future | Common News Update

May222022 by adminNo Comments

Future foods: What you could be eating by 2050

Science

Getty ImagesScientists have drawn up a list of little-known plants that could be on the menu by 2050.In the future, you could be breakfasting on false banana or snacking on pandanus tree fruit.The Ukraine war has highlighted the dangers of relying on a few globally-traded crops. With 90% of calories coming from just 15 crops, experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London are hunting for ingredients to future-proof our diets. False banana offers hope for warming worldLab-grown meat 'good for planet and health' Fossilised berry clue to plant evolutionClimate change is increasing the risk of severe 'food shocks' where crops fail and prices of staples rise rapidly around the world.Diversifying the food we eat is one of the solutions to alleviating hunger, addressing biodiversity loss, an...

Oct12021 by adminNo Comments

Seismic forensics could inform a warning system for future floods

Science

Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Seismic forensics could help scientists develop an early warning system for rockslides and floods in the future. On Feb. 7, 2021, a large rockslide trigged a deadly flood in India's Dhauli Ganga Valley. The rush of water killed more than 200 people and destroyed a pair of hydroelectric power plants. In a new study, published Thursday in the journal Science, researchers used data from a network of seismometers to piece together the minute-by-minute seismic signatures of the rockslide and subsequent flood. Although scientists have yet to determine what exactly triggered the catastrophe, they know that just after 10:20 in the morning, local time, 20 million cubic meters of ice and rock plunged down the slopes Ronti Peak, a mountain glacier, and into the Ronti Ga...

Apr12021 by adminNo Comments

New vulnerable sites identified on surface of COVID spike protein that ‘could help future vaccine development’

Technology

Scientists have discovered new vulnerable sites on the surface of the COVID-19 spike protein for antibodies which could help in the development of vaccines.Coronavirus is surrounded by spike proteins that it uses to enter and infect human cells. COVID vaccines work by teaching the immune system to make antibodies to the spike protein. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany, have developed a detailed model of the spike protein to identify potential target sites on its surface for the antibodies.They said previous models have not shown the flexibility of the spike protein or the movements of the protective glycans - which they describe as chains of sugar molecules - that coat it. ...

Mar312021 by adminNo Comments

Palantir: NHS says future deals ‘will be transparent’

Technology

Getty ImagesThe NHS has promised transparency in any future deals with US data firm Palantir after the coronavirus pandemic.It follows a lawsuit by Open Democracy which accused the NHS of “sneaking through” a £23m contract with the firm.The group said it had won the lawsuit, because "the government finally caved".But the NHS maintains it always acted legally, and that campaigners dropped the case “when they realised they didn’t have a leg to stand on”.The lawsuit was withdrawn by Open Democracy and the NHS clarified it would follow the proper process in future.Palantir: The controversial firm now worth £17bnNHS faces legal action over data contractPalantir helps analyse huge volumes of data generated by governments and businesses, and sorts through the information for useful insights, patt...

Mar202021 by adminNo Comments

‘Bleak future’ for UK pubs as they mark a year since first lockdown closures

Business

UK pubs face a "bleak future" as they mark a year since being forced to close due to the first coronavirus lockdown.Dave Mountford, a publican and campaigner at the Forum for British Pubs, told Sky News that at least 2,000 pubs have already closed permanently. He said the remainder will need significant financial help. "Pubs will need additional financial support for years if they are to recover from this," Mr Mountford said."Many pubs will be reopening with a huge amount of debt. They took bounce-back loans but this industry hasn't bounced back and we don't know if drinkers will even return to wet-pubs. ...