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Monday

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Observations of the GOODS-North field are used to try to understand dark energy. P. Oesch/University of Geneva; M. Montes/University of New South Wales/ESA/NASA hide caption

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P. Oesch/University of Geneva; M. Montes/University of New South Wales/ESA/NASA

Saturday

'Disease tolerance' is the ability of an individual, due to a genetic predisposition or some aspect of behavior or lifestyle, to thrive despite being infected with an amount of pathogen that sickens others. It might play a role in asymptomatic coronavirus infections. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images hide caption

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Alexander Spatari/Getty Images

Friday

Hurricane Laura caused a fire at a chemical plant owned by BioLab in Westlake, La. The plant manufactures chemicals for swimming pools. Gerald Herbert/AP hide caption

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Gerald Herbert/AP

Teacher Alisha Morris created an interactive tracker of coronavirus in schools, current through Aug. 23, including this map, created by another volunteer. The National Education Association will now take on updates to the database. US schools tracker/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

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US schools tracker/Screenshot by NPR

How Many Coronavirus Cases Are Happening In Schools? This Tracker Keeps Count

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The five largest fires in California history have occurred since 2003, a sign that climate change is making extreme wildfires more frequent. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Everything Is Unprecedented. Welcome To Your Hotter Earth

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Frances Acuña drives through southeast Austin with a sensor attached to her driver's side door. It's part of a federal study to measure rising urban heat. Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT News hide caption

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Gabriel C. Pérez/KUT News

Several influenza vaccines have been made in the form of a nasal spray, instead of an injection. The sprays confer two kinds of immunity to the recipient but can be difficult technologically to make. Tim Sloan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Tim Sloan/AFP via Getty Images

What A Nasal Spray Vaccine Against COVID-19 Might Do Even Better Than A Shot

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Since its completion in 1963, the Arecibo Observatory has played a key role in discoveries ranging from new insights into pulsars to detecting planets outside our solar system. Universal Images Group via Getty Images hide caption

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Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Thursday

Parnell McKay, the civil defense director of Pass Christian, Miss., looks over the town's main business district on Aug. 23, 1969 after Hurricane Camille passed through. Jack Thornell/AP hide caption

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Jack Thornell/AP

The Pacific Ocean from space. In both liquid and frozen form, water covers most of the Earth's surface, and there's been a debate among scientists about where all the water originated. Stocktrek Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Stocktrek Images/Getty Images

Water, Water, Every Where — And Now Scientists Know Where It Came From

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FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn (left), Vice President Mike Pence, and Dr. Ella Grach, CEO of Wake Research, at the NC Biotechnology Center in July, where Phase 3 trials for a coronavirus vaccine candidate are underway. Gerry Broome/AP hide caption

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Gerry Broome/AP

COVID-19 Vaccine May Pit Science Against Politics

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Smoke drifts over Interstate 80 as the LNU Lightning Complex fire burns through the area in Fairfield, Calif. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images