Category Archives: medical

amusements, environment, history, links, medical, science, sexuality

Monthly Links

It’s again time for our monthly round up of links to items you may have missed. And there’s a lot in this month’s offering, so let’s get in …

Science, Technology, Natural World

Matter is complex, but that complexity has given rise to the good and the bad of nuclear physics. [LONG READ}

The secret of a rat’s sense of touch is all to do with the whiskers.

It seems a surprising number of sea monster sightings are actually whale boners.

Health, Medicine

A new understanding of how our ancient immune system works could help fight future pandemics. [£££]

On the strange cases of healthy children who won’t wake up.

Why are so many women ill-prepared for perimenopause? And how they needn’t be. [LONG READ]

Sexuality

As a special treat this month we have a collection of articles on medieval sex (and how it relates to our modern ideas) from our favourite medieval historian, Dr Eleanor Janega of Going Medieval …

On dildos and penance

On women having sex with themselves

Back in the day cuckolding wasn’t just a thing, it was a thing thast was bound to happen (for the rich, at least). [LONG READ]

On sexualising the “other”, ie. anything except cis white men!

On the medieval acceptance of sex work and the fallacy of “rescuing” sex workers.

Environment

The cherry blossom in Kyoto is earlier this year than ever previously recorded, and the trend over the last 100 years is for earlier and earlier dates.

Without the asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs, we likely wouldn’t have the Amazon rainforest.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

A slab of rock, engraved in the Bronze Age, is thought to be the oldest 3D map in Europe.

On the Ancient Egyptians and belief in the after-life.

Archaeologists have uncovered an important Roman site in Scarborough.

We’re going back to Going Medieval for the next two items …

On canonical hours, comfort, and daylight saving time.

On the commemoration of royal death.

Medlars were popular fruit in medieval times, but have fallen out of fashion.

John Spilsbury, the engraver behind the first jigsaw puzzle, a “dissected” map, died on 3 April 1769.

Anti-Vaxxers are nothing new: they’ve been around since Edward Jenner invented the first smallpox vaccine.

Dhaka muslin is an ancient Indian fabric which no-one knows how to make, but which a few weavers are trying to resurrect. [LONG READ]

London

The short stretch of the Hertford Union Canal in east London has been drained for repairs and is giving up its secrets.

When is a river actually a canal? When it’s the New River.

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

Nudity at home has become much more common during lockdown, so can naturism become the new trend?

Lockdown has changed quite a few women’s views on bras – both for and against what seems to this mere male to be nothing but a garment of torture.

Going Medieval (yes, again!) considers Jezebel, makeup, and other apocalyptic signs.

How to declutter your home as lockdown eases. Hint: you’ll need the biggest cardboard box you can find.

How the pandemic changed our hygiene habits: we bathe less, but are no more smelly.

Shock, Horror, Humour, Wow!

The mystery of the man who fell from the sky. [LONG READ]

And finally, it seems that big boat that got stuck in the Suez Canal is partly to blame for the UK’s shortage of garden gnomes.

environment, history, links, medical, natural history, science, sexuality

Monthly Links

OMG! Have we got a packed full box of links to items you may have missed this month. So let’s dive in …

Science, Technology, Natural World

Why do we find the quantum world weird? According to Carlo Rovelli we wouldn’t if we accepted that objects don’t exist. Prepare to have your mind addled! [LONG READ] [£££]

According to one expert extra-terrestrial life may not be all that alien.

Most of us have heard about near death experiences, and some have experienced them … but what do they mean? [LONG READ]

On carrots, colour, chemistry and vision.

Covid-19 variants may be causing heart problems in pets.

Catnip repels insects (and is loved by many cats). Scientists are beginning to unravel how the insect repellent action works.

Years ago, the Horniman Museum in south London bought a piece of rock, and unknowingly imported some prolifically breeding small shrimp with it. So they were feeding the shrimp to many of their fish. Turns out the shrimp was a hitherto unknown species!

Meanwhile Japanese scientists have looked at the bacteria in 100 million-year-old ocean sediment cores … and found the bacteria they contain can be brought back to life!

