New face mask prototype can detect Covid-19 infection

The sensor technology could also be used to create clothing that detects a variety of pathogens and other threats.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
June 28, 2021 ~8 min

The neuroscience behind why your brain may need time to adjust to 'un-social distancing'

Ready to party post-pandemic, but at the same time feeling shy? Here's how social isolation affects the brain – and what research suggests about the effects of resocialization.

Kareem Clark, Postdoctoral Associate in Neuroscience, Virginia Tech • conversation
June 28, 2021 ~8 min


Pooling society's collective intelligence helped fight COVID – it must help fight future crises too

The WHO is creating a Global Pandemic Radar – an example of collective intelligence that must learn lessons from this pandemic.

Kathy Peach, Director of the Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, Nesta • conversation
June 24, 2021 ~16 min

Tackling air pollution with autonomous drones

Alumni of the MIT New Engineering Education Transformation Program (NEET) worked together remotely from across the globe to design thinking machines.

Kate Petersen | School of Engineering • mit
June 24, 2021 ~9 min

Pooling society's collective intelligence helped fight COVID – we can no longer ignore 'the wisdom of crowds'

The WHO is creating a Global Pandemic Radar – an example of collective intelligence that must learn lessons from this pandemic.

Kathy Peach, Director of the Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, Nesta • conversation
June 24, 2021 ~16 min

Global herd immunity remains out of reach because of inequitable vaccine distribution – 99% of people in poor countries are unvaccinated

The high costs of the world's colossally unequal COVID-19 immunization rates.

Maria De Jesus, Associate Professor and Research Fellow at the Center on Health, Risk, and Society, American University School of International Service • conversation
June 22, 2021 ~9 min

'Natural' disasters are due to societal failures – so, here's a six-point pandemic recovery plan

Natural disaster is a misnomer. Disasters occur due to societal failures, not nature.

Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health, UCL • conversation
June 21, 2021 ~9 min

As urban life resumes, can US cities avert gridlock?

The pandemic offered a tantalizing look at city life with fewer cars in the picture. But with traffic rebounding, there's limited time to lock in policies that make streets more people-friendly.

John Rennie Short, Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
June 21, 2021 ~9 min


COVID-19 made deep-sea mining more tempting for some Pacific islands – this could be a problem

Contracts for exploring the deep sea are due to expire before a safe mining code can be agreed.

Sue Farran, Reader of Law, Newcastle University • conversation
June 14, 2021 ~7 min

Single-dose COVID-19 vaccine effective against variants, study says

Single-shot COVID-19 vaccine generates robust immune responses against variants.

Harvard Gazette • harvard
June 9, 2021 ~5 min

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