
Whooping Cough Kills Two Babies in Louisiana as Cases Soar
The bacterial infection pertussis has sparked an uptick in cases nationwide and has caused two deaths in Louisiana
Tanya Lewis is a senior editor covering health and medicine at Scientific American. She writes and edits stories for the website and print magazine on topics ranging from COVID to organ transplants. She also appears on Scientific American's podcast Science, Quickly and writes Scientific American's weekly Health & Biology newsletter. She has held a number of positions over her eight years at Scientific American, including health editor, assistant news editor and associate editor at Scientific American Mind. Previously, she has written for outlets that include Insider, Wired, Science News, and others. She has a degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University and one in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Follow her on Bluesky @tanyalewis.bsky.social
Whooping Cough Kills Two Babies in Louisiana as Cases Soar
The bacterial infection pertussis has sparked an uptick in cases nationwide and has caused two deaths in Louisiana
Losing USAID’s Public Health Programs Imperils the World
USAID is responsible for global health efforts that have saved the lives of millions of children. What happens when those programs are cut?
RFK, Jr., Wants to Make Baby Formula Safer, but Trump Budget Cuts Imperil That Effort
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USAID Funding Saved Millions of Children’s Lives. Recent Cuts Put It in Jeopardy
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Outpatient flu visits and hospitalizations are higher than at any time in the past 15 years
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Public health experts discuss lessons learned from the U.S. response to the COVID pandemic, on topics ranging from school closures to trust in science
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The Latest on Bird Flu Strains and Sick Cats
Scientists have reported a new strain of bird flu in Nevada dairy cattle. And viral spread in pet cats has fueled worries over increased risk of exposure to humans
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A rundown on what’s at stake for global health if the U.S. withdraws from the World Health Organization and an update on bird flu are in this week’s science news roundup.
What to Know about the Ban on Red Dye in Foods and Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of the dye Red No. 3 in all food and ingested drugs. Here’s what foods and drugs contain the coloring, and how it compares with Red No. 40 and other artificial dyes
Can You Get Bird Flu from Eggs? Your Egg Safety Questions Answered
Eggs can carry nasty viruses and bacteria. Here’s how to store and eat them safely
What Does First U.S. Bird Flu Death Tell Experts about Disease Severity?
Louisiana has reported the first U.S. fatality from avian influenza. Most of the country’s human cases have been mild
Outrage Fatigue Is Real. These Tips May Help
Repeated exposure to outrage-inducing news or events can lead to emotional exhaustion. An expert who studies online outrage says there are ways to cope
Concerning Bird Flu Virus Mutations Found in Severely Ill Patient
Samples from a hospitalized patient in Louisiana show changes that could make the H5N1 virus spread more easily between humans
The Climate, Health and Tech Stories We’re Following in 2025
We’re closing out the year with a roundup of the science stories that stood out to our editors in 2024.
U.S. Has First Case of Severe Bird Flu, CDC Confirms in H5N1 Update
Louisiana reported a person hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1, and the USDA has begun bulk milk testing
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Scientific American sat down with physician-scientist Anthony Fauci, who recently published a memoir, to discuss COVID mistakes and successes, bird flu concerns and political divisions
Luigi Mangione Said He Had Spondylolisthesis: What Is It?
The suspect in the recent shooting of a UnitedHealthcare CEO reportedly had spondylolisthesis, a condition that causes the vertebrae to go out of alignment
Why Anthony Fauci Is Concerned about Bird Flu and Public Division
“America’s Doctor” says that our common enemy is the danger posed by viruses, not each other.