How does an octopus sleep? With short bursts of frenzied and colourful REM-like sleep.

From water … to air … Wisdom the albatross, the world’s oldest known wild bird, has another chick at age 70.

… to land … It is generally accepted that Tasmanian Tigers are extinct. But people still think they see them and that they’re still alive.

Health, Medicine

It is becoming well understood that reproductive problems in both men and women are increasingly common. Hormone disrupting chemicals in the environment seem to be at least partly to blame. [£££]

Sexuality

A look at asexuality and its recent increase.

While at the other end of the scale, many of us have declining libido, and want it back …

… One way might be to hang pubic hair paintings in your living room. [LONG READ]

Environment

New bye-laws ban trawl fishing off the Sussex coast with the aim of allowing the kelp forests to regenerate.

10 years on there have been a number of review articles about the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Here is a selection:
•  Japan marks 10 years since the disaster killed 18,500 people.
•  What happened at the nuclear plant?
•  How locals are returning after nuclear disaster. [£££]
•  UN report says Fukushima radiation did not damage health of local people.
•  But one ocean scientist is still worried.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

Archaeologists in Egypt have found what may be the world’s oldest pet cemetery.

Scientists thing they’ve finally unlocked the secrets of the Antikythera Mechanism using computer modelling.

You always wanted to know the grisly details of Roman murder, didn’t you?

Still in Roman times … it has been calculated that when Vesuvius erupted in 79AD it killed the inhabitants of Pompeii in 15 minutes.

A group in Ireland is attempting to revive the ancient tradition of the sheela na gig.

On the Before- and After-Times.

Two looks at what chivalry is, and the dearth of whte knights.

Workmen at Tintern, in the Wye Valley, have found a hitherto unknown medieval tunnel system.

A look at the role of 14th-century working women in southern France.

On the other hand, medieval women put faith in things like birth girdles to protect them during childbirth.

On the crapness of medieval pickup lines.

A short life expectancy in days of yore is a myth – lots died as children, but survive that and many lived into old age. [LONG READ]

The National Archives have documents about the Gunpowder Plot written in invisible ink (lemon/orange juice).

Until the advent of the envelope in the western world letters were sealed by a technique called letterlocking. Researchers have now worked out how to use X-rays to read these letters without breaking the seals.

Charles II’s mistress Hortense Mancini was a trend-setter ahead of her time.

Food, Drink

Seafood fraud is happening on a global scale and sleuths are using DNA techniques to fight back. Meanwhile, how good are you at spotting whether your fish a fake?

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

It is time that men got a grip and made a stand to end violence against women (and men!).

One woman’s experience of the evolution of nude black women in art. [LONG READ]

Shock, Horror, Humour, Wow!

And finally a pair of researchers have worked out how to make a hippogriff and angels that could fly. [£££]

current affairs, medical, personal, ramblings

Horrible Times 20: One Year!

Midday today marked exactly 365 days of, partly self-imposed, isolation. What a strange year it’s been! Who could have guessed it would be thus. In the last 365 days:

