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Since the start of the pandemic, there’s been plenty of talk about how we can make sure our immune system is working at its best – which has led people to try everything from taking vitamin supplements and exercising regularly to buying viral “cures” peddled online. But it turns out that one of the most significant factors in how well our immune system works is what time of day it is.
This is because our immune system is controlled by our body clock, which determines where our immune cells are in our body at different times of the day. These cells migrate around the body throughout the day, moving to our lymph nodes as we sleep to learn about what pathogens we encountered while we were awake. This field of research is still emerging but it does look like time of day can have a big impact on many aspects of immune function — from how effective our medications will be, to the severity of an infection and even how well vaccines work.
Meanwhile, the latest Conversation Weekly podcast takes a look at the health of our oceans through an exploration of the ocean economy. We ask whether exploiting this valuable resource is sustainable – and who is really paying the price. And we asked an expert who has researched slavery in the US for over 20 years to review Barry Jenkins’ TV adaptation of acclaimed novel The Underground Railroad.
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Heather Kroeker
Commissioning Editor, Health + Medicine
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Our body clock has evolved over millions of years to help us survive.
kanyanat wongsa/ Shutterstock
Annie Curtis, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Our immune system is controlled by our "body clock" – an intricate 24-hour system which controls how cells function.
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What is a ‘blue acceleration’ doing to our oceans?
Avigator Fortuner/Shutterstock
Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Catesby Holmes, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation
Plus, why Brazilian women who lived through Zika are avoiding getting pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to episode 18 of The Conversation Weekly podcast.
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Thuso Mbedu is plays Cora in The Underground Railroad, a woman on the run to freedom in the north of the US.
Kyle Kaplan/Amazon Studios
Rebecca Fraser, University of East Anglia
At once tender and horrific, The Underground Railroad's use of visuals and sound beautifully portray the reality of slavery and its legacy in the US today.
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Politics + Society
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John Strawson, University of East London
Israeli politics are entering a new chapter. Here's what to expect from the coalition government forming to oust longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Oliver Mallett, University of Stirling; Abigail Marks, Newcastle University; Danny Zschomler, University of Stirling; Lila Skountridaki, University of Edinburgh
What we want from our working environment in future needs to be explored now so that the needs of employees and employers are equally and fairly considered.
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Jieyu Liu, SOAS, University of London
China will now allow couples to have up to three children -- but what is stopping families from welcoming this new policy?
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Kerstin Bree Carlson, Roskilde University
The Danish government has been clear that it prioritises politics over the law when it comes to its citizens who left to join the caliphate.
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Environment + Energy
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Jacob Phelps, Lancaster University
The lawsuit resembles earlier legal efforts to make tobacco companies remedy wrongdoing.
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Marta Baltruszewicz, University of Leeds
Firewood and charcoal are replaced with more energy-efficient electricity.
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Science + Technology
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Peter Halligan, Cardiff University; David A Oakley, UCL
Consciousness is sometimes referred to as 'the ghost' in the machinery of our brain. Is it time we gave up the ghost to focus on the machine?
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Sunita Sah, University of Cambridge
Over half of respondents in a recent study hadn't been asked for their opinions about returning to the office.
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Gail Iles, RMIT University
Venus wouldn't attract much attention if it were outside our solar system. Its skies are filled with sulphuric acid, its land abounds with extinct volcanoes and its surface is mostly red hot lava.
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Health + Medicine
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Cameron Watson, Queen Mary University of London; Jonathan Rogers, UCL
Non-specific illnesses, such as headache and fatigue, are common, as are mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety.
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Hassan Vally, La Trobe University
Sniffer dogs might one day be able to screen people for COVID-19 in large crowds.
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Arts + Culture
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Seema Patel, Nottingham Trent University
Brain injuries and the long-term health effects in professional sport have become significant issues in the past decade.
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Featured events
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Online, Birmingham, Warwickshire, B15 2TT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Birmingham
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Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Cardiff [Caerdydd GB-CRD], CF10 3BA, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — Cardiff University
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Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Cardiff [Caerdydd GB-CRD], CF10 3BA, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — Cardiff University
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Online, Birmingham, Warwickshire, B15 2TT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Birmingham
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