Apr 11, 2020
Saturday Links:
Stanford study shows link between forest loss and disease spread, Bitcoin boom, plus twitter highlights…
Short and sweet this morning. I am very busy (lazy), as I imagine you are.
***Please note that a posted link or tweet does not necessarily equal an endorsement of the author or the ideas expressed in the link or tweet, sometimes I may completely disagree with it, but nonetheless think it’s worth sharing for educational purposes. Thank you for your understanding.***
1. Stanford researchers show how forest loss leads to spread of disease
Viruses that jump from animals to people, like the one responsible for COVID-19, will likely become more common as people continue to transform natural habitats into agricultural land, according to a new Stanford study.
The study revealed how tropical forest loss in Uganda, “puts people at greater risk of physical interactions with wild primates and the viruses they carry.”
Unlike previous studies that examined the issue from primarily an ecological standpoint, the Stanford study is the first to integrate landscape-level ecological factors with individual-level behavioral factors and weigh risks to human health.
2. Bitcoin’s Next Boom Has Already Begun — Forbes
I have a casual interest in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology and I’m more than a little curious about how this pandemic will impact the space.
Things like India lifting its ban on banks facilitating cryptocurrency transactions fir into that mold:
Bitcoin and crypto banking services platform Cashaa India saw its trading volume rocket by 800% in the two days after the ban on the country’s banks facilitating cryptocurrency transactions was lifted.
It remains to be seen how crypto will emerge from this pandemic but it is nonetheless interesting to follow.
Twitter highlights…
As always, thanks for reading. Please stay safe, stay inside, follow the guidelines, and wear a mask if you can.
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