by Jessica Glenza, Ed Pilkington, Amanda Holpuch, Tom on (#52ATD)
Guardian US writers reflect on the challenges of covering the pandemic when sources and contacts are locked downWhen I pictured covering a crisis as a reporter, and I assumed one day I would, I did not imagine it would be from my kitchen table. But here I am. Stuck in a chilly apartment in Jersey City as we all, reporters included, attempt physical distancing. Continue reading...
Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many confirmed cases have been reported near you
Family planning group hails Stephen Kazimba Mugalu’s break with Anglican tradition, but Catholic officials brand advice immoralThe new archbishop of Uganda has become the first primate of the country’s Anglican church to embrace the use of modern contraceptives after urging women to be “very careful†to avoid getting pregnant during the Covid-19 lockdown.The ninth archbishop of the church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, said in a televised Sunday sermon he is “really concerned†that many women will get pregnant during the nationwide shutdown. On Tuesday, President Yoweri Museveni extended the initial 14-day lockdown for a further three weeks. Continue reading...
American and Russian crew touch down in Kazakhstan after months on International Space StationThe three-person crew of the International Space Station returned to Earth on Friday morning, arriving back to a world that has been radically transformed by coronavirus in the time they were away.Space travel is often a journey into the unknown, but for Americans Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan, and Russian Oleg Skripochka, their return to Earth may bring more surprises than the time they spent in orbit. The trio’s landing capsule touched down on the Kazakh steppe in the early hours of the morning. Continue reading...
Intuitive Machines announces its Nova-C lander will target touchdown near Vallis SchröteriThe Houston-based company Intuitive Machines has announced the intended touchdown site for its Nova-C lunar lander. The IM-1 mission is due to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in October 2021. It will land near Vallis Schröteri, a collapsed lava tunnel in the Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) region of the moon. This is a site that was initially considered by Nasa in the late 1960s/early 70s for its subsequently cancelled Apollo 18 mission.The Nova-C will deliver commercial cargo and five Nasa-provided payloads to the lunar surface. It can carry 100kg of payload and generate 200 watts of power. It will also test a precision landing and hazard avoidance (PLHA) landing system, created by Intuitive Machines, that aims to be able to land within 200 metres of a designated spot. Continue reading...
‘Stink flirting’ observation may be first finding of primate sex pheromones, say scientistsAn irresistible floral scent dabbed on the body may sound like a cliche from a perfume advert, but it appears to play a role in how male ring-tailed lemurs attract a mate.Researchers in Japan say they have identified the odours males waft at females, and shown the latter’s attention is indeed captured by the pong. Continue reading...
by Presented by Nicola Davis & produced by Madele on (#527NS)
Nicola Davis speaks to Dr Jenna Macciochi about something lots of listeners have written about; immunity to Covid-19. While the jury is still out, we hear how our bodies gain immunity to something and how immunity to other pathogens might give us clues about Sars-Cov-2 Continue reading...
Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many confirmed cases have been reported near you
Experiment finds species try to avoid audible road soundsThe thunder of road traffic is likely to drive away bats, according to a study, which found vehicle noise caused bat activity to decrease by two-thirds.While environmental assessments of new roads focus on the danger of habitat fragmentation, or bats colliding with traffic, the first ever controlled field experiment to investigate the impact of vehicle noise suggests noise pollution could be highly damaging. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample and produced by India Raku on (#525PG)
As the lockdown in the UK looks set to continue, Ian Sample speaks to Prof Carmine Pariante about the physiological and psychological effects of social isolation Continue reading...