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NASA Picture of the Day: Halloween and the Ghost Head Nebula
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Halloween's origin is ancient and astronomical. Since the fifth century BC, Halloween has been celebrated as a cross-quarter day, a day halfway between an equinox (equal day / equal night) and a solstice (minimum day / maximum night in the northern hemisphere). With a modern calendar however, even though Halloween occurs next week, the real cross-quarter day will occur the week after. Another cross-quarter day is Groundhog Day.
What Can Happen In One Internet Minute?
Every minute 167 million videos are watched by TikTok users On YouTube 694,000 hours are streamed each minute, which equates to roughly a month in real-time On Amazon $283,000 are spent by customers every minute
Asteroid Flybys Over the next 7 Days
NameDateMin Dia. (m)Max Dia. (m)Rel. Velocity (mph)Miss Distance (miles)
162567 (2000 RW37)25th Oct27862230,22532,391,848
(2021 TK15)25th Oct11625958,94324,316,634
524522 (2002 VE68)26th Oct21147247,20334,887,309
(2019 OR1)26th Oct16236324,09233,311,077
297300 (1998 SC15)28th Oct37283121,08022,633,000
(2012 TJ146)29th Oct20145047,09133,026,543
(2021 TP21)30th Oct24154059,84242,758,985
267337 (2001 VK5)31st Oct658147226,77928,835,095
462959 (2011 DU)31st Oct16035949,91739,229,673
Six Simple Ways To Protect Your Personal Data When Using Public Wi-Fi
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
As the world has started opening back up, more people are heading out and about to their favourite coffee shops and restaurants – meeting friends and family, and enjoying a change of scene when working from the ‘remote office’.
4:00 AM 25th September 2021
First UK Manufactured Rapid Tests Deployed Across England
The first UK-manufactured lateral flow devices or LFDs are being rolled out to universities across England.
11:27 AM 24th September 2021
COVID-19 Variants Identified In The UK - 23 October 2021
Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in the UK.
10:25 AM 23rd October 2021
National Flu And COVID-19 Surveillance Reports Published - 14 October 2021
Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, monitoring coronavirus (COVID-19) activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses.
2:17 PM 17th October 2021
New COVID-19 Study
An actuary from the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is one of a group of scientists, clinicians and cross-government analysts who have published new research on further effects of COVID-19. The research featured in the British Medical Journal establishes which groups of the population could still be at risk from COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.
3:35 PM 27th September 2021
Thousands Of Patients To Benefit From Life-Saving COVID-19 Treatment
Thousands of vulnerable NHS patients in hospital due to COVID-19 are set to benefit from a ground-breaking new antibody treatment, the government has announced (17 September 2021). Ronapreve, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies, will be targeted initially at those in hospital who have not mounted an antibody response against COVID-19.
4:01 PM 18th September 2021
JCVI Issues Updated Advice On COVID-19 Booster Vaccination
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice on the COVID-19 vaccine booster programme. The vast majority of the UK population has received a COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccine programme was launched in December 2020 – including 89.1% of the population who have received a first dose and 81% who have received both doses.
12:45 PM 14th September 2021
Antioxidant Drug Reverses Process Responsible For Heart Attacks And Strokes
An antioxidant drug reverses atherosclerosis and could be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes due to clots, according to research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and published today in JAHA: Journal of the American Heart Association. Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.
2:14 PM 8th September 2021
How To Supercharge Your Password Security – Part Two
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
Following on from his first instalment, Jamie Durham, founder of IT support firm Systemwork, continues sharing his top tips on how you can supercharge your password security. Previously, he explained about the benefits of ‘the sentence method’, removing personalisation, and increasing the number of characters, but this month, he focuses on additional security measures and tools, alongsid…
7:17 PM 19th August 2021
CFC Ban And The Nightmare Of A "World Avoided"
Richard Trinder
Editor
© NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio. How the depletion of the ozone layer might have looked without the Montreal Protocol - dark blue represents lower ozone concentrations
Without the global CFC ban we would already be facing the reality of a ‘scorched earth’, according to researchers measuring the impact of the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer bans chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons.
9:42 AM 19th August 2021
UK Space Industry To Benefit From New £1.5 Million Fund For Pioneering Space Tech
UK Space Agency has announced new funding to support ambitious plans for the exploration of space. Proposals could include ideas such as the utilisation of resources beyond Earth’s atmosphere, the use of nuclear power in space or the exploration the Moon, and Mars.
