vox--2020-01-20--Wuhan pneumonia outbreak: What we know and don’t know

The US will start screening at three airports for passengers with the mysterious , new virus originating in Wuhan , China that ’ s caused three deaths and nearly 200 people to fall sick with pneumonia .
On Friday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Customs and Border Protection announced the new measure , which will begin on January 17 .
Travelers from Wuhan to three US airports — San Francisco ( SFO ) , New York ( JFK ) , and Los Angeles ( LAX ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as cough and fever .
“ I expect that we ’ re going to see more cases , and I think it ’ s highly plausible that there will be at least a case in the United States , ” said Nancy Messonnier , director of CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases in a press briefing Friday .
Following the move , Wuhan ’ s health authorities reported a spike in illness — 136 additional cases over the weekend , as well as a third death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in travelers from Wuhan to Japan , Thailand , and Korea — as well as two major Chinese cities , Beijing and Shenzhen .
The big question the growing caseload and these travelers raise — arguably the most important question about this outbreak — is whether the virus is spreading from person to person .
So far , a leading theory has been that the virus , called 2019-nCoV , spread directly to people from animals at a Wuhan food market , which has been linked to some of the cases in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 2019-nCoV isn ’ t yet spreading from person to person , the outbreak should burn out quickly .
( Once the animal shedding the virus is identified and contained , cases should stop turning up . )
But evidence is piling up to suggest the virus may already be spreading among humans .
Several of the travelers never visited the market .
Wuhan officials have also reported evidence of viral spread within one family : a husband who worked at the market got sick , followed by his wife , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just the fact that travelers with the virus are showing up in other countries hints at at least some person-to-person spread , Neil Ferguson , an infectious diseases epidemiologist at Imperial College London , told the BBC .
If that ’ s the case , “ the scope of this outbreak expands massively , ” said Peter Daszak , the president of EcoHealth Alliance , a US global health research organization working in China .
In the worst case , the virus could already be moving more broadly in China — and maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heightened as millions start to travel this week for China ’ s Lunar New Year on January 25th .
At least four people have traveled with the virus outside of China Because health authorities are dealing with a new virus , the picture of this outbreak — and its seriousness — is shifting rapidly , and will continue to do so in the coming days .
The outbreak was only declared on December 31 .
By January 9 , the state broadcaster China Central Television reported that 15 of the people who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
By January 11 , scientists in China shared the genetic sequence of the new virus , and the WHO applauded China ’ s efforts .
“ WHO is reassured of the quality of the ongoing investigations and the response measures implemented in Wuhan , and the commitment to share information regularly , ” the agency said in a statement .
This was also a contrast to the SARS outbreak of 2003 , when China was heavily criticized for withholding information about the outbreak for too long .
But other aspects of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARS , which also involved a then-new virus when it was discovered in 2003 .
The virus jumped from civet cats — a food delicacy in China — to humans , and went on to spread to two dozen countries .
It eventually killed 774 people and infected more than 8,000 .
For now , the current outbreak has centered on the the Huanan South China Seafood Market in Wuhan , the capital of Hubei , one of China ’ s most populous provinces .
Health officials in Wuhan originally reported that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ mainly business staff and purchasers ” at the Huanan South China Seafood Market , where vendors peddle seafood as well as animals such as birds and rabbits .
This pointed to the possibility that the new virus had spread to humans from one of the animals there .
But the recent spike in cases , along with the growing number of travelers detected with the virus , mean something else may be going on .
On Monday , South Korea reported its first case of the virus — and the fourth example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman who traveled from Wuhan .
She never visited markets or had contacts with animals , WHO reported .
Before that , a Chinese man in his 30s was diagnosed with the virus upon returning to Tokyo , where he lives .
He ’ d also been visiting Wuhan , the mainland Chinese city of 19 million that ’ s currently the center of the outbreak , according to Japan ’ s Ministry of Health .
The other two cases were identified in Thailand .
The first involved a 61-year-old Chinese woman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She came down with a fever on January 5 , days before Chinese officials announced their finding that the outbreak is likely caused by a new coronavirus , of the same family of viruses as SARS .
The second , also a Chinese woman , aged 74 , arrived in Thailand on January 13 , and had no relation to the first visitor who fell ill .
These developments caused the WHO to acknowledge on January 18th that “ there is evidence of limited human-to-human transmission.
” As of January 19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus infection .
Among them , 170 are still in the hospital , 126 have mild illness , and 44 are in severe or critical condition .
Three patients have died .
All cases involve adults aged 25 to 89 , and about half are male .
The leading hypothesis is that the disease is the result of the new coronavirus , 2019-nCoV .
Coronaviruses attack the respiratory system and can target the cells deep within the lungs .
