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Science In Action: Virus Test in a Suitcase

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Virus test in a suitcase

04/02/2016 GMT

Virus Test in a Suitcase

BBC World Service - Science In Action, Virus Test in a Suitcase

Virus test in a suitcase – can pocket-sized sequencers help monitor disease outbreaks?

Virus test in a suitcase; First real data on melting West Antarctic ice sheet; Bear gut microbes; New nuclear fusion experiment; Tarantulas in US.

Zika has been officially declared a global public health emergency, just three weeks after the World Health Organisation announced the Ebola epidemic in West Africa to be over. Reported cases of Zika infections are on the rise. The virus is thought to be linked to an increase in the number of cases of microcephaly – babies born with abnormally small heads. The WHO is calling on scientists to co-ordinate their efforts to find out more about the virus.  Being able to diagnose and monitor the disease quickly is crucial. The best results come from genome sequencing, which can be used to identify any type of pathogen. Dr Nick Loman tells us about a portable lab that has been tested with Ebola, which fits comfortably into a suitcase.

Real Data on Melting West Antarctic Ice Sheet 
Warming oceans cause Antarctic ice to melt. According to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, this could lead to a sea level rise by about three metres, which would be catastrophic for coastal communities. This study provides the first real geological data on what happened to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in previous warmer periods. Dr Andy Hein from Edinburgh University is part of the team that studied sediments on peaks protruding through ice in the Ellsworth Mountains.

Forest Management Affects Climate 
Forests are thought to be good for climate change mitigation, with the trees soaking up the carbon dioxide. However, the impact of planting trees and managing forests may not be as good as we thought. New research shows that over the past 250 years, the way European forests are managed has changed and this has led to considerable changes in the way forests affect climate. Dr Kim Naudts and her team have found out how Europe’s forests may actually contribute to climate change rather than mitigating it.

Bacteria Help Bears Hibernate
Bears binge eat every year to prepare for hibernation. New research shows that gut microbes help them adjust their metabolism.

Nuclear Fusion Experiment
German researchers have managed to turn hydrogen gas into plasma for a fraction of a second, starting off a new experiment they hope will pave the way for nuclear fusion.

A Spider Named Johnny Cash
Aphonopelma johnnycashi is one of 14 new species of tarantula discovered in the south-western United States.

(Photo: Ebola test in a suitcase being used in Guinea, © Tommy Trenchard/European Mobile Laboratories)

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