Tag Archives: important

Connecting Extreme Weather to Climate Change: The Most Important Insight of Our Time

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New Scientist - Your premier source for the latest science news, technology advancements, health insights, and environmental developments.

January 2003: Physicist Miles Allen witnessed the River Thames flooding, threatening his home in Oxford, England. He asked, “Why did meteorologists refuse to link this incident to climate change?”

Later that year, climatologist Peter Stott from the British Met Office found himself in Italy during one of Europe’s most severe heatwaves. Instead of enjoying a vacation, he faced temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, a shocking experience for him.

Both Allen and Stott were intent on understanding climate change’s role in extreme weather events. Stott utilized existing climate models to simulate two scenarios of the 2003 heatwave: one reflecting the climate of that year and another devoid of human-induced warming.

They ran extensive model simulations and concluded that in their landmark 2004 paper in Nature, human activities have more than doubled the likelihood of experiencing a heatwave similar to that of 2003.

This groundbreaking work marked the inception of a new climate science field, which began to identify human influences on extreme weather events. Soon analyses emerged for diverse phenomena, from heatwaves to severe droughts and storms.

However, a significant challenge remained—post-event analyses often took months or years to determine the influence of climate change.

To address this, researchers, including Friederike Otto from Imperial College London, founded World Weather Attribution in 2014. This initiative facilitates swift analysis of extreme weather events, quantifying the probable impacts of climate change, with results frequently released within days.

This has dramatically altered reporting on such events globally, enabling news outlets to directly attribute deadly weather phenomena to climate change and emphasizing the real-world consequences of rising emissions.

As Otto stated, “When we began this work a decade ago, scientists and journalists maintained that individual weather events could not be blamed on climate change. That perspective has shifted immensely.”

This advancement also supports climate change litigation, with causal investigations providing evidence in numerous lawsuits against polluters worldwide. In 2022, the United Nations announced a new International Loss and Damage Fund, paving the way for climate change compensation.

In 2003, Allen queried: “Could litigation for climate change be feasible?” Thanks to developments in attribution science, the answer is now a definitive “yes.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Way You Breathe Can Uncover Important Insights About Your Health

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Analyzing breath patterns can be crucial for diagnosing and treating numerous health issues

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Forget about facial recognition—innovative methods for identification may be on the horizon. Researchers have unveiled the concept of “respiratory fingerprints,” a distinctive breathing pattern that could transform the approach to diagnosing and managing various health conditions, including obesity and depression.

The breakthrough is credited to Timna Soroka at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Together with her team, they designed wearable devices capable of capturing the minute details of our breathing patterns.

“This research is exciting,” says Torben Noto from OSMO in New York, an AI company focused on enhancing computer sensory perception, who was not part of the study. “It tackles many persistent inquiries regarding the relationship between respiratory signals and health, as well as mental well-being.”

The notion that breath patterns can reveal health information isn’t new; clues to this relationship date back to the 1950s. Yet, previous studies were limited to data from hospital patients because no wearable devices existed that could record nasal breathing while allowing people to move freely.

To overcome this limitation, Soroka and her colleagues developed a wearable device, which was tested by 97 participants who wore it around the clock. The team trained an algorithm to detect a unique set of 24 breathing metrics, ranging from the volume of air inhaled to the speed of breathing. Remarkably, the algorithm achieved nearly 97% accuracy in identifying participants, and their unique breathing signature remained consistent over a two-year follow-up period.

However, don’t expect to use this device for banking transactions just yet, warns Norm Sobel from the Weizmann Institute. The primary aim is not biometric authentication, but to extract invaluable health insights.

For instance, a person’s body mass index (BMI) can be estimated using specific nasal cycle parameters, which involve a rhythmic pattern of airflow between nostrils. This cycle is controlled by the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems—the former prepares the body for “fight or flight,” while the latter calms the body. “By assessing nostril airflow, we effectively gauge sympathetic arousal, which seems to correlate with BMI,” explains Sobel.

This leads to intriguing inquiries, Sobel notes: Could breathing patterns influence weight rather than weight changes altering breath? “If that’s the case, we might discover a breathing pattern that promotes weight loss, at which point we’ll all retire to an island,” he quips.

The respiratory data also indicated a link between breathing characteristics and levels of anxiety and depression. For example, individuals experiencing higher depressive symptoms exhibited faster inhalation rates.

The research team is currently exploring whether these breathing patterns actively contribute to these symptoms and if they can be used to diagnose widespread mental health disorders.

