What are ghost particles and why are they in Antarctica? How does exercise change our blood chemistry? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of June 8 - 14 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's bumper edition of the best from the world of science news, explore the science at the intersection of the day's biggest topics, coronavirus and racial disparity in America. Why are black communities disproportionately affected by public health issues? 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?

• The hunt is on for elusive ghost particles in Antarctica by Daniel Oberhaus for Wired.

Ultrahigh-energy neutrinos could help scientists unravel some of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics—and the best place to find them may be the South Pole.Credit: Christopher Michel via Flickr (CC-BY 2.0)

• Bizarre nearby star offers clues to origins of mysterious fast radio bursts by Alexandra Witze for Scientific American.
• How physics aids COVID-19 research by Hannah Pell at Physics Central.
• Ask Ethan: Why doesn’t the afterglow of the Big Bang eventually fade away? by Ethan Siegel at Starts with a Bang.
• T cells could be the key in developing an effective COVID-19 vaccine by Paige E. Pistono for Massive Science.
• Handheld ultrasound devices are speeding diagnosis of COVID-19 by Lina Zeldovich for Scientific American.
• A single session of exercise alters 9,815 molecules in our blood by Gretchen Reynolds for the New York Times.
• For scientific institutions, racial reconciliation requires reparations by C. Brandon Ogbunu for Scientific American.
• To grasp who's dying of Covid-19, look to social factors like race by Sharon Beagley at STAT news.
• Tear gas: Chemistry, dispersal methods, and effects by Andy Brunning for Compound Interest.

Find out exactly what teargas is, and how to treat yourself and others if you're exposed to it.
Credit: Andy Brunning via Compound Interest (CC-BY-ND)

• Researchers around the world prepare to #ShutDownSTEM and ‘Strike For Black Lives’ by Sophia Chen for Science magazine.
• Hors d’oeuvres for healthy nerves: how the gut microbiome affects the nervous system by Sarah Price for ImmunoBites.
• Added benefits: Cleaning up our energy by Kristen Brown for Envirobites.
• Fossil footprints help uncover the mysteries of bipedal crocodiles by Riley Black for Scientific American.

Ancient tracks reveal a previously unknown creature from the Age of Dinosaurs answering one question but raising more.
Credit: Anthony Romilio University of Queensland (CC BY 2.0)

• The future remaking itself by Craig Childs at The Last Word on Nothing.
• Terrible tips for returning to the lab after a break by Matthew Partridge at Errant Science.

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Check back next week for more great picks!