As a wave of protests continues to spread across the United States, calls for justice over the killings of Black Americans by police have been joined by a growing outcry from the medical community. The Covid-19 pandemic has now pointed a bright red arrow on another dire public health crisis in America: racism. While it might not seem intuitive to everyone, doctors are taking this moment to yet again remind the US of one thing: Racial inequality against Black Americans has far-reaching effects and the evidence shows it’s a public health emergency.

Despite the health danger protesting can create, marches continued in cities across the globe well into June 2020. One crowd control chemical — tear gas — has scientists sounding the alarm. The use of tear gas — notably in front of the White House on June 1, 2020, to remove peaceful protestors so President Donald Trump could pose for a photo opp holding a Bible — has led medical professionals to demand an ethically responsible approach to public safety.

As more Americans protest despite the threat it poses to our overall health, we look at how to rebuild a public health system that keeps all of us as safe and healthy as possible.

Welcome to the Abstract podcast. I’m Tanya Bustos, your host.

Our first story is about a complex issue that has many health experts in agreement: Covid-19 is a public health emergency, and so is racism.  While the coronavirus has brought this idea into mainstream understanding, the notion that racism is a public health issue is not a new one.  Experts say Covid-19 is just a stark reminder of this inequity, and that it's time to dismantle the unfair and unjust policies governing daily life in the United States. 

Our second story is about another issue that has medical professionals concerned for protestors: chemical weapons.  Describing tear gas as unethical, they worry it may heighten transmission of Covid-19 and are urging police to stop using it, bringing to light another layer of structural racism being perpetuated on a population that may be particularly vulnerable to its effects.

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As Starlink, the SpaceX satellite constellation designed to deliver the internet to Earth, takes flight, Inverses’ Mike Brown offers a comprehensive look at everything you need to know about getting your internet from Elon Musk.

As America sees widespread demonstrations following the death of George Floyd, a look at how movements like #BlackBirdersWeek aims to safely and effectively create change and promote diversity.

Revolutionizing the American space program, Elon Musk’s SpaceX pulls off a historic Crew Dragon launch.

When local governments began putting social distancing guidelines into effect in mid-March 2020, there was extreme concern. Anxiety about how people would do their jobs, raise their kids, and celebrate birthdays. The timing was bad for regular life. Except if your life included video games. The timing might have even been seen as fortuitous. 

In the weeks after, the number of Americans playing video games jumped by as much as 115 percent according to report by Verizon, the internet service provider, that was released in April 2020. New psychological study has revealed why we choose the games we do, and the effects they have on our minds.  

Video games have long been hailed for their storytelling, design, and emotional complexity. But as more people pick up their controller, two key questions emerge: Why are so many people drawn to the world of video games? And who are games for, anyway?

Welcome to the Abstract podcast from Inverse. I’m Tanya Bustos, your host.

Our first story is about how Nintendo’s Animal Crossing became the quarantine game everyone was playing. The March 2020 release of its latest installment, Animal Crossing: New Horizons came just as many Americans were accepting the idea of self-isolation. It proved to be the perfect “mental vacation” from the 24/7 coronavirus news cycle. As mental health experts become increasingly interested in the potential of games to help people, Animal Crossing continues to reign as the perfect lockdown relief during isolation -- and people across the world can’t seem to play it enough. 

Our second story takes a closer look at the darker side of video gaming culture; specifically, the latest controversy surrounding who games are made for, and what kinds of people should be depicted in them. After an April 2020 leak of an upcoming video game, speculation that a character in it could be transgender riled up a vocal minority and sparked new conversations about inclusion and empathy in video games. With video games appealing to far more people than are represented in them, what does the process look like to spur a change in mainstream video games, that should be, for every last one of us?

Read more at inverse.com/the-abstract

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The possibility of life on Mars has long been of great interest in astrobiology circles, largely because of the red planet’s similarities to our own planet.  

Whether there ever was, or can ever be life on Mars, which is more than 95 million miles away, remains a mystery. But scientific study has nudged us closer and closer to the idea that, yes, Mars probably had life at one point. Whether it still does seems less likely, though far from impossible.

Welcome to the Abstract podcast from Inverse. I’m Tanya Bustos, your host.

Our first story is about SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious plans to build a city on Mars by 2050. However, in order to bring his vision to life, SpaceX needs to figure out one key challenge first -- orbital refueling in space for the long journey. Could perfecting “gas stations for spaceships” help SpaceX come one step closer to a city on Mars?

Our second story attempts to answer another crucial question: Was there ever life on Mars to begin with? The latest research says scientists are finally coming closer to figuring out Mars’ water history -- which always includes the somewhat likely scenario that if Mars had water, Mars had life. 

Read more at: inverse.com/the-abstract

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With at least a third of Americans reporting that they don't get enough rest at night, new advances in sleep technology could help us take control of our sleep and improve our cognitive function.

With Tesla Killers on the horizon amid the dawn of the electric age, Tesla CEO Elon Musk fights to open his California electric car plant and emerges as the face of resistance against government lockdowns.

A look at technology’s role in COVID-19 as Apple and Google link up to fight the pandemic, and a conspiracy theory linking 5G networks to the spread of coronavirus takes on a life of its own.

As we seek out comfort and control in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a look at how to survive on carbs and DIY haircuts during your quarantined time of need.