Study Links COVID-19 To Neanderthals
In other science news, researchers find new evidence that deepens the debate on whether a mutation helped the coronavirus spread.
The New York Times:
DNA Linked To Covid-19 Was Inherited From Neanderthals, Study Finds
A stretch of DNA linked to Covid-19 was passed down from Neanderthals 60,000 years ago, according to a new study. Scientists don’t yet know why this particular segment increases the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus. But the new findings, which were posted online on Friday and have not yet been published in a scientific journal, show how some clues to modern health stem from ancient history. (Zimmer, 7/4)
The New York Times:
Did A Mutation Help The Coronavirus Spread? More Evidence, But Lingering Questions
For months, scientists have debated whether a variant of the coronavirus that has come to predominate in much of the world did so partly because it is more transmissible than other viruses. On Thursday, a team of researchers reported new evidence that is likely to deepen the debate rather than settle it, experts said; too many uncertainties remain, in a pandemic that changes shape by the day. (Carey, 7/2)
