The Covid-19 vaccine roll-out has been one of the greatest achievements in modern medical history, saving hundreds of thousands of lives. But decisions made around the world meant that some of those most in need of a vaccine waited too long. However, research by Prof Carlos Alós-Ferrer of the University of Zurich in Frontiers in Public Health has shown that there is one maths procedure that can ensure a fair distribution of scarce vaccines across the globe – the Priority-Equality Protocol. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here
Merv
March 29, 2023
