Research finds hormone that indicates fertility at lower levels in vapers and tobacco smokersWomen should give up vaping if they are hoping to get pregnant, according to a study that suggests it may affect fertility.In the first research to demonstrate a link between fertility prospects and electronic cigarettes across a large population, analysis of blood samples from 8,340 women revealed that people who vape or smoke tobacco had lower levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), which indicates how many eggs women have left in their ovaries. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6MC6D)
Therapy has remarkable medical potential but experts say private clinics making far-reaching claims operate in regulatory grey zoneStem cells have become a favoured miracle treatment among the rich and famous, with Kim Kardashian reportedly a fan of stem cell facials and Cristiano Ronaldo turning to stem cell injections after a hamstring injury.The latest to extol their benefits is the Monty Python actor John Cleese, who suggests that stem cells could hold the secret to eternal youth - or, at least, buy him a few extra years". Continue reading...
Excitement among patients and researchers as custom-built jabs enter phase 3 trialDoctors have begun trialling in hundreds of patients the world's first personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for melanoma, as experts hailed its gamechanging" potential to permanently cure cancer.Melanoma affects about 132,000 people a year globally and is the biggest skin cancer killer. Currently, surgery is the main treatment although radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used. Continue reading...
Global warming and international trade offering increasingly hospitable environmentSome are small and jumpy; others are large and intimidating - if you're a humble housefly. Exotic spiders are flourishing in Britain as international trade offers ample opportunities for spider travel and global heating provides an increasingly hospitable climate.A jumping spider new to science has been identified living on the Penryn campus in Cornwall, home to the University of Exeter and Falmouth University. The nearest known relative of the 3-4mm-long Anasaitis milesae is found in the Caribbean, making it highly likely that this tiny species - alongside 17 other non-native jumping spider species - found its way to Britain from distant climes. Continue reading...
DeBose's brilliant rookie astronaut navigates this moderately tense thriller about US and Russian crew fighting as Earth blazes belowAt first, the crew on board the International Space Station (ISS) mistake the tiny dot of fire on Earth for a volcano. But look: there's another, and another. In fact, these astronauts have got a bird's eye view of a nuclear tit-for-tat between the Russian and American governments that by the end of the movie turns the planet into a great glowing ball of fire. But for the six-person crew - three Americans and three Russians - nuclear Armageddon is only the start of their problems.A lowish-budget, slightly muted survival thriller - moderately tense, with too few ideas to qualify as actively cerebral - what the movie does have is a brilliant performance by West Side Story's Ariana DeBose as biologist and rookie astronaut Kira. Like all the characters here, she's a bit too thinly sketched, but DeBose brings real warmth and likability to the part, making Kira easy to root for. And there are some interesting moments as she adjusts to zero gravity. Continue reading...
Stark new projections suggest annual admissions will rise to 151,000, costing the NHS and economy 75bnThe number of people in the UK experiencing a stroke will increase more than 50% to 151,000 a year by 2035, costing the NHS and the economy 75bn in healthcare and lost productivity, stark new projections suggest.Worsening physical health, rising alcohol consumption and low exercise levels among an ageing population as well as a failure by ministers and the health service to do more to prevent ill health are blamed for the predicted spike in strokes. Continue reading...
Researchers also find zebra finches 20% less likely to hatch from eggs if exposed to noise pollutionNoise pollution from traffic stunts growth in baby birds, even while inside the egg, research has found.Unhatched birds and hatchlings that are exposed to noise from city traffic experience long-term negative effects on their health, growth and reproduction, the study found. Continue reading...
My grandfather, Brian Haywood, who has died aged 91, spent his career working as a nuclear physicist, mainly at the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell in Oxfordshire.He was born in Birmingham to Vi and Hal, who ran a haberdashery shop. An only child, Brian lived through much of the blitz and spent the evenings in an air-raid shelter. He attended Bearwood Road school, then obtained a scholarship to King Edward VI Five Ways grammar school, and in his first year was evacuated to Monmouth with his classmates. He stayed here for a year. Continue reading...
