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to encourage people to stay socially connected from home. Despite having recently classified uncontrollable gaming as a disorder, the WHO could be starting to see the benefits of online gaming.
With everyone stuck indoors, esports is poised for its time in the sun
by Michelle O'Shea and Sarah Duffy Shutterstock Against a global backdrop of cancelled sports leagues, and as part of their season opening, National Rugby League (NRL) fans recently packed the stands of Townsville’s new Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Fortunately, professional sporting bodies have now realised social distancing measures can’t be ignored. To maintain fan engagement, sports leagues must rethink their mode of delivery. Esports is one promising option.
We're measuring online conversation to track the social and mental health issues surfacing during the coronavirus pandemic
by Amit Sheth The pandemic is driving up a litany of social ills. Bundit Binsuk/EyeEm via Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Social media posts and news reports are rich sources of data about people’s attitudes and behaviors. Using artificial intelligence techniques, it’s possible to sift through billions of words to discern trends in a population’s well-being, or social quality.
Four video games to boost your mood
by Conor Mckeown The video game Fortnite revels in silliness. Epic Games/IGDB In her book How Games Move Us (2016), computer games researcher Katherine Isbister writes that her friends and colleagues believe that gaming might numb people’s emotions. Given the possible connection between games and violence, it may be understandable that they think this, but Isbister disagrees with them.
Coronavirus quarantine could provide lessons for future space travel on how regular people weather isolation
by Inga Popovaite A researcher in a spacesuit on “Mars” outside the Mars Society Desert Research Station in Utah. David Howells/Corbis Historical via Getty Images I was supposed to travel to “Mars” this month. The plan was to stay two weeks at the Mars Desert Research Station – actually in the Utah desert – to simulate human operations on the red planet. Eight of us were to live in a two-story cylinder, 24 feet in diameter.
Robots are playing many roles in the coronavirus crisis – and offering lessons for future disasters
by Robin R. Murphy, Justin Adams, and Vignesh Babu Manjunath Gandudi A nurse (left) operates a robot used to interact remotely with coronavirus patients while a physician looks on. MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images A cylindrical robot rolls into a treatment room to allow health care workers to remotely take temperatures and measure blood pressure and oxygen saturation from patients hooked up to a ventilator.
A smart second skin gets all the power it needs from sweat
by Wei Gao The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Skin is the largest organ of the human body. It conveys a lot of information, including temperature, pressure, pleasure and pain. Electronic skin (e-skin) mimics the properties of biological skin. Recently developed e-skins are capable of wirelessly monitoring physiological signals. They could play a crucial role in the next generation of robotics and medical devices.
Social distancing comes with social side effects – here's how to stay connected
by Jonathan Kanter and Adam Kuczynski There are ways to strengthen bonds while keeping physical distance. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images To fight the spread of coronavirus, government officials have asked Americans to swallow a hard pill: Stay away from each other. In times of societal stress, such a demand runs counter to what evolution has hard-wired people to do: Seek out and support each other as families, friends and communities. We yearn to huddle together.
Society's dependence on the internet: 5 cyber issues the coronavirus lays bare
by Laura DeNardis and Jennifer Daskal The pandemic is increasing society’s reliance on digital connections. MR.Cole_Photographer/Moment via Getty Images As more and more U.S. schools and businesses shutter their doors, the rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic is helping to expose society’s dependence – good and bad – on the digital world. Entire swaths of society, including classes we teach at American University, have moved online until the coast is clear.
Earth-size, habitable-zone planet found hidden in early NASA Kepler data
A team of transatlantic scientists, using reanalyzed data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope, has discovered an Earth-size exoplanet orbiting in its star’s habitable zone, the area around a star where a rocky planet could support liquid water. Scientists discovered this planet, called Kepler-1649c, when looking through old observations from Kepler, which the agency retired in 2018.