“Imagine a future where each patient owns a nasal airflow monitoring device that not only tracks treatment progress but also offers feedback and predicts outcomes for various disorders,” says Noto. The device measures 24 distinct breathing metrics. It also enables users to notice deviations from their normal breathing patterns. “This could have a profound effect on public health,” adds Noto.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Important information about modern stimulants

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The negative side effects of females vary depending on the tolerance and the means of intake of the person taking it.

After the rush of medication is relieved, many users continue to chew it. They forget to drink water and are unable to sleep or eat for days. In this phase, known as “fine tuning,” users can focus excessively on activities such as disassembly of the bike (forgotten to reassemble) or spending time collecting things like pebbles and shiny gum wrappers. They may get excited and aggressive. Delusion, hallucination Mental illness can be set.

Some people constantly hurt or pick the skin to eradicate “female bugs,” leaving often scars and open wounds.

Long-term side effects include cognitive decline, memory loss, severe depression, cardiac valve damage, and periodontal disease and tooth decay. “methane.”

This is becoming more and more common, but is usually not fatal, unless the dose of methane is adulterous with fentanyl. However, people can overdose meth alone, and their deaths are on the rise.

In 2023, the most recent year when statistics are available, nearly 35,000 overdose deaths in the US were involved in Meth or other meth, with or without fentanyl contributions. That’s about 870% increase from around 3,600 deaths in 2013, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The true measure of female lethality cannot be captured by overdose. People die from female-related causes, such as strokes and cerebral hemorrhage, and accidents during the rather trace of methane, such as wandering traffic or hitting a vehicle. Females can cause chronic users to overheat and convulse.

Traffickers hide it in many ways. Law enforcement officers Mineral water (“Conversion Lab” In the US, then extract the drug liquid); in a tractor trailer that lists cargo as AS “TomatilosIt is packed in a roll of “;” toilet paper; It’s disguised WatermelonIt was mailed in a bag of ; Cheats.

There are drugs that cure opioid cravings, but no approved drugs to treat meta addiction. Furthermore, overdose inverters like naloxone do not work for people overdose of methane (unless the drug is stained with fentanyl).

1 Behavioral treatment Female poisoning is called “emergency management.” The urine screen is negative, It has been featured for a long time in the treatment of addiction for veteran issues program.

It is known as ice, Tina, crystal, glass, speed. nickname “crank” nodded to the biker who smuggled it in the engine’s crankcase.

It’s been over a century and has changed quite a bit and become much more powerful.

In 1887, German chemists synthesized the compound ephedrine. Ephedra plants. By 1893, Japanese scientists were developing methamphetamine. During World War II, military forces in Germany, British and Americans distributed female tablets to awaken the troops and to suppress appetite. In Japan, tablets are given to Kamikaze pilots, It’s sold at the counter.

In 1944, the Food and Drug Administration approved it. Methamphetamine drugs, Desocin is used to treat narcotics, obesity and ADHD.

According to Researcherby the late 1960s, warnings “Speed ​​Kill”-Referring to drugs and driving – He was promoted in the US.

In the 1990s, females became known as dance club drugs. The “cook” of the house created a batch of them. Most use pseudoephedrine, a component of over-the-counter cold medicines.

In 2005, we noticed an increase in the use of meta, Congress Combat methamphetamine epidemicasks retailers to move cold medicines containing pseudo-ephedrine behind the counter. While the opioid crisis was gathering strength, female production began to decline.

Next, as reported Atlantic Oceanchemists have discovered a powerful formulation to avoid pseudoephedrine. This formula was adapted by Mexico Cartels have been distributed in the southwest along the west coast, starting with mass-produced methane.

2024 Annual National Drug Threat ReportThe Drug Enforcement Bureau said the cartel was taking advantage of US demand for counterfeit drugs by producing METH with tablets that mimic ADHD drugs.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Questioning Our Understanding of Autism: Reevaluating Important Indicators

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Characters portrayed on-screen with autism, from Sheldon Cooper to Sherlock Holmes, have traditionally been characterized by their unique social skills.

While experts often focus on social skills when diagnosing individuals with autism, recent research suggests that other traits may be better indicators of the condition. These traits include repetitive behaviors, special interests, and differences in sensation.

Recent research has shown that special interests may play a more significant role in diagnosing autism.

Special interest may be more important to obtain an autism diagnosis – Credit: Mikset via Getty

“Our research has the potential to have a significant impact,” says Jack Stanley, a doctoral student in biochemistry and machine learning at McGill University in Montreal. BBC Science Focus.

