Important Innovations

Promising Oxford University Vaccine Source:  Gilead Sciences Successful Gilead Sciences Treatment In the war against COVID-19, some good news.  Gilead Sciences' remdesivir has shown improvement in patients taking it to treat the virus. That, according to Gilead's own study.  On top of that, testing by the National Institution of Allergy and Infectious Disease also gave the drug "positive data" results in their own testing.  This news raised hopes on Wall Street that a treatment/cure is near and that the economy may be able to open safely again.  At the start of trading, the DJIA shot up 400 points and Gilead shares were up 9.3%. Promising Vaccine Meanwhile, researchers at Oxford University in the UK say they could  have a COVID-19 vaccine ready for humans by the 4th quarter of this year. Their experimental vaccine has proven effective in protecting monkeys from the virus.  Monkeys given the vaccin

Stop Gap Covid-19 Treatment Source:  DARPA Race to Stop COVID-19 in its Tracks The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency - DARPA - has been given the green light to fast track "mission critical" programs to fight and defeat the coronavirus,  which has infected nearly 1 million Americans.  DARPA is a global epicenter of breakthrough innovation. It has created the internet, Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing and  much more. Unique Stop Gap Therapy in the Pipeline Right now, DARPA is working on a therapy - what they're calling a "firewall" - that would temporarily  protect someone from contracting the disease.  It is a stop-gap therapy for use before a vaccine is created, which is expected sometime in 2021 at the earliest. Firewall P3 Platform DARPA wants their P3 Platform therapy  to work immediately in the patient and last for six months.  DARPA has identifi

Smart Robotic Field Hospital Source:  CloudMinds Caregiving Robots on the Frontlines With the insidious contagion of the coronavirus pandemic, robots are being increasingly used on the frontlines of COVID 19 patient care. Caregiving robots are fast, efficient and "contagion proof". With medical staff supervising remotely, they keep doctors and nurses out of harms way. Wuhan Smart Field Hospital Wuhan, China is where the  global pandemic started.  In a smart field hospital, they temporarily used a team of robots to care for COVID 19 patients.  The robots communicated with the patients, served them meals and took their temperatures. The robots were managed by the medical team remotely. The patients also wore wristbands that gathered their blood pressure and other vitals. The patients remained in the field hospital for just a few days. Future of Medicine This field hospital in China is a glimpse at

Earth Vibrating Substantially Less Source:  NASA Global Commerce and Life Profoundly Charged The coronavirus has had a profound impact on the planet  Earth.  Schools and universities are closed.  Businesses  are shuttered.  Retails malls, libraries, movie theaters, beaches, parks, professional sports and Broadway are all in pause. The world is in a shelter at home mode to stop the spread of the virus. Fewer trains are running and  flights are grounded.  Rush hour is no more. The result on planet Earth is unprecedented. The dramatic shutdown of global economic activity has resulted in the Earth vibrating a great deal less. Standing Still According to seismologists the planet Earth is virtually standing still.  Researchers in London, Brussels and Los Angeles have documented a 30 to 50% drop in ambient seismic noise since the pandemic lockdowns began.  They say this demonstrates that most people are sheltering in the safety of their ho