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Faye Flam
For Faye Flam's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 12, 2023
This is how fast humans have changed the ecosystem
A 10,000-year-old grove of aspens in Utah is dying after a hundred years of human meddling. Now only more meddling can save it.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 7, 2023
Havana syndrome is a mystery, but not of physics
A U.S. intelligence report says there’s no credible evidence that Havana syndrome, once thought to be tied to microwave weapons, are the result of attacks carried out by foreign adversaries.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 30, 2023
One-size-fits-all COVID-19 booster plan needs a rethink
Public health officials should recognize that additional COVID-19 booster shots should now be a more nuanced decision.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 12, 2023
Why the future of technology is so hard to predict
Itu2019s 2023, yet weu2019re not all riding Segways, having sex with robots or cloning humans. What gives?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 6, 2023
No, vaccines aren’t making new COVID-19 variants worse
The omicron sequel XBB.1.5 is driving a new wave of COVID-19 infections u2014 and misinformation.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 20, 2022
Even a small nuclear war would mean mass famine
Some bombs are so powerful that they could change the Earthu2019s climate and cause the food supply to collapse.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 14, 2022
If you’ve had COVID-19, watch out for stroke symptoms
Several studies now show an elevated risk of serious blood vessel inflammation during and after an infection.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 31, 2022
Better cancer screenings are coming. Can we afford them?
Regular cancer tests are an important tool for catching tumors early, but the financial incentives of hospitals and patients arenu2019t always aligned.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 26, 2022
Let’s make sure lab-grown viruses stay in the lab
Boston University researchers created a new strain of COVID-19. Such work is important, but needs more stringent oversight.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 17, 2022
Hunger and obesity are the same problem in the U.S.
When healthy foods are expensive and processed carbs are cheap, you end up with expanding waistlines and long lines at food banks.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 30, 2022
Here’s who really needs the new COVID-19 booster
Instead of pushing everyone to get another COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC should be prioritizing older and unboosted people.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 4, 2022
Latest COVID-19 conundrum is when to get another shot
Peopleu2019s intuitions about timing their boosters donu2019t always agree with the science. What will that mean for this fallu2019s reformulated vaccines?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 12, 2022
We need to know why the omicron BA.5 wave is ebbing
Scientists are starting to figure out why infection rates rise and fall. But a collapse in COVID-19 testing will make it much harder to predict the next surge.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 3, 2022
Giant sequoias are built to withstand fire, but not these fires
Infernos rampaging through the American West are so hot, theyu2019re killing trees that have thrived on fire for thousands of years.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 14, 2022
Haven’t had COVID-19 yet? Maybe you’ve just been lucky
With highly contagious new variants in circulation, anyone who hasnu2019t yet gotten sick can probably thank randomness or genetics more than behavior.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 9, 2022
34 volunteers chose to get COVID-19. Here’s what scientists learned.
One of the first big surprises was how short the COVID incubation period was; it took only two days before the volunteers tested positive on PCR tests and soon after that on the rapid tests.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 11, 2022
We need better COVID-19 booster shots, not more of the same
There are 100 new Covid vaccines in development. One of them could offer better protection against omicron.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 17, 2022
The silver lining hidden in the battle against long COVID
Long COVID-19 research could reveal clues to help fight Alzheimer's, Lyme Disease and other illnesses.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 21, 2022
New COVID-19 variants complicate the question of vaccine mandates
Officials mulling new pandemic policies need to know how quickly vaccine protection wanes. But scientists don't have a clear answer.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 15, 2021
Omicron scrambles what we know about immunity
If this thing keeps growing exponentially and infects millions of people in a short time, health systems could collapse, even if a tinier fraction of cases are serious.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world