  • I’ve been off the premises just four times. Twice to go to the dentist. Once for a flu jab and blood test. And most recently for my first Covid vaccination.
  • Noreen has done a little better in that she’s been making forays to the postbox and occasionally the post office.
  • I’ve generally been well. That’s apart from the depression which is, if anything, worse – but then who’s surprised about that?! But it does make motivating oneself to do anything a struggle. It hasn’t been helped by my back and a lot of tension across my neck and shoulders; unrelieved as I’ve not been able to get any massage.
  • However Noreen has had a nasty cellulitis infection and shingles. The former required many trips to the hospital.
  • We’ve been totally dependent on online shopping, and luckily have had no problems with supermarket delivery slots (except in the very early days when things were being sorted out). Everyone in the food supply chain has been doing heroic work through all this.
  • And we’ve been using our supermarket deliveries to also get provisions for our friend across the road, who is also isolating.
  • We’ve both managed to get our first Covid vaccination – something which wasn’t even a possibility this time last year. And we’ve been mightily impressed with the way the NHS has coped with all this. We await jab number two.
  • We’ve lost my aunt (to Covid, although aged 90 and with dementia), and three or four friends (apparently not to Covid). How odd are “Zoom funerals”?!
  • Needless to say face-to-face meetings and events have not happened. We’ve managed to continue some over Zoom, which is not a problem for me as I’ve been used to teleconference meetings since before the millennium.
  • We’ve added some extra, informal, meetings for our doctor’s patient group (of which I’m Chairman) just to enable people to keep in touch and have some additional social contact.
  • Meanwhile the house is a disgusting rat’s nest – which really doesn’t help the depression. When Covid struck we were trying to dredge the accumulated silt of 40 years, three parents, two jobs, and voluntary work. That has stalled, mainly because we cannot shift stuff out of the house: charity shops are closed and not taking donations, and without transport we can’t get anything to the tip.
  • The garden is pretty much a wreck. Although we managed to keep it roughly in order last summer, without our regular gardener the winter maintenance and pruning has gone by the board. The lawn is a meadow which comes half way up our fox. Besides it is so wet out there (yet more rain as I write this) the ground is like jelly, which makes working on it impossible.
  • On the good side, we’re both still plugged into life supply.
  • And we’ve been able to have some good food and wine – something we’ve made sure we do more of to add a little joy to the misery.

So what happens next?

The government is clearly keeping its fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Meanwhile everyone is expecting the worst with the medical experts warning:

All in all I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re still in this same position a year hence. It will be immensely depressing and disheartening, but I wouldn’t find it surprising. This, of course, assumes we’re still receiving supplies of life force!

Jolly times!

amusements, current affairs, history, medical, science, sexuality

Monthly Links

Welcome to this month’s collection of links to items you may have missed the first time round and might want to catch up on.

Science, Technology, Natural World

The Black-Browed Babbler, known only from a 180 year old stuffed specimen, has finally been seen in Borneo.

So you always thought those little vials used for vaccines were any old glass, or even plastic? Well think again!

More on vaccines … Here’s a series of articles on Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing and distribution.
First, Derek Lowe on some myths about vaccine manufacture.
And a detailed look at some of the supply chain challenges for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. [TECHNICAL and VERY LONG READ]
Another item on the challenges of setting up manufacturing and distribution. [LONG READ]
Understanding the vaccine source code, or how to build a vaccine at the molecular level. [LONG READ]
Yes, these are all long, and in places rather technical, reads but worthwhile nonetheless if you want to understand just what the pharmaceutical industry has achieved in the last year.

Here’s Derek Lowe again, this time looking at drug discovery and the immune system.

Sexuality

And now to things which are a bit less intellectually demanding …

So how about a piece on the way the penis has influenced scientific research, as well as a lot else! [£££]

Or a journalist writes about her experiences of reporting on the porn industry. [LONG READ]

Social Sciences, Business, Law

The Guardian seems to have just discovered that the Queen has more power than we thought – and they’re highly indignant.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

A 17,000 year old conch shell hs been found in a French museum – and also found to be a musical instrument.

Two reports on the supposedly dramatic discovery that some of the stones of Stonehenge were previously a stone circle in Wales – one report from BBC, the other from the Guardian. Well I must say they haven’t convinced me: it all just seems to be no more than circumstantial evidence.

Oh, no! We’re back with the penis again! Amongst many archaeological finds during the building of the A14 trunk road upgrade in Cambridgeshire, there was a rare Roman penis carving.

Meanwhile on the Isle of Man a metal-detectorist has uncovered some rare Viking jewellery.

When is a history not a history? When it’s a chronicle. Eleanor Janega explains the differences between history and chronicles, with some history along the way.

Coming almost up to date, here, in two parts, is the story of one WWII SOE Resistance agent, found in the National Archives. Part 1 and Part 2.

London

The slightly curious history of the Priory Church of the Order of St John in Clerkenwell.

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

Researchers are suggesting that feeding our pet cats meatier meals and playing with then more will reduce their toll on wildlife. Here are two reports, from Science News and the Guardian with slightly different takes on the results.

