8th - 22nd Nov: Covid vaccine developments and why being kind is good for your health
Updated: Nov 20, 2020
Moderna has become the second firm to show good results from their Covid-19 vaccine with an outcome of 95% effectiveness. This comes as light at the end of the tunnel with Pfizer announcing a 90% efficacy for their vaccine last week. News of the Oxford vaccine expected imminently - but the outlook for 2021 is much more hopeful than it has been for this year! (The Guardian)
How Slovakia broke the Covid curve through testing.
The virus had been growing exponentially in Slovakia. In response, the government used rapid Covid-19 testing on an enormous scale, testing two thirds of its population on the 31st October. Anyone infected had to isolate for two weeks - along with those who didn't take the test. They repeated twice more with a week's break between and the results were remarkable and immediate. (Fast Company)
Colours discovered, invisible to the human eye.
There are many colours that are invisible to the human eye and camera technology. However, newly developed technology can successfully recognise these previously unseen colours with huge potential for medicine, security, gaming and astronomy. For example, cancer cells have a unique colour ‘signature’ which these technological developments could help identify. (Science Daily)
Women and girls accounted for approximately half of all new H.I.V infections in 2019 according to Unaids. A daily prevention pill is currently on the market however recent studies have shown that an injection, only required six times a year, has proved to be more effective. Trials have shown this new strategy to be more reliable and effective and hopes to make positive steps in the fight of H.I.V. (New York Times)
What’s the Story? How breathing can calm us and reduce stress.
Why it Matters! We all breathe constantly. It keeps us alive. However research shows that the WAY we breathe can cause physical changes in our bodies that make us stressed, or calm. By learning to breathe better, we can manage aspects of our mental and physical health and gain access to immediate relief through breath.
What’s the Story? Sports pioneer Peter Salzmann, BMW i and Designworks have collaborated to successfully create a pair of electronic wings that can enable human flight.
Why it Matters! Humans flying through the skies is now no longer a thing of the future. This new wing-suit is a groundbreaking piece of technology that can boost flying speeds of up to 300km/h, run solely using electronic power.
What’s the Story? Being kind is good for your health.
Why it Matters! Whether you are giving or receiving it, kindness has been shown to help our immune systems, improve relationships, give us energy and slow ageing. When we show acts of kindness, our bodies produce a hormone called ‘oxytocin’ which not only increases our optimising and self-esteem, but also opens our blood vessels and lowers our blood pressure. Not only does being kind feel good and do good, it is also contagious - meaning others experiencing or observing kindness, are significantly more likely to act kindly themselves. (BBC)
Â
If you would like to get Solutions News straight to your inbox, sign up here