COVID-19

Losang Samten, a Tibetan American scholar and former Buddhist monk, will create, with the help of festivalgoers, a sand mandala.

The 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Explores the Many Ways Americans Express Their Spirituality

Tibetan Buddhist monks, Yiddish musicians and many more creatives will share their cultural practices with visitors to the National Mall

A medical professional prepares a Covid-19 booster shot in Freeport, New York, on November 30, 2021.

Fall Covid-19 Boosters Should Target New Variants, FDA Advisers Say

The shots would no longer take aim at the virus's original strain, which experts say is not likely to return

Mountain goats roam the streets of Llandudno, Wales, in March 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

What Wild Animals Were Really Doing During Covid-19 Lockdowns

Researchers around the world traced mammals' movements and behaviors when fewer humans and cars were outside in spring 2020

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (green) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample.

Scientists Identify 12 Major Symptoms of Long Covid

The effort is a step toward accelerating research and finding treatments for the debilitating condition

Mitzi Avila, who owns Cookies and Chill bakery in Austin, Texas, made a dessert version of Thomas Glassford’s Siphonophora and Teresita Fernández’s Stacked Waters.

These Artworks Are Good Enough to Eat—Literally

The Blanton Museum in Austin asked bakers to create edible versions of pieces in its collection

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, about half of all American adults reported experiencing loneliness.

An 'Epidemic' of Loneliness Threatens Health of Americans, Surgeon General Says

Being socially disconnected can have health impacts akin to smoking 15 cigarettes per day, according to a new report

A sign for Covid-19 testing in New York City on March 9, 2023.

As Public Health Emergency Ends, CDC Will Stop Tracking Community Levels of Covid-19

The agency will continue to monitor cases of the virus based on hospitalizations and wastewater testing

A pharmacist delivers a Covid-19 booster shot in Chicago during a clinic for seniors.

When Should I Get Another Covid Booster?

Here’s what you need to know about getting your next vaccine

This Andy Warhol portrait of Marilyn Monroe, which brought in $195 million, was one of many high-profile sales last year. 

The Art Market Is Rebounding—but Only at the Top

Sales increased in 2022, but growth was concentrated largely at the high end of the market

An artist's illustration of microscopic Candida auris organisms 

Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections Are on the Rise in the U.S.

A yeast called Candida auris has sickened more people over a wider area during the pandemic

An analysis of genetic samples taken in 2020 from a market in Wuhan, China, found both the coronavirus and raccoon dog DNA.

Genetic Evidence Ties Covid's Origin to Raccoon Dogs

New data support the theory that the virus causing Covid-19 first spread to humans from animals

Since the pandemic began, the country has implemented strict zero-Covid poicies.

China Fully Reopens to Travelers After Three Years of Closures

Hoping to boost its tourism industry, the country is now issuing all types of visas

Dictionary.com regularly adds new words with staying power to its online listings.

Dictionary.com Adds More Than 300 New Words

Additions like “digital nomad,” “anti-fat” and “liminal space” reflect the dynamic nature of the English language

Even before the Covid-19 restrictions, tourism numbers were dropping amid widespread demonstrations.

Hong Kong Is Giving Away 500,000 Free Plane Tickets

The government hopes to boost tourism in the wake of the pandemic and civil unrest

Nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population has completed the primary series of Covid-19 vaccinations, but only 16 percent have received the updated bivalent booster dose.  

CDC Includes Covid-19 Shots in Routine Immunization Schedule

The federal health agency updated its vaccination guidance for children and adults

AMC's announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about movie theaters' financial future.

AMC Theaters Will Start Charging Based on Where You Sit

Coveted spots in the middle of the theater will cost more than front-row seats

Havasu Falls in Arizona

Havasu Falls Is Reopening After Three Years

Travelers whose reservations were canceled during the pandemic are first in line

Blood donations have dropped around the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic.

More Gay and Bisexual Men Could Soon Donate Blood

Since 1985, federal blood donor restrictions have barred many men who have sex with men from participating

As of January 24, the Doomsday Clock sits at 90 seconds to midnight.

The Doomsday Clock Is Now Closer Than Ever to Midnight

The reset comes amid the war in Ukraine, nuclear threats and climate change

Sister André, born Lucile Randon in 1904, died on January 17, 2023, at the age of 118.

World’s Oldest Known Person, a French Nun, Dies at 118

Sister André survived both world wars, the 1918 influenza pandemic and even a Covid-19 diagnosis at the age of 116

Page 2 of 27