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In a major breakthrough an international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, has potentially identified what makes SARS-CoV-2 highly infectious and able to spread rapidly in human cells. The findings, published in Science today [20 October] describe how the virus’s ability to infect human cells can be reduced by inhibitors that block a newly discovered interaction between virus and host, demonstrating a potential anti-viral treatment.

Over the last years, there has been an exponential increase in investment in quantum technologies worldwide. The global effort for #publicfunding has been boosted. It is an amazing and exciting time of innovation in this new second quantum revolution. We have summarised the main programs and efforts around the world below. It is not a quantum race. It is a global ecosystem to develop new #quantum technology! It might be outdated by now, but it gives an idea 💡 and add to it the latest announced investments. However, this is not the real deal. Most are disguised under other initiatives such as the ones carried by the DOE in the US.


Over the last years there has been an exponential increase on investment in quantum technologies worldwide. The global effort for public funding has been boosted. It is an amazing and exciting time of innovation in this new second quantum revolution.

We have summarised the main programs and efforts around the world below. It is not a quantum race, it is a global ecosystem to develop the new quantum technology!

Canada is considered one of the world’s leading nations in quantum research. It has invested more than $1 billion in quantum research over the past decade [1].

A team of New York University scientists has developed a method using holographic imaging to detect both viruses and antibodies. The breakthrough has the potential to aid in medical diagnoses and, specifically, those related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our approach is based on physical principles that have not previously been used for diagnostic testing,” explains David Grier, a professor of physics at NYU and one of the researchers on the project, which is reported in the journal Soft Matter. “We can detect and viruses by literally watching them stick to specially prepared test beads.”

If fully realized, this proposed test could be done in under 30 minutes, is highly accurate, and can be performed by minimally trained personnel. Moreover, the method can test for either the (current infection) or antibodies (immunity).

First in a series of Longevity Dialogues. Suggestions for future focus encouraged.


Host Mark Sackler conducts a lively discussion on issues involved with the anticipated implementation and implications of radical life extension. With XPrize innovation board member Sergey Young, and futurist authors David Wood and Jose Cordeiro.

Airborne taxis are coming?


“Flying taxis” will start taking off from an aerodrome north of Paris as soon as next June, operators said, in a trial ahead of a vast tourist influx for the 2024 Olympics.

The experiment will take place at the Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin aerodrome some 90 minutes northwest of the capital by car, according to a joint announcement by the Ile-de-France region, airports operator Groupe ADP and the RATP public transport agency.

A drone-like, fully-electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (VTOL) dubbed VoloCity, produced by German company Volocopter, was chosen for the innovative trial with flying taxis in a peri-urban area, they said.