Don't fret about fruit + Supreme Court halts vax mandate | Top 5

+ spending money in the metaverse US Edition - Today's top story: CORBEVAX, a new patent-free COVID-19 vaccine, could be a pandemic game changer globally [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 January 2022 [The Conversation]( Welcome to Sunday! The top five stories on our website this week are displayed below. Editor’s pick: How was your week? Mine was a little tough. After nearly two years of vigilance and three doses of vaccine, I took a rapid test last Sunday and saw one of those dreaded pink lines that meant I was positive for the coronavirus. I was lucky to have a mild case of the disease – but I still had a bunch of questions about how omicron was different from earlier variants that more often caused serious illness and why it suddenly seemed to be everywhere. If you have questions too, try reading this omicron explainer we published the other day. A group of three virologists and immunologists at the University of Colorado Boulder answers several good questions, including [“Will omicron move the U.S. population closer to herd immunity?”](. And, if you’re feeling a little beat up by 2022 so far, check out this collection of stories on [the theme of hope]( curated by Religion Editor Molly Jackson. Emily Costello Managing Editor CORBEVAX uses recombinant DNA technology that many countries already have the infrastructure to produce. Artis777 via iStock/Getty Images Plus [CORBEVAX, a new patent-free COVID-19 vaccine, could be a pandemic game changer globally]( Maureen Ferran, Rochester Institute of Technology CORBEVAX is anticipated to significantly expand vaccine access to people in low- and middle-income countries. Ripe berries and sugar crystals are both sweet, but one offers much more than just calories. Chris George/PhotoPlus Magazine/Future via Getty Images [Sugar detox? Cutting carbs? A doctor explains why you should keep fruit on the menu]( Jennifer Rooke, Morehouse School of Medicine Sugar gets a bad rap, but exactly which sugar is meant? Nutrient-dense sweet ripe fruits are a far cry from refined table sugar – and their differences can have big health implications. - [The metaverse is money and crypto is king – why you’ll be on a blockchain when you’re virtual-world hopping]( Rabindra Ratan, Michigan State University; Dar Meshi, Michigan State University For the metaverse to work, people need to own their virtual bodies and possessions and be able to spend money. The same cryptographic technology behind bitcoin will make that possible. - [These machines scrub greenhouse gases from the air – an inventor of direct air capture technology shows how it works]( Klaus Lackner, Arizona State University Klaus Lackner is finding new ways to cut the technology’s high costs and energy demand, and he’s about to launch the first ‘mechanical tree’. - [What Supreme Court’s block of vaccine mandate for large businesses will mean for public health: 4 questions answered]( Debbie Kaminer, Baruch College, CUNY A legal scholar explains what the ruling means for other vaccine mandates and the government’s ability to protect public health. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( Enjoy reading The Conversation? Share us with your three closest friends: [Click here to share](mailto:Insert%20your%20friends%27%20emails?subject=Check%20out%20The%20Conversation&body=I%27ve%20been%20reading%20this%20fact-based%20news%20source,%20and%20definitely%20think%20you’d%20find%20it%20interesting%20as%20well.%20It%20has%20academic%20experts%20writing%20understandably%20about%20stories%20in%20the%20news,%20based%20on%20their%20research.%20I%20learn%20something%20new%20every%20time%20I%20read%20it.%0D%0DYou%20can%20check%20it%20out%20here:%20%0D About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](