Masks reduce coronavirus exposure + Oleandrin is deadly

+ Byzantine Orthodoxy US Edition - Today's top story: 9 reasons you can be optimistic that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be widely available in 2021 [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 August 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Happy Sunday. Our top five stories of the week are below. Last Thursday was World Mosquito Day. If you’ve spent any time outdoors lately, you’ve probably been cursing the buzzing bugs. But mosquitoes aren’t all bad, according to University of South Florida biologist Aparna Telang. What’s more, understanding them better can help scientists find better ways of killing them. This article from our archives is [worth another read today](. We’ve created a short video to explain what we do. Please [check it out]( and share it with folks who aren’t familiar with The Conversation. Emily Costello Deputy Editor Experts are confident that there will be a vaccine next year. PenWin /iStock / Getty Images Plus [9 reasons you can be optimistic that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be widely available in 2021]( William Petri, University of Virginia As grim as things are with the pandemic raging in the US and the mounting death toll, there are many reasons to be optimistic there will be a vaccine by early next year. When people wear masks, they can still get infected, but they’re more likely to have milder symptoms. Wenmei Zhou/Digital Vision Vectors via Getty Images [Cloth masks do protect the wearer – breathing in less coronavirus means you get less sick]( Monica Gandhi, University of California, San Francisco In places where everyone wears a mask, cases of COVID-19 seem to be less severe. Evidence from labs and outbreaks suggests that masks protect not only others, but the person wearing the mask, too. - [The COVID-19 virus can spread through the air – here’s what it’ll take to detect the airborne particles]( Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University; Hema Priyamvada Ravindran, Clarkson University; Shantanu Sur, Clarkson University Miniaturized laboratory equipment is making it easier to identify airborne pathogens in the field, but there's still work ahead to be able to instantly determine if a room is safe or contaminated. - [Oleandrin is a deadly plant poison, not a COVID-19 cure]( Cassandra Quave, Emory University Consuming the plant can be lethal to animals and humans. - [Hagia Sophia has been converted back into a mosque, but the veiling of its figural icons is not a Muslim tradition]( Christiane Gruber, University of Michigan; Paroma Chatterjee, University of Michigan In reconverting Hagia Sophia to a mosque, Turkish officials have emphasized veiling of Christian icons to create a Muslim prayer space. Experts explain why the veiling is in fact a Byzantine practice. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111