“ There are tons of coronaviruses , ” said Vincent Munster , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
Most infect mammals , including bats .
Two of the six that are known to infect humans , SARS and MERS , can cause severe pneumonia and even death .
The rest lead to milder symptoms , like a common cold .
In the current outbreak , the main symptoms reported are fever followed by difficulty breathing , the WHO said .
In chest X-rays , patients appear to have lesions in both lungs .
But a preliminary genetic analysis of the 2019-nCoV virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found it ’ s closely related to SARS .
It , along with the three deaths , “ marks this virus as a significant concern , ” said Daszak .
Researchers will need to confirm that this new virus is without a doubt the driver of the outbreak , said Marion Koopmans , who studies emerging infectious diseases as director of the virology department at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam .
They ’ ll then need to figure out the full spectrum of illness the virus causes in the confirmed cases .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed the likely cause , and seeded at the market , a key question is how transmissible this is , ” Koopmans said .
Viruses that spill over from animals may not be very transmissible “ if they sit deep in the lungs and are not shed easily , ” she added .
That would mean , Munster said , “ the epidemic potential of this virus might still be limited.
” But , again , the Japan , Thailand , and Korea cases — along with the potential family spread in Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission .
Health officials would also need to find out which animal is spreading the virus to humans — the “ natural reservoir ” of the virus — and how the virus made the jump , and then make sure that animal is contained .
“ We don ’ t know where the virus came from , ” Daszak said .
“ We don ’ t know the geographic origin of the wildlife reservoir .
And it ’ s now known to be lethal.
” At the moment , the WHO is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is it advising against travel or trade restrictions on China , even on the cusp of China ’ s Lunar New Year holiday , during which hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel .
( A new study found the top travel destinations out of Wuhan are Asian megacities , including Bangkok , Hong Kong , Tokyo , and Taipei . )
The CDC in the US has stated that “ the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is deemed to be low.
” They ’ ve said the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The market that ’ s been linked to the outbreak has been closed for disinfection , and health investigators are have tracked at least 800 close contacts of the patients .
With the first cases turning up outside of China , the WHO said it was considering organizing an emergency committee meeting .
If such a meeting is called , a panel of independent experts would discuss whether the outbreak is dire enough to constitute a “ public health emergency of international concern , ” a rare designation the WHO gives to diseases @ @ @ @ @ @

The US will start screening at three airports for passengers with the mysterious, new virus originating in Wuhan, China that’s caused three deaths and nearly 200 people to fall sick with pneumonia.
On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection announced the new measure, which will begin on January 17. Travelers from Wuhan to three US airports — San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports — will be screened for symptoms, such as cough and fever.
“I expect that we’re going to see more cases, and I think it’s highly plausible that there will be at least a case in the United States,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases in a press briefing Friday.
Following the move, Wuhan’s health authorities reported a spike in illness — 136 additional cases over the weekend, as well as a third death. And already, cases have popped up in travelers from Wuhan to Japan, Thailand, and Korea — as well as two major Chinese cities, Beijing and Shenzhen.
The big question the growing caseload and these travelers raise — arguably the most important question about this outbreak — is whether the virus is spreading from person to person.
So far, a leading theory has been that the virus, called 2019-nCoV, spread directly to people from animals at a Wuhan food market, which has been linked to some of the cases in the outbreak. If that’s true, and 2019-nCoV isn’t yet spreading from person to person, the outbreak should burn out quickly. (Once the animal shedding the virus is identified and contained, cases should stop turning up.)
But evidence is piling up to suggest the virus may already be spreading among humans. Several of the travelers never visited the market. Wuhan officials have also reported evidence of viral spread within one family: a husband who worked at the market got sick, followed by his wife, who hadn’t visited the market. Just the fact that travelers with the virus are showing up in other countries hints at at least some person-to-person spread, Neil Ferguson, an infectious diseases epidemiologist at Imperial College London, told the BBC.
If that’s the case, “the scope of this outbreak expands massively,” said Peter Daszak, the president of EcoHealth Alliance, a US global health research organization working in China. In the worst case, the virus could already be moving more broadly in China — and maybe further. That risk appears to be heightened as millions start to travel this week for China’s Lunar New Year on January 25th.
At least four people have traveled with the virus outside of China
Because health authorities are dealing with a new virus, the picture of this outbreak — and its seriousness — is shifting rapidly, and will continue to do so in the coming days.
The outbreak was only declared on December 31. By January 9, the state broadcaster China Central Television reported that 15 of the people who had become ill tested positive for the new virus. By January 11, scientists in China shared the genetic sequence of the new virus, and the WHO applauded China’s efforts.
