Daily Archives: June 26, 2022

When scientists find a new disease-causing virus in humans, the first question they want answered is: Can this thing spread easily from person to person? And if not, will it someday?

Avian influenza can infect humans, but its not very good at passing from one person to another. Same with the coronavirus that causes MERS, another severe respiratory illness. Though hundreds of cases of both have been reported over the past two decades, neither virus seems inclined to evolve toward efficient person-to-person transmission.

In less than three years, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has mastered it.

SARS-CoV-2 has accumulated a suite of mutations over an astonishingly short period of time that have made it now one of the most infectious human pathogens on the planet. And for the first time ever, scientists have the tools and the knowledge to closely track that evolution in near-real time, studying the small but mighty genomic mutations that have transformed the virus to the point where it hardly resembles the strain that began infecting humans in China in late 2019.

Mapping the evolution of this virus has fed academically curious minds in every nation, and its had real world implications too. Identifying and describing new variants has helped guide public health responses and is now informing the next generation of vaccines and drug therapies.

The coronavirus rapid evolution also is helping scientists anticipate the future of the pandemic, and what mutations may make it a less or more formidable foe in years to come.

This is the first time in human history that weve been able to witness a global pandemic at the genomic, evolutionary level, said Joe DeRisi, president of San Franciscos Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, which has done genomic sequencing on the virus since the start of the pandemic.

Joe DeRisi, president of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, stands for a portrait on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in San Francisco.

Whats been especially fascinating, and at times alarming, is the speed of this virus evolution. That SARS-CoV-2 would mutate to better adapt to humans was always anticipated, but the pace of that adaptation has been breathtaking.

Scientists say thats in large part due to the scale of the pandemic more than half a billion infections worldwide have afforded the virus near-boundless opportunity to mutate. But its a matter of timing, too. As a human virus, SARS-CoV-2 is still in its infancy, developing rapidly to flourish in its new environment. Meanwhile, human immunity to the virus due to infection and vaccination has become increasingly complex, applying constant pressure to further evolve.

Its normal to see this kind of evolution this constant battle between human and pathogen, said Fenyong Liu, an infectious disease expert at UC Berkeleys School of Public Health. Each of us is focused on survival. We develop a better system to beat them, and theyre going to mutate and try to escape. It happens with all infectious diseases, but for COVID, the whole process really sped up because of the scale of it.

Tanya Alexander waits in line for COVID-19 test with her grandson Sincere Perkins, 9, at Bayview Opera House in San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022.

Predicting how evolution will shape the next iterations of this virus is tricky, and scientists lack the technology to do it with any precision. How the virus has mutated over the past two and a half years provides some clues: Scientists have identified dozens of specific mutations mostly associated with increasing infectiousness that have recurred in multiple variants. Those mutations likely will keep showing up, re-sorting themselves in different combinations that give the virus further survival advantages. Some of the mutations could become permanently embedded in the virus genetic code. A few already have.

Recently, the virus has mutated to evade hard-won human immunity, and most experts in virology believe it will continue down that evolutionary path. It could also acquire new mutations that make it more infectious, though its already become so efficient at spreading among humans that its hard to imagine how much more gains it can make there, some scientists say.

The most critical question and possibly the toughest to answer is whether the virus will evolve to cause more or less severe disease in humans. Many experts believe that viruses tend to become more benign over time one of the current coronaviruses that now causes the common cold may have been the source of a deadly pandemic in the late 1800s but thats not a sure thing, and no one can say how long such evolution may take. Omicron and its subvariants are causing milder disease than their predecessors, but it would be nave to assume a future variant couldnt arrive with mutations that make it fiercer once again, experts say.

Social distancing circles at Dolores Park on Saturday, May 23, 2020, in San Francisco. The 10-foot circles, which were eight feet apart from each other, were an effort to curb coronavirus spread.

Hopefully it will adapt and become a very mild seasonal disease, and our immune systems will adapt, too, Liu said. But in reality, the virus has unlimited capability to adapt and mutate.

