The coronavirus likely came from China’s wet markets

Visualizing the genetics of SARS-CoV-2

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, began with an outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019, and rapidly spread worldwide in early 2020. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, leading to widespread lockdowns, travel restrictions, and economic disruptions.

Zoonotic diseases: Pathogens that jump from animals to humans

Such diseases may be caused by a variety of pathogens—viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites—and can originate in creatures ranging from ticks and mosquitoes to pigs and bats. Because they develop in animals and are often new to human immune systems, zoonotic diseases have severe consequences for public health.

The Chinese market for donkey hides has created a new source of diseases

Since 1992, China’s donkey population has dropped more than 80 percent. This report examines how China’s booming demand for a traditional medicine known as e-jiao, made from collagen from donkey hides, is leading to the slaughter of 6 million African donkeys annually, and providing a new source for zoonotic diseases.

Watch how viruses like Ebola can spill over from animals to humans—and vice-versa.

HIV originated in Central and West Africa from a virus in chimpanzees

Researchers believe the virus crossed from chimpanzees to humans through bushmeat practices in the early 20th century, with genetic studies suggesting the most recent common ancestor of the HIV-1 M group, which is responsible for the global AIDS pandemic, emerged around 1910–1930 in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) in the Belgian Congo.

Cholera went global thanks to global trade

The first cholera pandemic grew from an outbreak in India, in 1817. Scientists suggest it spread from there throughout the continent and onward to Africa, Russia and Europe through the poop of traders.

COVID-19 disruptions revived ancient chinampa farming in Mexico City

When the pandemic disrupted food supply chains, chinamperos—farmers who cultivate the Aztec-era “floating gardens” built atop shallow lakebeds—shifted to direct sales in the city, boosting their visibility and reconnecting residents with a longstanding local agricultural tradition.

Simulation of the coronavirus inside an aerosol droplet

A new simulation shows how the virus survives inside tiny airborne particles of water — and gives clues about how the Delta variant became dominant.

Hear from a NYC public health official who led the first US investigation into West Nile

This podcast walks through the investigation into the first US outbreak of West Nile, and how the virus had never been seen in the Western Hemisphere. The official discusses how she thinks the origin of West Nile in the US may have been birds or other animals that were brought here illegally.

'Tomato flu' outbreak in India turned out to be HFMD

An illness initially dubbed "tomato flu" in 2022 that sickened children in Kerala, India, with symptoms typical of hand, foot, and mouth disease turned out to be that—not a new ailment. A letter published in the prestigious journal The Lancet had initially described the illness as "a new virus" but at least some of the children ultimately tested positive for one of the viruses that causes HFMD, so it wasn't a new condition after all. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Restaurants are where most of us contract food poisoning in the US

From 2014 to 2022, most reported foodborne illness cases occurred at restaurants. Between 2020 and 2022—when COVID-19 also likely influenced restaurant eating habits and tracking—there were only 238 foodborne illness outbreaks linked to restaurants, down from 714 the prior two years. Still, restaurants were behind most reported outbreak cases. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

How cigarettes took over China

In 2022, China had a fifth of the world's population and bought nearly half of the world's cigarettes. This investigation explores how China became plagued by tobacco consumption, something epidemiologists say will strain the country's health system...

How did flea markets get their name?

Flea markets are a great place to find some great deals, but why do they have such an unappealing name? One explanation is what you might expect: The earliest descriptions of these second-hand markets suggested the items might be unclean. But that's not the only plausible suggestion. This article breaks down two other possibilities, complicating our understanding of the word's etymology.

This real-time tracking of the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak in May 2026 offers a unique glimpse into the global reach of the outbreak and whether the virus sickened passengers and their communities around the world.

Silk Road, the dark web's first widely used market, proved the real-world utility of bitcoin

Named after the ancient intercontinental trade network between China and the Roman Empire, the anonymous market was active from early 2011 to October 2013. Before it was shut down, approximately 10,000 products—70% of which were illegal and controlled prescription drugs—were bought and sold using the cryptocurrency.

In 1933, the influenza virus was first identified through “ferret flu” experiments

In 1933, British researchers dripped filtered nasal fluids from a sick colleague into ferrets, which quickly developed “ferret flu.” This experiment proved influenza was viral, not bacterial, and established the basis for modern flu vaccines.

Shenzhen, China is known as the 'Silicon Valley of Hardware'

The "Silicon Valley of Hardware" is a major manufacturing hub. This WIRED documentary from 2016 does a deep dive into how this Chinese city's practice of copycat manufacturing alongside its innovative culture has made it China's own Silicon Valley.