“WHO is reassured of the quality of the ongoing investigations and the response measures implemented in Wuhan, and the commitment to share information regularly,” the agency said in a statement.
This was also a contrast to the SARS outbreak of 2003, when China was heavily criticized for withholding information about the outbreak for too long.
But other aspects of the outbreak bear a startling resemblance to SARS, which also involved a then-new virus when it was discovered in 2003. The virus jumped from civet cats — a food delicacy in China — to humans, and went on to spread to two dozen countries. It eventually killed 774 people and infected more than 8,000.
For now, the current outbreak has centered on the the Huanan South China Seafood Market in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, one of China’s most populous provinces. Health officials in Wuhan originally reported that the patients with the virus so far were “mainly business staff and purchasers” at the Huanan South China Seafood Market, where vendors peddle seafood as well as animals such as birds and rabbits. This pointed to the possibility that the new virus had spread to humans from one of the animals there.
But the recent spike in cases, along with the growing number of travelers detected with the virus, mean something else may be going on.
On Monday, South Korea reported its first case of the virus — and the fourth example of international spread — in a 35-year-old woman who traveled from Wuhan. She never visited markets or had contact with animals, WHO reported.
Before that, a Chinese man in his 30s was diagnosed with the virus upon returning to Tokyo, where he lives. He’d also visited Wuhan, the mainland Chinese city of 19 million that’s currently the center of the outbreak, according to Japan’s Ministry of Health.
The other two cases were identified in Thailand. The first involved a 61-year-old Chinese woman, who had traveled to Bangkok from Wuhan. She came down with a fever on January 5, days before Chinese officials announced their finding that the outbreak is likely caused by a new coronavirus, of the same family of viruses as SARS. The second, also a Chinese woman, aged 74, arrived in Thailand on January 13, and had no relation to the first visitor who fell ill.
These developments caused the WHO to acknowledge on January 18th that “there is evidence of limited human-to-human transmission.”
Three patient deaths mark this virus “a significant concern”
As of January 19, authorities in China have reported 198 patients with the coronavirus infection. Among them, 170 are still in the hospital, 126 have mild illness, and 44 are in severe or critical condition. Three patients have died. All cases involve adults aged 25 to 89, and about half are male.
The leading hypothesis is that the disease is the result of the new coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. Coronaviruses attack the respiratory system and can target the cells deep within the lungs. “There are tons of coronaviruses,” said Vincent Munster, an emerging viral diseases researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Most infect mammals, including bats. Two of the six that are known to infect humans, SARS and MERS, can cause severe pneumonia and even death. The rest lead to milder symptoms, like a common cold.
In the current outbreak, the main symptoms reported are fever followed by difficulty breathing, the WHO said. In chest X-rays, patients appear to have lesions in both lungs. But a preliminary genetic analysis of the 2019-nCoV virus, by Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance, found it’s closely related to SARS. It, along with the three deaths, “marks this virus as a significant concern,” said Daszak.
Big questions remain
Researchers will need to confirm that this new virus is without a doubt the driver of the outbreak, said Marion Koopmans, who studies emerging infectious diseases as director of the virology department at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. They’ll then need to figure out the full spectrum of illness the virus causes in the confirmed cases.
“If [the new virus] is indeed the likely cause, and seeded at the market, a key question is how transmissible this is,” Koopmans said. Viruses that spill over from animals may not be very transmissible “if they sit deep in the lungs and are not shed easily,” she added. That would mean, Munster said, “the epidemic potential of this virus might still be limited.”
But, again, the Japan, Thailand, and Korea cases — along with the potential family spread in Wuhan — suggest the possibility for human-to-human viral transmission.
Health officials would also need to find out which animal is spreading the virus to humans — the “natural reservoir” of the virus — and how the virus made the jump, and then make sure that animal is contained.
“We don’t know where the virus came from,” Daszak said. “We don’t know the geographic origin of the wildlife reservoir. And it’s now known to be lethal.”
At the moment, the WHO is not recommending any measures for travelers, nor is it advising against travel or trade restrictions on China, even on the cusp of China’s Lunar New Year holiday, during which hundreds of millions of people are expected to travel. (A new study found the top travel destinations out of Wuhan are Asian megacities, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Taipei.)
The CDC in the US has stated that “the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is deemed to be low.” They’ve said the new airport screening is a precautionary measure. The market that’s been linked to the outbreak has been closed for disinfection, and health investigators are have tracked at least 800 close contacts of the patients.
With the first cases turning up outside of China, the WHO said it was considering organizing an emergency committee meeting. If such a meeting is called, a panel of independent experts would discuss whether the outbreak is dire enough to constitute a “public health emergency of international concern,” a rare designation the WHO gives to diseases that pose a global threat.


