Can viruses such as the one that causes Covid-19 attack our brains and change our behaviour — thereby prolonging an outbreak? That’s the suggestion from U.S. researchers who say that the coronavirus may be manipulating the behaviour of infected people, sometimes even before they show symptoms, so they become more sociable. In fact, such behaviour-changing … Read more
More diseases with pandemic potential are likely to jump from animals to humans in the near future because of modern lifestyles, a top professor warned today. Sarah Gilbert, the brains behind Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine, said rising world travel and growing populations are driving up the risk of outbreaks of zootonic infections. Animal-borne diseases have … Read more
More diseases with pandemic potential are likely to jump from animals to humans in the near future because of modern lifestyles, a top professor warned today. Sarah Gilbert, the brains behind Oxford University’s Covid vaccine, said rising world travel and growing populations drove up the risk of outbreaks of zootonic infections. Animal-borne diseases have become … Read more
Whether they’re in China, Hong Kong or Japan, they’ve become a familiar sight: men with giant cylinders on their backs spraying everything around them. Lampposts, train carriages, classrooms, railings, restaurants, bars, shops, airports, entrances to hospitals, schools, government buildings – they are all targets. And it seems to have paid off in the fight to … Read more
Discovery of pulsars British astronomer Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell was the first person to discover a pulsar in 1967 when she spotted a radio pulsar. Since then other types of pulsars that emit x-rays and gamma rays have also been spotted. Pulsars are essentially rotating, highly magnatised neutron stars but when they were first discovered … Read more
Could future pandemics originate in SPACE? Human immune systems may struggle to fight off ‘alien’ bacteria and viruses from other planets, study warns Experts think that alien microorganisms could potentially exist on other worlds Researchers from Exeter and Aberdeen set out to test how these might affect us They exposed mice immune cells to two amino … Read more
It may sound like a plot from a science fiction film, but NASA and scientists are concerned about alien viruses contaminating Earth. As the first humans prepare for the Mars mission, experts warn that protocols are necessary to keep extraterrestrial pollutants from hitchhiking on space ships and astronauts when returning home from the Red Planet. Stanford … Read more
There are two distinct categories of virus. Organic, microscopic living ones that have existed since the earliest stages of life on Earth billions of years ago, and digital computer-based ones that have only become widespread in the past 20 to 30 years. Both organic and digital viruses can potentially cause huge harm and disruption but … Read more
Hong Kong airport trials a disinfection booth that ‘remotely kills coronavirus on human skin using nano needles’ in just 40 SECONDS Sanitising pods at the airport work in a similar way to standard security checks A person would enter the confined cubicle and undergo thorough disinfection It can check temperatures and readings suggesting a viral infection … Read more
Bats carrying viruses that can lead to an AIDS-like disease threaten to wipe out Australia’s koala population Bats are acting as flying carriers for several viruses that are deadly to koalas The virus can trigger the koala retrovirus called KoRV, which can lead to cancer Scientists believe this is a greater threat to the koala … Read more