Science Matters

For better or worse, each of us is the result of the genes our parents gave us. Joe has my nose, his father’s eyes, and facial expressions that mirror those of his grandfathers. But the unexpected “misspelling” coiled up in his DNA has also given us a child we could never have imagined—and would never want to replace.

Due to the global pandemic human ongoings around the globe have vastly reduced. Social distancing efforts to fight the COVID-19 outbreak also means there are fewer planes, trains, and automobiles moving around. As human activity slows down scientists are starting to see this impact our natural world. The lack of regular human activity is now noticeable in the air, on land, and in our waterways. How is COVID-19 impacting the natural world?

As scientists around the world rush to stop the spread of COVID-19, they will be aided by pioneering genetic breakthroughs discovered a few short years ago. A Virginia native, Dr. Francis Collins, led an international effort to map the human genome. And now, as Director of the National Institutes of Health, he is playing a key role in developing a COVID-19 vaccine. Before the coronavirus outbreak spread in the US, he spoke with VPM’s Charles Fishburne.

Ken Burns' new documentary, 2 part series "The Gene: An Intimate History" combines personal stories with scientific research to paint a picture of this relatively young field of study and its far-reaching implications. It explores breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as the thorny ethical issues that arise from being able to change and control life on such a fundamental level.

Hey everybody, the Earth has one moon. April fools!!! Wait, really? Does the Earth really have a second moon? Listen to this Question Your World radio report produced by the Science Museum of Virginia to find out.

Keep in mind our mental health is also a very important factor in how we deal with the current global pandemic. How can we reduce stress during this pandemic?

Hi, how’s everyone doing out there? Sometimes it feels like there’s a giant ball of anxiety looming over the entire planet these days. But keep in mind our mental health is also a very important factor in how we deal with the current global pandemic. How can we reduce stress during this pandemic?

If there’s a silver lining to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that we are seeing clear evidence of the effect human activity has on the environment. Satellite images of major cities, before and during social distancing, show a near-disappearance of pollution as streets and highways sit abandoned. For 13 years, the annual Earth Hour event has worked to offer a similar effect, a stark visual representation of how human habits change the face of the earth. On the last Saturday of each March, Earth Hour invites people to turn their lights off for one hour at 8:30 p.m.

Due to the spread of COVID-19 we've been hearing a lot about some familiar things like washing hands, covering your coughs, and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, but there’s also a term being used that many are not familiar with: social distancing - or, maintaining physical distance from other humans and avoiding large gatherings of people overall. This is a new term for a lot of people and has raised questions on how effective this method could be. Does social distancing really work?

We’re currently seeing one news item all over the internet, tv, and radio. We're of course talking about COVID 19, aka the novel coronavirus you’ve been hearing so much about. The big question on everyone's mind is how do we fight the coronavirus?