|
|
|
|
Sifting through the litany of accusations levelled at the government by Dominic Cummings this week will be the work of a lifetime. Seven hours of testimony to MPs has delivered so many accusations of troubling behaviour that it’s hard to see the wood for the trees. So we’ve asked a team of experts to go through the material to help us work out which pieces of information are worth our attention.
Matt Flinders explains what Cummings was up to in what he chose to reveal about the government’s chaotic response to COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic – and what he chose to hold back.
Nina Marie Jörden and colleagues have identified the five most pressing questions that must be asked of government in the wake of these revelations. Meanwhile, Trish Greenhalgh has zeroed in on Cummings’ comments about the government focusing too much on handwashing in the early days of the pandemic and failing to understand that COVID is mainly an airborne disease.
And, since Cummings accused experts of succumbing to group-think in their pursuit of herd immunity in March 2020, Colin Fisher examines the phenomenon.
Meanwhile, in this week’s episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, scientists discuss a hugely significant change that has been made to the rules governing stem cell research.
There’s still time to support our unique form of expert journalism by donating to The Conversation. A big thank you to everyone who has donated so far – every contribution helps secure our future.
Donate now
|
Laura Hood
Politics Editor, Assistant Editor
|
|
|
EPA/UK Parliamentary Recording Unit
Matthew Flinders, University of Sheffield
He can’t pull the trigger now he has been ousted from his job at Number 10 -- but he can help direct the gun.
|
h.
Nina Marie Jörden, Loughborough University; Chris Zebrowski, Loughborough University; Daniel Sage, Loughborough University
The former adviser's seven-hour evidence session is full of strong lines to follow when the public inquiry into the pandemic response gets underway.
|
Nomad Soul/Shutterstock
Colin Fisher, UCL
Why do groups of knowledgable people sometimes all make the same flawed decisions?
|
Illustration of an early stage human embryo.
nobeastsofierce via Shutterstock
Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation
Plus, how a new wave of South African romcoms is reimagining Johannesburg. Listen to episode 17 of The Conversation Weekly podcast.
|
Arts + Culture
|
-
Lucy Rayfield, University of Bristol
It may seem strange to seek humour in the face of disaster, but our need to do so is ancient.
-
Bryan Yazell, University of Southern Denmark
These books reinforce preconceived notions about migration and ignore the fact that climate change has displaced people in affluent countries like the US.
-
Michael Nichols, Martin University
'WandaVision' reimagines stories from Egyptian and Greek mythology, as well as Buddhist tradition.
|
|
Health + Medicine
|
-
Trish Greenhalgh, University of Oxford
Look back in anger – and forward with better policies.
-
Deborah Tregunno, Queen's University, Ontario; Tracy J. Trothen, Queen's University, Ontario
To live well through and beyond the pandemic, we need to recognize the moral distress experienced by people, and especially health-care workers.
|
|
Environment + Energy
|
-
Simon Lewis, UCL; Alexander Koch, University of Hong Kong; Chris Brierley, UCL
Even this radical scenario wouldn't be as effective as it may first seem.
-
Gideon Mordecai, University of British Columbia
A study of viral variants finds Piscine orthoreovirus continuously spills over from farmed salmon to wild salmon.
|
|
|
|
Business + Economy
|
-
Simon Chadwick, EM Lyon; Paul Widdop, Leeds Beckett University
Chelsea and Manchester City have similar goals on and off the pitch.
|
|
Science + Technology
|
-
Françoise Baylis, Dalhousie University
In most countries, scientific research that uses human embryos has to halt after the 14th day. New guidelines recommend the public's input in extending the time period.
|
|
| |
Featured events
|
|
Outreach, CHE 3.26, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of East Anglia
|
|
Edinburgh Napier University, Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of, EH105DT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — Edinburgh Napier University
|
|
Online, Birmingham, Warwickshire, B15 2TT, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — University of Birmingham
|
|
Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Cardiff [Caerdydd GB-CRD], CF10 3BA, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — Cardiff University
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