vox--2020-01-20--The existential lure of astrology

The existential lure of astrology

Astrology is often synonymous with mystery and fate .
But popular astrologer Chani Nicholas uses words like “ access ” and “ agency ” to describe her approach , which is more akin to that of an activist organizing for social change than a clairvoyant inviting you into a curtained room .
Nicholas , whose first book , You Were Born for This : Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance , was released on January 7 , has been working in astrology for over 20 years , amassing over 300,000 followers on Instagram , including superstars like Lizzo and Me Too founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was commissioned by Spotify to create monthly astrology playlists , and she ’ s currently the head astrologer at O Magazine .
You Were Born for This , now a New York Times bestseller , functions as a sort of toolkit for self-discovery .
Nicholas explains what she calls the “ three keys ” of your birth chart : your sun , your moon , and your ascendant or rising sign .
At the end of various sections , she prompts you to “ choose your own adventure , ” and many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs , and their significance end with prompts for deeper self-reflection .
As Nicholas sees it , the more we accept ourselves for who we are , the more we can show up and effect positive social change , both in our immediate relationships and our communities .
Astrology is one tool , she argues , for getting to know ourselves , what drives us , and how we can be of use in the world .
In her book , she draws on the rich lives of Frida Kahlo and Maya Angelou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how such remarkable women ’ s stories line up with their birth charts .
It ’ s also comforting to know that they , too , faced obstacles that , while unpleasant , shaped them into the unique women we now admire .
Astrology has seen renewed interest in recent years , thanks in no small part to clever astrology memes and witty tweets .
But Nicholas ’ s popularity points to how contemporary astrology connects with our larger need for meaning and hope while living in very uncertain times .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eclipse to discuss her beliefs about healing , why we ’ re so drawn to astrology , and why we also need therapy .
Our interview has been condensed and edited .
I enjoyed reading about your childhood encounters with astrology .
You talk about “ being witnessed ” and astrology helping you to feel seen .
Is that why people are so drawn to astrology ?
Why do people find so much comfort in astrology ?
I think we ’ re dying to be seen .
Every selfie is us being like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Am I here ?
Where am I ?
Who am I ?
” We ’ re obsessed with ourselves .
We ’ re completely narcissistic .
But also , there ’ s a deep need for self-actualization , and a deep need to know that we ’ re worthy of that .
When we self-actualize , we ’ re much less interested in all the outer things and we ’ re much more interested in the quality of the moments of our life .
That ’ s actually where the soul is yearning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re really lonely .
I think we are really afraid .
I think that we live in a world that feels increasingly less stable and less known .
And I think we need to know ourselves as a counter to being in this place .
We need to deepen our relationship to knowing who we are , and astrology is one way to do that .
In your book you disclose that you ’ ve had a lot of therapy .
How does that influence your approach to astrology ?
Astrology and therapy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really supportive .
Astrology has helped me to accept some of the most challenging parts of myself .
I can bring them into therapy and be like , “ This is how my bitchy self showed up this week !
This is where I really messed up and I can see it in my chart.
” But now , I need to talk about it with a professional who is going to hold me accountable in a really loving and compassionate way , but not let me off the hook .
Astrology doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same way .
If I ’ m working with an astrologer , they might be able to reflect .
But if they ’ re not also a trained therapist , then it ’ s not the same work .
It does seem like a lot of people assume there ’ s this false binary where if you ’ re really into astrology , you must be substituting it for other things that are scientific .
The line that is given is , “ Well , it ’ s a pseudoscience .
Anybody that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Astrologers are humans so we run the gamut .
But , in my experience , astrologers are super nerdy , deeply into science , and probably going to be much more loud about the climate crisis and everything that we face that is scientific in nature than an average group of humans .
Science and astrology don ’ t cancel each other out .
We can believe that nature is speaking to us in some kind of way — which is what astrology is — and we can also believe in ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our greed , our consumption , and our severe imbalance with nature .
Right now , in the mainstream , people appear to be more open to things like astrology that are traditionally considered more feminine and kind of taboo .
Why do you think that is ?
I think what ’ s happening is everything that the patriarchy has tried to kill and withhold from us , we are reclaiming .
White supremacist colonial patriarchy says that there ’ s only two genders and there ’ s only one science .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex and there ’ s only one way to be in a relationship .
It ’ s stripped us all culturally and personally of the richness and the diversity of life .
And I think we ’ re just sick and tired of it .
We know it ’ s a lie , and the devastation that those systems have caused is showing its ass .
Because who the hell fits into those fake , made-up systems ?
Nobody .
They don ’ t represent us .
Everything that the white supremacist patriarchy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming forward and being like , “ I don ’ t think so .
I get to dig up my own space.
” And astrology is part of that .
