Should you get the new COVID shot? Plus, exploring alien life; the price of lithium batteries

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NEW COVID BOOSTER VIEW ONLINE

NEW COVID BOOSTER

WHY THIS NEXT COVID SHOT IS CRITICAL Wednesday, September 13, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we learn all about the new COVID booster shot, discover how ancient DNA has transformed archaeology, explore life beyond Earth ... and figure out why there are four heads of John the Baptist.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KENNY HOLSTON, THE NEW YORK TIMES Think of it as a version of an annual flu shot. And the time is right for the next COVID shot, given rising rates of infection and hospitalization ahead of an expected wintertime rise. This shot, which could be available within days, targets the recent ever-more-infectious strains of COVID. Who should get it? Who is most at risk? Why do most people need it? ABOUT THE NEW SHOT

Unlock this article with Nat Geo Premium! Get access now to exclusive stories, plus a century of archives, photos, and videos. See subscription options starting at just $19/yr.

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

PHOTOGRAPH BY REMI BENALI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

How ancient DNA—from Neanderthals to the Black Plague—has transformed archaeology (Above, a researcher recovers DNA from ancient teeth) Did Lizzie Borden get away with murder? Inside the crime of the 19th century. Why are there four heads of John the Baptist? These orcas control the waves to hunt. It’s spine-tingling to watch. Who was Golda Meir?

People may be ingesting what doctors refer to as ‘potentially inappropriate medications.’ Are you? Another rare spotless giraffe found—the first ever seen in the wild. What’s going on?

Phantom pregnancies? They’re very real—and very rare. Did you know? Nearly a million artifacts spanning 4 centuries of NYC history were stored at the World Trade Center. Were any recovered?

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE WINTER Rarely seen at night: This leopard (photographed above by Nat Geo Explorer Steve Winter) stayed in the same spot in the tree for 30 minutes before she jumped between eight waiting predators below—and escaped. What else can a leopard do? A. Eat everything from dung beetles to an antelope B. Live in 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the Kalahari or minus 13 degrees in Russia C. Thrive in sea-level mangrove swamps in India or at 17,000 feet in the Himalaya D. All of the above CLICK HERE FOR THE ANSWER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS GUNN There’s got to be more out there, and NASA is ready to find out. Teams of scientists are investigating Earth’s dark corners, from Norway’s arctic to Italy’s deep cave system, to prepare for worlds—and life—unknown. Above, a technician studies the “brains” of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is said to be “the best potential for actually answering, ‘Is there life in the solar system besides us?’” Related: Why humanity keeps pushing the cosmic frontier Out There: The Science Behind Sci-Fi Film and TV, by Nat Geo Explorer Ariel Waldman E.T. PHONE HOME

LAST GLIMPSE

PHOTOGRAPH BY CÉDRIC GERBEHAYE What it’ll take: As demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, so does the need for powerful batteries. In Bolivia, its people dream of striking rich by tapping the country’s huge lithium deposit. But at what cost? (Above, workers at a lithium plant in Salar use hammers to break up a layer of salt.) THE PRICE OF LITHIUM

Today’s soundtrack: Springtime, Allison Russell This newsletter has been curated and edited by Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. Want to say hello? We'd love to hear from you: david.beard@natgeo.com.

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