Linguistics professor says London dialect is most likely to be spoken in Essex, but aspects have traversed the globeThe cockney dialect, as associated with the late EastEnders icon Dame Barbara Windsor, may not be as prevalent in today's London, but it remains possibly the most influential English dialect across the world, according to academic research.No longer the preserve of those born within earshot of the Bow Bells in the City of London, today cockney is more likely to be spoken in Essex. Continue reading...
Famous for her work with Oprah Winfrey, Martha Beck is a bestselling author and self-help superstar. But for 60 years she was anxious and terrified - until she found a simple, uplifting answerAll her life, Martha Beck had been anxious, but a few years ago she began to get really curious about anxiety. And curiosity, she wants us all to know, may just be the path out of paralysing, life-spoiling terror. During the pandemic, Beck - a bestselling author and life coach - started looking deeper into anxiety in order to help her clients. It was something she thought she knew about, having experienced it throughout her life, and over the years she had followed the standard advice: she had practised meditation for 30 years, and been on medication, but now Beck was starting to wonder if inner peace was as far as it went.Instead of trying to control her anxiety, Beck started to befriend it: I started treating myself like a frightened animal and doing for myself what we all instinctively know will calm a frightened animal." Imagine, she says, you found a freezing, dirty puppy on your doorstep, and you decided you wanted to help it. What would you do? Get down on its level, speak to it kindly and softly. Don't try to explain to it what it needs to do next - it's an animal. Allow it to be afraid while regarding it with compassion." When she tried this on herself, Beck says she could dramatically feel this shift in my psychology, my body and my brain". And then, she says with a laugh, I got into creativity and things got really weird." Continue reading...
With half of all languages predicted to die out in decades, activists are turning to online tools to preserve themEvery year, the world loses some of its 7,000 languages. Parents stop speaking them to their children, words are forgotten and communities lose the ability to read their own scripts. The rate of loss is quickening, from one every three months a decade ago to one every 40 days in 2019 - meaning nine languages die a year.The UN's culture agency, Unesco, says predictions that half the world's languages will have died out by the end of the century are optimistic. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample; produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6TCP1)
Scientists are increasingly finding that behaviours once seen as depraved often have a direct physical cause. To find out more, Ian Sample hears from Guy Leschziner, a consultant neurologist and sleep physician at Guy's and St Thomas' hospital in London. His new book, Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human, looks at the neurological basis of behaviours often dismissed as evidence of bad character or lack of willpower Continue reading...
Patient was over age 65 and reported to have underlying medical conditions, state health department saysA patient in Louisiana has become the first human in the US to die of bird flu.The Louisiana department of health reported on Monday afternoon that a patient who had been hospitalized in the state with the first human case of avian influenza has now died. Continue reading...
Widespread use of metal caused estimated 2- to 3-point drop in IQ for nearly 180 years of Pax RomanaApart from sanitation, medicines, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what did the Romans ever do for us? asks an exasperated Reg in Monty Python's Life of Brian.One answer, according to a new study, is widespread cognitive decline across Europe, courtesy of the vast quantities of lead pollution churned out by the booming metals industry that shaped the empire. Continue reading...
The solutions to today's puzzlesEarlier today I set you three puzzles that were interview questions at Paypal, the online payments company ran by a group of billionaire tech bros - Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and David Sacks - now better known for their right wing politics. Here they are again with solutions.1. Divide and conquer Continue reading...
Findings suggest Charon collided with dwarf planet and then pair briefly rotated together before separatingIt sounds like one of Kipling's Just So Stories but it is rooted in science: experts say they have a new theory for how Pluto got its largest moon.Pluto - once considered the ninth planet of our solar system, but now classified as a dwarf planet" - has five known moons, of which Charon is the largest with a diameter of about 754 miles, just over half that of Pluto itself. Continue reading...
