Tag: coronavirus

Czech chimps learn the art of zoom

Communications, Europe, General, Main, Technology News

In the past year of ‘strange and unprecedented times’, it’s hard to believe there is anything surprising left that could be newsworthy. Never fear though, because Czech chimps are here to save the day with their noteworthy introduction – and mastery – of the now commonplace zoom call. 

Zoo keepers in the Czech zoo Safari Park Dvur Kralove, which is 135km east of Prague, joined forces with a fellow zoo in Brno, 150km to connect their two troops of chimpanzees by using digital conference software. Whilst even the least tech savvy amongst us has had to get to grips with video call technology, so have the chimps been introduced to what is being called the ‘zoom lifestyle’. 

The zookeeper’s came up with the idea after coronavirus global pandemic lockdown restrictions saw them needing to close their zoos to the public. As highly sociable and intelligent creatures, the zookeepers worried that the chimps were becoming bored with the lack of visitors to watch and keep them entertained. 

While we all may be experiencing the much dreaded zoom fatigue, the chimps on the other hand seem to be loving every minute of their new found online connection. In an uncannily human behaviour, the chimps have even been seen to enact similar behaviours to ourselves such as grabbing a snack to watch the TVs with. 

This fevor of interest surrounding the TV was initially one of caution, with the chimps showing fear of the large lit up and moving image boxes. After a period of time however, the chimps became more familiar with the screens and have started to interact with the other chimps on the call. 

Gabriela Linhartova, ape keeper at Dvur Kralove, said of the chimps: “At the beginning they approached the screen with defensive or threatening gestures,” before they eventually warmed up to the screens.

Can #MintTheCoin solve the US economic crisis?

Financial News, Government, Health, North America, Politics, Social Issues, USA

In case you’ve been living under a rock this past year has been one of ‘strange and unprecedented’ times thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 crises that has taken over as a global pandemic. What initially started as a public health issue however quickly escalated in many parts of the world into an economic disaster that has seen national debts plummet drastically and rapidly as governments seek to fill the fiscal gaps left by the crises due to unemployment and various lockdown restrictions. 

The United States of America has become the epicentre of the virus outbreak since it was initially discovered in Wuhan, China back in late 2019 before starting to spread worldwide in early 2020. The USA currently has around just over a third of all worldwide cases of coronavirus and has been responsible for nearly a fifth of the total number of deaths attributed to the virus. 

As the economy has had to shut down in the various states of lockdown with knock on effects seeing unemployment soaring, there has been a surprising call for the national treasury to mint two $1Trillion Dollar coins. 

The idea for the two coins however is not new to the current crises, but actually a resurgence of a # that to #MintTheCoin that first emerged in 2013. The hashtag, which has its own website, is thanks to what some are calling a loophole in the existing laws surrounding the printing of money that allow the US Treasury to assign any amount to a platinum coin. 

The Federal Reserve would then buy the coins from the US Treasury and distribute $1,000 USD a month to US citizens via a preloaded credit card. The proposal is currently called the Automatic BOOST to Communities Act and is being presented by U.S. Representative for Michigan Rashida Tlaib.

Pre-symptomatic data from smartwatches hailed as future virus protection

Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, General, Health, Politics, Software, Technology, Technology News

Smartwatches have been touted as a future way to identify COVID-19 patients before testing from pre-symptomatic data. Devices such as the Apple Watch and Fitbit smartwatches have been labelled as a potential future warning system for detecting if people have become infected by viruses such as COVID-19 – before even a test would. 

The digitised watches are essentially simply very small computers taking on the form of a watch. Simpler devices such as the Fitbit are closed system items that focus solely on collecting biometric data from their wearer. Apple Watches and other similar brands are more complex, often including phone data, updates on notifications and graphics for their users. 