What we do and do not know about COVID-19’s infectivity and viral load
From Other Nonprofit Media showcases select work from other nonprofit news sites around the nation. Sign up here to get our daily updates on coronavirus in Minnesota delivered straight to your inbox each afternoon. And go here to see all of MinnPost’s COVID-19 coverage. This article is from The Conversation.
New formation theory explains the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua’
Since its discovery in 2017, an air of mystery has surrounded the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, an elongated, cigar-shaped body named ‘Oumuamua (Hawaiian for “a messenger from afar arriving first”). How was it formed, and where did it come from? A new study published April 13 in Nature Astronomy offers a first comprehensive answer to these questions.
Volcanic carbon dioxide emissions helped trigger Triassic climate change
A new study finds volcanic activity played a direct role in triggering extreme climate change at the end of the Triassic period 201 million year ago, wiping out almost half of all existing species. The amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from these volcanic eruptions is comparable to the amount of CO2 expected to be produced by all human activity in the 21st century.
What we do and do not know about COVID-19's infectivity and viral load
by Marta Gaglia and Seema Lakdawala SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient and imaged using a transmission electron micrograph. NIAID As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, it has become clear that people need to understand basic facts about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to make informed health care and public policy decisions. Two basic virological concepts have gotten a lot of attention recently – the “infectious dose” and the “viral load” of SARS-CoV-2.
More than 441,000 people have ‘recovered’ from COVID-19. How long will immunity last?
The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the U.S. who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero. That number now exceeds 42,000 and is .
What does 'recovered from coronavirus' mean? 4 questions answered about how some survive and what happens next
by Tom Duszynski Recovery is the result for most coronavirus patients. AP Photo/Tony Dejak The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the U.S. who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero.
Coronavirus: people in tall buildings may be more at risk. Here's why.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health systems and public health authorities worldwide. When you have a rapidly spreading virus with a high transmission rate, you have to investigate all possible infection risks. One area of risk that is yet to receive any attention is big buildings such as tower blocks or hospitals.
What does ‘recovered from coronavirus’ mean? 4 questions answered about how some survive and what happens next
Credit: CC0 Public Domain The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the U.S. who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero. That number is now in the tens of thousands and is climbing every day.
The bare necessities: 5 ways to understand coronavirus graphs
Wrapping your head around the scale of a global pandemic is not easy, and the volume of stats and data can be bewildering. What, for instance, are we to make of the fact Australia recorded just 109 new cases in its daily count for April 6? Given this figure peaked at around 400 new cases per day, does this mean the rate of infection is now tapering off?
What Does It Mean to 'Recover From Coronavirus'? Here's What You Need to Know
TOM DUSZYNSKI, THE CONVERSATION 11 APRIL 2020 The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the US who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero.
What does ‘recovered from coronavirus’ mean? 4 questions answered about how some survive and what happens next
Sign up here to get our daily updates on coronavirus in Minnesota delivered straight to your inbox each afternoon. And go here to see all of MinnPost’s COVID-19 coverage. This article is republished from The Conversation. The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it.
What Does ‘Recovered From Coronavirus’ Mean?
The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the US who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero. That number is now in the tens of thousands and is climbing every day.
The road to wellness: What does 'recovered from coronavirus' mean?
Tom Duszynski, Director Epidemiology Education, IUPUI Published 5:26 p.m. CT April 9, 2020 | Updated 5:27 p.m. CT April 9, 2020 Brenda Vargas, medical assistant with Vo Medical Group in Calexico, Calif., performs a COVID-19 test on a patient on April 7. Recovery is the most common outcome for most coronavirus patients.
What does it exactly mean to recover from coronavirus?
The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with Covid-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the United States who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero. That number is now in the tens of thousands and is climbing every day.
What does 'recovered from coronavirus' mean? 4 questions answered about how some survive and what happens next
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Tom Duszynski, IUPUI (THE CONVERSATION) The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered.
What does it mean to 'recover' from coronavirus?
The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. In mid-March, the number of patients in the U.S. who had officially recovered from the virus was close to zero. That number is now in the tens of thousands and is climbing every day.
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