Sam Altman says tools that carry out jobs autonomously, known as AI agents, could transform business outputVirtual employees could join workforces this year and transform how companies work, according to the chief executive of OpenAI.The first artificial intelligence agents may start working for organisations this year, wrote Sam Altman, as AI firms push for uses that generate returns on substantial investment in the technology. Continue reading...
by Presented by Reged Ahmad with Charles Duhigg. Seri on (#6TBYZ)
Do you find yourself replaying an important conversation in your head and thinking - why did I say that?'Journalist and Pulitzer prize-winning author Charles Duhigg found himself at a similar impasse when he had to manage a project and struggled to connect with members of his team. So he learned everything he could about communication.Duhigg tells Reged Ahmad about the simple things anyone can do to improve their communication skills and why being a good listener is key
Mind-manglers from the Musk mafiaUPDATE: Read the solutions hereThe book The Founders by Jimmy Soni tells the story of the Paypal Mafia - the tech bros who founded and ran the online payments company.The most famous of this troupe - Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and David Sacks - are now as well known for their Trumpist politics as their entrepreneurial ingenuity. Back in the day, however, what really got their blood pumping was mathematical puzzles. Continue reading...
Surging HMPV cases in northern China have prompted some online alarm but experts say the risk of another Covid-like pandemic is lowHuman metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a respiratory disease that causes flu or cold-like symptoms, but can increase risks or lead to more serious complications like bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly among the elderly, young children, and immunocompromised people.The disease is in the same family as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and has been around since at least 2001 when it was first identified in the Netherlands. Its outbreaks are concentrated during colder seasons. Continue reading...
The evening star reaches its maximum angular distance east from the sun, meaning it will linger long after sunsetOften referred to as the evening star, Venus is absolutely radiant in the gathering twilight this week. It reaches a configuration known as the greatest eastern elongation on 10 January, when it will be at its maximum angular distance east from the sun, about 47 degrees. This means that it lingers in the sky long after sunset, making it an easy target for stargazers.The chart shows the views looking south-west from London at 18.00GMT on 10 January. Venus will be exceptionally bright and totally unmistakable. It will also be easily visible from the southern hemisphere. Continue reading...
As people have shaped the natural world, so wildlife - from mahoganies to magpies - has had to evolve to surviveFrom the highest mountains to the depths of the ocean, humanity's influence has touched every part of planet Earth. Many plants and animals are evolving in response, adapting to a human-dominated world. One notable example came during the Industrial Revolution, when the peppered moth turned from black and white to entirely black after soot darkened its habitat. The black moths were camouflaged against the soot-covered trees, surviving to pass on their genes to the next generation.As human influence has expanded, so too have the strange adaptations forced on the natural world. We asked researchers around the world for similar changes they have noticed in the 21st century. Continue reading...
By being true to ourselves we can find greater enjoyment and a deeper connectionI have never been afraid of sex. Of course that has hurt me quite badly over all the years I've been having it, but I remain fairly fearless. I am not afraid to talk about it, nor am I afraid to have it. Lots of different kinds of it, with lots of different people.Sometimes I wonder if it's because there's something in there, some sort of pathology that has numbed me to the terrifying realities of (some) of the sex I've had: a childhood trauma or me rebelling against the last vestiges of my now renounced Catholicism. Continue reading...
A dig near Bicester has uncovered spectacular tracks in what was once a Jurassic lagoonThere are many reasons to be excited about the dinosaur footprints whose discovery was announced last week. They will bring new understandings to the Jurassic world of more than 150m years ago. Their recording united quarry workers and more than a hundred scientists, students and other volunteers in a frenzied week of fieldwork. But there was something else in the images of long, winding trails across a stony plain in the Oxfordshire countryside. It looked to me as if great beasts had lumbered by, not in the distant past but just a few days before. I will never be able to rid my mind of the thought that they are alive now, out there somewhere. Who knew the Cotswolds were home to dinosaurs?Smiths Bletchington's limestone quarries have been turning up footprints for decades. The best came in 1997, at what is now a site of special scientific interest, in Ardley quarry: more than 40 sets, with trackways up to 180 metres long. The Ardley finds, made before digital recording, are hard to study today. But when the Oxford University Museum of Natural History heard of a nearby discovery late in 2023, it had high hopes. New technologies - including photogrammetry and drone photography - meant that anything of significance could be captured in detail, shared with scientists around the world and saved for posterity, whatever the fate of the actual prints. Palaeontologists from the museum and the universities of Birmingham and Oxford soon confirmed that Dewars Farm Quarry, a couple of miles from Ardley, was an important site. They mounted a dig last summer. Continue reading...