And finally … Oh, God, we’re back with sex again! … It appears that the Jewish community have lost sight of the fact that the Purim Hamantaschen cookies look like the female pudendum. No, I didn’t know either, but then why would I?

current affairs, medical, thoughts

Horrible Times 19: Easing Lockdown

So our dearly unbeloved Boris thinks he’s going to end all lockdown restrictions on 21 June. All I can say is that like everything which emanates from BJ’s mouth this is either madness or fiction – and quite possibly both. Let’s take a look.
[Links to some relevant BBC News reports at the end.]

  1. Lockdown ends on 21 June. But all UK adults aren’t going to be offered their first vaccination until 31 July. When do they get their second jab? Well at least 3-4 weeks later, which takes us effectively until the end of August, or 8+ weeks after 21 June. So we have a minimum period of 8 weeks with no lockdown and with the UK not as fully vaccinated as it can be. Does not compute.
     
  2. Can we hit the 31 July target? Given that the rate of vaccination is reported to have fallen in recent days, partly due to a lack of vaccine supply, this seems unlikely. Moreover the priority sequence for those under 50 has not yet been decided. Yes, it might be possible if we get the volume of vaccine we need. But there’s many a slip ‘twixt cup and lip.
     
  3. That is ignoring that we don’t yet have very much data on the effectiveness of the current vaccines against the new variants of the virus. Nor are there updated vaccines available (or even nearly so).
     
  4. So lockdown is eased in five steps on 8 March, 29 March, 12 April, 17 May and 21 June. (The media are reporting this as four stages by lumping together the two March dates.) These appear to be the earliest dates for each round of eased restrictions. They will only happen if four conditions are met:
    • The coronavirus vaccine programme continues to go to plan
    • Vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying with the virus or needing hospital treatment
    • Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospital admissions
    • New coronavirus variants do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions

    WTF do these conditions mean? They are flabby and woolly at best. Without specific numbers against them, published up-front, they’re worthless as the government can flex them any-which-way it likes. They’re about as ethereal as mist.

  5. When they return to school, secondary school children will be required to have two Covid (lateral flow) tests a week. It seems the first three will be conducted in school but thereafter parents will be expected to administer the tests at home and report the results to the school. How many parents will (a) bother administering the tests, (b) do the tests properly, and (c) report the results accurately? This is going to end well, isn’t it!?

I’m not even going to talk about the rest of contents of each round of restriction easing. As you’ll realise from the above it is all rather academic when we don’t know the detailed baselines and criteria being used.

But what I will say is that if this timeline is adhered to, we’ll most likely have an up-tick in cases in May (as a result of schools going back) and another one in August (due to incomplete vaccine coverage).

Now don’t get me wrong. I want to see lockdown removed just as much as anyone else. But I want to see it done safely. For everyone’s sake.

Links
What’s the roadmap for lifting lockdown?
Lockdown review: What are the risks of schools, pubs and shops reopening?
Covid: When will schools reopen?
Covid: Why can’t we unlock more quickly?
Number of UK Covid vaccinations falls by a third as vaccine supply dips

current affairs, medical

Social Murder?

Murder is an emotive word. In law, it requires premeditation. Death must be deemed to be unlawful. How could “murder” apply to failures of a pandemic response? Perhaps it can’t, and never will, but it is worth considering.

Thus opens an interesting and thought-provoking editorial from Kamran Abbasi in BMJ (PDF) on 4 February. As always I bring the tl;dr key points.

When politicians and experts say that they are willing to allow tens of thousands of premature deaths for the sake of population immunity or in the hope of propping up the economy, is that not premeditated and reckless indifference to human life?
… … …
At the very least, covid-19 might be classified as“social murder,”as recently explained by two professors of criminology.
… … …
If not murder or a crime against humanity, are we seeing involuntary manslaughter, misconduct in public office, or criminal negligence?
… … …
More than a few countries have failed in their response to the virus; the global missteps are many and well documented by the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.
… … …
But the global picture does not absolve individual leaders and governments from responsibility.
… … …
[M]uch of the media is complicit too, trapped in ideological silos that see the pandemic through a lens of political tribalism, worried about telling pandemic truths to their readers and viewers, owners, and political friends … truth has become dispensable as politicians and their allies are allowed to lie, mislead, and repaint history, with barely a hint of a challenge.
… … …
The most important lessons from this pandemic … are less about the coronavirus itself but what it has revealed about the political systems that have responded to it.

