The Dose: A Celestial Wonder
Monkeypox, a celestial wonder, and connecting with our fans.
Welcome to The Dose! If you haven’t already, subscribe to receive the latest pandemic updates and some exciting, beautiful science twice a month right in your inbox.
The Serious Stuff
In this section, we share the most important pandemic and science updates.
🙈 What to know about monkeypox. Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Although first isolated in 1958 from a macaque, and unlike its name, it is more likely for squirrels, dormice and rats to be the natural reservoirs for the monkeypox virus. After an initial incubation period of about 7-14 days, an infected person may develop symptoms that include fever, headache, fatigue, and the formation of lesions all over the body. While the disease is not easily spread from person-to-person, the infected person is contagious throughout the lesion phase. There is currently no reason to panic because of an existing vaccine and the virus’s low transmissibility.
💉 Boosters recommended for kids 5-11 years. The CDC has now approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine as boosters for 5-11 year olds. The data have shown that the booster dose has increased vaccine effectiveness up to 71%, which is especially important for protection against the Omicron variant. Unfortunately, less than a third of children who are eligible for the booster have completed the initial two-dose regimen, which is essential to protect our children against hospitalization and death.
The Beautiful Stuff
In this section, we share pieces at the intersection of science and art that have us obsessed.
🌊 Tiny spherical powerhouses. These cute little spheres have special calcium carbonate plates (called coccoliths), make their own food and can be found in the sunlight zone of the ocean. The Emiliania huxleyi species is the most abundant of all coccolithophores, and being key regulators of atmospheric CO2, they are essential to life on earth. Also found pristinely preserved in sedimentary rocks, these phytoplankton are so abundantly found in the oceans that they are used to study the Earth’s different geologic ages.
⭐️ A starlight, celestial wonder. Check out this breathtaking record of the dance of fireflies at Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Photographer Sriram Murali stood in the absolute darkness of a forest to capture the stunning synchronous illumination of the forest grounds by nature’s very own stars- our fast-declining population of fireflies
👃Fragrances and smellscapes. When you think of ancient Egypt, you might conjure images of the magnificent pyramids and mummies. But have you ever wondered what perfume recipes were all the hype among the ancient Egyptians? Using odor molecules and ancient texts, archaeologists are beginning to piece together what your nose might have picked up while walking through an Egyptian market. They’ve even recreated a scent that may have been favored by Cleopatra herself (a scent spicy and sweet, with notes of cinnamon)! Enjoy this read here.
The Personal Stuff
❤️ This week, we get up close and personal with one of our fans.
Tell us the basics: Name, Occupation, Location:
Michelle Bridenbaker, Global Medical Information Lead, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals. Zurich, Switzerland
What does your job entail?
I help make complex information about medicines easier for healthcare professionals and patients to understand, so that medicines are used safely.
How did you discover Unbiased Science?
I first saw posts on Facebook and then followed on all the other social media including Patreon and Substack.
What's your favorite podcast episode and/or infographic?
I love so many honestly as I have used them often to educate many people in my network. My favorite was definitely on homeopathy and debunking the pseudoscience around it.
What's your favorite subject area of health/science and why?
I am a healthcare professional and a toxicologist - so for me, I love taking really complex medical/scientific information and making it digestible for patients and even healthcare professionals.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I am currently doing my mba, but when I’m not studying I love playing sports like tennis, basketball and flag football.
That’s it for this issue!
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Thanks for this great update and for getting to know me as a very avid follower of Unbiased Science!! 💙💙💙