Can the compound found in plants slow the ageing process and help tackle Alzheimer's? Food writer Giulia Crouch finds out . . .There's a new buzzword in town when it comes to health: polyphenols. While scientists have been investigating the plant compounds for years, the term has now caught the public imagination - and for good reason.A growing body of evidence shows that eating a diet high in these clever natural chemicals offers numerous health benefits, improving everything from heart and metabolic health to lowering the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. Continue reading...
Second rock from sun visible with naked eye in clear skies in areas with low light pollutionStargazers have been treated to seeing the planet Venus as it made an appearance next to the moon.The second rock from the sun could be seen on Friday night with the naked eye in areas with clear skies and low light pollution. Some were able to take incredible photographs of the morning star, so named because it is often mistaken for a bright star. Continue reading...
Researchers are looking at how to make video meetings feel less tiring, reduce anxiety and tackle Zoom dysmorphia'Whether it's a social catch-up with colleagues, or assembling to set new year objectives, many of us will be reconnecting via Zoom, Teams or Google Meet come Monday morning. Yet while such platforms have revolutionised flexible and remote working in recent years, scientists are increasingly waking up to the negative toll they can take on people's energy levels and self-esteem. So how can we forge a healthier relationship with videoconferencing in 2025?Relatively early during the pandemic, psychologists coined the phrase Zoom fatigue" to describe the physical and psychological exhaustion that can come from spending extended periods on videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom. It was found that people who have more and longer meetings using the technology, or have more negative attitudes towards them, tend to feel more exhausted by them. Continue reading...
Commercial animal cloning is banned in the UK, so Gemini Genetics in Shropshire freezes cells bound for the USAt first glance, Gem is simply a very happy spaniel. With a plush toy in her mouth, she is the embodiment of joy. But her straightforward demeanour belies the complexities of her origins. Because Gem is not your typical dog: she is a clone.Ever since Dolly the sheep - the first mammal to be cloned using an adult cell - was revealed to the world in 1996, debate has raged over the potential for the technology and its ethical implications. Continue reading...
by Hosted by Savannah Ayoade-Greaves; written by Chri on (#6TAT9)
Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life. They're probably not thinking about you': Oliver Burkeman on how to liberate yourself and stop people-pleasing. And one night I'm a murderer, the next my husband's having an affair'. Why do we have the dreams that we do? Continue reading...
Rachel Withers says people need to get real about their non-mastery of all they survey, and George Burt discusses slavery, political oppression and AIProf Geoffrey Hinton, the godfather of artificial intelligence", states that he struggles to find examples of more intelligent thing[s] being controlled by ... less intelligent thing[s]"; the mother-baby relationship is the only example he can cite (Godfather of AI' shortens odds of the technology wiping out humanity over next 30 years, 27 December). Thisseems a strange outbreak of aspect blindness, especially given Hinton's specialism.Many theorists (Graham Harman, Timothy Morton, Jane Bennett, Bruno Latour and others) offer persuasive arguments showing how (to borrow from Freud) man is not master in his own house": human behaviour is continually, at times conspicuously, regulated by non-human drivers, many of them seemingly pretty dumb. Coronaviruses offer a topical example. The present barely regulated rise of AI is unarguably scary, but dealing with it effectively will involve humans getting real about their non-mastery of all they survey and interrogating the ways that stuff (both smart and dumb) controls us, as well as vice-versa. The same goes for climate breakdown and ecological crisis.