How COVID-19 brought new investors into the market

With fees removed from the equation and more time at home thanks to pandemic-related lockdowns, Americans who had never bought or sold stocks before started participating in the market. Charles Schwab dubs this cohort “Generation Investor” and notes individuals from all age ranges took part in this phenomenon. Study up here.

The fish in sushi is usually frozen to eliminate parasites

Most raw fish contain parasites, but sushi restaurants and fish markets use “super freezers” to make the food safe for consumption. The United States Food and Drug Administration warns that frozen raw seafood can still contain parasites, depending on the type of fish and the conditions of the “super freezer.”

Before modern sanitation, New York City let pigs roam the streets to eat its garbage

In the early 1820s, an estimated 20,000 hogs roamed Manhattan's streets, feeding on trash that the city lacked a system to collect. Pigs were eventually banned at the urging of wealthy residents, who feared they would deter tourists and drive down property values.

The first street vendor to win a Michelin star was Singaporean chef Hawker Chan

The first street vendor to win a Michelin star was Singaporean chef Hawker Chan, whose food was uncharacteristically inexpensive for a Michelin-approved chef. After expanding, he lost the star, but was eventually awarded a Bib Gourmand Michelin Man symbol, which recognizes restaurants serving exceptional food at more accessible prices.

Inside the most crowded place on Earth

Once the densest place on Earth, Kowloon Walled City was a chaotic labyrinth of stacked homes, hidden corridors, and thriving underground life.

How scientists know invasive nutria were likely introduced to California by humans

Although native to South America, DNA testing of the semiaquatic rodents showed they are closely related to a population in Oregon, suggesting they were deliberately transported into the state. First identified in the San Joaquin Valley in 2017, the distance, terrain, and lack of nutria between the two regions has allowed researchers to rule out natural migration.

Natural food stores began sprouting up in the US in the 1960s and 1970s

Health food stores began opening in the ‘50s, though they were primarily focused on vitamins and holistic supplements. Natural food stores, however, provided pesticide-free produce and often relied on local farmers for their products. One of the first was New Age Natural Foods, in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, which opened in 1965.

Volcanic activity may have triggered the Black Death by spewing gases that led to crop failures in Europe, thus forcing the import of grain ships with plague-infested fleas.

Greenhouse gases from farming are driven by meat

The food we eat contributes to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities, according to two studies published in 2021. These emissions come from various sources along the food production chain, including transportation,...

The Lunar New Year is a major driver in China's economy

The annual festival brings in billions of dollars in both foreign and domestic tourism. The 2026 holiday includes an additional day, something Chinese officials hope will provide an even bigger boost to the country's somewhat stubborn national retail sales.

Explore the cost of major viruses and other malware incidents through 2017

The first significant malware was the Morris worm in 1988, which caused an estimated $10,000 to $10M in damage to computers. With $38B in damage caused, Mydoom is the most costly piece of malware in history. Spread via email and, at one point, accounting for about 25% of all messages sent worldwide, the malware infected computers to create a botnet that launched cyberattacks.

The name 'Silicon Valley' arose from the founding of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in Fairchild Semiconductor in 1956-57, founded near Stanford University in Palo Alto

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

The American cockroach is actually from Africa, an apparent hitchhiker aboard ships carrying enslaved people, with evidence suggesting the bug may have arrived in the New World as early as the 1600s.

In 2019, a laptop loaded with six of the worst malware in history and described as 'an exhibit of historical weaponry' sold for $1.3M.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama spent the 2025 summer training with monks in central China to enhance his body and mind.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

The Dracula character, now seen as the vampire archetype, was inspired by a seafood-induced nightmare its creator experienced.

The US dollar is the most widely circulated currency in the world, and is involved in nearly 90% of global transactions

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Artificial coral reefs have been 3D printed from nontoxic, biodegradable terracotta clay, which coral polyps have used as a foundation for rebuilding marine ecosystems.

The first line of 'immortal' human cells, which can divide indefinitely and are used in scientific research, was nonconsensually taken from a Black woman.

The identity of the Tank Man in the iconic photo from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests remains unknown and was possibly killed.

Poison ivy's characteristic rash is caused by an allergic response to an oily compound in the plant called urushiol.

Some Pokémon have been named after real and fictional organisms, while some real-world species have been named after Pokémon, such as Chilicola charizard and Binburrum zapdos.

The word 'jazz' evolved from 'jasm,' 19th-century American slang for 'energy'

El Niño, Spanish for 'the boy,' was named after Jesus Christ because the phenomenon resembled the weather changes observed around Christmastime.

How Amazon operates a 'flywheel' business model, a self-reinforcing cycle that drives continuous growth

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

All rainbows are 'raincircles' caused by water droplets separating white sunlight into a spectrum of colors, but Earth's surface blocks the bottom half of the circle from our line of sight.