COVID-19 Deemed U.S. National Security Threat as Panic Sets In

Imagine a fatty balloon with a spiky surface–the coronavirus. Like others in the family, the COVID-19 gets its name from its crown-like protein projections–”corona” being the Latin word for “crown”. As of March 5, there are globally about 95,000 cases of the coronavirus–80,000 of them in China, where cases are perhaps now plateauing. Other parts […]

We’re All in this Together

Globally, more than 90,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed, with the death toll reaching 3,110, according to the WHO on March 3. In the United States, six people have now died from the virus, all in Washington State. The latest U.S. case is a 50-year-old man living in a New York suburb […]

My Son Conquered Gaming Addiction

My fifth-grade son had used his iPad for gaming for about half a year now. Before this, my son was the single child in his class who played no online games. During the fourth-grade, he had some discussion with me about allowing him to play games. For over a year, I didn’t lift my ban […]

Americans First to Return Home from Ship Quarantine That Doctor Calls “Completely Chaotic”

Some 340 Americans have arrived back in the United States after boarding two chartered planes to evacuate from the cruise ship Diamond Princess quarantined in Japan–the largest cluster of the novel coronavirus outside mainland China. It’s been stuck in Yokohama Harbor since February 3, after a passenger from Hong Kong tested positive for the coronavirus […]

Life in Coronavirus Quarantine: Friendships Form

January 2020: As a misty drizzle washed over the outside world, Mr. Wang, a 33-year-old University lecturer who’d been enjoying a day with his parents, wife, and two kids, started struggling to catch his breath. Forced to lie down, Mr. Wang could do little more than witness the darkness of night beckon an increasing tightness […]

A Journey of Tea

The production of tea leaves and the drinking of tea has a long history in China. The camellia sinensis plant species which yields tea was first cultivated there 4000 years ago. In Europe, Britain has the largest tea-drinking population, consuming an annual average of 2.1kg of tea leaves per capita. Tea is offered everywhere in […]

2020: NASA Predicts Ice Age While Global Warming Proves Complex

2020–the Earth is about to experience a “mini ice age” says NASA, with the Sun entering a “grand solar minimum”–its lowest state of activity in over 400 years. As the Sun becomes more dormant and global temperatures are said to decrease by around one degree celsius, scientists are predicting some food shortages and extra-cold winters. […]

Gilead’s Drug Sent to China to Combat Coronavirus

As of Feb 5., the number of people confirmed to be infected by China’s novel coronavirus has skyrocketed to almost 30,000 and near 600 people have died. Gilead Sciences—a research-based biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative medicines—is hoping their experimental drug, Remdesivir, can combat the symptoms of China’s novel coronavirus. The American company, which focuses primarily […]

Gone with the Virus

“I won’t leave alone,” Adam Bridgeman exclaimed. “I don’t want to break up the family; our baby’s too young.” Holding back his agony, Adam spoke on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, as part of one of the several British families who’ve found themselves caught between the coronavirus and governments. His wife – a Chinese national – […]

Spectacular photos: Universe seen by NASA’s Spitzer space telescope

NASA has bid goodbye to the Spitzer space telescope after 16 years of service using infrared light to unveil otherwise invisible features of the universe, including seven planets the size of Earth around the star Trappist-1. | This composite image made available by NASA shows the cluster NGC 2024, which is found in the center […]