All liberation movements are parts of that .
From everything like being able to see body hair and stretch marks and acne — these very simple things are just so human .
You share an anecdote where an astrologer you respected looked at your chart and said , “ I don ’ t know how you ’ re ever going to let anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to believe that you could heal .
Do you have a philosophy of healing or growth that guides you when you are trying to teach people to use astrology to help themselves , rather than to create more fear ?
I know through my own experience that healing is possible .
Given the right circumstances , given the right environment , humans can do incredible things .
So I think we need to ask , “ What is healing justice ?
What does it look like for us all to have access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because the human capacity to heal is limitless , really .
But that doesn ’ t mean that we have to get over anything .
It doesn ’ t mean that we aren ’ t forever scarred by something .
But it does mean that we can learn how to work with and hold those scars or those broken places in new ways , and that is echoed throughout every great text and every great poem and every great religion or spiritual tradition , the world over .
I believe it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the possibility to heal , that we then turn around and say , “ Well , how can we create more of these spaces ?
How can more people have access to what they need — not just what I needed , but what they need ?
” Because we desperately need more healing on the planet right now .
We need to be able to show up as grown-up people that are able to hold our own anxiety , hold our own feelings , and say , “ What is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are all too familiar with ?
And how can I do that in very little ways and maybe even in big ways ?
” We desperately need each other to be modeling what maturity looks like .
You ’ ve said in previous interviews that astrology isn ’ t having a “ moment , ” it ’ s having an “ internet.
” The internet shares information so rapidly .
Are there any misconceptions about astrology that are currently flourishing ?
Yeah .
I hear people blaming everything on a sign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shift the focus .
Astrology is actually about planets .
It ’ s about how the sky looks when you were born .
It ’ s about the quality of the light that each planet had or didn ’ t have .
It was visible or invisible .
All those things mean something .
So I hear people say , “ Well , it ’ s because I ’ m a Taurus.
” But that thing they said has nothing to do with the sign Taurus !
We start to use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , and then it becomes a mishmash , and then there ’ s no clarity and then there ’ s no specificity and then the real art of the craft is lost .
I want to ask you about skeptics .
I don ’ t — I love them !
I don ’ t think everyone should believe in astrology .
I don ’ t think everyone should use astrology .
I think humans are diverse and we should have diverse ways of seeing ourselves and knowing ourselves .
And God forbid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t want everybody .
I just want the people that want to be here and let ’ s go .
And if you don ’ t , great !
I want to know what works for you .
Tell me something new , like how are you healing ?
How are you feeling good in the world ?
Where are you getting that rich , deep connection ?
Tell me about it .
I ’ m so interested .
Why would I want us all to do the same thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who covers women , wellness , and technology .
She writes about how social media impacts our relationships in her advice column , Swipe This !
You can follow her on Twitter .

Astrology is often synonymous with mystery and fate. But popular astrologer Chani Nicholas uses words like “access” and “agency” to describe her approach, which is more akin to that of an activist organizing for social change than a clairvoyant inviting you into a curtained room.
Nicholas, whose first book, You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance, was released on January 7, has been working in astrology for over 20 years, amassing over 300,000 followers on Instagram, including superstars like Lizzo and Me Too founder Tarana Burke. Last year, she was commissioned by Spotify to create monthly astrology playlists, and she’s currently the head astrologer at O Magazine.
You Were Born for This, now a New York Times bestseller, functions as a sort of toolkit for self-discovery. Nicholas explains what she calls the “three keys” of your birth chart: your sun, your moon, and your ascendant or rising sign. At the end of various sections, she prompts you to “choose your own adventure,” and many of her descriptions of the planets, the signs, and their significance end with prompts for deeper self-reflection.
As Nicholas sees it, the more we accept ourselves for who we are, the more we can show up and effect positive social change, both in our immediate relationships and our communities. Astrology is one tool, she argues, for getting to know ourselves, what drives us, and how we can be of use in the world. In her book, she draws on the rich lives of Frida Kahlo and Maya Angelou, and it’s exciting to see how such remarkable women’s stories line up with their birth charts. It’s also comforting to know that they, too, faced obstacles that, while unpleasant, shaped them into the unique women we now admire.
Astrology has seen renewed interest in recent years, thanks in no small part to clever astrology memes and witty tweets. But Nicholas’s popularity points to how contemporary astrology connects with our larger need for meaning and hope while living in very uncertain times.
I sat down with Nicholas during a lunar eclipse to discuss her beliefs about healing, why we’re so drawn to astrology, and why we also need therapy. Our interview has been condensed and edited.
Nayomi Reghay
I enjoyed reading about your childhood encounters with astrology. You talk about “being witnessed” and astrology helping you to feel seen. Is that why people are so drawn to astrology? Why do people find so much comfort in astrology?