From the perspective of the autism community, this study could lead to a reevaluation of longstanding clinical standards for diagnosing autism.

Diagnosing individuals with autism typically involves clinical observations where healthcare professionals assess potential autism traits. However, this process relies heavily on subjective judgment and intuition.

McGill researchers utilized a large-scale language model (LLM) to quantitatively understand how clinicians diagnose autism based on over 4,000 reports from clinicians assessing patients with the condition.

“Our goal was not to replace clinicians with LLM, but to better understand the key factors in diagnosing autism,” explains Stanley.

The study revealed that repetitive behaviors and special interests were more crucial in predicting autism diagnoses than social skills, which contrasts with current clinical guidelines.

As the study did not differentiate between genders, the findings may vary for individuals of different genders.

Researchers hope that this study will prompt healthcare professionals to reassess the most relevant factors in diagnosing autism.

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About our experts:

Jack Stanley is a doctoral student at the Mira AI Institute in Montreal, specializing in applying machine learning to biological and medical challenges. He completed an Honors BSC in Statistics and Biochemistry at the University of Toronto before joining McGill.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

What is Vibe Coding and Is it Important to Use AI?

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Do you want to get AI to write software for you? It’s coding of the atmosphere

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I want to write software, but do you have a first clue as to where to start? Enter “Vibe Coding.” This is the term that swept the Internet to explain the use of AI tools, including large-scale language models (LLMS), such as ChatGPT, to generate computer code even when it is not programmable.

What is atmospheric coding? Where did it come from?

“Vibe coding basically refers to using generated AI to generate the entire code for your app, not just to assist with code.” Noah Jansilaksa at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Users will ask or ask for LLM-based models such as CHATGPT, CLAUDE, COPILOT, etc., to prompt, write code for the app or service, and the AI system will do all the work.

The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy, the head of AI at Tesla and founding engineer at Openai, the manufacturer of ChatGpt. February, he Posted on x “A new type of coding” is called “vibe coding.”

Karpathy explained that “we give in completely to the atmosphere, accept exponential functions, and even forget that the code exists.” The term was born and ideas were established. “It captured a moment that resonated with so many people because there are so many people who are non-programmers who can start playing with LLMS, write code and get great results from them,” says software developer Simon Willison.

What are the key points of coding the atmosphere?

Software engineering is difficult to learn. As a result, many people don’t care. Vibe coding helps people with ideas for tools, apps and services without the challenge of learning the details of programming languages.

“On the one hand, it’s a game changer. Many people say it’s coding the atmosphere, and in the course of some encouragement cycles, it’s better than what you can do for those who can’t programme, which is amazing.” Matt wood At Northumbria University, UK. But it can also lead to software that is incomplete and scattered with errors, he adds.

So is a vibrator a good or bad thing?

Opinions are divided. “All of these people have made the outrageous claims on LinkedIn and Twitter that no one needs to learn to program,” says Willison, who thinks it’s an exaggeration to the power of coding in vibes.

“My feeling is that this is a promising direction that’s going to get much better and we’ll see more in the near future, but it’s a bit limited now and there are some reliability issues,” says Giansiracusa. The code created is often buggy. The people who are urging it don’t have the inherent knowledge to fix it, and therefore rely too much on the same LLM who made the error to fix them.

Does Vibe Coding change software engineering?

One of the big claims about AI is its ability to take on our work. However, despite some social media boasting, there is little evidence that vibe coding will replace software engineers. “We’re not going to replace programmers,” Wood says.

“I feel that the job of a software engineer is to create software that works,” Willison says. “One of the reasons why we don’t think these systems will leave us out of our work is that in reality the vast amount of work done by software engineers has nothing to do with entering the code.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research suggests that having a fixed bedtime is more important than sleep time for combating fatigue

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Quality of sleep is often judged by the number of hours we sleep, but recent research suggests that the timing of sleep may be more crucial than the duration.

A study published in the journal Sleep indicates that the consistency of your sleep schedule, rather than just the number of hours slept, is a strong predictor of your risk of mortality. Even individuals who consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep but have irregular sleep patterns were found to be at a higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, and cancer. On the other hand, those with a consistent sleep routine had up to a 48% lower risk of death from all causes.