Scientists began tracking the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 almost immediately after the virus was isolated and identified in early January 2020. Once the first genomic sequence was complete and had been shared on a public database, infectious disease experts around the world started hunting for mutations, largely to keep tabs on how the virus was spreading.

Most people by now are familiar with the role mutations play in giving the virus certain advantages. But most mutations dont actually have an obvious effect on the virus, theyre simply glitches in the code. Those mutations can serve as evolutionary breadcrumbs, though, allowing scientists to follow the virus trail as it travels widely around the globe. And throughout the pandemic, public health experts have used mutations to identify and control clusters of infections.

Still, scientists are most invested in tracking consequential mutations that may alter the public health response. For example, arrival of the incredibly infectious omicron led many officials to recommend people start wearing higher quality masks, and eventually triggered another universal mask mandate in California to help curb the spread.

The most influential mutations mostly have been identified in the spike protein, the section of the virus that projects out of the surface and latches onto the ACE2 receptor, a protein on the exterior of human cells through which SARS-CoV-2 gains entry.

The first significant mutation known as D614G and nicknamed Doug arrived sometime in spring 2020; it basically made the ACE2 receptor more accessible. It was like putting a wedge in the door to keep it open, said Shannon Bennett, chief of science at the California Academy of Sciences.

Shannon Bennett, chief of science for the California Academy of Sciences, studies infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Here, she plays her piano at her home on March 20, 2020, in Mill Valley, Calif.

That mutation granted the virus an early boost in infectiousness, and it has stuck around in every important variant since. Identifying a mutation of that significance was surprising, and exciting, Bennett said. It was the kind of early evolutionary shift that scientists have never been able to capture before. With earlier viruses HIV, for example by the time scientists identified and were able to study them closely enough to look for mutations, they were already well established in humans and had likely gone through years of vigorous adaptations.

After D614G, the virus quickly accumulated mutations that mostly improved its ability to transmit and infect. Scientists havent yet determined exactly what all those changes are doing, at the biological level, to increase infectiousness. Some may allow the virus to replicate faster in the nose or bind more tightly to the ACE2 receptor, making it harder for the immune system to shake off an early infection. Mutations could also make the virus more durable, for instance able to survive for longer periods in the air.

By the end of 2020, it was becoming apparent that the virus was evolving quickly in an environment of widespread transmission. Troubling new variants were emerging at regular intervals, each causing new waves of infection in the country in which they emerged and sometimes on a global scale. And each new variant seemed to be at least somewhat more infectious than the one preceding it. Alpha, which dominated in the U.S. in early 2021, was perhaps 50% more infectious than the original virus, and delta, which fueled the summer 2021 surge, was perhaps 90% more infectious than alpha.

Nurse practitioner Paige Yang mixes a dose of Evusheld, a preventative monoclonal injection, at Total Infusion in Oakland, Calif. on March 16, 2022. The medication is used to prevent COVID-19 among immunocompromised patients.

Omicron, which carried dozens of new mutations, was again more infectious up to fivefold over delta. And each of its subvariants has been more infectious still. The currently circulating strains, all offspring of omicron, are nearly as infectious as measles, which is the most contagious of all known human infections.

Scientists say the virus may have hit peak infectiousness, or close to it. Now, its evolving to get around the immune response, and that trend likely will continue. Early studies show that the two up-and-coming variants in the U.S. BA.4 and BA.5, which currently make up roughly a third of cases are the most immune evasive so far; people who are vaccinated or have already been infected, or both, may still be vulnerable.

I think theres a max in terms of how transmissible it can be, said Nadia Roan, an investigator at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco who studies immunology. Now almost the entire world has some form of immunity, whether from infection or vaccination or both, and thats the big pressure. A virus that is able to take off right now has to be immune evasive.

Scientist Xiaoyu Luo, postdoctoral scholar Julie Frouard, lead scientist Nadia Roan, PhD, and research assistant Matthew McGregor wear masks and lab coats while walking through the lab at Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco on Thursday, August 13, 2020.

