Over the past two years, you've probably heard more about hospital bed availability than you may have expected to hear in your entire life. Tracking total hospital beds and ICU beds occupied has helped communities know when to increase mitigation to preserve those limited resources. With expanding SARS-CoV-2 immunity through vaccination and prior infection, we can hope to hear less about strained healthcare facilities; already we saw that the combination of immunity and a less severe strain in Omicron BA.1 meant less … [Read more...] about Science Corner: When Is a Bed Not a Bed?
Pandemic
Science Corner: Don’t Look Up at The Matrix
The release of Don't Look Up around Christmas and Epiphany seems like a gift to sermon writers. The film depicts celestial message of impending doom that too many refuse to look up and see. Well, you know who *did* look up? Some Magi, and what they saw heralded salvation, not doom, for the world. Of course, the film was topical for other reasons. When writer-director Adam McKay scripted the film pre-pandemic, he had no idea that reality was an a collision course with his comedy, forcing him to reportedly alter or cut … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Don’t Look Up at The Matrix
A Prayer for Graduate Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We appear to be emerging from the pandemic. But we are still living with its effects on our lives and work and plenty of uncertainty about our future. We are grateful to Rebecca Gerdes for sharing this prayer for us. We hope this prayer might be a helpful guide to prayer for grad students and communities and those who pray for them. _________________________________ Father, we lift up graduate students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please meet our basic needs. Protect our physical and mental health and that of … [Read more...] about A Prayer for Graduate Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic