Podcast Summary
Stay informed with the BBC for science news and discover new music through the Tiny Desk Contest: The BBC provides valuable insights into the coronavirus pandemic and the latest scientific discoveries, while the Tiny Desk Contest offers unsigned musicians a platform to showcase their talents and potentially launch their careers
The BBC is a valuable source of information and inspiration during these uncertain times, particularly when it comes to understanding the rapidly evolving science behind the coronavirus pandemic. Scientists have made remarkable progress in a short period, but keeping up with the latest discoveries can be challenging. Atlantic science reporter Ed Young has been at the forefront of this coverage, providing insights into why this virus has spread so rapidly and what we might be able to learn from it. Meanwhile, the Tiny Desk Contest, presented by Capital One, offers an exciting opportunity for unsigned musicians to showcase their talents and potentially launch their careers. This contest serves as a reminder that even in the midst of challenges, there are still opportunities for growth and creativity. Stay informed and engaged with the BBC for the latest science news and the Tiny Desk Contest for a chance to discover new music.
The coronavirus's stickier spike protein makes it more contagious: The coronavirus's stronger bond to human cells contributes to its global spread, making it more contagious than other coronaviruses.
The coronavirus causing the current pandemic is more contagious than other coronaviruses due to its stickier spike protein. This protein binds more strongly to the ACE 2 protein on human cells, requiring less virus to initiate an infection and making it easier to transmit from person to person. This stronger bond is a key factor in the virus's ability to cause a global pandemic. The BBC provides valuable information and insights on this and other world stories, encouraging us to think critically about the events shaping our world. Stay informed with the latest developments on bbc.com.
The new coronavirus is more efficiently infecting human cells due to a more readily available activation of its spike protein: The new coronavirus can spread easily between people before symptoms appear due to a spike protein that can be split apart by a common human enzyme, increasing its transmissibility.
The new coronavirus, SARS CoV 2, is more efficiently infecting human cells than its predecessor, SARS CoV or SARS classic, due to a more readily available activation of the virus's spike protein. This activation occurs more easily because the spike protein can be split apart by an enzyme called furin, which is prevalent in the human body. This split is crucial for the virus to begin infecting cells. Moreover, this ease of activation might explain why the new coronavirus can spread between people before symptoms appear. The activation of the spike protein allows the virus to enter and infect cells more quickly, increasing its transmissibility. This metaphorical "avocado" being more easily cut in half by our own bodies contributes to the virus's ability to spread efficiently and cause widespread infection.
New Coronavirus Infects Both Upper and Lower Respiratory Systems: The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, can infect both the upper and lower respiratory systems, causing mild symptoms or severe illnesses. Its ability to infect various parts of the respiratory system may be due to its reliance on a furan enzyme found in various tissues. The virus is believed to have originated from bats.
The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is capable of infecting both the upper and lower respiratory systems. Initially, it was believed that the virus primarily affected the lower respiratory system, similar to SARS. However, new data suggests that it may also infect the upper respiratory tract, causing mild symptoms and spreading easily before moving into the lower respiracies and causing severe illnesses. This ability to infect various parts of the respiratory system could be due to the virus's reliance on a furan enzyme found in various tissues. While this theory is still speculative, it offers a plausible explanation for the virus's behavior. Additionally, the virus is believed to have originated from bats, as the closest known relative has been found in these animals. It's important to note that this information is still preliminary, and researchers are working diligently to understand the virus while also controlling its spread.
The new coronavirus has rapidly spread around the world due to its high adaptation to infect humans from the start.: The new coronavirus, unlike the original SARS, has highly adapted to infect humans and has spread rapidly globally. Its seasonality is uncertain, but experts warn it may not slow down enough during warmer months to halt the pandemic.
The new coronavirus seems to have been highly adapted to infect humans from the beginning, unlike the original SARS virus which required some time to acclimate. This difference could explain why the new virus has spread so rapidly around the world. Regarding the seasonality of the virus, experts are unsure if it will follow the typical pattern of coronaviruses, which tend to infect people more in winter and disappear in summer. However, due to the global spread of the virus and its ease of transmission, any potential slowdown during warmer months may not be enough to halt the pandemic on its own. An epidemiologist described the situation as a "gigantic wildfire" spreading through a world full of potential hosts, with no prior immunity, making it difficult to predict when the outbreak will let up.
Historically limited focus and resources on coronavirus research: Limited knowledge about coronavirus biology due to underfunded research and few dedicated researchers leaves the world unprepared for pandemics
The current coronavirus outbreak has caught the world off guard due to the relatively small amount of research and preparation dedicated to coronaviruses in general. Despite being a significant cause of disease globally, the field of coronavirus research has historically been quite niche, with only a few dozen researchers focusing on it for decades. This lack of focus and resources has resulted in limited surveillance networks and knowledge about coronavirus biology, leaving the world unprepared for the current pandemic. The shock of SARS in 2003 and the subsequent lack of increased research efforts have left us in a dire situation where we must act quickly despite having limited knowledge. Ed Yong, the author of the article in The Atlantic, discussed these issues and more during his interview on NPR. For more information, you can find a link to his article in the episode notes. This episode was produced by Brett Bachman, fact-checked by Emily Vaughn, and edited by Viet Lai. I'm Maddie Sofia, and we'll be back tomorrow with more shortwave from NPR. This message comes from NPR sponsor, the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance, working to shatter barriers to treatment, survival, and recovery so that people with schizophrenia can thrive.
Collaboration and advocacy making a difference in healthcare and social justice: We Can Thrive partners with organizations to improve schizophrenia and psychosis research, resources, and empowerment. NPR's 'Black Stories, Black Truths' podcast highlights the black experience's complexity and diversity. Mint Mobile offers affordable wireless plans amid inflation. Acknowledging and understanding diverse experiences is crucial.
The organization We Can Thrive, which focuses specifically on schizophrenia and psychosis, is making a significant impact by partnering with like-minded organizations to conduct research, improve access to resources, and empower individuals with these conditions and their families. Meanwhile, in a different context, NPR's "Black Stories, Black Truths" podcast highlights the complexity and diversity of the black experience in America. These two stories illustrate the power of collaboration and advocacy in addressing critical issues, whether it's in healthcare or social justice. On a different note, Mint Mobile is offering a solution to the ongoing issue of inflation by providing premium wireless plans starting at just $15 a month. Lastly, the "Black Stories, Black Truths" podcast emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and understanding the richness and complexity of the black experience in America.