Immune evasion is such a concern that many experts believe the world needs to focus resources on developing next-generation vaccines that will target parts of the virus less prone to mutations. Manufacturers of the two main U.S. vaccines Pfizer and Moderna are working to update their products to better match the currently circulating variants, but thats difficult to do when the dominant variant changes every few months.

Ideally, scientists would develop a vaccine that neutralizes the virus preventing it from ever taking hold and stopping transmission entirely and doesnt fade over time. The latter may not be possible, though. It doesnt seem that this coronavirus will be inducing the same immunity that polio and measles induces that lasts for your entire life, said Raul Andino, a UCSF virologist.

Eventually, the pace of evolution in SARS-CoV-2 may slow down, or at least produce fewer consequential mutations that cause fresh surges several times a year. But its tough to guess when that will happen.

Virus evolution is relentless. The virus never takes a rest, never takes a break, and it never stops mutating, DeRisi said. The truce may come when we figure out what kind of yearly boosters we need, or what vaccination works.

We want to get the virus to where it just doesnt matter anymore, he said. Were not there yet. But theres reason to be optimistic, and also reason to be cautious and not let our guard down.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday

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Will COVID evolve to cause less severe disease? Why we can't assume the answer is yes - San Francisco Chronicle

Evolution Hospitality, the Queen Marys caretaker for the past year, will enter into a five-year management agreement with the City to get the ship reopened to the public.

I know many of the residents here are excited to see more activity and events come back to life in our Queen Mary, Councilmember Suely Saro said during a Tuesday council meeting. I know that we went through a very hard time with the Queen Mary.

The ship has a long history of failed operators, one of which defaulted on their loan and two of which filed for bankruptcythe most recent being Urban Commons via Eagle Hospitality in 2021.

Before, in the past 40 years, weve really tried to manage this asset by shifting all the requirements, all the responsibilities, but also all the benefits to a private company, City Manager Tom Modica said, noting that operators were often saddled with debt to obtain the lease in the first place. That proved really not to be a model that was successful.

Instead of continuing with the failed model, the City is sparking up a management agreement with Evolution Hospitality to manage the ship in exchange for a portion of the areas revenues.

The City retains significantly more responsibility for this asset [the Queen Mary], such as major capital improvements. But the City also is entitled to a majority of net profits generated at the site, said Johnny Vallejo, acting director of the Economic Development Department.

That means that the City is required to pay for larger capital improvements for restoration and preservation, of which there are plenty. A 2017 marine survey estimated a $289 million price tag for long-term repairs and maintenance of the historic ship.

Evolution will be responsible for maintaining the ship and will retain a historic resource advisor to assist them.

For the past decade, Evolution Hospitality has been the caretaker of core maintenance and security of the ship and surrounding area. The company is a subsidiary of Aimbridge Hospitality, one of the worlds largest hotel operators.

This is what almost anyone does who owns a hotel property. They then bring on someone whos a hotel expert and these are one of the best experts in the nation, Modica said. So they do it for a percent of the gross revenue [] If history is any indication, this property all made money for the hotel itself.

Under the five-year agreement, Evolution Hospitality will be responsible for the Queen Mary leasehold area, including the ship and adjacent parking. The company will operate the Queen Mary Hotel, attractions, retail, food and beverage, parking and ship-based special events.

The management agreement includes buffers for past misfortunes: additional auditing mechanisms, such as mandatory monthly financial reports, annual audited financial reports and proposed budgets for capital projects and expenditures.

During an investigation into the operation of the Queen Mary, former operator Urban Commons refused to hand over certain financial records, despite the Citys right to audit the financials of the company.

It is incredibly important that we have access to the operation fund to help manage that operation fund, to audit, we have access to that, Vice Mayor Rex Richarson said. The performance standards, I think are good, there is an incentive to do well.

The City will pay an estimated $2.87 million for pre-opening and reopening costs for the ship, paid by the Tidelands Area Fund Group and year-end budget savings.