Many report symptoms lasting two years or longer and about 1.5m say disease affects day-to-day activitiesAbout 2 million people in England and Scotland say they are experiencing long Covid, figures reveal, with many reporting their symptoms have lasted two years or longer.The findings were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and cover the period from November 2023 to March 2024, revealing of those who reported having long Covid, about 1.5 million people - about three-quarters- felt their day-to-day activities were affected, while 381,000 people - about a fifth - said their ability to undertake such activities had been limited a lot". Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6MB1A)
As bird flu is confirmed in 33 cattle herds across eight US states, Ian Sample talks to virologist Dr Ed Hutchinson of Glasgow University about why this development has taken scientists by surprise, and how prepared we are for the possibility it might start spreading among humansRead more Guardian reporting on this topic Continue reading...
by Anna Bawden Health and social affairs corresponden on (#6MAWJ)
Cambridge study finds those from poorest areas have 35% higher risk of second non-breast cancerFemale survivors of breast cancer living in the most deprived areas have a 35% higher risk of developing second, unrelated cancers, compared with those from the most affluent areas, research shows.Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with about 56,000 people being told they have it each year. Improved diagnosis and treatments mean that five-year survival rates are now 86% in England. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6MAP1)
Industry's sugar substitute E961 can have toxic effect on health', says study finding sweetener capable of damaging intestinal bacteriaA sweetener used in cakes, soft drinks and chewing gum can seriously damage people's health by weakening the gut, a new study has found.Consumption of even a small amount of the sweetener neotame can lead to someone starting to suffer irritable bowel syndrome, insulin resistance, and even sepsis, a condition that kills about 40,000 in Britain a year. Continue reading...
Study reveals repurposing of ecologically vital land for homes or agriculture is happening particularly rapidly in AsiaEstuaries - the place where a river meets the ocean - are often called the nurseries of the sea". They are home to many of the fish we eat and support vast numbers of birds, while the surrounding salt marsh helps to stabilise shorelines and absorb floods.However, a new study shows that nearly half of the world's estuaries have been altered by humans, and 20% of this estuary loss has occurred in the past 35 years. Continue reading...
Dabrafenib with trametinib can halt growth of some tumours for more than three times as long as standard chemotherapy, study showsThe NHS is to offer children with brain tumours in England a groundbreaking new targeted drug therapy to tackle the disease - a development charities are hailing as the biggest breakthrough in decades.Gliomas are the most common type of brain cancer in children but experts say the standard treatment of chemotherapy can be brutal and gruelling, and also carries the risk of side-effects such as weight loss, seizures and headaches. Continue reading...
Full and part skeletons found in Mexico reveal body shape and anatomy of Ptychodus as well as its likely dietFossil experts say they have gained unprecedented insights into a type of enormous prehistoric shark, after finding complete skeletons of the creatures.The specimens, discovered in small quarries in north-eastern Mexico within the last decade, belong to Ptychodus - a creature that roamed the seas from around 105m to 75m years ago. Continue reading...
Engineers spent months working to repair link with Earth's most distant spacecraft, says space agencyEarth's most distant spacecraft, Voyager 1, has started communicating properly again with Nasa after engineers worked for months to remotely fix the 46-year-old probe.Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which makes and operates the agency's robotic spacecraft, said in December that the probe - more than 15bn miles (24bn kilometres) away - was sending gibberish code back to Earth. Continue reading...
Polish director Besaleel's film will feature an AI-rendered Russian president and footage shot by Ukrainian film-makers during the Russian invasionThe world premiere" of a new biopic of Russian president Vladimir Putin featuring an AI-rendered central character, has been announced for 26 September. In a statement released via PR Leap, Polish studio AIO said the film, titled Putin, will be released in 35 countries, and describes itself as up close and personal with the Kremlin leader's story".First announced in May 2022, Putin is the English-language debut of Polish director Besaleel, also known as Patryk Vega, who was responsible for a string of homegrown box-office hits characterised by grisly violence and glossy production values including Pitbull, Mafia Women and Botoks. Continue reading...
by Presented by Madeleine Finlay with Nicola Davis, p on (#6M93V)
Labradors are known for being greedy dogs, and now scientists have come up with a theory about the genetic factors that might be behind their behaviour. Science correspondent and flat-coated retriever owner Nicola Davis visits Cambridge University to meet Dr Eleanor Raffan and Prof Giles Yeo to find out how understanding this pathway could help us treat the obesity crisis in humans Continue reading...