However necessary, basically nothing is going to happen.

environment, food+drink, history, links, medical, natural history, science

Monthly Links

OMG! Just what is going on round here? We’re already at the end of January! That means it is only 328 days to Christmas, so better start that shopping now. But before you do here is my monthly collection of links to items you may have missed.

Science, Technology, Natural World

First of all here’s yet another look at whether the universe was made just for us.

Much more fun though here is a physicist who is unravelling the knotty problem of knitting.

Meanwhile scientists are still trying to work out what is causing the exploding craters in Siberia. [LONG READ]

Scientists think they have finally solved the mystery of why wombats shit cubes.

Here’s another apparent oddity: some eagle rays in New Zealand have produced young despite no obvious male input.

London’s Natural History Museum finds 3800-year-old beetles preserved in a long-neglected bogwood specimen.

XKCD provides a remarkable insight into the world of bird and dinosaur evolution.

Health, Medicine

As usual I am avoiding all the articles on Covid-19, ‘cos you hear enough of that without me adding to the deluge.

However it is interesting to understand how we cope (or not) during a year without hugs.

Sexuality

Apparently we shouldn’t do it just before going to sleep.

Environment

There are all sorts of projects wanting to reintroduce lost species to the UK. We know about wolves and beavers, but now there’s a project which wants to reintroduce lynx to the Scottish Highlands.

There is also a movement to bring back Britain’s wonderful flower meadows.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

A drawing of a pig in Indonesia may be one of the oldest cave paintings ever found.

There is increasing evidence that in ancient times female warriors were not uncommon. The first from Science News and the second from the New York Times.

Here’s Going Medieval on slavery, propaganda, and the politics of history. [LONG READ]

Leprosy was a feared disease in medieval times, but the leper had a conflicted existence of both good and evil.

What do you do when there isn’t a common, stable currency? Well, of course, you use eels?

While sodomy was considered more sinful, clerical sodomy presented considerably fewer challenges to the Medieval Church than clerical marriage.

Here’s a short history of the Tudor Whitehall Palace. [LONG READ]

Food, Drink

Absinthe has never been hugely popular in the UK, and unlike many European countries it has never been banned here. Despite that it is only now that London has it’s own Absinthe distillery.

So what really are the origins of haggis? Is it truly a Scottish delicacy or did the Scots appropriate it? [LONG READ]

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

This Guardian article on atheism contains some really bizarre manifestations of non-belief. [LONG READ]

And finally … The curious and spellbinding history of cheese and witchcraft.

medical, personal, ramblings

Horrible Times 17: Surreal

Yesterday was Day 323 of self-isolation for me. And it turned out to be quite a surreal experience because I got my first Covid-19 vaccination.

As regular readers will know I turned 70 earlier this month, so I’m (just) in the 15 million people the PM is promising will be vaccinated by mid-February. Until the last few days this had looked pretty unachievable to me.

On Wednesday of last week, at a PPG** meeting, our GP’s Practice Manager said that they had almost finished inviting the over-75s for vaccination – which I found slightly surprising – and implied they would start calling the over-70s in a week or so. OK, I thought, if I’m lucky I may get invited in 2-3 weeks time.

Imagine my surprise when the next day I received a text inviting me to book my jab. Follow the link to make a booking, it said. Knowing this was the preferred approach, I did. I was offered a slot for yesterday afternoon at the Town Hall (one of two centres doing vaccinations in the borough). It’s a taxi ride away so I wasn’t overjoyed, but I booked.

A local London black cab driver is offering local people fixed price wait-and-return trips to vaccine centres. He quoted me what I knew was a good price and I booked him to take me.

