Brain immunity: For long a time scientists thought the brain is cut off from the chaos of the rest of the body
The brain is the body’s sovereign, and receives protection in keeping with its high status. Its cells are long-lived and shelter inside a fearsome fortification called the blood-brain barrier. For a long time, scientists thought that the brain was completely cut off from the chaos of the rest of the...
How suspicion of espionage and sabotage have reduced scientific research collaborations between US and China
The number of scholars who declare affiliations in both China and the United States on research papers has dropped by more than 20 per cent over the past three years, an analysis has found. That slump seems to be part of a pattern of waning US-China collaboration that is starting...
Scientists keen on understanding if there’s a genetic basis for monkeypox’s unprecedented spread outside Africa
It’s been three weeks since public-health authorities confirmed a case of monkeypox in the United Kingdom. Since then, more than 400 confirmed or suspected cases have emerged in at least 20 non-African nations, including Canada, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom – the largest outbreak ever outside of Africa. The...
How climate change is key benchmark for financial markets to consider when pricing, investing in shares
In 2017, then-President Donald Trump withdrew the country from the landmark Paris Agreement; President Biden reversed this on his first day in office, enabling the US to rejoin earlier this year. In April this year, Biden also set new greenhouse gas reduction targets, pledging to reduce emissions by 50 percent...
Climate change: With floods, forest fires tormenting world, experts warn of hell as economies nosedive
The costs keep piling up: California’s 2018 fire season caused close to $150 billion in damages, and this year’s record-setting wildfires could prove just as dear. Rebuilding after Germany’s summer floods will probably cost more than $7.12 billion, the country’s finance minister says. And estimates place the damage from Hurricane...
We’ve been away too long: World class ABBA pop music band reunites in London after 40-year ‘sabbatical’
Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus sent music lovers into a frenzy as they reunited for the first time in the UK for 40 years. The foursome walked the red carpet at the world premiere of their new Voyage show, featuring the foursome as digitally created younger...
‘Belarusian security forces arrest refugees, set dogs on them, torture them with electric shocks, butts them with guns’
Human rights groups in Belarus have also documented abuses – including beatings and torture – carried out by local security forces. Khaled Mohebi, a 27-year-old from Afghanistan, reported that when the Polish border guards pushed him back to Belarus when he first attempted to cross last October, Belarusian security forces...
Refugees fleeing war in Ukraine say Polish border guards broke their cell phones, shouted all night to deny them sleep
More than 3.5 million of the 6.5 million people who have fled Russia’s invasion have entered the European Union (UE) at the Poland-Ukraine border, mainly to open arms and a hot meal. This situation stands in stark contrast to the reception for refugees from the Middle East, Africa and South...
Russian invasion of Ukraine is feeding renewed enthusiasm for sovereignty driven by nuclear energy in Europe
In early March, the world looked on in horror as a fire broke out at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine. The blaze at the Zaporizhzhia facility following shelling by invading Russian forces was eventually brought under control. No leaked radiation was reported, although the potential for catastrophe...
Zimbabwe seeks international support to sell seized ivory stockpile to raise $854 million for elephant conservation
Zimbabwe is seeking international support to be allowed to sell its stockpile of seized ivory, saying the $854 million it expects to earn is urgently needed for the conservation of its rapidly growing elephant population, which it describes as “dangerous”. Officials from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority...
