Online Players Help fight Covid-19

from Bristol Direct Local Weekly Magaizne 12- 19th November 2020

Local Champions

Online players have contributed to Covid-19 research

EVE Online's community is vast, globe-spanning, and pretty hardcore about their favorite game. However, in 2020, their passion has been turned toward considerably more productive goals. In partnership with scientists from McGill University, over 171,000 EVE players have contributed to Covid-19 research. If you're wondering how playing a game could possibly have any discernible impact on the fight against Covid-19, let us elaborate. By completing special in-game tasks and mini games, players can categorize cells and help researchers better understand the virus and how it attacks the human immune system.

You don't need any specialized knowledge or a scientific background; the in-game tutorial explains everything you need to know. Contributing to the effort does lead to various in-game rewards, as well as a higher "Project Discovery" ranking.

So far, the 171,000 gamers mentioned before have completed more than 47 million tasks, equating to about 36 years of categorizing cells. Those are some astounding results, and it goes to show that gamers are willing to band together for the common good when given the opportunity to do so. According to the BBC, which first reported on this news, many players were happy to participate because the minigames gave them a way to better understand scientific research without needing any specialized knowledge.

Furthermore, they were able to help out from the comfort of their own home, so any difficulties that volunteering in-person may have caused did not factor in here.

For our part, we're happy to see the gaming community contribute to such an important cause, and we're even more pleased that those contributions have proven useful. For more information on Project Discovery (created by EVE's developers, CCP Games), including participation details, check out the official page here.

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You wouldn’t expect to see red wine in a chocolate brownie recipe but it really works — give it a go!

Ingredients

100g 70% cocoa dark chocolate 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 200g Light brown soft sugar 2 Eggs, lightly beaten 100ml Red wine (we used Shiraz) 100g Co-op plain flour 50g Cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp mixed spice Zest of 1 small orange

Feeds 12 Ready 1 Hour

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ Gas 4

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl, then set aside to cool for 5 mins

Meanwhile, lightly grease a 20cm square baking tin with butter and line with greaseproof paper

Stir the sugar, beaten egg, wine, flour, cocoa, mixed spice and orange zest into the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat thoroughly, then pour into the tin

Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins, until just set

Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully in the tin before turning out

Dust with extra cocoa powder, then cut into 12 squares to serve

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Thank you for your efforts during the first six days of our second national lockdown. We’ve all got to do our best to follow the guidance in order to get Bristol's COVID-19 figures down. The spread is real and rising - Bristol's rate is 422.3 new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days (up to the 5 November). This represents 1,957 positive cases reported for Bristol over the past seven days (up until 5 November) from 14,103 community tests. Our figures remain above the England average of 245.1 per 100,000.

Our new COVID marshals began work last Friday. They are here to help us safe, keep areas COVID-secure and remind people of the rules. During lockdown we will continue engaging with communities and the public, helping to explain the rules, and taking on local contact tracing. I'm pleased to say that a new drive-through testing unit has opened at Brislington Park and Ride. Testing at the site will run on a strictly appointment-only basis. Current Government guidance is that only those with symptoms should have a test, which you can book at nhs.uk/coronavirus, or by calling 119.

Finally, I welcome the Government's U-turn on the campaign for free school meals for those children who receive them to continue this Christmas and over the Easter, summer and Christmas period during 2021. Bristol had already made a commitment that our most vulnerable children would be fed, and I am pleased that we will now have the support committed so we can build on our partnerships to continue to deliver for our children.

A big thank you again and please stay safe.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

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