Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a virus which was first encountered in Wuhan at the end of 2019. Since first being discovered, it has spread across the world, affecting over 450,000 people. Over a third of the worlds population are currently in lockdown in their respective countries to try and stop the spread of the virus. Communities are being told to not leave their homes, don't interact with anyone who does not reside in your household and to generally quarantine themselves - even from those who they live with - if they feel unwell or are over the age of 70. As a society, we're now …
Remembering Harper Lee: An Extraordinary Novelist
Harper Lee was a highly successful American novelist, best known for her hugely influential novel: To Kill A Mockingbird. Today, on the anniversary of her death in 2016, we take a look at what made her novel so renowned, and a sneak peek into the life of what would eventually become the author of one of the most widely studied books of our time. Harper Lee - The Beginning Nelle Harper Lee was born in April of 1926, in Alabama. Harper was actually her middle name, chosen by her parents to honour the paediatrician who saved her sister's life, whilst her first name 'Nelle' was her …
Register To Vote Before 26th November
Next Tuesday November 26th is the deadline for registering to vote in the UK general election on 12 December 2019. Make sure you’re registered and ready to vote on election day with the following details. How To Register Online You can register to vote online. It is the quickest and easiest way, and usually takes about 5 minutes to complete online. Paper form Alternatively, you can contact your local Electoral Registration Office and ask them to post a paper form to you. You’ll then need to return the completed form to your local Electoral Registration Office. The paper …
New Blood Test to Diagnose Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists are progressing with developing a blood test that checks for early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of Dementia and in the UK alone it is speculated that over 850,000 people are affected, with millions of others also affected worldwide. It is caused by an increase in the levels of two proteins in the brain- amyloid and tau. These protein deposits accumulate in the brain and cause damage to nerve cells. These cells are used to communicate with each other for healthy cognitive function. This damage leads to the common …
Users of FaceApp warned over potential security issues
You may have noticed a new craze on social media this week. A craze which sees people uploading edited images of themselves, appearing to show them as elderly people. This is done via an app called FaceApp. Thousands of people have been using it, however security concerns have been raised. Firstly, let's explain what the app is. We'll then look into the problems. What's FaceApp? FaceApp is a mobile application that allows users to edit photographs. Alongside the now-infamous ageing technique, you're also able to turn blank or grumpy expressions into smiley ones, and edit make-up …
Alan Turing to Feature on the Bank of England’s New £50 note
Alan Turing was a computer pioneer, mathematician and code breaker during World War Two. He is celebrated for his outstanding code-cracking work that was vital to the Allies. The work carried out by Alan and others at Bletchley Park in breaking the Enigma code saved millions of lives during the war. The effort approximately cut the war short by three years and has impacted millions of people lives ever since. Queen Elizabeth II currently features on the £50 note. The change in design has been brought about as part of the Bank of England switch from paper to polymer. The banknote …