Come the day, I’m a bit concerned. This will be only the fourth time in 323 days I’ve been off the premises. I don’t know the cab driver (except on social media). And I have to mix with hundreds of the great unwashed at the Town Hall. I made this worse by not leaving myself enough time to get ready at ease (because I went to sleep after lunch – as you do) so I was a bit flustered. But we got there. Paul the cab driver was bang on time, friendly and helpful. He got me to the appointment 15 minutes early, so I expected to wait.

There is no queue! Check in at the front desk. Go to the Waiting Area, be checked in again. I’m still expecting to wait, but after a couple of minutes I’m called. Check in a third time at another desk and be given my official card; sit and wait in another area.

Now go to that station where a nurse asked the usual questions (date of birth, allergies …) and stuck a needle in my arm. I hardly felt it, less even that a flu jab. Then because I’ve had the Pfizer vaccine, go to another room to sit for 15 minutes to make sure I’m OK. And then home.

I was out of the house for no more than 60 minutes, including a 15-20 minute taxi ride each way and 15 minutes “under observation”.

But it was so weird. I find our Victorian Town Hall bizarrely labyrinthine at the best of times. But having hardly been out for a year, being among so many people, having to be careful of social distancing, and not having been in a black cab for well over a year … plus mask, gloves and hearing aids … and (let’s be honest) what is still by normal rules an experimental vaccination … well it was all rather surreal.

What made it worse was that having got home, and changed, I still felt contaminated for the rest of the day, which was partly the Town Hall, but mostly the proximity to the number of people. And that was quite unexpected!

The after-effects? So far after 24 hours, effectively none. My arm was a bit sore last night, less so this morning and now it has almost gone. That’s all.

So what was my impression of the NHS’s running of the programme? Absolutely astonished and gobsmacked, in a good way.

At first sight, from the outside, it looked as disorganised as I feared it might be. But it wasn’t! It was actually well organised, efficient, great care over safety, well staffed. I didn’t count, but there were around two dozen NHS people there. Of them about 10 were clinicians (two preparing injections and 6-8 actually administering them). The rest were checking people, shepherding, helping those with mobility problems, and generally watching over social distancing. It wasn’t frantically busy but steady; enough that no-one was under pressure or rushed – which makes for good care and safety. Everyone was helpful, friendly and in a good humour; I heard no-one grumbling.

Yes, it was well organised. For just one centre like this, for at least 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with NHS staff volunteering for the work in addition to their normal jobs … getting the vaccine supply and patient supply to match up … well the logistics is not easy. To do that countrywide, in the time available, is a huge achievement.

From what I saw, the IT systems behind it all are good, especially given the scale. Everything the centre needs seemed to be there, it works, and seems pretty slick. The IT is sufficiently complex that I also don’t know how it’s been put together in the time available. There may be a load of swans paddling furiously under the surface, but if there are it doesn’t show.

I know we all moan about the NHS’s ability to get things done, and done properly, but from a patient’s perspective this one looks like a resounding success. I was really impressed.

** Patient Participation Group for a GP Practice. I’m Chairman of our group.

history, links, medical, natural history, science, sexuality

Monthly Links

And so for the last time this year here is my monthly round-up of links to items you may have previously missed. And this month we have a bumper crop …

Science, Technology, Natural World

Our favourite Cosmologist, Katie Mack, explains the vastness of space and the universe, and what it means. [LONG READ]

The Voyager spacecraft are still sending surprise data back to Earth after over 40years.

It looks as if Earth may have captured a 1960s rocket booster.

Even nearer to home, and following up on a report from a couple of months back, researchers continue to investigate fluorescence amongst Australia’s marsupials.

A non-native dormouse (below) has been found in England’s New Forest after apparently arriving from France as a stowaway.

Researchers are using ivory from a 16th-century shipwreck off Africa to discover more about African elephants.

Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have described over 150 new plant species this year; almost 20% are fungi and a third are orchids, including the world’s ugliest orchid. Six of the new species are from the UK.

Mistletoe is a much misunderstood plant. Here are two articles: the first about its strange parasitic way of life [LONG READ], the second about it’s strange genetics.

Scientists are coming to realise that there are many species which are so alike they’ve been classified as a single species; but now DNA is helping to separate them.