10:52 AM 30th July 2021
New Research Into Treatment And Diagnosis Of Long COVID
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
15 new studies across UK to expand research that will support thousands of vulnerable people Nearly £20 million for research projects will help improve understanding of long COVID and identify effective treatments Projects include the largest long COVID trial to date which will involve over 4,500 people Thousands of people suffering with long COVID will benefit from new research pro…
11:10 AM 18th July 2021
Almost 100% Of People Have Antibodies After Second Vaccine
Over 207,337 participants took part in a home surveillance study for COVID-19 antibodies between 12 and 25 May 2021 Almost 100% of people tested positive for antibodies 14 or more days after their second vaccine dose, highlighting the importance of getting both doses for the best possible protection as restrictions are eased Findings show vaccine uptake remained high in May Imperial…
9:59 AM 16th July 2021
How To Supercharge Your Password Security – Part One
Whether online shopping or paying household bills, these days many people have online accounts to make their day-to-day transactions simpler and quicker.
12:27 PM 14th July 2021
UK Exceeds 600,000 COVID-19 Tests Genomically Sequenced
More than 600,000 positive COVID-19 samples have now been genomically sequenced Sequencing provides invaluable data that will support decisions to relax social distancing in the future and help monitor for future variants and infectious disease threats Nationwide GenOMICC COVID-19 study has already identified genes that make people susceptible to severe COVID-19 symptoms, but volun…
9:12 PM 3rd July 2021
Life Could Exist In The Clouds Of Jupiter But Not Venus
Jupiter’s clouds have water conditions that would allow Earth-like life to exist, but this isn’t possible in Venus’ clouds, according to the groundbreaking finding of new research led by a Queen’s University Belfast scientist.
5:00 AM 29th June 2021
UK Surpasses 500,000 Coronavirus (Covid-19) Tests Genomically Sequenced
The UK has today (Sunday 27 June) surpassed over half a million genomically sequenced positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, as the UK’s testing programme continues to ramp up.
11:10 AM 27th June 2021
G7 Nations Commit To The Safe And Sustainable Use Of Space
Today at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, delegates from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the USA, the UK and the EU pledged to take action to tackle the growing hazard of space debris as our planet’s orbit becomes increasingly crowded. One of the biggest global challenges facing the space sector is orbital congestion and space debris.
7:41 PM 13th June 2021
How To Help Stop Your Computer Running Slowly
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
One of the biggest pain-points for technology users is slow running speed. We’ve all been there – staring at a spinning loading icon and wishing for the programme or email to load quicker – and it can be painful. But, while some tech problems need the experts on hand to help resolve them, there are others which you can remedy – and prevent – yourself.
6:00 AM 11th June 2021
Solar Eclipse In The UK
Jan Harris
Assistant Editor
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Today on Thursday morning 10 June some parts of the world will witness a partial solar eclipse when the moon will block out the sun in an eclipse. A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth and the moon fully or partially obscures the sun. If you happen to be in Northern Scotland today then you might be lucky enough to witness a partial solar eclipse.
9:03 AM 10th June 2021
Worms On A Mission To Research Muscle Loss In Space
Today (Thursday 3rd June), hundreds of tiny worms are being flown to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an experiment to understand more about human muscle loss and how to prevent it.
2:59 PM 3rd June 2021
Life-saving Vaccination Programme To Hit More Major Milestones
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock to acknowledge success of UK’s biggest vaccine drive in history at G7 meeting of Health Ministers this week. New approved Janssen jab boosts armoury in helping to defeat global pandemic Three quarters of UK adults expected to have had first dose of a vaccine this week as UK set to hit another vital milestone The outstanding success o…
9:33 AM 31st May 2021
New DNA Research Could Help Combat Cancers
In a groundbreaking first, research led by Queen’s University Belfast has found thousands of ‘Achilles Heels’ or ‘cancer vulnerabilities’ in an analysis of more than 700 different cancer cell types. In future, this could lead to new ways to stop cancer cells in their tracks by using existing drugs, as well as proposing new targets for drug development.