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Queen Mary's longtime caretaker Evolution Hospitality will enter 5-year agreement to manage ship - Signal Tribune

The release of NEW BREEDmarks the decisive beginning of a new chapter for Kayzo, one of the biggest electronic dance music producer success stories of the 2010s.

With his latest album,Kayzo explores the intersection of rock and electronic music more thoroughlymore thoughtfullythan ever before.

Longtime fans will fondly remember records such as his remix of "Last Resort" alongside Papa Roach as breakthrough moments in his meteoric career. But while such tracks combining dubstep production with rock sonics were fresh at the time, a new spark was needed to illuminate this creative pathway ahead.

And with NEW BREED,Kayzo handily delivers.If there's one central accomplishment Kayzo can claim on the album, it's blending the many diverse rock influences with biting electronic production to create a cohesive experience.

Kayzo.

c/o Press

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Listeners got a taste of this with his recent single "POSER" (withconner)a pop-punk-inspired anthem wherein the electronic influence feels strategically augmentative, oftentimes subtle and overall seamlessly engrained in the DNA of the production. Kayzo's creative approach here continues with "BOTTLE OF RAIN," a gloomy rock offering with a lo-fi flare; and the energizing "WASTE AWAY," with yearning vocals from Kala.

For fans of Kayzo's earlier works, he's by no means forgotten how to blow the doors off. The album's titular track is a rollercoaster ride traversing multiple bass music genres before ending with a stampeding mix of hardstyle and dubstep at its coda. Meanwhile, PhaseOne and Aaron Pauley join Kayzo for "MEET YOU IN THE SOUND," taking no prisoners in a cathartic melodic dubstep concoction.

For a risk-taking blend of Kayzo old and new, "LOVE ME HATE ME" finds a seemingly perfect balance. The track additionally stands as a highlight since he's joined by long-time partner CRAY in what marks their first collaborative offering together.

Listen to Kayzo's NEW BREED in its entirety below and stream the album here.

Facebook: facebook.com/kayzomusicTwitter: twitter.com/KayzoMusicInstagram: instagram.com/kayzomusicSpotify: spoti.fi/3kiAtQO

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Kayzo Fosters the Next Evolution of Electronic-Rock Music With Third Album, "New Breed" - EDM.com

Anyone interested in the history of warfare or weaponry should make sure to look at ancient Egyptian weapons and how the Egyptian armies utilized their technological superiority. Whilst most famous for its architectural wonders, ancient Egypt once wielded the most terrifying fighting force the world had ever seen. The history of the rise and eventual fall of Egypts military is ultimately all about ancient Egyptian weapons!

The Egyptian weapons of the Early Dynastic Period (3150 BC-2613 BC) were as simple as one might expect. Military weapons consisted of basic daggers, spears, and maces for melee combat along with primitive bows for long-range combat.

The spears were rudimentary and very similar to those used by predynastic Egyptian hunters . The only real advancement was the introduction of copper spearheads, which offered better penetration than the traditional flint tip. However, metallurgy in this early period was expensive and it is unclear how widespread the use of copper spear tips was among the average foot soldiers.

Troops carried a dagger as a secondary weapon. The dagger normally had a copper blade and was used at either very close range or to finish off wounded enemies. The blades were too brittle to be reliable in one-to-one combat. The second they hit bone or another blade they were likely to chip or even snap, which was less than ideal.

The mace was another secondary weapon issued to some foot soldiers. The heads were either made of hardwood or pear-shaped stone. The mace could be used to smash through enemy shields or dispatch wounded enemies with one quick blow to the skull.

For longer ranges, the Egyptians began to use archers during this period. However, these rudimentary single-arched bows werent much use. They were difficult to draw, had an embarrassingly short range, and were inaccurate to boot. These problems were compounded by the fact that archers were drawn from low-class peasantry who mostly had no experience in bow hunting.