Chani Nicholas
I think we’re dying to be seen. Every selfie is us being like, “Do I see myself? Am I here? Where am I? Who am I?” We’re obsessed with ourselves. We’re completely narcissistic.
But also, there’s a deep need for self-actualization, and a deep need to know that we’re worthy of that. When we self-actualize, we’re much less interested in all the outer things and we’re much more interested in the quality of the moments of our life. That’s actually where the soul is yearning to go.
I think we’re really lonely. I think we are really afraid. I think that we live in a world that feels increasingly less stable and less known. And I think we need to know ourselves as a counter to being in this place. We need to deepen our relationship to knowing who we are, and astrology is one way to do that.
Nayomi Reghay
In your book you disclose that you’ve had a lot of therapy. How does that influence your approach to astrology?
Chani Nicholas
Astrology and therapy can intersect in ways that can be really supportive. Astrology has helped me to accept some of the most challenging parts of myself. I can bring them into therapy and be like, “This is how my bitchy self showed up this week! This is where I really messed up and I can see it in my chart.” But now, I need to talk about it with a professional who is going to hold me accountable in a really loving and compassionate way, but not let me off the hook. Astrology doesn’t hold me accountable in the same way. If I’m working with an astrologer, they might be able to reflect. But if they’re not also a trained therapist, then it’s not the same work.
Nayomi Reghay
It does seem like a lot of people assume there’s this false binary where if you’re really into astrology, you must be substituting it for other things that are scientific.
Chani Nicholas
The line that is given is, “Well, it’s a pseudoscience. Anybody that believes it is completely untethered from reality.” Astrologers are humans so we run the gamut. But, in my experience, astrologers are super nerdy, deeply into science, and probably going to be much more loud about the climate crisis and everything that we face that is scientific in nature than an average group of humans.
Science and astrology don’t cancel each other out. We can believe that nature is speaking to us in some kind of way — which is what astrology is — and we can also believe in ice caps melting and needing to work out our greed, our consumption, and our severe imbalance with nature.
Nayomi Reghay
Right now, in the mainstream, people appear to be more open to things like astrology that are traditionally considered more feminine and kind of taboo. Why do you think that is?
Chani Nicholas
I think what’s happening is everything that the patriarchy has tried to kill and withhold from us, we are reclaiming. White supremacist colonial patriarchy says that there’s only two genders and there’s only one science. There’s only one way to have sex and there’s only one way to be in a relationship. It’s stripped us all culturally and personally of the richness and the diversity of life. And I think we’re just sick and tired of it. We know it’s a lie, and the devastation that those systems have caused is showing its ass.
Because who the hell fits into those fake, made-up systems? Nobody. They don’t represent us. Everything that the white supremacist patriarchy has tried to hold back is now coming forward and being like, “I don’t think so. I get to dig up my own space.” And astrology is part of that. All liberation movements are parts of that. From everything like being able to see body hair and stretch marks and acne — these very simple things are just so human.
Nayomi Reghay
You share an anecdote where an astrologer you respected looked at your chart and said, “I don’t know how you’re ever going to let anyone love you.” You say you chose to believe that you could heal. Do you have a philosophy of healing or growth that guides you when you are trying to teach people to use astrology to help themselves, rather than to create more fear?
Chani Nicholas
I know through my own experience that healing is possible. Given the right circumstances, given the right environment, humans can do incredible things. So I think we need to ask, “What is healing justice? What does it look like for us all to have access to spaces where we can heal?”
Because the human capacity to heal is limitless, really. But that doesn’t mean that we have to get over anything. It doesn’t mean that we aren’t forever scarred by something. But it does mean that we can learn how to work with and hold those scars or those broken places in new ways, and that is echoed throughout every great text and every great poem and every great religion or spiritual tradition, the world over.
I believe it’s really important that as we each individually get the possibility to heal, that we then turn around and say, “Well, how can we create more of these spaces? How can more people have access to what they need — not just what I needed, but what they need?” Because we desperately need more healing on the planet right now. We need to be able to show up as grown-up people that are able to hold our own anxiety, hold our own feelings, and say, “What is the creative solution to these incredible problems that we are all too familiar with? And how can I do that in very little ways and maybe even in big ways?” We desperately need each other to be modeling what maturity looks like.
Nayomi Reghay
You’ve said in previous interviews that astrology isn’t having a “moment,” it’s having an “internet.” The internet shares information so rapidly. Are there any misconceptions about astrology that are currently flourishing?
Chani Nicholas
Yeah. I hear people blaming everything on a sign. I wrote the book because I want to shift the focus. Astrology is actually about planets. It’s about how the sky looks when you were born. It’s about the quality of the light that each planet had or didn’t have. It was visible or invisible. All those things mean something.
