Science In Action

Covid in the sewers


Listen Later

Analysis of wastewater from sewage systems has provided an early warning system for the presence of Covid-19 in communities – showing up in the water samples before people test positive. It’s also possible to identify the variants and even specific genetic mutations. Davida Smyth of Texas A&M University has been using this technique in New York and found intriguing results - forms of the virus not present in humans. The suggestion is that mutated forms may be infecting other animals, possibly those present in the sewers.

An analysis of long Covid, symptoms of fatigue, and ‘brain fog’ which occur long after initial infection, show that around a quarter of those infected develop these symptoms. Lucy Cheke of Cambridge University discusses the implications.

The war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of the region in supplying raw materials and energy to other countries, gas, cereal crops, and fertilisers in particular. As crop scientist John Hammond from Reading University explains, the stopping of fertiliser exports from Russia, in particular, could impact food security in many countries.

And with unseasonal fires already burning in the Western US Caroline Juang of Columbia University’s Earth Observatory gives us her analysis of the driving factors in the intensification of fires year-on-year.

(Image: USA, New York, steam coming out from sewer. Credit: Westend61/Getty Images)

Presenter: Roland Pease

Producer: Julian Siddle

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Science In ActionBy BBC World Service

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

315 ratings


More shows like Science In Action

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,420 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,810 Listeners

The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

The Naked Scientists Podcast

605 Listeners

Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

Nature Podcast

759 Listeners

Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

Science Magazine Podcast

812 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,671 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

406 Listeners

5 Live Science Podcast by BBC Radio 5 Live

5 Live Science Podcast

110 Listeners

Health Check by BBC World Service

Health Check

84 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,747 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,078 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

889 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

973 Listeners

Ask the Naked Scientists by Dr Chris Smith

Ask the Naked Scientists

78 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,076 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,043 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

239 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

355 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

398 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

784 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

477 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,173 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,960 Listeners

The world, the universe and us by New Scientist

The world, the universe and us

108 Listeners

The Great Post Office Trial by BBC Radio 4

The Great Post Office Trial

35 Listeners