The Philippines grants GM corn seeds, farm input to farmers association’s model farm
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Regional Office 9 turned over farm inputs to a farmer’s association in Zamboanga del Norte in Southern Philippines. The inputs, which included seeds of genetically modified (GM) yellow corn, were given as part of the Plant, Plant, Plant Program of DA Secretary William Dar. The San Isidro Farmers Association of Sergio Osmeña […]
Kenyan scientists embark on synthetic biology research
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE first-ever government-funded research project on Synthetic Biology in Kenya has been launched. The project, funded under the country’s National Research Fund, will employ synthetic biology innovations in addressing intractable challenges in food security and healthcare. Led by a multidisciplinary team of local researchers, the project titled Developing low-cost diagnostic tools and biosensors for rapid detection […]
Two women win Nobel in chemistry for developing molecular scissors
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTWO women have been awarded the 2020 Nobel prize in chemistry for the discovery of the CRISPR genetic scissors used to edit the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high precision. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A Doudna will share the 10m Swedish kronor (£870,000) prize announced on Wednesday by the Royal Swedish Academy […]
Science and scientists held in high esteem across the world
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA NEW international survey conducted by Pew Research Center says scientists and their research are widely viewed in a positive light across global publics, and large majorities believe government investments in scientific research yield benefits for society. The international survey, conducted in 20 publics across Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Russia finds […]
Can the common cold protect you from COVID-19?
Reading Time: 2 minutesSEASONAL colds are by all accounts no fun, but new research suggests the colds you’ve had in the past may provide some protection from COVID-19. The study, authored by infectious disease experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center, also suggests that immunity to COVID-19 is likely to last a long time – maybe even a […]
The need to reduce food loss and waste urgently
Reading Time: 4 minutesAT the global event marking on Sept 29 the first International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and their partners urged everyone to do more to reduce food loss and waste or risk an even greater drop in food security and natural resources. Some […]
Nights warming faster than days across much of the planet
Reading Time: 2 minutesGLOBAL warming is affecting daytime and night-time temperatures differently – and greater night-time warming is more common than greater daytime warming worldwide – new research shows. University of Exeter scientists studied warming from 1983 to 2017 and found a difference in mean annual temperature of more than 0.25°C between daytime and night-time warming in over […]
Flu may increase the spread of Covid-19
Reading Time: 2 minutesSCIENTISTS at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin and the Institut Pasteur in Paris used a mathematical model to study the first months of the corona pandemic in Europe. They show that the decrease of Covid-19 cases in spring was not only related to countermeasures but also to the end of the […]
The Importance of food safety and traceability
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY DR CH’NG SOO EE AFTER the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone’s order of life was disrupted. However, food is the most important thing for all man, and no matter how life is affected, they cannot do without the most basic need: food. When it comes to food safety, everyone may be particularly concerned […]
Many ventilation systems may increase risk of COVID-19 exposure, study suggests
Reading Time: 4 minutesMANY ventilation systems may increase risk of COVID-19 exposure, study suggests Ventilation systems in many modern office buildings, which are designed to keep temperatures comfortable and increase energy efficiency, may increase the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, particularly during the coming winter, according to research published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics. A team from […]