The early foot soldiers of Egypt, in the Middle Kingdom, had simple ancient Egyptian weapons: a shield, a spear and probably a dagger but not much more! Wooden figures of the Egyptian army of the 11th Dynasty found in the tomb of Mesehti. (Udimu / CC BY-SA 3.0 )

Things begin to change for the Egyptian army with the rise of Mentuhotep II of Thebes. In early Egypt, the empire was made up of different regions all led by individual nomarchs (regional leaders with their own armies) who answered to the central government. If the central government called, you and your army came running.

These small armies mostly consisted of poorly trained and poorly equipped peasant conscripts. The thinking of the time was why waste expensive equipment and training on peasant cannon fodder?

Mentuhotep was not a fan of this system though. In 2050 BC he defeated the central government's ruling party at Herakleopolis and in doing so united the country. Egypt was now solely under the control of the Thebans.

With one united army the Egyptians could focus on military development. Previously the smaller militias had been made up of disposable peasants. As such the approach to weapons had been cheap and not very cheerful. But a proper military needed proper soldiers wielding proper weaponry.

Soldiers were now commonly armed with a dagger, sword, spear, and shield. The dagger and sword hadnt evolved much. They were both crude copper blades riveted to a handle. These rivets were a major structural weak point. The longer-bladed swords were especially prone to snapping when attempting to block an incoming blow.

Archers still carried the same single arched bows as before. These came with all the same weaknesses. However, the Egyptian army became much better at utilizing these less-than-ideal weapons. Archers were now better trained and organized.

If troops were lucky they were equipped with the all-new slicing ax. This was a long wooden shaft with a crescent copper blade attached at the end via a notch. The slicing ax was a two-handed weapon with excellent range. As the name implies the ax was swung in a slicing motion (much like a scythe).

The weapon was brutally effective. Its heavyweight and momentum meant that it was next to impossible to guard against an incoming swing. A sword simply wasnt strong enough and would snap while the ax could also brute force its way through the rudimentary wooden shields of the time.

Finally, as foot soldiers were now an investment and less disposable, protective gear became more popular and troops were given simple leather armor. The protection offered was minimal but offered some protection from glancing blows or an errant long-range arrow. When it comes to armor, something is better than nothing.

Egyptian duckbill-shaped axe blade using the Syro-Palestinian style, axe head technology probably introduced by the Hyksos (19811550 BC). (Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0)

Towards the end of the Middle Kingdom, the central government became increasingly complacent and weak. They took their eyes off the ball and allowed the Hyksos, a dangerous military culture who spoke a Western Semitic language and were likely Canaanites, to infiltrate their lands.

While the central Egyptian government was distracted by petty infighting, the Hyksos managed to take over lower Egypt around the city of Avaris. The Hyksos quickly established themselves and began inflicting their will on the area both politically and militarily.

The Hyksos originated from western Asia , and they were way more technologically advanced than the Egyptians. They had horse-drawn war chariots , composite bows, and more advanced weapon designs. And their melee weapons werent so prone to snapping. For every weapon the Egyptians could field, the Hyksos already had a better version.

The Hyksos became the bogeyman of the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt (1782-1570 BC). This period is often described as the Hyksos Invasion. Propaganda from The New Kingdom Of Egypt and Manethos Josephus makes the Hyksos sound like blood-thirsty monsters who swept across Egypt, destroying everything in their path. However, there is no archaeological evidence for this level of destruction.

During the Intermediate Period, the Hyksos held Egypts lower (north) ports and the Nubians had much of upper (south) Egypt. Only Thebes was still ruled by Egyptians at this point. It was time to fight back.

Under Ahmose I of Thebes the Egyptians took what they learned from the Hyksos and used it against them. Ahmose I defeated the Hyksos and ejected them from lower Egypt. He then went south and did the same to the Nubians. Once again Egypt was unified, and the age of the New Kingdom had begun.

The New Kingdom was an age of unparalleled military expansion for Egypt. Never again would they be the victims of foreign invasion. As Egypt's borders expanded and it met new enemies the Egyptians continued the rapid technological advancement of their forces.

