In the spotlight
The most common Coronavirus conspiracies circulating in the Media
forbes, 05.10.2020
A recent study conducted by the Cornell University and examined misinformation, falsehoods and conspiracy theories about Covid-19 circulating in the media. The researchers analyzed 38 million articles published in the English language between January 01 and May 26, finding that 1.1 million contained misinformation, representing just under 3% of the overall Covid-19 conversation.
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Hydroxychloroquine is part of the online conversation, again
nytimes, 05.10.2020
President Trump’s announcement on Friday that he tested positive for the coronavirus has reignited an online fervor over hydroxychloroquine, a drug repeatedly promoted and taken by Mr. Trump despite a lack of evidence that it effectively treats or prevents Covid-19.
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AFP launches fact-checking programme with TikTok
digitaljournal, 01.10.2020
AFP announced Thursday the launch of a new fact-checking initiative with TikTok to combat the spread of misinformation over the short-form viral video app.
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Agriculture & Environment
The Guardian’s climate promise: we will keep raising the alarm
guardian, 05.10.2020
The global climate crisis is the emergency of our times. Amid all the fear and sadness of 2020, it remains the overwhelming long-term threat to our planet and to everyone’s health and security.
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Transport & Energy
Groundbreaking research into solar energy technology develops through new EU-project
idw-online, 05.10.2020
Over the last few years, a specially designed molecule and an energy system with unique abilities for capturing and storing solar power have been developed by a group of researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. Now, an EU project led by Chalmers will develop prototypes of the new technology for larger scale applications, such as heating systems in residential houses.
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How Biden’s climate plan compares to the Green New Deal
CBSnews, 05.10.2020
At the first presidential debate on Tuesday night, former Vice President Joe Biden said point-blank that he does not support the Green New Deal a progressive plan which not only aims to aggressively tackle climate change but also encompasses many other issues like social justice, jobs, housing and health care.
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Information society
5G in Africa set to bring green benefits — but not everywhere
deutschewelle-en, 02.10.2020
Still, successful efforts to green the ICT sector would do more than just cut those emissions. Knock-on effects across the continent could end up boosting the development of renewable energy and drive sustainable growth in sectors like business and agriculture. 5G can help the climate.
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Blockchain App from tech hub may solve virus passport puzzle
bloomberg, 01.10.2020
The WHO is teaming up with Estonia, the state that helped give birth to Skype and where citizens use the internet to vote in elections, to create digital vaccination certificates proving international passengers have had a coronavirus shot and helping to distribute vaccines to priority groups first.
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Food & Health
Mild to severe: immune system holds clues to virus reaction
ABCnews, 30.09.2020
One of COVID-19’s scariest mysteries is why some people are mildly ill or have no symptoms and others rapidly die — and scientists are starting to unravel why. An international team of researchers found that in some people with severe COVID-19, the body goes rogue and attacks one of its own key immune defenses instead of fighting the coronavirus.
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When COVID-19 meets the flu
deutschewelle-en, 30.09.2020
The coronavirus is already new territory for science, and the effects of its combination with influenza are equally unknown. There is much speculation about what is to be expected and what will or could happen when these two dangerous infectious diseases come together.
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Science policy & Communication
Facebook, Instagram users will soon be able to send each other direct messages
forbes, 30.09.2020
Facebook will soon allow people on the social media platform to send direct messages to Instagram users and vice versa, the social media giant said in a blog post, signaling the first step in the company’s plan to unify messaging systems across all of its platforms, which also includes WhatsApp.
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The Lancet reforms editorial policy after hydroxychloroquine Covid study retraction
guardian, 22.09.2020
The Lancet published a study in May which concluded that Covid-19 patients who received the drug hydroxychloroquine were dying at higher rates. But figures on the number of deaths and patients in hospital cited by the authors did not match up with official government and health department data.
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EU initiatives
ECB asks public to weigh in on possible digital euro
taipeitimes, 02.10.2020
The European Central Bank (ECB) “should be prepared” to possibly launch a digital currency, ECB President Christine Lagarde said yesterday, adding that the public would be asked to weigh in on the issue.
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Curious news
Covid-sniffing robots offer a testing alternative
bloomberg, 01.10.2020
A biotechnology startup called Koniku is trying to develop robots that could sniff out Covid-19 infections faster than conventional testing. The technology fuses neurons with a silicon chip to create a “smell cyborg” capable of detecting scents ranging from explosives to pathogens.
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