Episode 3: Latest research on COVID, a deep-dive into Zika virus disease and other exciting news

In this episode of science factory, we have: latest research findings that address what helped COVID virus jump from bats to humans, the cause of COVID associated secondary infections, how our immune system responds to COVID and the effect of COVID on mental health. We also discuss: fatty acids that can help us live longer, a new fiber material synthesized using bacteria that is supposedly stronger than steel, link between a diabetes medicine and Parkinson’s disease and a deep dive into the Zika virus disease-------------------Music: The Get Away by Mr Smith. Accessed from Free Music Archive under a CC BY 4.0 license. Used without any changes.------------------References: Single mutation in SARS-CoV-2 helped it jump species: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.07.007; COVID infection destroys ciliary lining of the respiratory tract: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24521-x; Immune response to COVID: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003656; COVID and eating disorders among adolescents: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052201; Omega-3 fatty acids: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab195; Spider silk from recombinant bacteria: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.1c02944; Metformin: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/15/eabg4544.full; Zika virus: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/overview.html; Zika virus: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/zika-virus/symptoms-causes/syc-20353639-----------------------------------