Author Archive

Ed Yong

Ed Yong is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he covers science.
Management

How the Pandemic Now Ends

Cases of Covid-19 are rising fast. Vaccine uptake has plateaued. The pandemic will be over one day—but the way there is different now.

Management

Where Year Two of the Pandemic Will Take Us

As vaccines roll out, the U.S. will face a choice about what to learn and what to forget.

Management

America Is Trapped in a Pandemic Spiral

As the U.S. heads toward the winter, the country is going round in circles, making the same conceptual errors that have plagued it since spring.

Management

How the Pandemic Defeated America

A virus has brought the world’s most powerful country to its knees.

Management

Covid-19 Can Last for Several Months

The disease’s “long-haulers” have endured relentless waves of debilitating symptoms—and disbelief from doctors and friends.

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The Problem With Stories About Dangerous Coronavirus Mutations

There’s no clear evidence that the pandemic virus has evolved into significantly different forms—and there probably won’t be for months.

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The New Coronavirus Is a Truly Modern Epidemic

New diseases are mirrors that reflect how a society works—and where it fails.

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Why Hundreds of Puffins Washed Up Dead on an Alaskan Beach

This latest mass-mortality event is another sign of the Arctic’s rapidly changing climate.

Management

A New Way to Keep Mosquitoes From Biting

An appetite-suppressing drug makes them act as if they’ve already feasted on blood.

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The Main Suspect Behind an Ominous Spike in a Polio-Like Illness

A common virus seems to be behind a puzzling condition that’s paralyzing children, but uncertainties remain.

Management

What Bill Gates Fears Most

The threat of a flu pandemic clouds even his legendary optimism, so he's launching an initiative to prevent one.

Management

A Popular Algorithm Is No Better at Predicting Crimes Than Random People

The COMPAS tool is widely used to assess a defendant’s risk of committing more crimes, but a new study puts its usefulness into perspective.

Management

Why Miami Was a Perfect Gateway for Zika

The virus showed up months—or even years—before anyone realized it was there.