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#6TAE4)
Members of the public are helping to sustain digs across the country, even as volunteering declinesThey were moving forward in a line across the 10 sq metre trench, volunteer excavators elbow to elbow with academics, and Joe Fitzpatrick was at the far edge.He was digging around the hearth of a building, about 60cm (2ft) below surface level, when he hit the earth twice with his mattock and out it popped - a rare bronze spear butt, a metal fitting placed over the end of a wooden shaft to counterbalance the spear head. Covered in Pictish inscriptions, it had remained buried for more than one and a half millennia, and was one of the most groundbreaking archaeological discoveries of 2024 in Scotland. Continue reading...
Study finds higher levels of certain proteins in people who reported social isolation or lonelinessLoneliness has long been associated with ill health but researchers say they have fresh insights into the link between the two.While poor health can result in people becoming isolated and lonely, studies have also suggested loneliness can itself lead to poorer health. Continue reading...
Scientists to examine if humans' and dogs' brains synchronise when they interact in a way similar to parents and babiesStanding patiently on a small fluffy rug, Calisto the flat-coated retriever is being fitted with some hi-tech headwear. But this is not a new craze in canine fashion: she is about to have her brainwaves recorded.Calisto is one of about 40 pet dogs - from newfoundlands to Tibetan terriers - taking part in a study to explore whether their brainwaves synchronise with those of their owners when the pair interact, a phenomenon previously seen when two humans engage with each other. Continue reading...
Volunteers' data should be included in official monitoring reports to tackle pollution crisis, says EarthwatchCitizen science testing of river water quality will expand this year in an attempt to make the data part of official monitoring of waterways, the head of an independent environmental research group has said.The use of ordinary people across the country to test river water quality for pollutants including phosphates, nitrates and other chemicals has captured the imagination of thousands of volunteers. In 2024 more than 7,000 people took part in river testing blitzes" run over two weekends by the NGO Earthwatch Europe. The research, using standardised testing equipment provided by the NGO and Imperial College London, gathered data from almost 4,000 freshwater sites across the UK. Continue reading...
Conservative council members in Colorado Springs are debating broader psilocybin access, while veterans implore them for treatmentAs Colorado becomes the second state to legalize psychedelic therapy this week, a clash is playing out in Colorado Springs, where conservative leaders are restricting the treatment over objections from some of the city's 90,000 veterans, who have become flagbearers for psychedelic therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.Colorado residents voted to legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin, the chemical compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, in a 2022 ballot measure, launching two years of rule making before it could be used to treat conditions such as depression and PTSD. Continue reading...
Dr Qurratul-Ain Rehman points to the low absolute risk of birth defects in children born to consanguineous parents in response to Richard Holden's billI find it intriguing that a Conservative former minister, Richard Holden, has called for first-cousin marriage to be banned in the UK. He argues that the practice threatens women's freedom and leads to birth defects. Medical evidence shows that while the risk of birth defects is relatively higher among children born to consanguineous parents, the absolute risk remains low. In fact, the absolute risk increase is comparable to factors such as older maternal age, obesity and smoking - but there are no calls to ban them.As a GP working at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in London, I manage patients with genetic disorders ranging from Down's syndrome to rare mitochondrial and genetic diseases. None of my patients were born of consanguineous parents. Continue reading...
Cetiosauruses and a megalosaurus are thought to have left prints at trackway dating to nearly 166m years agoGary Johnson was clearing clay with a digger at the Oxfordshire quarry where he works when he hit an unexpected bump in the limestone surface.I thought, it's just an abnormality in the ground," he said. But then it got to another, three metres along, and it was hump again, and then it went another three metres, hump again." Continue reading...