So I hear people say, “Well, it’s because I’m a Taurus.” But that thing they said has nothing to do with the sign Taurus! We start to use the signs as this repository to put everything in, and then it becomes a mishmash, and then there’s no clarity and then there’s no specificity and then the real art of the craft is lost.
Nayomi Reghay
I want to ask you about skeptics.
Chani Nicholas
I don’t care!
Nayomi Reghay
You don’t care about skeptics?
Chani Nicholas
I don’t — I love them! I don’t think everyone should believe in astrology. I don’t think everyone should use astrology. I think humans are diverse and we should have diverse ways of seeing ourselves and knowing ourselves. And God forbid everyone’s on one thing!
I don’t want everybody. I just want the people that want to be here and let’s go. And if you don’t, great! I want to know what works for you. Tell me something new, like how are you healing? How are you feeling good in the world? Where are you getting that rich, deep connection? Tell me about it. I’m so interested. Why would I want us all to do the same thing?
Nayomi Reghay is a Brooklyn-based writer who covers women, wellness, and technology. She writes about how social media impacts our relationships in her advice column, Swipe This! You can follow her on Twitter.


vox--2020-01-20--The lost neighborhood under New York’s Central Park

If you ’ ve been to New York , there ’ s a good chance you ’ ve been to Central Park .
But there ’ s a part of the land ’ s story you will never get to see .
It ’ s a piece of hidden history that goes back to the 1820s , when this land was largely the open countryside of New York .
The expanse became home to about 1,600 people — many of whom were escaping the crowded and increasingly dangerous conditions of lower Manhattan .
Among them was a predominantly black community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes , churches , and a school .
The area became known as Seneca Village .
And when Irish and German immigrants moved in , it became a rare example of racial harmony in an integrated neighborhood during this period .
Everything changed on July 21 , 1853 .
Through eminent domain , New York City took control of the land to create what would become the first major landscaped park in the US .
They called it “ the Central Park.
” Watch the video above to learn more about the park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , maps , and archaeological analysis from a 2011 excavation of the site , we piece together what happened to Seneca Village .
If you want to read more about the community , check out the Institute for the Exploration of Seneca Village History , or the exhibit through the Central Park Conservancy .
This is the fifth installment in Missing Chapter , where we revisit underreported and often overlooked moments of the past to give context to the present .
Our first season covers stories of racial injustice , political conflicts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experimentation .
If you have an idea for a topic we should investigate in the series , send it to me via this form !
You can find this video and all of Vox ’ s videos on YouTube .
If you ’ re interested in supporting our video journalism , you can become a member of the Vox Video Lab on YouTube .

If you’ve been to New York, there’s a good chance you’ve been to Central Park. But there’s a part of the land’s story you will never get to see.
It’s a piece of hidden history that goes back to the 1820s, when this land was largely the open countryside of New York. The expanse became home to about 1,600 people — many of whom were escaping the crowded and increasingly dangerous conditions of lower Manhattan.
Among them was a predominantly black community that bought up affordable plots to build homes, churches, and a school. The area became known as Seneca Village. And when Irish and German immigrants moved in, it became a rare example of racial harmony in an integrated neighborhood during this period.
Everything changed on July 21, 1853. Through eminent domain, New York City took control of the land to create what would become the first major landscaped park in the US. They called it “the Central Park.”
Watch the video above to learn more about the park’s creation. Through city records, maps, and archaeological analysis from a 2011 excavation of the site, we piece together what happened to Seneca Village.
If you want to read more about the community, check out the Institute for the Exploration of Seneca Village History, or the exhibit through the Central Park Conservancy.
This is the fifth installment in Missing Chapter, where we revisit underreported and often overlooked moments of the past to give context to the present. Our first season covers stories of racial injustice, political conflicts, even the hidden history of US medical experimentation. If you have an idea for a topic we should investigate in the series, send it to me via this form!
You can find this video and all of Vox’s videos on YouTube. If you’re interested in supporting our video journalism, you can become a member of the Vox Video Lab on YouTube.


vox--2020-01-20--More than half the world’s millennials fear a nuclear attack this decade

A majority of millennials around the world believe it ’ s more likely than not that a nuclear attack will happen sometime in the next 10 years — a sign that younger adults ’ views on global affairs is exceedingly bleak .
The International Committee of the Red Cross , a worldwide humanitarian organization , surveyed 16,000 millennials — adults between the ages of 20 and 35 — in 16 countries and territories last year : Afghanistan , Colombia , France , Indonesia , Israel , Malaysia , Mexico , Nigeria , Palestinian Territories , Russia , South Africa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ukraine , and the United States .