Finally in this section, we’re right back down to Earth … rocks mined over 200 years ago in Cornwall have yielded a hitherto unknown mineral, which has been christened Kernowite.

Sexuality

A more than slightly worrying account of FGM in Victorian England.

On how our medieval Christian ancestors did not treat sex with the utmost reverence, despite the protestations of Holy Mother Church.

Male masturbation has long been considered by society as shameful and harmful, but it is now receiving medical approval.

A few things here I didn’t know about the menopause (why would I?) although most I did.

Environment

2020 has been a good year for England’s beavers. Here are two BBC reports: first a general overview; and second on the first beaver dam on Exmoor for 400 years.

There’s a plan afoot to boost biodiversity by encouraging natural wildflower meadows on the verges of new roads in England.

Social Sciences, Business, Law

Two years ago Gatwick Airport was shut down by sightings of drones. The culprits have never been found and the whole incident remains mired in mystery, as the Guardian report. [LONG READ]

Art, Literature, Language

What’s on a 70-year-old roll of unprocessed film? Someone unidentified’s long lost holiday snaps.

A very amusing erotic Greek terracotta vase.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

Archaeologists have discovered a stunning collection of ancient rock art deep in the remote Amazon forest. Two reports from the Guardian and the BBC.

Meanwhile in England archaeologists have uncovered a large mid-5th-century mosaic at Chedworth Roman Villa.

29 December 2020 was thee 850th anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket; an event which shook the Middle Ages.

On the meaning of Advent in medieval times.

Refurbishment of an unpreposessing shop in the London suburb of Chipping Barnet has revealed a wooden framework dating from 14th-century.

London

IanVisits explores the mystery of Dick Whittington’s stone in Highgate.

Food, Drink

Well who would have guessed that we would have domesticated yeast by making bread?

There is a current suggestion that an appreciation of wine increases with age.

Lifestyle, Personal Development, Beliefs

2020 has seen many of us curtail the amount of personal grooming we do. Three women tell the Guardian about their experiences of changing their hair care routine.

And finally … scars tell the stories of our survival: five people tell Laura Dodsworth the stories of their scars.

That’s all folks! More next month, DV.

current affairs, medical, science

Are You Ready for False Side Effects?

A few days ago Derek Lowe** over at In the Pipeline, had a short post about the dangers of apparent side effects being wrongly attributed to the Covid-19 vaccine(s) – ie. false side effects.

We’re talking about treating very, very large populations, which means that you’re going to see the usual run of mortality and morbidity that you see across large samples. Specifically, if you take 10 million people and just wave your hand back and forth over their upper arms, in the next two months you would expect to see about 4,000 heart attacks. About 4,000 strokes. Over 9,000 new diagnoses of cancer. And about 14,000 of that ten million will die, out of usual all-causes mortality. No one would notice. That’s how many people die and get sick anyway.

But if you took those ten million people and gave them a new vaccine instead, there’s a real danger that those heart attacks, cancer diagnoses, and deaths will be attributed to the vaccine. I mean, if you reach a large enough population, you are literally going to have cases where someone gets the vaccine and drops dead the next day (just as they would have if they *didn’t* get the vaccine).

We need to remain alert for this, and ensure that others understand this. Because people get sick and die constantly. As Lowe goes on to say:

The key will be whether they are getting sick or dying at a noticeably higher rate once they have been vaccinated. No such safety signals have appeared [during] the first [vaccine trails] … we should be seeing the exact opposite effects on mortality and morbidity as more and more people get vaccinated …
I certainly think mass vaccination is the most powerful method we have to knock that back down to normal. That’s going to be harder to do, though, if we get screaming headlines about people falling over due to heart attacks after getting their vaccine shots. Be braced.

Yes, we need to be alert and realistic, but not ignore possible side effects. Remember that in the UK possible adverse reactions to any pharmaceutical can be reported by patients as well as clinicians through the Yellow Card Scheme.

** Derek Lowe gained a PhD in organic chemistry from Duke University. Since 1989 he’s worked for several major pharmaceutical companies on drug discovery projects against schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.