How virus detectives trace the origins of an outbreak – and why it's so tricky

By Marilyn J. Roossinck, Professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Penn State

Every time there is a major disease outbreak, one of the first questions scientists and the public ask is: “Where did this come from?”

In order to predict and prevent future pandemics like COVID-19, researchers need to find the origin of the viruses that cause them. This is not a trivial task. The origin of HIV was not clear until 20 years after it spread around the world. Scientists still don’t know the origin of Ebola, even though it has caused periodic epidemics…

Read complete article

~	Food trade regimes harm people and the planet: how the G20 can drive improvements

~	There are many things Americans voters agree on, from fears about technology to threats to democracy

~	Online therapy as effective as in-person therapy, finds large study

~	Staying positive might protect against memory loss

~	Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming

~	The online world comes with risks – but also friendships and independence for young people with disabilities

~	President Trump’s tug-of-war with the courts, explained

~	Your data privacy is slipping away – here’s why, and what you can do about it

~	Higher ed’s relationship with marriage? It’s complicated – and depends on age

~	What is the ‘Seven Mountains Mandate’ and how is it linked to political extremism in the US?