9:42 PM 20th May 2021
New Research Shows How The Zebrafish Could Help Humans Reach Mars
New research led by Queen’s University Belfast has shown the zebrafish could help humans reach Mars by understanding how a form of hibernation, known as induced torpor (a state of reduced metabolic activity) may provide radio-protective effects.
1:20 PM 20th May 2021
World First COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Study Launches In UK
New government-funded clinical trial looking at different COVID-19 ‘booster’ vaccines launches in the UK Initial results trialling seven vaccines expected in September to inform plans for booster programme Clinical trials on agenda for G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting in early June which Health Secretary announces will be hosted in Oxford Announcements come ahead of International Clinic…
8:37 AM 20th May 2021
COVID-19 Vaccines: Further Evidence Of Success
New evidence continues to show vaccination is highly effective in protecting against death and hospitalisation from coronavirus (COVID-19). New Public Health England (PHE) analysis shows for the first time that individuals who receive a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine have approximately 80% lower risk of death with COVID-19 compared with unvaccinated individuals.
8:06 PM 10th May 2021
Top Tips On How To Keep Your Identity Safe Online
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
In an age in which almost everything we do is online – from shopping, to banking, to conference calling – it’s no surprise that digital scams and cyberthreats are on the rise.
9:14 AM 7th May 2021
Project Investigating Long-term Effects Of COVID-19 On The Heart Is Awarded Grant
Image by fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay
A project at Newcastle University investigating long-term inflammation of the heart following COVID-19 infection has been awarded a grant of almost £150,000 by national charity Heart Research UK. Around 10% of COVID-19 patients in the UK will suffer from so-called ‘long-COVID’, where symptoms continue for more than three months.
2:54 PM 5th May 2021
New Cutting-edge Testing Centre To Fast-track COVID-19 Variant Vaccines
New state-of-the-art labs will test the effectiveness of vaccines against new variants.
8:49 AM 5th May 2021
Astronomers Detect New Chemical Signature In An Exoplanet’s Atmosphere
An international collaboration of astronomers led by Queen’s University Belfast has discovered a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet, a planet that orbits a star other than the sun. Such advances are important if, in the future, we ever want to probe atmospheres of smaller rocky planets that resemble the Earth.
10:48 AM 27th April 2021
Online Privacy – What Role Could Blockchain Play In Reducing Identity Theft?
Data protection and identity theft are hot topics in the IT industry at the moment, with an increasing number of individuals and businesses reporting incidents. In a broad look at the current cyber-threat landscape we can explore what bitcoin is and how the technology could help with cases of commercial and individual fraud and identity theft.
7:14 PM 23rd April 2021
Dstl Leads Successful Experiment To Observe Satellites Docking
Following almost 3 months of observation and data collection, last week saw the culmination of a space domain awareness (SDA) experiment known as ‘Phantom Echoes 2’ to successfully observe the rendezvous of 2 active satellites in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO).
2:13 PM 21st April 2021
Government Launches COVID-19 Antivirals Taskforce To Roll Out Innovative Home Treatments This Autumn
New Antivirals Taskforce could identify and deploy innovative COVID-19 treatments as early as autumn Treatments could be taken at home after a positive test or exposure to COVID-19 to reduce transmission and speed up recovery Drugs could help combat a rise in infections or new variants over the winter flu season A new Antivirals Taskforce has been launched by the government to ident…
6:46 PM 20th April 2021
First Flight On Mars
Richard Trinder
Editor
Ingenuity just before takeoff
The first flight of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was captured in this image taken by a pair of zoomable cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars earlier today. Ingenuity took off to a height of 3 metres, hovered for 20 seconds, rotated 90 degrees, hovered for a further 20 seconds, then descended safely to the Martian surface.
7:16 PM 19th April 2021
Star Count The Results Are In
photo Abigail Oliver / CPRE
Back in February, The Countryside Charity asked you to help map the nation’s view of the night sky. An incredible 7,845 counts were submitted - the biggest year ever! The charity were blown away by the number of people that took part despite the limitations of lockdown.
8:14 PM 6th April 2021
Groundbreaking New Technology To Detect Known Variants Of Concern
New technology to rapidly detect new COVID mutations indicating whether positive test samples contain known variants is being trialled by the government in NHS Test and Trace laboratories.