Half of those nations are experiencing conflict right now , while the other half are fortunately in peace .
Based on the results released last week , this demographic is worried about what the future holds .
“ More than half of millennials — 54 percent — believe it is likely that a nuclear attack will occur in the next decade , ” reads the report .
Those questioned in Malaysia are the most likely to fear a nuclear device going off soon , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that .
However , respondents said that nuclear weapons were the least concerning of the 12 different issues they were asked to rank , with corruption topping the list followed by unemployment and increasing poverty .
Still , the fear of a nuclear attack seems to be a trend .
A January 2018 World Economic Forum survey of 1,000 leaders from government , business , and other industries , for example , identified nuclear war as a top threat .
The worldwide shudder is understandable .
The chance of a nuclear conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t entirely gone .
India and Pakistan , two nuclear-armed enemies , could rekindle their decades-long squabble at any time .
And the US and Russia — the world ’ s foremost nuclear powers — have had warheads pointed at each other since the earliest days of the Cold War .
But nuclear catastrophe isn ’ t the only thing bothering millennials these days .
About 47 percent of respondents said they believed they would see World War III in their lifetimes , while 46 percent said they wouldn ’ t .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the fact that just under half of the world ’ s surveyed adults believe they will witness perhaps the globe ’ s worst-ever conflict is dark .
The responses led the organization ’ s president , Peter Maurer , to lament how millennials see the world .
“ Fatalistic , hopeful , worried and uncertain , ” he wrote about the results in the report ’ s foreword .
“ Things are not likely to get easier for millennials : they are living in a world in which wars are becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maurer also notes , “ Millennials are the politicians , decision-makers , strategists , and opinion-makers of tomorrow.
” It ’ s possible their fears about what could happen might lead them to avoid the worst .
In that sense , then , there is hope .
Interestingly , the study also found that “ the clear majority of millennials think that wars and armed conflict are avoidable , with those from war-affected countries/territories more hopeful than those in conflict-free countries.
” That ’ s quite a sign that maybe those who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can only get better from rock bottom .
And yet , for the younger generation to feel so morbid about the world ’ s future perhaps says less about them and more about the current generations in charge .

A majority of millennials around the world believe it’s more likely than not that a nuclear attack will happen sometime in the next 10 years — a sign that younger adults’ views on global affairs is exceedingly bleak.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, a worldwide humanitarian organization, surveyed 16,000 millennials — adults between the ages of 20 and 35 — in 16 countries and territories last year: Afghanistan, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Russia, South Africa, Syria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the United States.
Half of those nations are experiencing conflict right now, while the other half are fortunately in peace. Based on the results released last week, this demographic is worried about what the future holds.
“More than half of millennials — 54 percent — believe it is likely that a nuclear attack will occur in the next decade,” reads the report.
Those questioned in Malaysia are the most likely to fear a nuclear device going off soon, while Syrians are the least likely to worry about that. However, respondents said that nuclear weapons were the least concerning of the 12 different issues they were asked to rank, with corruption topping the list followed by unemployment and increasing poverty.
Still, the fear of a nuclear attack seems to be a trend. A January 2018 World Economic Forum survey of 1,000 leaders from government, business, and other industries, for example, identified nuclear war as a top threat.
The worldwide shudder is understandable. The chance of a nuclear conflict between the US and North Korea isn’t entirely gone. India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed enemies, could rekindle their decades-long squabble at any time. And the US and Russia — the world’s foremost nuclear powers — have had warheads pointed at each other since the earliest days of the Cold War.
But nuclear catastrophe isn’t the only thing bothering millennials these days. About 47 percent of respondents said they believed they would see World War III in their lifetimes, while 46 percent said they wouldn’t. It’s a relatively even split, but the fact that just under half of the world’s surveyed adults believe they will witness perhaps the globe’s worst-ever conflict is dark.
The responses led the organization’s president, Peter Maurer, to lament how millennials see the world. “Fatalistic, hopeful, worried and uncertain,” he wrote about the results in the report’s foreword. “Things are not likely to get easier for millennials: they are living in a world in which wars are becoming more and more complex.”
But as Maurer also notes, “Millennials are the politicians, decision-makers, strategists, and opinion-makers of tomorrow.” It’s possible their fears about what could happen might lead them to avoid the worst. In that sense, then, there is hope.
Interestingly, the study also found that “the clear majority of millennials think that wars and armed conflict are avoidable, with those from war-affected countries/territories more hopeful than those in conflict-free countries.” That’s quite a sign that maybe those who have seen horror know or believe that situations can only get better from rock bottom.
And yet, for the younger generation to feel so morbid about the world’s future perhaps says less about them and more about the current generations in charge.