With Bennell-Pegg unlikely to go to space anytime soon, there are questions about the value of the spending by the cash-strapped Australian space program
Researchers find memorable images make time feel slower because we are trying to gather more information about themIf every day appears to go in a blur, try seeking out new and interesting experiences, researchers have suggested, after finding memorable images appear to dilate time.Researchers have previously found louder experiences seem to last longer, while focusing on the clock also makes time dilate, or drag. Continue reading...
As people get older, they revise the age they consider to be old upwardsNone of us are getting any younger, but it appears the age at which we are considered old has moved upwards over the generations.What's more, as adults get older, they shift the goalposts further still, a study has shown. Continue reading...
Brightest star in constellation Virgo is due to appear very close again to almost fully illuminated moonIf you missed the conjunction between the almost full moon and the star Spica last month, here's another chance to see it.The chart shows the view looking south-west from London at 04.00 BST on the morning of 23 April. The moon will be full with 99.3% of its visible surface illuminated, and it will be passing very close to Spica, the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo. Continue reading...
Scottish NHS boards have spent more than 125m since 2019 to provide temporary cover amid drop in consultant numbersMental health campaigners have protested about the significant use of temporary locum psychiatrists in Scotland, alleging that it leads to substandard and harmful medical care.Peter Todd, a campaigner based in Caithness in the north of Scotland, said the heavy reliance on locum psychiatrists by the NHS was a sign of a growing crisis in mental health services across the country. Continue reading...
by Jon Ungoed-Thomas, Shanti Das and Aneesa Ahmed on (#6M7S3)
Pharmaceutical equipment firms are funding NHS staff and training while promoting salesMedical device companies are paying millions of pounds to hospitals in the UK to fund staff places, as well as training and awareness campaigns, while pushing sales of their products, including implants, heart valves and diagnostic equipment, a new report reveals.An analysis of disclosures by medical device companies found that between 2017 and 2019 they reported 425m (367m at today's rates) in payments to healthcare organisations in Europe, according to the study in the journal Health Policy and Technology. Continue reading...
The scientist on training as a diver, pilot and astronaut in order to understand the true nature of gravity, and what happens at the centre of a black holeProf Claudia de Rham is a theoretical physicist at Imperial College London, developing and testing new models and paradigms" at the intersection of gravity, cosmology and particle physics. She has just published her first book, The Beauty of Falling: A Life in Pursuit of Gravity, charting her lifelong attempt to understand the true nature" of the force around her, which has seen her train as an astronaut, diver and pilot.In your book, you say you have been chasing gravity my entire life". What does that mean?
BBC nature presenter delivers eulogy at protest aimed at scaring people a bit' about the loss of biodiversity in the UKThe BBC nature presenter Chris Packham has joined hundreds of environmental activists in a mock funeral procession for nature to spotlight biodiversity loss in the UK.The procession aimed to sound code red for nature" and highlight the UK's position as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world", organisers said. It was planned to coincide closely with Earth Day on 22 April. Continue reading...
The paediatrician, who has been advised to stop using public transport, describes straight disinformation' about reportThe doctor behind a landmark review of the NHS's gender identity services for children and young people has said fears had been raised about her personal safety amid online abuse after the report's release.Dr Hilary Cass told the Times she wished to address the disinformation" circulating about the findings and recommendations handed down by the Cass review when it was published on 10 April. Continue reading...
Research that aims to explain why some people experience intense visual imagery could lead to a better understanding of creativity and some mental disordersWilliam Blake's imagination is thought to have burned with such intensity that, when creating his great artworks, he needed little reference to the physical world. While drawing historical or mythical figures, for instance, he would wait until the spirit" appeared in his mind's eye. The visions were apparently so detailed that Blake could sketch as if a real person were sitting before him.Like human models, these imaginary figures could sometimes act temperamentally. According to Blake biographer John Higgs, the artist could become frustrated when the object of his inner gaze casually changed posture or left the scene entirely. I can't go on, it is gone! I must wait till it returns," Blake would declaim. Continue reading...