Their armies would soon become virtually unbeatable.

The spear remained largely unchanged. It was still essentially a long stick with a sharp point at the end, but the sharp point was now made from bronze which was much better at holding an edge. The spear was still inexpensive but effective and remained the primary weapon of most Egyptian troops.

The key change was the introduction of spear and shield tactics. Spearmen were equipped with shields made of wooden boards bound with animal glue and hides. The shields were basic but effective. Spearmen could hold up behind their shields and block enemy attacks before striking back with devastating medium-range spear blows.

The javelin was an evolution of the simple spear. Soldiers would carry a quiver full of javelins. These weapons were dual purpose. They could either be used as short-range spears or launched at enemy chariots and troops. Importantly javelins were equipped with diamond-shaped metal blades that were armor-piercing.

The javelin was light, well-balanced, and easy to throw accurately. Unlike arrows, it was also reusable. As Egyptian troops advanced they could reclaim thrown javelins.

The Egyptian Battle Ax of Baki from circa 1504-1447 BC in the New Kingdom period. Bronze or copper alloy, wood (with modern restoration), and modern rawhide. (Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0)

Up until this period, Egypt had been using the aforementioned slicing ax. Against unarmored foes, this was still the go-to weapon, and hard to improve upon. But what if your enemy was armored?

The Egyptians soon encountered the Hittite and Syrian armies. These army's troops wore reinforced leather jerkins which were adept at repelling slicing weapons. The Egyptians once again adapted, and the new battle-ax was born. It had a narrow, straight-edged blade designed to punch through armor with minimal resistance.

Around this time the Egyptians also discovered that utility in a weapon could be invaluable. During one pitched battle against a Canaanite city half the Egyptian army used their axes to dig beneath the city's defenses whilst the other half used their axes to level the citys surrounding forests.

In the new and improved battle ax, the Egyptians had invented an early form of entrenching tool that is still widely used by armies today.

Before the Hyksos invasion, Egyptian swords had been brittle and easy to break. The Hyksos introduced critical advances in bronze casting technology. Now the Egyptians could cast swords as one solid piece: blade and hilt all in one. With no rivets serving as weak points the swords had greatly increased durability.

This increased durability meant that swords became much more widely used. There were two common designs: a short, dagger-shaped blade for close-range stabbing, and a longer blade designed for slashing at slightly longer ranges.

The famous Khopesh that combines the advantages of an ax with a short sword. (Louvre Museum / CC BY-SA 2.0 FR )

What happens when you combine an ax with a short sword? You get the brutal-looking Khopesh. A moon-curved blade with the sharp edge on the outside, the Khopesh was simply terrifying to behold.

The Khopesh is another design that the Egyptians pilfered from the Hyksos. It was predominantly used as a secondary weapon used to dispatch wounded enemy soldiers with one gruesome strike. Due to its vicious-looking curve, the Khopesh became a weapon of terror. Pharaohs were often depicted in paintings wielding the Khopesh to put down entire enemy armies.

Though this is not an ancient Egyptian composite bow it is identical to what King Tutankhamens military wielded and a huge improvement in range over the earlier simple hunting bows. The bow depicted here is Turkish, from 171920 AD, and made from horn, wood, pigment, sinew, lacquer, gold, silver, ivory, iron, feather, silk. (TheMet / Public domain )

Whilst all the weapons so far had seen major improvements, none of them was as much of a gamer changer as the composite bow. Another gift of the Hyksos invasion, the composite bow completely changed how the Egyptian army approached combat.

The composite bow was long with a recurved shape. The bow was made by combining layers of Birchwood, animal horn, cattle tendons, and sinews that were all glued together. This layered construction method, combined with the shape meant the bow was much more powerful than previous designs.

A skilled archer could easily reach 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) and could fire each arrow in less than two seconds. This gave the composite bow a rate of fire and effective range comparable to some modern firearms. Unsurprisingly, it was devastatingly effective on the battlefield.