Wearable smartwatches such as the Fitbit as well as other brands such as Garmin, gather biometrics information on their users which is then used to let them know if they are keeping up with their fitness goals. Information collected can include activities such as exercise measured from the number of steps you take, distance travelled and active minutes. Other data could be focused on how much sleep the user is getting and when they are entering specific sleep stages. Females are also able to record menstrual health data, whilst those interested in weight loss can keep track of their calories burned for the day. 

Smartwatches such as the Apple Watch and Fitbit have the benefit of measuring user data over long periods of time, making it possible for them to identify unusual inputs in the data such as temperature or heart rate, which could be suggestions of an infection. With pre-symptomatic identification of sick patients potential, it could be possible to isolate and prepare treatment for those infected prior to any testing result. 

With global numbers of newly infected cases and deaths from the coronavirus, hopes for ways into the new normal are well received on the global stage. Only time will tell if there can be a technological way forward out of the pandemic that could aid other further spread prevention measures such as vaccination.

USA braces for impact of Thanksgiving travel on coronavirus death toll

Health, North America, Politics, Science, Social Issues, USA

The USA has come under much worldwide scrutiny for its response to the coronavirus pandemic crises. Whilst many other countries implemented strict lockdown measures or closed themselves to international travel, the USA’s unstructured crisis response has been indicated by many to be the reason for its current status as leader in the number of deaths so far. Worldwide the virus has seen nearly 1.5 million people die from its effects since numbers were first recorded by the World Health Organisation back in early March 2020. Since then the USA has accounted for over 250,000 of those deaths, with daily death toll numbers reaching over 2,000 a day in late November, figures similar to the first spike around May time as the second wave of the virus takes hold. 

The Thanksgiving effect 

Despite the continuing rise in the number of deaths it seems many Americans took the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to travel this year. As a result experts, including the number one leading coronavirus USA expert Dr Anthony Fauci, have warned of the devastating effect this Thanksgiving holiday could have on increased number of cases – and subsequent deaths. Thanksgiving is a major holiday in the USA and one of the busiest weeks for travel each year. Some worries have been alleviated by Dr Fauci however as he has suggested that if travellers were to wear facemasks and maintain social distancing measures, the impact from the increased population movement could be restricted and kept under control. 

It has been highly recommended by Dr Fauci and other experts that anyone who has travelled during the Thanksgiving period self-quarantine at home for a minimum two week period. With Christmas fast approaching, it remains to be seen how the numbers will play out across North America, Europe and Australia as many refuse to see the jolly season ‘cancelled’ despite potentially fatal consequences.

Black Lives Matter protests come under scrutiny

China, General, Government, Health, Oceania, Politics, Social Issues

An Australian court has ruled against Black Lives Matter protesters’ request to appeal the decision that denied the permission for a protest scheduled on Tuesday 28th July 2020. The decision comes as Australia reported a record number of new cases per day, with the total number reaching over 500 for the first time since the virus was reported in the country in January 2020. 

In response to the decision to deny the appeal, David Elliott, New South Wales police minister, said: ‘I welcome the court of appeal’s decision to uphold the supreme court’s verdict on the authorisation of a protest planned for Tuesday 28 July.’ He went on to describe how the ‘NSW government urges both the organisers and anyone thinking of attending to stay away, abide by the law and seriously consider the consequences of their potential actions. A pandemic is no time to attend a mass gathering, no matter how honourable the cause.’ The decision is a controversial one as Black Lives Matter protests have begun around the world, with momentum behind the movement increasing after the death of George Floyd in the USA on 25 May 2020. Starting in Minneapolis, the protests have spread globally, with Aljazeera even creating an interactive map of the rally site locations. 
The July record high comes following numbers as low as 3 and 12 back in May and June. The last peak of record new cases per day came back in March, which saw 469 cases reported in one day likely because of high numbers of returning international travellers. The majority of new cases were found in Victoria, with others in New South Wales and one in Queensland. As of the 22nd July there were currently 214 in hospitals around Australia following an additional 31 people submitted since the 14th July. Over 20 of the patients are intensive care units on ventilators.