It’s important to note that simply sticking to an erratic sleep pattern with minimal hours of sleep is not advised. The study found that individuals who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours per night had a higher risk of mortality. While sleep duration is significant, the link between mortality and consistent sleep patterns was stronger.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 61,000 individuals in the UK Biobank, totaling over 10 million recorded sleep hours. By studying sleep patterns and mortality rates, they identified the factors associated with an increased risk of early death.

These findings may lead to updated public health guidelines on sleep recommendations, emphasizing the importance of not only getting sufficient sleep but also maintaining a consistent sleep schedule for overall health improvement.

Further research is needed to determine if these findings are applicable to a broader population beyond the UK.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Study suggests fixed bedtime more important than total sleep time in preventing tiredness

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When it comes to a good night’s sleep, the quality of your sleep may be more important than the number of hours you get. A new study published in the journal sleep suggests that the regularity of your sleep schedule is a strong predictor of your overall risk of death. In fact, research shows that even those who consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep but have irregular sleep schedules are at a higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, and even cancer compared to those with a consistent sleep-wake routine.

Individuals with the most consistent sleep-wake times have been found to have up to a 48% lower risk of all-cause death compared to those with inconsistent routines. However, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule doesn’t mean you can skimp on sleep. Those who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours each night were also at a higher risk of death. Overall, the link between mortality and consistent sleep patterns was found to be stronger than the link between mortality and sleep duration.

Researchers analyzed sleep data from nearly 61,000 people in the UK biobank, totaling over 10 million hours of recorded sleep. Using advanced algorithms, they tracked mortality rates over an average of 6.3 years to identify factors associated with early death. The hope is that these findings will inform updated public health guidelines and sleep recommendations, emphasizing the importance of not only getting enough sleep but also maintaining a consistent sleep schedule for improved overall health.

Further research is needed to determine if these findings apply to populations outside the UK and to a more diverse range of individuals.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Dear runner: It’s Important for Your Health to Take a Break

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Engaging in daily running without adequate rest can be a beneficial but ambitious choice for overall fitness. Running is a great cardiovascular exercise that should not be discouraged, especially when done consistently. Regular physical activity also has significant mental health benefits.

However, running every day without rest can increase the risk of overuse injuries such as shin splints, tendonitis, and stress fractures. The repetitive stress on the same muscles and joints without proper recovery time can lead to these issues. The knees are particularly susceptible to injury due to the weight-bearing nature of running.

Credit: TravelCouples

It is crucial to listen to your body and not ignore persistent pain or discomfort, as it could signal the onset of overuse injuries. Practicing proper running technique, wearing suitable footwear, and gradually increasing mileage can help reduce injury risk. Additionally, incorporating strength training exercises to support muscles around the knees and other joints can enhance stability and protection.

Experts recommend including rest days in workout routines to allow for muscle recovery and adaptation to running demands. Active rest days, involving low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or yoga, can benefit streak runners. Taking breaks is essential for healing minor injuries and maintaining physical well-being.

This article addresses the query (“Is it safe to run every day, should I abandon my running to save my knees?”) posed to Chloe Dickinson via email.

To submit a question, contact questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (include your name and location).

For fascinating scientific insights, explore our collection of fun facts.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Important facts about bird flu found in U.S. dairy cows

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dairy farm cows

GH Photo/Alamy

Dairy cows in several US states have reportedly contracted bird flu. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The virus has killed millions of birds around the world, but this is the first time it has been detected in cattle.

How many cows are affected by avian influenza?

As of March 25, milk samples from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas tested positive for the avian influenza subtype called H5N1. new york times. This strain is highly lethal to birds. A cow throat swab taken from a dairy farm in Texas also tested positive. So far, no cows have died from the virus.

On March 22, U.S. authorities announced a diagnosis of avian influenza in bovines after some dairy cows at farms in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico became ill and there were reports of dead wild birds on farm grounds. The inspection has started.

About 10% of the milking cows on the affected farms appear to be sick, most of them elderly. It is unclear whether avian influenza is the cause of all animal illness. U.S. authorities are moving quickly to conduct additional testing.

How did the cow become infected with the virus?

The Department of Agriculture announced that the cows appear to have contracted the virus from infected wild birds. However, it is unclear exactly how the virus was transmitted between species.

Most mammals that contract bird flu are carnivores, such as foxes and seals, who most likely contracted the virus by eating dead or infected birds.Because cows don’t eat birds, it’s difficult to explain the source of infection. Richard Webby at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee. Feces and saliva from wild birds may have contaminated the cows’ water and feed.