Researchers have unearthed 200 large dinosaur footprints in Oxfordshire, believed to be the biggest site of its kind in the UK. They are from two types of dinosaurs, thought to be the herbivorous cetiosaurus and the carnivorous megalosaurus. The longest trackways are 150 metres in length, and only part of the quarry has been excavated
Annual new year event of bright blue fireballs expected to peak this weekendWhile fireworks are a traditional way to welcome the new year, a natural phenomenon will be lighting up the northern sky this weekend as the annual Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak.Taking its name from a now obsolete constellation known as Quadrans Muralis, the event is best viewed in the northern hemisphere, with the meteors appearing to radiate from the constellation Bootes, which is found near the collection of stars often dubbed the Plough or the Big Dipper. Continue reading...
by Kat Lay Global health correspondent on (#6T9EB)
After Covid-19, world leaders agreed to work together to strengthen global health systems, but negotiations on a new agreement have stalledFive years ago, the world was hearing the first reports of a mysterious flu-like illness emerging from Wuhan, China, now known as Covid-19.The pandemic that followed brought more than 14 million deaths, and sent shock waves through the world economy. About 400 million people worldwide have had long Covid. World leaders, recognising that another pandemic was not a question of if" but when", promised to work together to strengthen global health systems. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample; produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6T9C6)
You might have noticed that everyone has recently become a bit obsessed with blood sugar, or glucose. Wellness firms such as Zoe in the UK - as well as Nutrisense, Levels and Signos - claim to offer insights into how our bodies process food based on monitoring our blood glucose, among other things. But many researchers have begun to question the science behind this. In this episode from July, Ian Sample talks to the philosopher Julian Baggini, the University of Oxford academic dietician Dr Nicola Guess, and Zoe's chief scientist the King's College London nutrition expert Prof Sarah Berry to find out what we know about blood glucose levels and our health, and whether the science is nailed down on personalised nutritionSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
Genetic analysis of Roman soldier or gladiator buried in York reveals 25% of his ancestry came from ScandinaviaPeople with Scandinavian ancestry were in Britain long before the Anglo-Saxons or the Vikings turned up, researchers have found after studying the genetics of an ancient Roman buried in York.The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons brought an influx of Scandinavians to ancient Britain in the fifth century, with the first major Viking raid - which targeted the monastery at Lindisfarne - occurring in AD793. Continue reading...
From weightlifting to woodland walks, Guardian readers and health experts share their tried-and-tested ways to keep burnout at bayOverwhelm can come from multiple worries going round and round in our heads like a washing machine, which can deplete our energy. A helpful strategy is to set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day for constructive worrying", where you write down your concerns. Youcan then apply cognitive strategies such as if, then" planning (if X happens, I will do Y") or assess worst-best-probable case scenarios. This process can help reduce the emotional intensity of worries and lessens overwhelm. Sometimes, you may just need to remind yourself to tackle one problem and one task at a time. Nick Hatter, psychotherapeutic coach, life coach and author of The7 Questions Continue reading...
These nocturnal events are more spectacular from dark country sky, but they can still be seen from a light-polluted city - and for many, no telescope is needed
by Presented by Bridie Jabour with Xavier Mulenga. Se on (#6T8EK)
Thinking of breaking up with the booze?Addiction specialist and psychiatrist Xavier Mulenga tells Bridie Jabour the common reasons people think they can't quit and the steps you can take to reduce your alcohol intake
The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year collection from Capture the Atlas features the most extraordinary aurora photos captured over the 12 months. This year, as we reach the solar maximum of this solar cycle, the northern and southern lights have been more active than ever, illuminating skies in unexpected places where they've rarely - if ever - been photographed. Some examples of these unique locations include images from Arizona, California, Spain, the Chilean Patagonia, Namibia and Madeira. Continue reading...
by Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay, sound on (#6T88M)
For the regular drinker, the studies that say a daily tipple is better for a longer life than avoiding alcohol completely are a source of great comfort. But a new analysis challenges that thinking and says it was based on flawed research that compares drinkers with people who are sick and sober. In this episode from August, Madeleine Finlay hears from the study's lead author, Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, to find out why scientists (including him) were so convinced, and what the actual risks of alcohol areSupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6T840)
Researchers at New York University conclude a narrow waist and large hips are optimal for keeping a hoop spinningSnake hips, good core strength and a willingness to look slightly ridiculous all come in helpful for those wishing to master the art of hula hooping. Now scientists have concluded that an hourglass figure may also be advantageous.The study, involving gyrating robotic figures of various dimensions, suggests a narrow waist and large hips are optimal for keeping a hoop spinning in a stable position. But those with less curvy physiques may be able to compensate by making larger hip movements at a faster pace, the analysis concluded. Continue reading...
