Bees trained to detect Covid-19
And other stories from the stranger side of life
Researchers in the Netherlands have trained bees to identify samples infected with Covid. The scientists in the bio-veterinary research laboratory at Wageningen University gave the bees sugary water as a reward after showing them samples infected with Covid and no reward after being shown a non-infected sample. The bees would then spontaneously extend their tongues to receive a reward when presented with an infected sample.
Dracula’s castle offers Covid jabs
Bran Castle, the inspiration for the vampire’s home in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, has become a vaccination centre. Romanian medical workers with bloody fang stickers on their scrubs are offering free shots of the Pfizer vaccine. Recipients also get free access to view the castle’s exhibit of 52 medieval torture tools. The castle’s manager, said: “The idea... was to show how people got jabbed 500 to 600 years ago.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Spacecraft finds ‘hum’ beyond solar system
A spacecraft has picked up a “hum” beyond our solar system. Voyager 1, a NASA vessel that is currently 14 billion miles away from Earth, has detected the sound of the universe. Astrophysicist Stella Ocker said: “It’s very faint and monotone because it’s in a narrow frequency bandwidth.” The spacecraft records the “constant drone” of plasma.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
Who were the ‘weekend snipers’ of Sarajevo?Under the Radar Italian authorities launch investigation into allegations far-right gun enthusiasts paid to travel to Bosnian capital and shoot civilians ‘for fun’ during the four-year siege
-
A free speech debate is raging over sign language at the White HouseTalking Points The administration has been accused of excluding deaf Americans from press briefings
-
Glinda vs. Elphaba, Jennifer Lawrence vs. postpartum depression and wilderness vs. progress in November moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Wicked: For Good,’ ‘Die My Love’ and ‘Train Dreams’
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come