Reading in the news - Thu 28 Jan

COVID-19: expert comment on the coronavirus pandemic 

• Dr Simon Clarke (Biological Sciences) spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live on passing the 100,000 deaths mark and what could have been done to prevent it; LBC Radio on vaccine production issues; and BBC Radio Berkshire about schools being closed until March.
• Dr Clarke is also quoted in BBC News Online and Daily Mail about virus prevalence in England; and The Telegraph in an article on the vaccine priority list.
• Dr Jane Parker (Food) features in this BBC News Online article on people who have suffered from parosmia, a condition that sees people finding everyday smells repulsive, as a result of catching Covid-19.
• Comment from Prof Ian Jones (Biological Sciences) features in this Guardian article on reports that the new UK Covid variant is starting to display different symptoms. The comments are also picked up by Brinkwire and Indonesian site Skanaa.

Flexible flight paths: Bloomberg, IFL Science, Hindustan Times, World News Monitor and Science Daily cover the study led by PhD researcher Cathie Wells (Meteorology) showing that airlines can save fuel and emissions by redirecting aircraft depending on jet stream currents. Cathie also spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire about her research and further coverage is seen in the American Journal of Transportation Online, Emirates Business, Knowridge Science Report, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and other international sites. Read our news story, and watch a video about the study here.

Link between fish consumption and asthma: Dr Alister McNeish (Pharmacology) provides expert comment for the Daily Mail on a study which claims that eating oily fish in childhood can significantly reduce the chances of developing asthma later on. The story is also picked up by MSN New Zealand and other news aggregation sites.

Other coverage

• Marcus Dowse (Erasmus & Study Abroad Manager) has written a piece for Times Higher Education on why UK universities need to embrace the new Turing scheme.
• Prevention Web reproduces the Carbon Brief blog by PhD researcher Helen Griffith (Geography) on atmospheric rivers and the part they played in the flooding across parts of the UK this month. Read our news story.
• Retail Times covers the EIT Food Trust Report, which has shown that consumer trust in the food sector has increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read our news story.
• Amman Daily News reports on a project co-led by Professor Steve Mithen (Archaeology) supporting a Jordanian community to use tourism to boost livelihoods. Read our news story.
• BBC Radio Berkshire replayed the interview with Prof Kate Williams (History) about a new Channel 5 documentary she is presenting, called ‘The Secrets of the Royal Palaces'.
• An article in Stuff.nz on the four-day working week references research from Henley Business School which found that companies that moved to a shorter week found an increase in productivity.
• Prof Rebecca Rist (History) has written an account of the First Crusade for History Extra.
• SME Asia covers the butterfly-themed art installation in a street in Hong Kong to celebrate Chinese New Year. The article mentions the organisers are working with local artist and Reading graduate Josh Tang.