Are sleep trackers accurate? Here’s what researchers currently know: Sleep trackers use an algorithm to estimate how much time you spent asleep based on body movements. Andrey_Popov/ Shutterstock An estimated one in three people report regular sleep complaints. So it’s hardly surprising people are more concerned than ever about getting enough sleep. This blossoming interest …
South Africa in the news: Miniature guttural toads on Mauritius and Reunion stun researchers: Researchers from the DSI/NRF Center for Invasion Biology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa have found that 100 years after guttural toads were introduced to the islands of Mauritius and …: “South Africa” – BingNews England’s Rescheduled Sri Lanka Test Tour …
South African researchers are looking at medicinal plants for possible COVID-19 treatments: Many South Africans use traditional medicine. Paballo Thekiso/AFP via Getty Images South Africa has a long tradition of using plants for medicinal purposes. Some of these, such as Aloe ferox, Sutherlandia frutescens and Kiggelaria africana, have been studied as sources of useful compounds. …
What maths researchers learnt from the mistakes made by pupils in ‘top’ South African schools: Research findings have implications for Grade 8 and 9 maths teaching. GettyImages In South Africa, very little maths research is conducted in well-resourced schools, which are generally located in middle class and wealthy suburbs. But there is research to suggest …
How do coronavirus researchers avoid catching COVID-19?: Eugene Lu/Shutterstock Around the world, virologists in labs are constantly handling samples of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as part of our global quest to understand, and hopefully overcome, this pandemic. We know that SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and can be lethal if it gets inside our …
South Africa in the news: Transition to low carbon economy must be inclusive, say researchers: The success of measures aimed at reducing the impact of climate change depend greatly on place, time and social contexts, according to a new policy briefing involving a University of York academic.: “South Africa” – BingNews Why there is no …
Coronavirus: what researchers know about the risk of reopening schools – and how best to limit it: Across the world, over 1.5 billion children and young people were deprived of school during the first phase of the pandemic. We know this has had a negative effect on learning. And research carried out in England has …
What happens to the plastic you recycle? Researchers lift the lid: Air Images/Shutterstock The secretive way in which plastic recycling is handled in the UK carries the potential for the next big scandal. While the government’s statutory guidance is supposed to clarify who is responsible, our research suggests that what happens to plastics we believe …
Beirut explosion: the disaster was exceptional but events leading up to it were not – researchers: At the time of writing at least 100 people have lost their lives and a further 4,000 have been wounded following an explosion in the Port of Beirut. While the actual cause remains uncertain, the tragedy calls to attention …
Could ‘love hormone’ oxytocin help treat Alzheimer’s disease? Here’s what researchers currently know: The study investigated what role oxytocin had in memory. De Visu/ Shutterstock Oxytocin is often called “the love hormone” because of its role in social bonding, reproduction and childbirth. This hormone may also affect our memory – though in ways that aren’t …
South Africa in the news: Nigerian researchers announce Covid-19 vaccine: The highest death toll on the continent has been reported in Egypt with 2,017 fatalities, followed by South Africa with 1,831 deaths, Algeria with 825, Sudan with 506 and Nigeria with 475. The …: “South Africa” – BingNews The Latest: Nevada Has New Daily High …
Coronavirus: researchers no longer need consent to access your medical records: If you've interacted with the health system during the pandemic, your data is probably being used by researchers. Cryptographer/Shutterstock You may not know it, but if you live in the UK and have contacted the NHS with any coronavirus-related health concerns, your data is …
The Uganda vaccine trial: how African researchers are tackling Ebola: A health worker prepares to administer Ebola vaccination in the north-western Democratic Republic of the Congo. EPA-EFE/STR In August 2015 Dr Sakoba Keita, who led the Ebola response in Guinea during the largest Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen, declared: the Ebola vaccine is …
Southampton to Shanghai by train – one climate change researcher’s quest to avoid flying: Zhu Difeng/Shutterstock Academics travel a lot. Whether for fieldwork or conferences, we’re often encouraged to do it. Often internationally, invariably by aeroplane. But while globetrotting might make us feel important, a recent study suggests there’s no connection between academic air-miles and …
Imagine newsletter: researchers think of a world with climate action: What if climate action was the norm? The Conversation Imagine is an upcoming newsletter by The Conversation which presents a vision of a world acting on climate change. Drawing from the collective wisdom of academics in fields from anthropology and zoology to technology and psychology, …
WhatsApp wants researchers to tackle its fake news problem – here’s our idea: Ink Drop/Shutterstock Last February, Cadbury Chocolate fell victim to a hoax. The image below went viral in an Indonesian WhatsApp group called “Viral Media Johor”, and later in a Nigerian group. This is a hoax. Factcrescendo.com Obviously, the post was fake news. …
Researchers discover a genetic cause that links erectile dysfunction and Type-2 diabetes: Erectile dysfunction can take the light out of men's lives. graham oakes/Shutterstock For those men who suffer from it, erectile dysfunction can cause exceptional mental angst, can ruin relationships, and can also be a red flag that indicates other serious underlying health conditions …
Researchers just found a bizarre ‘headless chicken monster’ swimming deep in the Antarctic Ocean: Yes, this is a real creature that was spotted in the Antarctic Ocean. It's apparently a type of sea cucumber. : Weird News Alaska’s weird, warm fall: a boon for farmers, but – really scary’…: Kristi Trimmer spent the afternoon harvesting …