Martin Fugate and Elizabeth Smith looked like anyone else in the 1820s, but they both carried a recessive gene that causes people to produce excessive amounts of methemoglobin, the blue compound in blood. The result? Many of their children had blue skin, and the limited dating pool and lack of transportation meant that more and more blue-skinned Fugates have been born ever since. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
