Newborn little hand hold by adult hand

Abstracts: SIDS, Zika, Bacteria, and More

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), is the leading cause of death of babies in the U.S. — but many of those deaths may be wrongly classified. (The Atlantic)

tiger cub

40 dead tiger cubs were found in a freezer in a Thai Buddhist temple, which may be linked to wildlife trafficking. (Visual by Gellinger/Pixabay)

• After contracting Zika overseas, a mother in New Jersey gave birth to a child with microcephaly. The case marks the second child born with Zika-related birth defects in the U.S. (L.A. Times)

• Even in the stratosphere, 250,000 feet above the earth, life still exists. High-flying bacteria traverse the globe, and they can have big impacts on those living down below. (Nautilus)

• In a Buddhist temple in Thailand, authorities uncovered 40 dead tiger cubs in a freezer. The temple, known as a tourist destination, is suspected of wildlife trafficking. (BBC)

• The next generation of satellites, weighing only 5 grams, will have a test launch on June 6. These small computer chips could be key to understanding our own solar system, and beyond. (Scientific American)

• Early trials in humans showed that a universal cancer vaccine that tricks the body’s immune system into attacking tumors might not be so far off. (The Telegraph)

• NASA says that it has found 39 unreported sources of the pollutant sulfur dioxide. These unreported sources were found using satellites, and account for about 12 percent of all man-made sulfur dioxide in the world. (Reuters)

• And finally, from comic books to smartphone apps to classroom lessons, drug companies are finding new ways to target kids. Companies say that the outreach efforts are a service to kids and their parents, but critics say that these “initiatives” look an awful lot like marketing. (STAT)

Ian Evans is a science and nature writer living in the Boston area. He earned a bachelors in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and recently completed a master's degree in Science Journalism at Boston University. Ian is an intern at Undark Magazine for the summer of 2016, where his primary focus will be on nature, environmental science and ecology.