11:00 AM 22nd March 2021
Top Industry Recognition For Civil Engineering Works Along Fylde Coast
The £21 million Fairhaven to Church Scar scheme, which provides new coastal protection and an upgraded promenade, scooped the Sustainability Award at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North West Civil Engineering Awards 2021. Emma Antrobus, Director, ICE North West said: “Civil engineers are in a pivotal position to help address the climate crisis that our planet is facing.
3:26 PM 12th March 2021
Space Launch From British Soil One Step Closer
In a giant leap in British spaceflight history, government publishes response to commercial spaceflight consultation.
11:35 AM 5th March 2021
Modified Covid-19 Vaccines For Variants To Be Fast-tracked, Says MHRA And Other Regulators
Future vaccine modifications that respond to new variants of coronavirus to be made available quickly to UK recipients, without compromising on safety, quality or effectiveness.
9:14 AM 4th March 2021
The Benefits Of Perseverance
The 28 mile wide Jezero Crater sits on the western edge of Isidis Planitia, a giant impact basin slightly north of the Martian equator. Jezero was chosen as 3.5 billion years ago the crater probably had its own river delta and was filled with water. And where there's water there could be life.
8:55 AM 19th February 2021
The Sky Is Not The Limit: Could You Be The UK’s Next Astronaut?
Are you calm under pressure, fit and healthy, and looking for a new career? ESA is on the lookout for new astronauts to join its cohort of space explorers. For the first time since 2008, The European Space Agency (ESA) is on the lookout for new astronauts, and UK citizens of any walk of life are invited to apply.
3:17 PM 16th February 2021
Opinion
Misinformation In A Digital World – Who Decides What’s Right?
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
There’s no escaping the fact that coronavirus has completely dominated all conversation for the past 11 months. From newspaper headlines to social media updates, we’re constantly consuming a barrage of pandemic-related posts, unsure of what’s real and what isn’t. Less reported though, are the regulations placed on platforms around what can and can’t be said in relation to the virus.
3:14 PM 10th February 2021
Nearly All In-person Test Results Returned Next Day By NHS Test And Trace
NHS Test and Trace has recorded another record-breaking week, with turnaround times for most testing routes returning to levels not seen since the middle of 2020.
10:03 PM 4th February 2021
9 In 10 Test Results Returned Next Day By NHS Test And Trace
93.8% of in-person test results were returned the next day after the test was taken, compared with 84.8% the week before.
Significant improvement in test turnaround times – 93.8% of in-person test results returned the next day after the test was taken, compared with 84.8% the week before 93.2% contacts reached – the highest percentage since NHS Test and Trace was launched 30…
11:45 AM 29th January 2021
UK To Support Rest Of The World To Find Covid-19 Virus Variants
The UK will offer its world-leading genomics expertise to identify new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 to countries who do not have the resources to do so.
4:39 PM 26th January 2021
Past Covid-19 Infection Provides Some Immunity But People May Still Carry And Transmit Virus
Study finds past coronavirus (COVID-19) infection provides some immunity for at least 5 months, but people may still carry and transmit the virus.
11:37 AM 14th January 2021
Asymptomatic Testing To Be Rolled Out Across The Country Starting This Week
Community testing offer to be expanded across all local authorities in England to test people without symptoms. Local authorities will be encouraged to target testing to people who cannot work from home during lockdown. Around 1 in 3 people have coronavirus (COVID-19) without displaying any symptoms.
8:51 AM 11th January 2021
Government To Deploy First British-manufactured Rapid Lateral Flow Antigen Tests For Covid-19
The Government has ordered two million of the first British-manufactured rapid lateral flow antigen tests for COVID-19 to be validated by Public Health England, for use in asymptomatic testing, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.
8:41 AM 11th January 2021
Moderna Vaccine Becomes Third Covid-19 Vaccine Approved By UK Regulator
The vaccine has been approved after meeting the required safety, quality and effectiveness standards. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna has today been given regulatory approval for supply by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
3:25 PM 8th January 2021
Keeping Your Staff Safe During Sales Season
Jamie Durham
IT Correspondent
With Black Friday – and its online cousin, Cyber Monday – having delivered the usual frenzy of Christmas orders, commentators expect December to signal the start of two months’ worth of online sales. And, as the lines between work and home life become increasingly blurred, chances are, employees will be using their company devices to browse for bargains.
9:03 AM 10th December 2020
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