Simple approach tested in small group visually evaluates mask effectiveness against viral droplets

Using inexpensive and widely available tools, scientists have developed a simple approach to visually evaluate how effectively different types of masks prevent the spread of droplets that could contain SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, according to a new study. While the authors note their work is still in the early stages, and their method has so far…

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SFU chemist’s new process fast-tracks drug treatments for viral infections and cancer

Discovering antiviral and anticancer drugs will soon be faster and cheaper thanks to new research from Simon Fraser University chemist Robert Britton and his international team. For the past 50 years, scientists have used manmade, synthetic and nucleoside analogues to create drug therapies for diseases that involve the cellular division and/or the viral reproduction of…

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The U.S. Lifted Its Advisory Against Traveling Abroad. What Does That Mean?

The State Department lifted its blanket advisory warning American citizens against traveling abroad on Thursday, nearly five months after the department had issued the Level 4 “do not travel” warning — its highest advisory — against all international travel as the coronavirus spread. The advisory was lifted in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control…

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Have We Hit Peak Tie-Dye?

Style Points is a new weekly column about how fashion intersects with the wider world. In the early evenings, Esther Povitsky heads outside to begin her meditation. This being Los Angeles, you might think that involves crystals or ashwaganda, but, she says, “‘Sit down, hold your back up, close your eyes and think about nothing’—that’s…

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