Deadly virus from China may have originated in snakes

+ California’s pesticide ban, should kids drink coffee? [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 23 January 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Bijal Trivedi] A note from... Bijal Trivedi Science and Technology Editor A new coronavirus which has now killed at least 17 people and sickened more than 540 in China seems to trace its origin to snakes. Virologists Haitao Guo and Shou-Jiang Gao of the University of Pittsburgh, and Guangxiang “George” Luo of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, describe a study done by researchers in China that suggests the new virus may have jumped from [bats to snakes to people](. The findings could help guide researchers in developing prevention protocols and treatments. Also today: - [A new kind of capitalism is emerging]( - [The youth climate case could still make its mark]( - [What ancient customs tell us about trendy ‘dopamine fasting’]( Top story Chinese cobra (Naja atra) with hood spread. Briston/Wikimedia [Snakes could be the original source of the new coronavirus outbreak in China]( Haitao Guo, University of Pittsburgh; Guangxiang “George” Luo, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Shou-Jiang Gao, University of Pittsburgh A new coronavirus related to SARS and MERS has now traveled from China to the United States. A genetic analysis reveals that this deadly pathogen may have originated in snakes. Arts + Culture - [A brief history of black names, from Perlie to Latasha]( Trevon Logan, The Ohio State University A scholar disproves the long-held assumption that black names are a recent phenomenon. Health + Medicine - [Ozzy Osbourne has a type of Parkinson’s disease called Parkin: A neurologist explains]( Michael Okun, University of Florida Ozzy Osbourne, famous for biting heads off bats, heavy metal music and a reality TV show, announced he has Parkinson's disease. A Parkinson's specialist explains the disease and recent advances. 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