Influenza is still the biggest threat to global health as WHO raises fears about the spread of avian strainInfluenza is the pathogen most likely to trigger a new pandemic in the near future, according to leading scientists.An international survey, to be published next weekend, will reveal that 57% of senior disease experts now think that a strain of flu virus will be the cause of the next global outbreak of deadly infectious illness. Continue reading...
Getting rid of rage | Secular song? | Rockumentaries | Piratical crossword clue | Political illsRe Emma Beddington's article (15 April), at 78, at last I found a way to vanquish my rage at a recent Feldenkrais class on Zoom. We were doing breathing exercises and our teacher suggested we go he-he-he on the outbreath. Then she asked us to use our voice and I began. After a few medium sounds I found myself getting louder and louder, sounding like a really wicked witch. my lungs and body emptying my nastiness. Go for it, Emma!
Scientists estimate Vasuki indicus was up to 15m long, weighed a tonne and would have constricted its preyFossil vertebrae unearthed in a mine in western India are the remains of one of the largest snakes that ever lived, a monster estimated at up to 15 metres in length - longer than a T rex.Scientists have recovered 27 vertebrae from the snake, including a few still in the same position as they would have been when the reptile was alive. They said the snake, which they named Vasuki indicus, would have looked like a large python and would not have been venomous. Continue reading...
Therapist Lindsay Gibson's 2015 book has sold over a million copies and its message has soared on social media. What does it mean?In an ideal world, adults would be more mature than their kids. They would be better at handling stress, resolving conflicts with others, or talking about their feelings. In the opening chapter of the book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, therapist Lindsay Gibson presents an unsettling alternative.What if," she wrote, some sensitive children come into the world and within a few years are more emotionally mature than their parents, who have been around for decades?" Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample with Barney Ronay; produce on (#6M5J9)
Billed as a rival to the Olympic Games, the Enhanced Games, set to take place in 2025, is a sporting event with a difference; athletes will be allowed to dope. Ian Sample talks to chief sports writer Barney Ronay about where the idea came from and how it's being sold as an anti-establishment underdog, and to Dr Peter Angell about what these usually banned substances are, and what they could do to athletes' bodiesClips: Talk TV, News Nation, Inside with Brett Hawke, ESPNRead Barney Ronay's opinion piece on the Enhanced Games Continue reading...
Bill Nelson told Capitol Hill lawmakers that China has been very, very secretive' about its space progress, warning we are in a race'The head of Nasa has warned of China bolstering its space capabilities by using civilian programs to mask military objectives, cautioning that Washington must remain vigilant.China has made extraordinary strides especially in the last 10 years, but they are very, very secretive," Nasa administrator Bill Nelson told lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6M5DX)
Some shortages are so serious they are imperilling the health and even lives of patients with serious illnesses, pharmacy bosses sayDrug shortages are a new normal" in the UK and are being exacerbated by Brexit, a report by the Nuffield Trust health thinktank has warned. A dramatic recent spike in the number of drugs that are unavailable has created serious problems for doctors, pharmacists, the NHS and patients, it found.The number of warnings drug companies have issued about impending supply problems for certain products has more than doubled from 648 in 2020 to 1,634 last year. Continue reading...
Use of powerful medications linked to elevated risk of serious adverse outcomes including heart failureDoctors are being urged to reduce prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to dementia patients after the largest study of its kind found they were linked to more harmful side-effects than previously thought.The powerful medications are widely prescribed for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia such as apathy, depression, aggression, anxiety, irritability, delirium and psychosis. Tens of thousands of dementia patients in England are prescribed them every year. Continue reading...
People in routine and repetitive jobs found to have 31% greater risk of disease in later life, and 66% higher risk of mild cognitive problemsIf work is a constant flurry of mind-straining challenges, bursts of creativity and delicate negotiations to keep the troops happy, consider yourself lucky.Researchers have found that the more people use their brains at work, the better they seem to be protected against thinking and memory problems that come with older age. Continue reading...
