COS News

The specter of the coronavirus loomed large at this time last year. Cases were beginning to rise heading into the winter, and a massive surge was still ahead. With no vaccines yet available to provide immunity to the virus, Halloween was a subdued affair, making COVID-19 the only ghoul in town. But this year, Halloween […]

The rapid decline in coronavirus infection rates in the U.S. might make it feel like the end of the pandemic is upon us. It’s not yet. But the point at which we do consider it over may be confusing—and personal. AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Albert-László Barabási wanted to be a sculptor. Then he discovered physics and pioneered a new field of network science. Now, the Northeastern professor has also developed a new form of art, too. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

To win the battle against the pandemic, kids will be vital. The fight against COVID-19 has long been focused on adults – particularly older adults. But kids are becoming a more prominent part of the conversation. We likely won’t see an end to the pandemic, experts say, until children can get vaccinated. On Wednesday, Pfizer […]

Around this time last year, Samuel Scarpino, an assistant professor in Northeastern’s Network Science Institute, received a call from a senior producer at VICE News. VICE’s reporters had failed to get any useful data about COVID-19 cases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Could he help? “Welcome to public health,” Scarpino told the […]

Considering how many factors contribute to the worldwide spread of airborne infectious diseases, forecasting pandemics can be a daunting task. In an attempt to reflect that complex reality, Northeastern’s Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Sociotechnical Systems (MOBS Lab) has developed a new, data-driven model that factors in patterns of interpersonal behavior down to the state or province […]

The new, contagious strain of COVID-19 proves that the U.S. needs to step up surveillance of the constantly-changing virus, says Samuel Scarpino,  an assistant professor at Northeastern and director of the Emergent Epidemics Lab. The SARS-CoV-2 virus acquires a new mutation in its genetic structure about every two weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control […]

If you’re making resolutions for 2021, why not make one that’s good for your heart? A new study by researchers from Northeastern University, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital shows that certain foods—including wine, yogurt, carrots, peanuts, breakfast cereal, grapes, and raisins—are associated with a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease. The researchers also found […]

Northeastern’s doctoral students can forge global networks and pursue experiential learning in an international environment thanks to new agreements with a pair of widely recognized universities in Asia and Europe. The global experiential doctoral program between Northeastern, the University of Hong Kong, and Sapienza University of Rome is interdisciplinary flexibility, which allows students to pursue doctoral degrees in […]

When COVID-19 emerged as global threat, it demanded action. The Northeastern College of Science heard the call. Read the stories of the COS community doing their part to fight the pandemic.

Flu season can be difficult for regular people, and those like Alessandro Vespignani who try to predict it. Adding in COVID could make it a nightmare.

During her time at Northeastern, Delia Mocanu developed a passion for network science. Now at Facebook, she finds herself working on one of the largest data experiments in history — the News Feed.