A platoon of 50 archers outfitted with these bows could inflict heavy losses on an enemy long before they had a chance to fight back, destroying morale. The only downside? The bows were incredibly expensive to make and maintain. Rather than ask for gold Egyptian armies would often ask for new composite bows as a tribute. It is said that after defeating the Libyans Ramses III demanded over six hundred composite bows in tribute.

Egyptian war chariots were also adapted from Hyksos designs, but the Egyptian improvements were significant. This stone panel was found at the Great Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel, south Egypt. (Warren LeMay / CC0)

The most impressive and deadly new weapon of the New Kingdom was the chariot. The Hyksos had introduced the Egyptians to the idea of a lightweight chariot used in battle, but the Egyptians perfected it.

A war chariot was manned by two warriors. One would drive the horses and focus on short-range defense while an archer in the back focused on long-range attack. The chariot was lightweight but laden with weapons- quivers of arrows and javelins were attached to the sides along with khopeshes and battle axes.

One chariot on its own was terrifying but the Egyptian army would use formations of more than 100 chariots to cut through enemy lines and decimate their flank. The chariot was essentially a mobile weapons platform zipping around the battlefield at crazy speeds.

The war chariot was no glass cannon though. The charioteers and their horses were encased in scale armor. They wore coats of bronze scales which protected them from long-range attacks whilst cranking up the intimidation factor even higher.

The combination of these heavily armored and armed war chariots and the fielding of the composite bow made the Egyptian army one of the most advanced and unbeatable in the world. They also made it one of the most expensive.

If the Egyptian army had become so impressive theres only one question left. What went wrong?

Just like every empire that came before and every empire that has come since the New Kingdom eventually entered a decline and began to crumble under its own weight. A grand army needs grand leadership and that became increasingly rare. Egypt soon found itself without the resources or leadership required to wield such an impressive army.

Looking at the ancient Egyptian army and its weapons provides an important lesson in humility. Without effective leadership, a large army is little more than a weight around a country's neck. It doesnt matter how massive or technologically advanced your army is, no one stays top dog forever.

Top image: The history of Egypt is very much the history of ancient Egyptian weapons and how they evolved. Here Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II charges his war chariot into battle against the Nubians in south Egypt. Source: Ahmed88z / CC BY-SA 4.0

By Robbie Mitchell

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Ancient Egyptian Weapons: The Evolution of Warfare - Ancient Origins

"blulava is leveraging its heritage in medical communications and infusing advanced analytics and creative strategies to provide clients with incredibly sophisticated solutions for healthcare brands," says Managing Partner Carolyn Vogelesang Harts."This vision, combined with visionary leaders like Mr. Napolitano and Ms. Mickelberg, positions blulava to compete with the largest of the networked agencies."

blulava has expanded its 360|Connexplatform with the inclusion of 360|Dialogue, a proprietary and integrated social analytics solution to measure HCP engagement and message penetration. In addition, blulava has launched 360|Collaboration, which provides a compliant platform for KOLs to solicit input, collaborate, and provide messaging feedback on clinical presentations in real time. These 2 platforms add greater breadth to the already industry, leading speaker bureau and KOL management solutions within the 360|Connex platform.

Jeffrey Freedman, blulava's Executive Vice President, rounds out blulava's unique vision by saying, "blulava is a creative force armed with data-science, cutting-edge technology, and laser-focused vision. We're here to build lasting human connections that transform each customer's journey, and to create meaningful impact for your business."

blulava was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Pearl River, NY. More information about blulava offerings and services can be found at http://www.blulava.com

About Evolution Health Group, LLC

Learn how you can partner with Evolution Health Group and blulava to reimagine your brand. Please contact:

Carolyn Vogelesang HartsManaging PartnerEvolution Health Group1 Blue Hill Plaza, 8thFloorPearl River, NY10965[emailprotected]

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Evolution Health Group's blulava agency announces expanded technology offerings, digital services, and new team members - PR Newswire