May 2020 was the driest on record in England and the second driest in Wales. Rainfall was about 17% of the average for May, and it was also the sunniest calendar month on record, with 266 hours of sunshine, surpassing the previous record of 265 hours in June 1957. ThisContinue Reading
By setting out the continent's research priorities, scientists can focus better on what needs to be done. Maliutina Anna/Shutterstock In April 2020, about two months after the African continent recorded its first case of COVID-19, the African Academy of Sciences undertook an extensive survey of its members. This allowed hundredsContinue Reading
shutterstock In 1990 CODESRIA, Africa’s premier social science council, organised a conference in Kampala, Uganda, on academic freedom. The conference was against the backdrop of mounting harassment of academics on the continent. They were subjected to travel restrictions in some countries, arrest, detention, and sometimes even assassination. The idea ofContinue Reading
GEORGES GOBET/AFP via Getty Images This is an edited extract from Tell Our Story: Multiplying Voices in the News Media by Dale McKinley and Julie Reid. “If journalism is a force of immense influence – and I think it is, and should be – then it surely deserves scrutiny.” TheseContinue Reading
shutterstock Sleep is incredibly important for the body and mind. When we sleep our immune system makes antibodies, which help fight off pathogens. That’s obviously vital during a health crisis. But many people have been having disrupted sleep and weird dreams in recent times. In today’s episode of Pasha, DaleContinue Reading
The world has been worried about pandemic diseases for many years. Before COVID-19, attention was focused on influenza viruses as the most likely cause. A recent paper reminds us that the threat from flu remains very real. It reports that a swine flu virus is circulating in China that hasContinue Reading
The world eagerly awaits new vaccines and drugs to combat COVID-19. To deal with a global pandemic, the production of new treatments needs to be scaled up towards supplying the whole world – and as quickly as possible. Borderless open and collaborative science and the free exchange of knowledge andContinue Reading
Kelly Barnes/ AAP There are now less than three months to go before the expanded JobSeeker payment is due to end. As a result, there is a growing political debate about what should happen to the unemployment payment that was roughly doubled in April. Read more: How to improve JobKeeperContinue Reading
Bikeworldtravel/Shutterstock Coronavirus has had an unprecedented impact on pubs in Britain. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that the industry lost over £100m each month of lockdown. Hundreds of thousands of staff were placed on the government’s job retention scheme, and 70 million pints of unused beer have beenContinue Reading
From classic Andrew Lloyd Webber plays to the release of a recording of the original cast of Hamilton, theatre lovers have been able to stream the best of the stage at home during lockdown. Digital streaming has been a welcome stand-in while live performances haven’t been possible. However, as pubsContinue Reading
