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WHO approves the world's first malaria vaccine
In a landmark announcement today, the World Health Organization has recommended the use of the first-ever malaria vaccine.
WhatsApp lets you use custom wallpapers for each chat
Now that it has launched disappearing messages, WhatsApp is trying to make regular ones more memorable. It has not only launched a selection of new wallpapers and stickers, but made it possible to customize chats for groups and individuals
Plague Inc.'s new 'The Cure' mode is free until the coronavirus pandemic ends
The new mode reverses the title’s usual gameplay loop in which you design a virus to wipe out the human race.
Russia’s ‘first’ COVID vaccine has health officials concerned
As nations and NGOs around the world scramble to develop a safe and effective vaccine against the coronavirus, Russia claimed on Tuesday to already have one. "A vaccine against coronavirus has been registered for the first time in the world this morning," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on state TV during a press conference outside his residence. "One of my own daughters has tested the vaccine," Putin continued.
WHO will launch a COVID-19 app for countries that don't make their own
The WHO is releasing a COVID-19 symptoms app in May to help underserved countries, and it may handle contact tracing as well.
Samsung's latest smartwatch app reminds you to wash your hands
Following Google and Wear OS, Samsung has created a hand washing app for its smartwatches.
Facebook warns users who 'interacted' with COVID-19 misinformation
Facebook will also expand its “Get the Facts” COVID-19 information center to Facebook News in the US.
Snapchat's new lens helps users donate to the WHO’s COVID-19 relief fund
Snapchat’s latest AR filter lets users donate directly to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. With the Snapchat camera, users can scan 23 international currencies in 33 countries. The AR filter will show how donations to the WHO are used for patient care, medical supplies and research.
Late-night hosts will help stream a COVID-19 benefit concert on April 18th
On April 18th, late night hosts and celebrities will participate in One World: Together At Home, a virtual benefit concert to raise money for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Save the world from a pandemic in the next 'Plague, Inc.' update
Plague, Inc. lets you become a mad scientist. You design a pathogen and release it upon the world, trigger certain evolutionary traits and -- if all goes according to plan -- wipe out the human race. The game came out eight years ago, but the relevance of the game during real-life events like the current coronavirus pandemic and the ebola outbreak of 2013 keep bringing people back for more. To help make the game a little less morbid, Ndemic Creations will add a new mode to Plague, Inc. that lets you take on the opposite role and save the world from a global disease. The designers are working with the World Health Organization, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and other groups to create an informative experience. Though a release date hasn't been announced, the update will be free for all players.
WhatsApp and WHO create a chatbot to share reliable coronavirus info
In an attempt to help users find accurate coronavirus information, WhatsApp and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a chatbot that will answer questions about the pandemic. When users text "hi" to the new WHO Health Alert (+41 79 893 1892), the service will respond with a series of prompts, the latest data and a few emojis. In addition to fighting misinformation on the platform, this could also help government decision-makers find the latest numbers and situation reports, WhatsApp says.
WhatsApp debuts coronavirus fact-checking hub
WhatsApp can be more than a messaging app -- in Europe, India and other parts of the world, it's a social network in its own right. To help avoid the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, the company -- which is owned by Facebook -- created an information hub that provides advice on how users can look after friends and family, stay cognizant of the latest developments and share verified information. The website was launched in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNDP, and is meant to help in more than just a social context -- healthcare providers, educators, local governments and businesses can learn how to best connect with one another while social distancing is advised.
Pinterest is combating coronavirus misinformation with custom search results
Pinterest is taking a proactive step to stop the spread of coronavirus-related misinformation. The company told The Verge it's introducing a "custom search experience" to ensure its users can get reliable information when they turn to the platform for information about the epidemic.
WHO joins TikTok to fight coronavirus misinformation
The World Health Organization clearly has an interest in putting a stop to coronavirus misinformation, and that's leading it to online destinations it wouldn't have considered before. The WHO has joined TikTok, and its first videos are, unsurprisingly, aimed at both reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 and setting the record straight. They explain how you can safeguard yourself and others against the virus, how to use a mask and whether or not you need a mask in the first place -- crucially, the WHO stresses that you don't need a mask if you aren't experiencing symptoms.
The WHO officially puts gaming on its list of addictions
The World Health Organization was putting its finishing touches on the eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) when it released a draft back in December. The early version of the document, which medical professionals will use like its predecessors as a baseline for classifying and defining diseases, included a condition for the first time in the ICD's history: Video game addiction. Today, the WHO finalized ICD-11 and left the gaming disorder in, enshrining it in the medical reference standard.
New tech 'addictions' are mostly just old moral panic
The World Health Organization took an unprecedented step in January when it decided to include "gaming disorder" in its 11th International Classification of Diseases (IDC). Though doctors and researchers have examined the effects of heavy internet usage since the days when access arrived on AOL CDs, this marks the first time that the organization has listed this disorder as a mental health condition. Doing so could have far-reaching, and potentially negative, implications for how the disorder is diagnosed and treated.
The WHO may add video games to its list of recognized addictions
The World Health Organization's ICD, or International Classification of Diseases, is used by medical professionals, scientists, researchers and more to define and classify diseases around the world. It's currently in its 10th revision (ICD-10), but the 11th revision has been in the works for years. Now, a draft for the ICD-11 has been released online (the final version is due in 2018), and it recognizes video game addiction on its list of conditions.
WHO: Pollution is killing millions of children each year
The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first report on children's health and the environment, showing that the effects of pollution are felt most strongly by the very young. Of the deaths of children under five, a quarter are caused by smog, second-hand smoke, inadequate hygiene, unsafe water and other environmental risks. "[Young children's] developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.
Ebola vaccine proves 100 percent effective in Guinea trial
An Ebola vaccine has proven to be 100 percent effective during test trials in Guinea. The shot has yet to be approved by a regulator, but Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has already committed $5 million so a stockpile of 300,000 doses can be produced. The results of the trial, which covered 11,841 citizens, were published in The Lancet medical journal this week. Of the 5,837 people who received the vaccine, none came down with Ebola after 10 days. (Those who showed symptoms before this time were not counted, as it was assumed they had been infected before vaccination.)
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Solar Impulse's trans-Pacific flight, and more!
The Solar Impulse airplane is on a mission to circle the globe using only the power of the sun, and this week it continued its journey by crossing the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, Tesla showed just how fast the Model S is by challenging a Boeing 747 to a drag race. An Italian company is turning vintage moped parts into some of the coolest electric bikes we've ever seen, and a Swedish cyclist created an all-weather bike that looks just like a car. And we've seen buses and vans turned into some pretty incredible things -- but Lee Broom's palatial gallery on wheels takes the cake.
