Podcast: COVID-19 human trials, air pollution monitoring and better plastics

In this edition: Launching human challenge trials for COVID-19, a new air pollution monitoring network for London, and fully biodegradable plastics.

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News: Potential new physics and climate change innovation – Imperial physicists are part of a team that have found hints of a new kind of physics, and a new centre for climate change innovation launches to help accelerate the transition to net zero emissions.

Infecting people with COVID-19 – We hear from the investigators behind the world’s first ‘human challenge’ clinical trial for COVID-19, which will purposefully infect people with the virus behind the disease to see how the infection progresses and how drugs and vaccines could work against it.

Helping London breathe – We meet a researcher behind the new Breathe London network of affordable air pollution monitors, which are being deployed across London to help local communities understand and tackle their pollution issues.

Biodegradable and recyclable plastic – We chat to the CEO of Polymateria about their breakthrough food packaging plastic, which can break down within a year in the environment and can also be recycled into flower pots or pallets.

This is an extract from the IB Green Minds podcast, produced by students on the Business School’s MSc in Climate Change, Management & Finance. You can listen to the full episode on the IB Podcasts website.

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The podcast is presented by Gareth Mitchell, a lecturer on Imperial's MSc Science Communication course and the presenter of Digital Planet on the BBC World Service, with contributions from our roving reporters in the Communications and Public Affairs Division.