The return of pints, pounds and inches? Government considers using post-Brexit freedoms to allow greater use of traditional imperial measures Government has said it will consider reverting back to imperial system The UK reverted to the metric system in the 1960s before it was adopted by EU Changes will not mean complete scrapping of metric … Read more
Oxford University reportedly plans to teach that imperial measurements are ‘tied deeply to the idea of the Empire’ in a bid to make science courses less ‘Eurocentric’. The University has reportedly suggested imperial measurements, including the mile, inch, pound and ounce, should be ‘decolonised’ due to its links to the British Empire. Decolonising plans by … Read more
Vaccine hesitancy could lead to 20,000 extra coronavirus deaths over the next two years, a study has suggested. Researchers warned that if a significant number of people turn the jab down, it may allow the virus to spread in high numbers when lockdowns are eased, posing a constant threat to the elderly and ill. The … Read more
Kent variant Real name: B.1.1.7 When was it discovered? The variant was first found in the South East of England and can be traced back to September 2020. What mutations does it have? It has 23 mutations, some of which change the shape of the spike protein on its outside. The main mutation is known as N501Y. … Read more
Sir Winston’s Churchill’s legacy will be reviewed by the Imperial War Museum as bosses examine his views on ‘sensitive topics’ in wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Internal documents reveal discussions are taking place at the museum that holds the Churchill War Rooms. Museum bosses have called for examination into the wartime leader’s views after … Read more
University of Oxford Oxford University academics began developing the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in January. It is now named AZD1222, after the researchers signed a manufacturing partnership with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. Human trials started on April 23 and they are now in the final phase, with trials being carried out in the UK, Brazil and South … Read more
Rival vaccines being developed by Oxford and Imperial may be combined to beat coronavirus, expert says Oxford University’s vaccine is already being tested on at least 1,000 people Professor Robin Shattock said they could well be used together because the way they work differs Scientists increasingly think booster jabs will be needed to maintain protection … Read more
Italy will be hit by a more deadly second coronavirus wave as it eases lockdown, according to a sobering report from Imperial College London. Researchers modelled how the virus would spread in three scenarios – if the nation stayed in quarantine or if Italians increased their movements by 20 per cent and 40 per cent. … Read more
A professor at Imperial College London claims there may never be a coronavirus vaccine and governments will have to respond to future outbreaks with lockdowns. Dr David Nabarro, a special envoy to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Covid-19, said no ‘absolute assumption’ can be made ‘that a vaccine will appear at all’. The global health professor … Read more
Imperial College London have won the final of University Challenge against Corpus Christi of Cambridge, scoring 275 points while their opponents managed just 105. Both impressive teams had come to the show with no defeats, but fans were eager to see two of the contestants – Brandon Blackwell, of Imperial College , and Ian Wang, of Corpus Christi – battle … Read more