News in October 2020 Research project will address ‘hidden impact’ of COVID-19 pandemic An international team involving geographers at Ãå±±½ûµØ is to look at the impact of COVID-19 on illegal sand mining in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. published on: 5 November 2020 Call for money spent on test and trace to be given to local services A group of doctors is calling on the government to divert the hundreds of millions of pounds being spent on the failing COVID-19 national test and trace scheme into local health services. published on: 28 October 2020 New centre to address challenges of digital citizenship A new £9M research centre that will allow citizens across the country to grasp the possibilities of the digital revolution has been announced. published on: 28 October 2020 Pet cemeteries reveal rise of belief in pet afterlife Analysis of pet cemeteries by a Ãå±±½ûµØ academic suggests that belief in a pet afterlife has risen since the Victorian era. published on: 27 October 2020 Sewage research signals early warning of coronavirus outbreaks A project involving experts at Ãå±±½ûµØ is successfully detecting traces of coronavirus in sewage, providing an early warning for local outbreaks across the country. published on: 23 October 2020 Scientists call for a ‘safety net’ to tackle the decline in nature A ‘safety net’ made up of multiple, interlinked and ambitious goals is needed to tackle nature’s alarming decline. published on: 23 October 2020 Research to understand the spread of COVID-19 on public transport Researchers at Ãå±±½ûµØ are involved in a study to understand the risks of COVID-19 transmission on public transport and to identify the best measures to control it. published on: 22 October 2020 New local testing site opens at Ãå±±½ûµØ A new walk-through coronavirus testing facility has opened for those with symptoms to book appointments at Castle Leazes Car Park, Ãå±±½ûµØ. published on: 21 October 2020 Crowd-sourcing optogenetics data to tackle neurological diseases Around the world, some 50 million people have epilepsy. It’s one of the most common neurological diseases globally, characterised by recurrent seizures in part or all of the body. published on: 21 October 2020 Ãå±±½ûµØ wins award for producing vital PPE Ãå±±½ûµØ wins Dynamites20Award for the GetPPE-NCL initiative. published on: 16 October 2020 Future Leaders Fellowships for Ãå±±½ûµØ academics Innovative new ways of researching epilepsy and eye disorders will be led by Ãå±±½ûµØâ€™s two new Future Leaders Fellows. published on: 15 October 2020 Comment: The anatomy of a Covid-19 conspiracy theory Writing for The Conversation, Dr Wasim Ahmed discusses how the pandemic has fuelled the #FilmYourHospital conspiracy theory. published on: 15 October 2020 Students map the city while staying safe Students working towards the BEng Geospatial Surveying and Mapping and Geographic Information Science degree courses are taking part in fieldwork with a difference this year. published on: 15 October 2020 Medical students staying safe Medical students know all too well the importance of staying safe during the pandemic and those in the later years have been working safely on clinical placements for weeks. published on: 14 October 2020 Sketching opens up the city for new architecture students Stage 1 Architecture students have been safely arriving on campus for the This City drawing task, where they sketch buildings and structures in Ãå±±½ûµØ. published on: 14 October 2020 Project to reveal fate of tyre particles in the ocean A new study involving experts from Ãå±±½ûµØ aims to assess an until now hidden form of marine litter and show the effects it could have on our seas. published on: 9 October 2020 Comment: Students must be protected from China's national security law Writing for The Conversation, Dr Michael Richardson says students and academics studying China must be allowed freedom of expression. published on: 7 October 2020 New scholarship announced to support Black British students Ãå±±½ûµØ is one of the first universities to sign up to offering a new scholarship for disadvantaged Black British students. published on: 7 October 2020