How is ocean plastic contributing to antibiotic resistance? Who is Katherine Johnson and how did she help the US get into space? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Feb 24 - Mar 1 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's best science news straight from science newsmakers, get a reasoned look at the coronavirus outbreak from a scientific standpoint, and find out how tropical forests may turn from carbon sinks into carbon sources. ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?

• Plastic pollution may be spreading antibiotic resistance by Hannah Thomasy for Hakai magazine.

  

  Ocean plastic provides more places for bacteria to grow, increasing the likelihood of antibiotic-resistant microbes swapping plasmids with their sea-faring cousins.
  Credit: Michael Coghlan via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Listening to soap bubbles pop reveals the physics behind the bursts by Emily Conover for Science News magazine.
• Dog nose-tip temperature dynamics and distant-heat sensing ability by Marc Abrahams at Improbable Research.
• Tropical forests may flip into carbon sources sooner than feared, study finds by Mongabay.com.
• Honey, I scared the squids by Amorina Kingdon for Hakai magazine.
• A tribute to Katherine by Hannah Barta via the American Mathematical Society.
• International Women’s Day: Twelve women from chemistry history – pt. 3 by Andy Brunning at Compound Interest.
• Coronavirus: nine reasons to be reassured by Jon Henley for the Guardian.
• We’re learning a lot about the coronavirus. It will help us assess risk by Helen Branswell at STAT news.
• Update on COVID-19: part 14, the changing picture by Marc Bonten for Reflections on Infection Prevention and Control.
• Florida DOH: 2 New COVID-19 Cases - 2 Deaths by Michael Coston at Avian Flu Diary.
• Coronavirus: What are the worst symptoms and how deadly is covid-19? by Jess Hamzelou at New Scientist.
• Should NASA send New Horizons to a nearby star for its final mission? by Ethan Siegel at Starts With A Bang.
• Astronomers spot ultra-massive white dwarf with unique atmosphere by Sci-News.com.

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Check back next week for more great picks!