In this podcast, Medical News Today’s editors — Tim Newman, Ana Sandoiu, Maria Cohut, and Yasemin Sakay — discuss some of 2021’s most striking research and controversial topics, including bacteria-eating viruses, how systemic racism affects visual representations of skin conditions, what we know about COVID-19 vaccines’ reported impact on menstrual cycles, and the importance of safety guidance and restrictions in the pandemic timeline.

You can follow our editors on Twitter: @MNT_Tim, @MNT_AnaSandoiu, @MNT_MariaCohut, and @MNT_Yazz.