Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on articles from the world of science you may have missed from October and November 2020. This month we take a look at the new Hyperloop transport system, and the recent discovery of water on the moon.
In Focus
On 8 December 2020, the House of Lords will debate government proposals to further amend the rules that will govern the domestic regime for regulating the chemicals industry following the end of the Brexit transition period. Concerns have been raised regarding the administration of this new system and its impact on UK businesses. This article summarises the new draft regulations and the reaction to the Government’s proposals.
In Focus
The Legislative Reform (Renewal of Radio Licences) Order 2020 is a specific kind of statutory instrument called a legislative reform order (LRO). Such orders are designed to reduce certain burdens caused by legislation. These particular orders would extend analogue radio licences due to expire from 2022 for a further ten-year period on the condition that they also provide a service on an appropriate digital radio multiplex.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on articles from the world of science you may have missed from October 2020. This month we take a look at dark matter, and whether any human experience can really be classed as universal.
In Focus
Almost 200 Covid-19 vaccine candidates are currently being developed. However, only a tiny percentage of these will ever be mass-produced and distributed. Concerns around ‘vaccine nationalism’ have grown, as high-income countries pre-order hundreds of millions of vaccine doses. This article looks at this problem and examines what solutions are being put in place to ensure low and middle income countries receive adequate supplies of any successful Covid-19 vaccine.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on articles you may have missed from the world of science. This month we look at how infants acquire language, and the rise of algorithms in the workplace.
In Focus
Scientific research in universities is funded through a mix of public money, EU funding and other sources. This article considers the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report on the pressures on science research funding in universities, including proposals in the Augar Review to lower the existing cap on tuition fees and the potential impact of Brexit. The committee’s report is due to debated in the House of Lords on 9 September 2020.
In Focus
This article looks at the current candidates for a Covid-19 vaccine, focusing on the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca project, and the Moderna candidate from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The article highlights the new mRNA technology being developed in some projects. It also looks at what the Government is doing to support vaccine development.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on science articles you may have missed from June 2020. This month we look at the issue of structural racism in healthcare, and the development of nuclear fusion.
Research Briefing
On 11 May 2020, the Government advised the general public in England to use face coverings in enclosed public spaces where social distancing might not be possible, for example on public transport.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on science articles you may have missed from April and May 2020. Articles this month include a look at the psychology of lockdown, and 200 years of Florence Nightingale.
In Focus
Many countries have adopted or are in the process of developing coronavirus contact-tracing apps. Different apps use different models for handling sensitive personal data. This article looks at the approaches taken by different governments around the world on whether specific data protection legislation is required.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on science articles you may have missed from March and April 2020. Articles this month look at the science behind measures to contain Covid-19.
In Focus
CRISPR (clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a genome editing tool. Scientists continue to research the potential uses of CRISPR technology. The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in the demand for diagnostic testing. This article discusses what CRISPR is and its potential role in diagnostics.
In Focus
In 2009–10, the UK faced an outbreak of H1N1 swine flu. This article summarises the measures introduced by the then Labour Government which were intended to mitigate the potential impact of swine flu, including the establishment of a public awareness campaign and attempts to increase intensive-care capacity in hospitals. It also looks at the role of the House of Lords in scrutinising the then Government’s handling of the outbreak.
Total results (page 6 of 9)