“The biggest question that I don’t fully understand is how do you account for transmission across the state with such geographic spread,” Webby said.

The worst-case scenario is that the virus spreads among cattle, but that’s probably unlikely, he said. This is because there is still no evidence that avian influenza can be transmitted between mammals.

Do sick cows increase the risk of avian influenza spreading to humans?

The risk of contracting bird flu remains low for most people. Initial testing of samples taken from infected cows has found no genetic changes that would suggest the virus is more transmissible to humans.

But each time a mammal gets avian influenza, Webby says, it gives the virus a chance to acquire the mutations it needs to spread between mammals. “But to put this into perspective, we still need some answers. Above all, how many cows are showing evidence of being infected with the virus?” If there are very few, the virus is likely to become a dead end again, as it did in foxes, bears, and other previously infected animals.

Is milk safe to drink?

Yes, milk is still safe to drink. The USDA already requires dairy farms to send only milk from healthy cows for processing. Milk from infected cows is also being discarded and kept out of the food supply.

Even if contaminated milk enters the supply chain, pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses, including influenza.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

6 important considerations during a total solar eclipse

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Pink stripes called prominences that appear during a total solar eclipse

Alan Dyer/StockTrek Images/Getty Images

There is no greater experience in life than witnessing a total solar eclipse. For a while, the sky darkens, the air cools, and stars appear during the day. Some people may go through life without ever seeing a solar eclipse, but for eclipse chasers like me, that’s not enough.

The thrill of anticipating the next total solar eclipse comes from the fact that each one is completely unique. They can last from 1 second to more than 7 minutes and occur on different types of terrain and geology, usually at sea.

The total solar eclipse on April 8 will be visible only to those along the 185-kilometer-wide path, and the sun will be completely eclipsed for up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds. Just before, during, and after these magical minutes, those on the path to wholeness should be aware of a variety of phenomena. If the sky is clear, you can expect the following to happen during a total solar eclipse:

sunspot covered by the moon

This is one of those sights that everyone across North America has a chance to see. The sun is currently nearing its most active period in a cycle called solar maximum, which lasts 11 to 17 years. This means that magnetic activity is at its maximum, causing visible sunspots on the sun’s surface. If these dark, cold, magnetically complex regions are large enough, they can be seen through eclipse glasses at any time. Even for those outside the path of totality, it’s an interesting sight to see them gradually covered by the moon during an eclipse.

band of shadow on the ground

For a few minutes to about 30 seconds before the sun is completely eclipsed, only a thin crescent moon appears from the surface of the sun, called the photosphere. When this happens, you may see wavy lines moving quickly across the light-colored surface. “a [bed] A shadow band may appear on sheets or other white surfaces placed on the ground.” frank maloney at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. “These are due to clumps of photosphere light that travel through the atmosphere and essentially ‘flicker’ in roughly parallel bands.” Whether they are visible or not depends on the amount of turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere.

solar eclipse 2024

On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.

Darkness, Bailey’s Beads, and the First Diamond Ring

Just before totality, the last 0.1 percent of the sun disappears and light levels plummet. Now come the beads. “For a few seconds before and after totality, the last bits of the Sun can be seen shining through the moon’s irregular surface, so you might be able to see Bailey’s beads,” Maloney says. The final bead sparkles momentarily like a jewel, just as the sun’s corona appears, creating a brief “diamond halo” effect around the moon. It’s safe to view a diamond ring without eclipse glasses, but most observers will still have their eclipse glasses on and will miss it.

solar corona

One of the most amazing sights in nature is here. “During totality, when the sun’s photosphere is eclipsed, other parts of the sun’s atmosphere, the white corona and the pink and purple chromosphere, become visible,” Maloney said. Darkness has arrived and you can safely remove your eclipse glasses and view the corona with the naked eye. As the Sun approaches the most active phase of its cycle, the corona is expected to resemble a spiky star. If you have binoculars, you can see the thin tendrils growing inside the corona.

pinkish-red chromosphere and prominences

Just before the beginning and end of totality, the chromosphere, the lower region of the sun’s atmosphere, can be seen as a pink band that disappears during the eclipse and reappears on the opposite side as the moon crosses the sun. Masu. You may also see prominences, pinkish-red towers, or loops of plasma and magnetic field structures protruding from the corona visible around the moon.

second diamond ring

The most impactful diamond ring effect appears at the end of the whole thing. Small beads of sunlight appear between the moon’s peaks and valleys, then merge into a single bright diamond ring, the appearance of which marks the end of the whole thing. It’s safe to watch for a few seconds, but once sunlight returns, you’ll need to put your eclipse glasses back on if you want to continue seeing the partial phase.

