Winter could worsen the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists at University College London reported. A new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology has shown that global temperature may play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The study authors analyzed data on global air temperature. Based on temperatures in March and…
Back in June, interest started swirling around mouthwash and its potential effects on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The information then came from a meta-analysis published in the journal Function, which posed a theory: Based on mouthwash’s ability to disrupt or damage the outer layer of other enveloped viruses, or viruses that have a…
Many people today take multivitamins, thinking that it helps to improve their health, but new research from Harvard University shows that this is just self-hypnosis: tests show no difference between people who take vitamins and those who do not. According to The Telegraph, scientists analyzed data from over 21,600 American adults who talked about taking…
Armenian specialists have developed an app for smartphones with first aid tips – for injuries, bleeding, snake and insect bites, etc. The app is quite simple and intuitive to use: upon opening the app, we see several categories such as circulatory system (bleeding, etc.), musculoskeletal system (fractures, etc.), cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bites, shock, and others. Running…
The call comes as the world is still struggling to suppress COVID-19 infections as national caseloads continue to rise steadily in most countries. “We must prepare for the next pandemic now,” said WHO in a news release. “We’ve seen this past year that countries with robust health emergency preparedness infrastructure have been able to act…
A new simulation study suggests that a person coughing can disperse droplets well beyond six feet, and that anyone shorter than the person coughing — such as children — might be at a greater risk of encountering the downward trajectory of those cough droplets. During the coronavirus pandemic, the dispersion of cough droplets has become…
We have faced viral threats before, including pandemics, yet the world does not shut down for every new infection or flu season. So what is it about this coronavirus? What are the quirks of its biology that pose a unique threat to our bodies and our lives? Master of deception In the early stages…
Scientists from the Wistar Institute have developed and tested the first synthetic DNA vaccine against the Powassan virus (POWV). The vaccine targets portions of the virus envelope protein. According to News-medical.net, POWV is an RNA virus from the flavivirus family, similar to the Zika virus, but transmitted to humans by ticks rather than mosquitoes. This…
The story of India’s first “savior sibling” has made national headlines. It has also raised questions about the ethics of using technology to create a child only to save or cure a sibling in a country with poor regulatory systems. The BBC’s Geeta Pandey in Delhi reported. Kavya Solanki was born in October 2018 and…
Levels of protective antibodies in people wane “quite rapidly” after coronavirus infection, say researchers. Antibodies are a key part of our immune defenses and stop the virus from getting inside the body’s cells. The Imperial College London team found the number of people testing positive for antibodies has fallen by 26% between June and September.…
