Early in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists predicted the SARS-CoV-2 virus would <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/03/26/822107691/the-coronavirus-is-mutating-relatively-slowly-which-may-be-good-news">mutate slowly</a>. They were wrong. Hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665928X23000132?via%3Dihub">viral mutations</a> and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/08/15/nx-s1-5075060/covid-summer-wave-variants-vaccine">multiple seasonal waves</a> later, we now know why. The answer changes researchers' understanding of viral evolution — and it could help predict the evolution of other viruses in the future. <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/767284140/emily-kwong">Emily</a> talks about it all with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/sarah-zhang/">Sarah Zhang</a>, a health writer for The Atlantic. Want to hear more virology or human biology stories? Let us know by emailing <a href="mailto:shortwave@npr.org">shortwave@npr.org</a>. Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

What Scientists Got Wrong About COVID-19

Short Wave

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews