August Current Events 2023: Science & Technology News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the Science & Technology news events you need to know so far for August 2023.
- The Royal Mail Begins The First Drone Mail Delivery In The UK
- First Pill For Postpartum Depression Has Been Approved By The United States
- New Investigation Technique Halves The Time Required To Detect Polio
- New Wind-Powered Cargo Ship Embarks On Its Maiden Journey
The Royal Mail Begins The First Drone Mail Delivery In The UK
Photo Source: Getty Images
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 – Royal Mail and drone business Skyports launched the Orkney I-Port operation to send letters and parcels between the islands, making Orkney the first site in the U.K. to have mail delivered by drone. The multirotor drone can carry payloads weighing up to 6kg.
Because weather and terrain often disrupt delivery services, the drone service is intended to greatly enhance service levels and delivery times to Graemsay and Hoy while also bringing considerable safety gains by guaranteeing postal workers can travel between ports without risk. The director of Skyports Drone Services said: "With drone technology, there will be a revolution in mail services in remote communities, providing more efficient and punctual delivery while reducing the need for vehicles that produce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The service will be available for three months before being made permanent under existing regulatory standards. The project was financed by the Department of Transport's Freight Innovation Fund.
Source: BBC
First Pill For Postpartum Depression Has Been Approved By The United States
Photo Source: AP Photo/LM Otero
Friday, August 4, 2023 – A pill has been approved for postpartum depression in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration said Zuranolone had been approved as a pill to be taken once a day for two days. FDA confirmed that the treatment for postpartum used to be available as an intravenous injection only.
Tiffany Farchione, the head of psychiatry in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, “Postpartum depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition in which women experience sadness, guilt, and worthlessness. Some women sometimes have thoughts of harming themselves or the child.” She believes it would be beneficial if women coping with extreme feelings had access to oral medication.
The manufacturers of the drug, Sage Therapeutics, and Biogen, confirm that the pill is expected to be available this year.
Source: BBC
New Investigation Technique Halves The Time Required To Detect Polio
Photo Source: AP Photo/Arshad Butt
Thursday, August 17, 2023 – A study conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and funded by the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) discovered that polio could be detected in wastewater in half the time using a new technique, allowing public health officials to respond quickly to deadly outbreaks.
The new technique decreased the average testing time from 42 to 23 days while maintaining an accuracy rating of more than 99%. Accordingly, the approach can be customized to detect numerous diseases, setting the framework for broader disease surveillance. The rapidity at which the polio strains are detected quickly will allow vaccines to be made more quickly, thus reducing the number of polio cases caused by an outbreak.
Researchers also tried this method in the U.K. when Type 2 Poliovirus was found in London sewage between February and July 2022. This led to a catch-up vaccination program for children under 12 years old.
Source: The Guardian
New Wind-Powered Cargo Ship Embarks On Its Maiden Journey
Photo Source: AP Photo/Ted Jackson
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 – A cargo ship outfitted with massive, rigid sails designed in the United Kingdom has set sail on its inaugural journey. The Pyxis Ocean's first voyage from China to Brazil will provide the first real-world test of rigid sails — WindWings — and an opportunity to examine whether a return to traditional ship propulsion methods is the way forward for carrying goods at sea.
The WindWings sails are intended to reduce fuel usage and, thereby, the carbon impact of shipping. The shipping industry accounts for 2.1% of global carbon emissions and can now hope for a greener future as the new advancement makes it possible to reduce a ship's emissions by 30%.
The sails, which were manufactured in China with British Intelligence, are folded down when the ship is in port and raised when it is at sea. They measure 123 feet in height and are made of the same material as wind turbines to ensure their durability.
Source: BBC
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