Another virus has joined SARS-CoV-2 in the headlines, and its name is much catchier. Monkeypox (which, by the way, is more likely transmitted by rodents) has cases mounting in Europe, and about 10 confirmed in the U.S. so far. Unlike the coronavirus strain we called "novel" in 2020 when we first saw it in humans — monkeypox is not new. The first human case was identified in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also appears to be harder to transmit than coronavirus, it mutates at a slower rate, and its symptoms include a rash. This week, Science writer Jon Cohen explains why the virus is making headlines today, and why coverage shouldn't incite panic.

This is a segment from our May 27th, 2022 program, Imperfect Immunity.