Experts believe remains belong to a type of ichthyosaur that roamed the seas about 202m years agoFossils discovered by an 11-year-old girl on a beach in Somerset may have come from the largest marine reptile ever to have lived, according to experts.The fossils are thought to be from a type of ichthyosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile that lived in the time of dinosaurs. The newly discovered species is believed to have roamed the seas towards the end of the Triassic, about 202m years ago. Continue reading...
Creating visually distinctive plants likely to become important as more weed-like crops are grown for foodGenetically engineering crops to be colourful could help farmers produce food without pesticides, as it would make it easier to spot weeds, scientists have said.This will be increasingly important as hardy, climate-resistant weeds" are grown for food in the future, the authors have written in their report published in the journal Trends in Plant Science. Continue reading...
Cylinder slab that tore through Naples home last month was debris released from International Space Station in 2021A heavy chunk of metal that crashed through the roof of a Florida home is, in fact, space junk, Nasa has confirmed.The federal space agency said that a cylinder slab that tore through a house in Naples, Florida, last month was debris from a cargo pallet released from the international space station in 2021, according to a Nasa blogpost. Continue reading...
According to an automated missive, I have the perfect set of skills to help write the first draft of AI history. It's not a job for life, thoughSay what you like about the Germans, you can always count on them to find just the right word for anything. Take weltschmerz", for example, which roughly translates to world pain". It signifies despair at the suffering in the world - and a deep anguish that stems from knowing that a better world is possible. Is there a more apt encapsulation of the current moment?For the past six months I, like many others, have been suffering from an acute case of weltschmerz. As someone of Palestinian heritage I have been weighed down by survivor's guilt as I've watched the unfolding genocide in Gaza. For a while, I didn't have the emotional energy to write. The only way I could get out of bed and make it through the day was by avoiding the news completely. Which ... isn't an ideal scenario when you largely write about the news for a living. So, at one point, I decided on a career pivot and applied for various non-writing jobs, including one at a dog food manufacturer. Reader, I was rejected. In fact, I didn't even make it to the first round of interviews; I was humbled by a dog's dinner. Continue reading...
Scientists have finally discovered why this remarkable plant becomes hungry for bugsIt sounds like a science fiction horror movie - a carnivorous plant that grows up to 60 metres high reaching up through the canopies of tropical trees, feasting on bugs using sticky leaf glands that ooze digestive enzymes to absorb its catch of prey.Triphyophyllum peltatum is a woody vine that grows in the rainforests of west Africa, although strangely it is a part-time carnivore that develops into a killer only at certain times. What turns this seemingly ordinary plant into a carnivore has been a mystery, largely because the plant is rare and difficult to cultivate. Continue reading...
Common eastern bumblebee queens' ability while hibernating could help it endure flooding, scientists sayBumblebees might be at home in town and country but now researchers have found at least one species that is even more adaptable: it can survive underwater.Scientists have revealed queens of the common eastern bumblebee, a species widespread in eastern North America, can withstand submersion for up to a week when hibernating. Continue reading...
But truancy and illness-related absences can be reversed with good sleeping habits and strong family ties, study suggestsYoung people who spend too much time online are more likely to miss school through illness or truancy, a study has suggested.Teenage girls appear to be more likely than teenage boys to score highly on excessive internet use, the findings indicate. But a good amount of sleep and exercise and a trusting relationship with their parents appear to go some way to reducing the effects of extreme web use on classroom absences. Continue reading...
Our ozone is pennies thick - and soon we'll put at least an Eiffel Tower's worth of metallic ash into the ionosphere every yearA dead spacecraft the size of a truck ignites with plasma and pulverizes into dust and litter as it rips through the ionosphere and atmosphere. This is what happens to internet service satellites during re-entry. When the full mega-constellation of satellites is deployed in the 2030s, companies will do this every hour because satellite internet requires thousands of satellites to constantly be replaced. And it could compromise our atmosphere or even our magnetosphere.Space entrepreneurs are betting on disposable satellites as key to a new means of wealth. There are currently nearly 10,000 active satellites and companies are working as fast as possible to get tens of thousands more into orbit - for a projected 1m in the next three to four decades.Sierra Solter is a plasma physicist, engineer, and inventor who studies the intersection of heliophysics and aerospace Continue reading...
Science | The Guardian