NICU babies dressed up for Halloween, a guide to better small talk, and more.

Have we seen the last big Covid-19 surge? (Monday, Oct. 25)

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has argued the surge of cases associated with the delta variant likely will be the last major Covid-19 surge in the United States—but other experts emphasize that the coronavirus has defied expectations before.

'Delta plus': How worried should you be? (Tuesday, Oct. 26)

A slightly mutated version of the delta coronavirus variant, which some observers have nicknamed "delta plus," is gaining prominence in the United Kingdom—but several infectious disease experts suggest it's unlikely to drive case surges as severe as those associated with the original delta variant.

Your guide to better (and less awkward) small talk (Wednesday, Oct. 27)

Most people are hesitant to engage in deep conversations with strangers because they think it will be uncomfortable, so they resort to small talk instead. But research has found that having deep conversations with strangers can be more rewarding (and less awkward) than you think, Nicholas Epley, Michael Kardas, and Amit Kumar write for the Washington Post.

A $4 antidepressant significantly cuts the risk of severe Covid-19 (Thursday, Oct. 28)

A new study published in Lancet Global Health found that fluvoxamine, an antidepressant that costs just $4 for a 10-day course, significantly reduces Covid-19 hospitalization risk—and "compares favorably with … more expensive treatments including monoclonal antibodies for outpatient treatment."

These NICU babies dressed up for Halloween. (And yes, we have pictures.) (Friday, Oct. 29)

The NICU can be a difficult, scary place. So, to make Halloween a special time for parents of NICU patients, many hospitals across the countries have dressed their babies in tiny Halloween costumes.