Catching a cold is never a good thing — even just a mild one can be extremely irritating. But it turns out, there might be one saving grace about the viruses responsible for the common cold, particularly a type called rhinoviruses. A new study shows that if you’re infected with a common cold rhinovirus and coronavirus at the same time, the former might play a role in protecting you from the latter.

When you’re infected with a cold, your immune system produces virus-killing molecules called interferons. The body produces these interferons much faster and in bigger quantities in response to a rhinovirus, compared to other kinds of virus. By studying cells that replicate the respiratory tract, scientists have shown that being infected with a rhinovirus and coronavirus at the same time suppresses the replication of the coronavirus. But, once the cold has gone away, you’re no longer protected from coronavirus.

Speaking of protection, state-backed cyber attacks are expected to become more common in future. The UK has recently created a “National Cyber Force” tasked with developing responses to them – including the option to use nuclear weapons. But, philosophers say, the response to cyber warfare is not as clear as the response to conventional warfare, and requires careful ethical consideration.

A recent survey asked Britons what they think are the most serious forms of inequality today, against the backdrop of COVID-19. Just over half (51%) said geographical inequalities (between more and less deprived areas of the country) were one of the most serious types of inequality – more than for race or gender.

Abigail Beall

Science and Tech Editor

The common cold is usually caused by a rhinovirus. Shutterstock/fizkes

The common cold might protect you from coronavirus – here’s how

Matthew James, Queen's University Belfast

Rhinoviruses may play a critical role in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among the human population.

seaonweb/Shutterstock

Should cyberwar be met with physical force? Moral philosophy can help us decide

Christopher J. Finlay, Durham University

Cyber attacks have created new dilemmas for philosophers who determine the ethics of war.

Regional inequality has been a key theme in British politics since the Brexit referendum. Alamy

British people see geographical inequalities as most pressing – not gender or race

Bobby Duffy, King's College London

Differences between regions has been a major political theme in recent years and it shows in the polling.

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