Study finds small but significant increase in characters talking about murder or killing over past 50 yearsTalk of homicide is on the rise in films, researchers have found, in a trend they say could pose a health concern for adults and children.A study found that over the past 50 years there had been a small but significant increase in movie characters talking about murdering or killing. Continue reading...
The US right is misrepresenting science to support its racist agenda. There's far more to it than good' or bad' genesLike so many of us, I was dispirited to wake up a few weeks ago to learn that Donald Trump will be back in the White House. This time he was aided by the world's richest man and professional spaceship-crasher, Elon Musk. Among the many charming aspects of their partnership is a fondness for some highly unsavoury views on genetics. Trump is an enthusiastic advocate of racehorse theory", which he shares with white supremacists; the belief that he is personally superior and that this is rooted in his good genes". It's a vapid idea, but it directly informs his toxic views on immigration, where he argues the country needs to be shielded from the bad genes" of outsiders.Meanwhile, Musk has his own equally baffling take on genetics, infused with a characteristic messiah complex. Like some of his fellow tech moguls, he is determined to save humanity" by producing as many offspring as possible, convinced that our future depends on it. This might all be laughable were it not for the fact that Trump and Musk now wield more power than they ever have before. The shared thread running through their rhetoric is genetic determinism: the idea that who you are, and what you can achieve, is all down to your DNA. Nothing else matters.Jonathan Roberts is a genetic counsellor and academic who researches health inequalities and the accessibility of genetic testingDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
Our brains are miraculous and weird things, and it turns out everyone has different ways of processing the worldSometimes I like to start a column by asking myself: should this really be a column that will live on the internet forever, for all and sundry to see? Or is this really an airing of my many neuroses that is better shared privately, with a therapist?Not infrequently the answer is the latter. But therapy is expensive and comment is free, so I'm afraid, dear reader, that you're going to have to be my shrink today. And I'll get straight into my issues: I have a voice in my head that won't shut up.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, will be the brightest object in the constellationFinish the year by tracking down one of the oldest known constellations: Taurus, the bull. The chart shows the view looking south from London at 22.00 GMT on 30 December. The view will remain essentially the same all week.According to Babylonian star charts from about 1000BC, the grouping of stars we now call Taurus was known as the bull of heaven. However, the pattern's association with a bull could be much older: some believe that the constellation can be found embedded in the 17,000-year-old cave paintings of bulls at Lascaux in France. Continue reading...
My husband, Colin Robson, who has died aged 89, pioneered the degree of behavioural sciences, combining psychology and sociology, in the 1970s. The fifth edition of his textbook Real World Research, originally published in 1993, came out earlier this year.Born in the village of Almondbury, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, the only child of Mary (nee Addy) and Raymond Robson, a clerk in the council rates office, he attended King James's grammar school in the village, remaining loyal to his home town and its football team all his life. After studying physics at Manchester University, he signed up for a PGCE at King's College London, where he came across psychology for the first time. Continue reading...
Existing evidence is dominated by western regions but researchers want to find out whether benefits are the same around the worldThe science of happiness has spawned hundreds of thousands of studies, surveys, books and reviews, but what reliably lifts the spirits, to what extent, and who benefits most are still far from nailed down.Now, psychologists have drawn up plans for the world's largest happiness experiment to thrash out once and for all what really gives people an emotional boost, how effective different strategies are, and whether the benefits are the same around the globe. Continue reading...
Science | The Guardian