Links

A US schoolteacher says she spent five hours in voluntary self-isolation in a plane's toilet after testing positive for Covid-19 mid-flight.Marisa Fotieo says she felt her throat hurt while travelling from Chicago to Reykjavik, in Iceland, on 20 December.

Confederate monuments taken down in Richmond, Virginia, will likely be moved to a black history museum and cultural centre, officials have said. An imposing statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee that was removed in September is expected to be among the monuments being transferred.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.A $10bn glittering jewel recedes into the distance. This is the moment the James Webb Telescope came off the top of its rocket to begin its mission to image the first stars to shine in the cosmos.

Elon Musk has rejected claims that his Starlink satellite internet project is taking up too much room in space. His comments come after a claim by the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) that Mr Musk was "making the rules" for the emerging commercial space industry.

A TV special reuniting members of the Harry Potter cast has received mixed reviews from critics, with many noting the absence of author JK Rowling.There has been speculation that the writer was shut out of the programme after her previous comments about trans people divided public opinion.

Image source, Getty ImagesJohannesburg, South Africa"So now finally, we're on the map," says Philip Balhoa about Lüderitz, a town in southern Namibia, where harsh desert meets pale ocean.

The birds, also known as budgerigars (budgies) were delivered in two batches by the son of their owner who had kept them in one room, in what the shelter called "a very unhealthy situation". A first batch of 497 birds - crammed into seven cages - were dropped off on 23 December.

Featuring Neil Sloane. Visit https://gift.climeworks.com/numberphile to give the gift of CO₂ removal. Use code NUMBERPHILE10 for 10% off your purchase in December (sponsor) More links & stuff in full description below ↓↓↓ Neil Sloane is the founder of The OEIS: https://oeis.org More videos

Earlier this year, Raja and Priti Narasimhan kicked off a road trip across India armed with one message: stop spitting in public. The couple carried a loudspeaker and blared their message from inside a car covered in anti-spitting slogans.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.By the entrance to the new Uri Geller Museum, overlooking the sparkling sea in Jaffa, lies, appropriately enough, the world's largest steel spoon - 16.18m (53ft 1in) long.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.The $10bn James Webb telescope has left Earth on its mission to show the first stars to light up the Universe.The observatory was lifted skyward by an Ariane rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

How did Hubble discover the expansion of the universe? Thank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring today's video. Click here for 10% off your first month - https://betterhelp.com/physicsgirl Support Physics Girl videos → https://www.patreon.com/physicsgirl Creator/Host: Dianna Cowern Editor: Levi B

France and its 15 allies in Europe and Canada have condemned what they say is the deployment of Russian mercenaries to Mali. They said it could "further deteriorate the security situation in West Africa", which is battling Jihadist groups.

Featuring Matt Parker - more Parker links below. Check out Brilliant (get 20% off their premium service): https://brilliant.org/numberphile (sponsor) More links & stuff in full description below ↓↓↓ MATT PARKER STUFF Stand-Ups Maths on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/standupmaths Matt's

Scientists have compiled the world's oldest family tree from human bones interred at a 5,700-year-old tomb in the Cotswolds, UK. Analysis of DNA from the tomb's occupants revealed the people buried there were from five continuous generations of one extended family.

Dubbed Taste-the-TV, ten canisters spray flavour onto a "hygienic film" which is rolled over the screen for the viewer to lick. If made commercially, the TV would cost $875 (£735), he estimated.

Scientists have uncovered evidence for a large-scale, prehistoric migration into Britain that may be linked to the spread of Celtic languages. The mass-movement of people originated in continental Europe and occurred between 1,400 BC and 870 BC.

A Roman-era gold ring bearing an image used by early Christians to symbolise Jesus has been found by archaeologists off Israel's Mediterranean coast.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.A poor weather forecast has pushed back the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope by a further day.Concerns about high-level winds at the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana mean it won't now happen until 25 December.

Analog computers were the most powerful computers for thousands of years, relegated to obscurity by the digital revolution. This video is sponsored by Brilliant. The first 200 people to sign up via https://brilliant.org/veritasium get 20% off a yearly subscription. Thanks to Scott Wiedemann for the

Now, research led by the California-based scientist has revealed that mother elephant seals can pick out their own baby's voice just two days after pups are born. This ability helps pups - and mothers - survive during a precarious time.

The rapidly changing state of the world makes planning in the face of complex interconnected problems a formidable challenge. Our ability to conceive adequate solutions and strategies is often undermined by our lack of understanding of the nature of problems in their wider context.

Walkers out in the foggy conditions at the weekend captured an unusual weather phenomenon. Jonny Oldbury, who was walking solo for the first time in the Derbyshire hills, said it was "quite spooky" to see.