Tag Archives: Covid-19
Top New Science Podcasts: Covid-19 Vaccine Fears And Origin Controversies
Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp joins host Sarah Crespi to discuss his editorial on preventing vaccine hesitancy during the coronavirus pandemic. Even before the current crisis, fear of vaccines had become a global problem, with the World Health Organization naming it as one of the top 10 worldwide health threats in 2019. Now, it seems increasingly possible that many people will refuse to get vaccinated. What can public health officials and researchers do to get ahead of this issue?
Also this week, Sarah talks with Science Senior Correspondent Jon Cohen about his story on Chinese scientist Shi Zhengli, the bat researcher at the center of the COVID-19 origins controversy—and why she thinks President Donald Trump owes her an apology.
Finally, Geert Van der Snickt, a professor in the conservation-restoration department at the University of Antwerp, talks with Sarah about his Science Advances paper on a new process for peering into the past of paintings. His team used a combination of techniques to look beneath an overpainting on the Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan Van Eyck—a pivotal piece that showed the potential of oil paints and even included an early example of painting from an aerial view.
Top New Science Podcasts: How The Skin Stretches, Covid-19 Conferences And Pain Resistance Traits
This week’s Nature podcast looks at how skin’s unusual response to stretching is finally explained, a coronavirus update and the latest in a huge effort to map DNA.
In this episode:
01:06 Stretching skin
For decades it’s been known that stretching skin causes more skin to grow, but the reasons why have been a mystery. Now, researchers have uncovered a mechanism to explain the phenomenon. Research Article: Aragona et al.; News and Views: Stretch exercises for stem cells expand the skin
07:49 Coronapod
We discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has affected scientific meetings and how the learned societies that organise them are adapting. How scientific conferences will survive the coronavirus shock; How scientific societies are weathering the pandemic’s financial storm;
A year without conferences? How the coronavirus pandemic could change research
18:18 Research Highlights
A genetic trait for pain-resistance, and the accessibility-aware ancient Greeks. Research Highlight: A gene helps women in labour to skip the painkillers; Research Highlight: This temple was equipped with accessibility ramps more than 2,000 years ago
20:42 ENCODE updates
The ENCODE project aims to identify all the regions in the human genome involved in gene regulation. This week, data from its third iteration has been published and we examine the highlights. Research Article: Snyder; News and Views: Expanded ENCODE delivers invaluable genomic encyclopaedia
28:50 Briefing Chat
We take a look at some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time we look at how smallpox may be much older than previously thought, and how the Earth’s atmosphere rings like a bell. Nature News: Smallpox and other viruses plagued humans much earlier than suspected; Physics World:
World News Podcasts: Covid-19 Cases Spike, McDonald’s Profits Fall
The Economist updates Covid-19 rates spiking around the world, McDonald’s fast food profits plunge and other top international business and economic news.
Morning News Podcast: Stimulus Bill Advances, Covid-19 Issues In Baseball
The Republicans have reached a deal on coronavirus relief, but it could mean much less unemployment money for Americans. Can they convince Democrats? Major League Baseball is already postponing games due to COVID-19 infections. And do we need another lockdown to beat COVID-19?
Morning News Podcast: New Stimulus Bill, Covid-19 Vaccine & Civil Rights
This week, lawmakers in Capitol Hill are trying to piece together the next stimulus package as many benefits like unemployment insurance and forgiving evictions expire. Democrats and Republicans both agree that a new bill is necessary but there’s been a lot of back and forth about the specifics. And they’re running out of time.
- Plus, a reality check on the coronavirus vaccine.
- And, the silver lining for civil rights this year.
Guests: Axios’ Alayna Treene, Sam Baker, and Sara Fischer.
Global News Podcast: States File More Lawsuits, Spain’s New Lockdown
NPR News Now discusses continued criticism of federal agents in states, Spain’s new lockdown measures and other international news.
Coronavirus: “What It Will Take To Reach Herd Immunity” (WSJ Video)
Scientists are working at breakneck speed to develop an effective vaccine for the coronavirus. Their ultimate goal: to immunize enough of the world’s population to reach herd immunity. WSJ explains.
Illustration: Jacob Reynolds
Health: “Mechanical Ventilation And Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome” (Infographic)
Health: How 60-Year Old “Dexamethasone” Became World’s Best Hope For Covid-19 Patients (Video)
Dexamethasone, a steroid that appears promising for COVID-19 patients, has a long and storied history in medicine. We talk with experts about its many uses, and explore how it might save lives in this pandemic. Writer, Reporter, Editor, Narrator: Sara Reardon Animator: Donald Pearsall
Boomers Daily 