Just In: News for the Now

A few weeks ago, raw data gathered in Janaury 2020 from Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China — the early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic — was uploaded to an online virology database. It caught the attention of researchers. A new genetic analysis from an international team provides the strongest evidence yet for natural origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of one animal in particular: raccoon dogs. Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong talks with Katherine Wu, a staff writer at The Atlantic, who broke the story and explains the genetic evidence. To dive into emerging genetic evidence of this pandemic’s origins, read:- Crits-Christoph et. al (2023), Genetic evidence of susceptible wildlife in SARS-CoV-2 positive samples at the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, Wuhan: Analysis and interpretation of data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control- Katherine Wu’s Atlantic article, The Strongest Evidence Yet That an Animal Started the Pandemic- Michaeleen Doucleff’s NPR reporting, What does science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?

China’s Xi Jinping says he has a peace plan for Ukraine and wants to mediate an end to the war. Ukraine and its neighbors are skeptical.

Analysts say China’s role as a mediator in the past suggests limits to what it may achieve when it comes to Ukraine.

South Korea’s government has moved aggressively to encourage more childbirth, but its ongoing struggles point to the complexity of a challenge that is only becoming more salient around the world.

The wild animals are more similar to foxes than to domesticated dogs. Data that suggested a link between raccoon dogs and the origins of the COVID pandemic was removed from an international database.