How we know omicron has become the dominant variant

+ why we are hard-wired to crave sweets; making room for recovering species US Edition - Today's top story: From delta to omicron, here's how scientists know which coronavirus variants are circulating in the US [View in browser]( US Edition | 12 January 2022 [The Conversation]( If there’s one thing that’s become very clear during this pandemic, it’s the importance of good public health data. Without reliable information on a variety of measures, whether it’s test positivity percentages or hospitalization rates, a country or state’s response to an infectious pathogen is severely hampered. Current data shows that the omicron variant of the coronavirus is dominating in the U.S., accounting for nearly all new cases. But how do public health authorities know that? Epidemiologists Alexander Sundermann and Lee Harrison from University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences explain [how the U.S. genomic surveillance system works](, how it compares with those in other countries, and why you won’t find out which variant you got if you test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Last week we launched a series looking at the health and cultural impacts of sugar, a subject many of us may be more attuned to following the holiday season. In this story, nutrition scientist Lina Begdache from Binghamton University [explains how processed sugar affects children’s development](. Surveying the research, she warns that “too much sugar can actually be detrimental to the normal growth of the brain.” Since 2009, the cost of producing power from wind or solar photovoltaics has dropped precipitously. But the U.S. has a very long way to go to meet the Biden administration’s goal of a carbon emissions-free grid by 2035. Researchers Charles F. Kutscher and Jeffrey Logan from the University of Colorado Boulder [describe how to reinvent the grid for the 21st century](. In other research and science news this week: - [How to deal with that powerful emotion – regret]( - [New imaging technique maps brain synapses during memory formation]( - [How 5G cellular networks achieve higher speeds]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin La Monica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters A positive COVID-19 test is the first step in the process. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images [From delta to omicron, here’s how scientists know which coronavirus variants are circulating in the US]( Alexander Sundermann, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Lee Harrison, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences A nationwide genomic surveillance system analyzes positive COVID-19 tests to build a picture of which variants are spreading in the population. A diet high in sugary foods can affect brain development in children. carlosgaw/iStock via Getty Images Plus [How does excess sugar affect the developing brain throughout childhood and adolescence? A neuroscientist who studies nutrition explains]( Lina Begdache, Binghamton University, State University of New York Kids often crave processed sugary foods. But research shows that consuming too many treats during childhood and adolescence may lead to behavioral and emotional problems. Integrating solar panels with farming can provide partial shade for plants. Werner Slocum/NREL [A 21st-century reinvention of the electric grid is crucial for solving the climate change crisis]( Charles F. Kutscher, University of Colorado Boulder; Jeffrey Logan, University of Colorado Boulder Renewable energy is expanding at a record pace, but still not fast enough. Here are the key areas to watch for progress in bringing more wind and solar into the power grid in 2022. Other good finds - [A taste for sweet – an anthropologist explains the evolutionary origins of why you’re programmed to love sugar]( Stephen Wooding, University of California, Merced If you ever feel like you can’t stop eating sugar, you are responding precisely as programmed by natural selection. What was once an evolutionary advantage has a different effect today. - [When endangered species recover, humans may need to make room for them – and it’s not always easy]( Veronica Frans, Michigan State University It’s usually good news when a once-scarce species starts to recover – unless it starts getting in humans’ way. An ecologist explains how science can help predict unwelcome encounters. - [2021’s biggest climate and weather disasters cost the U.S. $145 billion – here’s what climate science says about them in 5 essential reads]( Stacy Morford, The Conversation A hurricane that wreaked havoc from Louisiana to New York City, the Texas freeze and devastating western wildfires topped NOAA’s list of billion-dollar disasters in 2021. - [Regret can be all-consuming – a neurobehavioral scientist explains how people can overcome it]( J. Kim Penberthy, University of Virginia Remorse and sorrow from a bad choice can haunt you for years, even decades. But there are evidence-based ways to move past regret. - [Where are memories stored in the brain? New research suggests they may be in the connections between your brain cells]( Don Arnold, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Understanding where and how memories are formed could lead to more ways to treat conditions like PTSD and addiction. - [What is 5G? An electrical engineer explains]( Prasenjit Mitra, Penn State 5G is 10 times faster than 4G, promising better wireless internet access. It’s also expected to put the Internet of Things revolution in high gear. - [How the Earth’s tilt creates short, cold January days]( Deanna Hence, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The winter solstice is past, but bundle up – January is when winter really arrives in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. --------------------------------------------------------------- [A chart showing the prevalence of different variants of COVID-19 during the pandemic.]( Like this newsletter? 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