Once the totality is over, the band of shadow may be seen again. Of course, he can put the eclipse glasses back on and watch the sun and sunspots slowly being exposed for at least another hour.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Important Facts about Testing and Accuracy

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The United States is currently in the midst of an outbreak of the new coronavirus. JN.1 variant That's driving up hospitalizations and deaths across the country. But for most people, the new variant does not seem to cause worsening of symptoms.

That's why many people are wondering whether they should keep swabbing their nasal passages for coronavirus tests at the first sign of nasal congestion or pain. How well do rapid at-home tests work against new variants?

Here's what you need to know:

Do I still need to take a Covid test?

Influenza and some cold viruses are also circulating along with the new coronavirus. So there is good reason to know which virus you have, especially if you are at high risk of becoming seriously ill.

“It's important to know whether you have COVID-19, influenza, or a completely non-viral infection such as strep throat,” said Dr. Abrar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford University. Because they have different treatments.” “There are different treatments for each, and the sooner you receive treatment, the better the results.”

If you're a healthy 25-year-old, there’s still some value in getting tested. For example, if you have someone in your household with a weakened immune system or someone who is battling cancer, it is important to isolate them to see if they have COVID-19.

“Remember that all of these viral and bacterial infections are transmissible differently and get sick differently,” Curran said.

Joseph Petrosino, a professor of molecular biology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, said while there may not be much need for young, healthy people to get tested at home, they should be tested for the coronavirus just in case. He acknowledged that it might be helpful to know. Eventually, the symptoms will persist.

“Some people, even healthy people, runners and people who train, can get a prolonged COVID-19 infection,” he said. “We really don't know. It's difficult to predict based solely on comorbidity factors.”

Otherwise, for people at low risk, a positive coronavirus test does not change treatment much. Whether you have coronavirus, a cold or the flu, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and stay away from others.

How will new variants impact testing?

Experts say there is no data showing the JN.1 variant affects the results of rapid home tests.

“We have not seen anything to suggest that the new variant has evaded test detection,” Curran said. “Certainly, similar things have happened in the past with other diagnostics early in the pandemic, but right now tests should be able to detect these mutations.”

Susan Butler Wu, a clinical pathologist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, said she hasn't seen any data on this particular variant, but if it's similar to other variants, it’s not a problem. Rapid tests actually look for parts of the virus that are less likely to mutate and bypass testing.

“There's always the fear that a mutation will occur and the test won't work, but so far that hasn't really happened,” Butler-Wu said.

When is the best time to test?

An individual's viral load is highest early in a pandemic, when most people first develop symptoms, either after infection or before they have developed any immunity from vaccines.

Now, one researcher says that virus levels may actually be at their highest in the first few days of illness. study It was published last fall in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases by researchers at Harvard Medical School. They found that in people with pre-existing immunity, virus levels peaked around the fourth day after symptoms appeared.

This means that if you are tested in the early stages of the disease, it may turn out to be negative.

“Their symptoms may be caused by an immune response,” Curran said. “That means there's inflammation going on, which is causing the symptoms, and that's preventing the virus from multiplying as quickly. That's why the initial test could be negative.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends getting tested immediately if you think you have been infected with the coronavirus and have symptoms such as a stuffy nose, cough, or body aches.

The CDC says to wait five days if you are infected but have no symptoms.

Butler-Wu says there is a misconception that rapid tests are “one-and-done”.

“If you have symptoms and your first test was negative, you should test again,” she says.

Official guidance from the CDC is to get a rapid test if you have symptoms and then test again 48 hours later if you test negative.

The test result was positive. Does that mean I'm contagious?

A rapid at-home test is a good way to find out if someone is contagious.

Simply put, rapid tests require higher levels of virus to be positive, and higher virus levels usually mean you're more contagious.

However, the test has some limitations.

Curran said they can be a good surrogate for contagiousness in the early stages of the disease, but are not as reliable at the end of the disease.

Rapid tests have shown positive results, but data shows the virus could not be cultured when samples were taken from people. That means those people are less likely to be contagious, Curran said.

2022 study Researchers at Harvard Medical School suggested that only half of people who test positive after five days are actually infectious.

“Even after that period, even if you test positive on a rapid test, there is no guarantee that you are still contagious.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com