Moon probe starts taking pictures of lunar surface after bumpy landing left its solar cells pointing in the wrong directionJapan's Moon lander has resumed operations, the country's space agency said on Monday, indicating that power had been restored after it was left upside down during a slightly haphazard landing.The probe, nicknamed the moon sniper", had tumbled down a crater slope during its landing on 20 January, leaving its solar batteries facing in the wrong direction and unable to generate electricity. Continue reading...
An unreliable narrator gives a locked-room mystery a fresh spin; a fascinating look at our relationship with all things lunar; and ranging far and wide culturally in the company of wolvesAlex Michaelides
How leaving Beijing for Dali, home of China's urban escapees, was a step on my route to finding serenityNine months after I moved to Dali, in the autumn of 2020, I finally set off to climb Cangshan, the high mountain which towers over this valley in southwest China. Each morning, I had looked up at the top of its imposing ridge line, 2,000m above the village of Silver Bridge, north of Dali's historic old town, that for a while I called home. Eighteen glacial gorges separated the 19 peaks, each carved by a running stream. Ever since moving there, I had fantasised about standing on top of that mountain. Reaching its summit had become an objective I fixated on. Scaling it would be healing, I had convinced myself.I wasn't alone in that outlook. It's the quest for personal change that draws so many escapees from China's cities to this rural valley. Cangshan (the verdant mountain") is a spectacular, 44km-long massif, carpeted by lush, evergreen forest, hugging the western shore of a crystalline lake and looming over a valley in the foothills of the eastern Himalaya, near the border with Myanmar. Each evening, I'd sit and watch the sun setting over them from my farmhouse, casting rays of pink, yellow and ochre through the clouds that rolled off the ridge line. Continue reading...
Archaeologists have been wowed by the early dates and the evidence, including the size of the tuyereAn iron age workshop, where blacksmiths were forging metal about 2,700 years ago, has been discovered in Oxfordshire, complete with everything from bellows protectors to the tiny bits of metal that flew off as the red hot iron was hammered into shape.Radiocarbon tests date it between 770BC and 515BC, during the earliest days of ironworking in Britain. From about 800BC, the art of forging iron became widespread in the British Isles for tools and weapons and the iron age takes its name from the mastery of this metal. Continue reading...
Early risers know only too well the smug satisfaction of getting up and getting going. But what if you're more of an owl than a lark? Here's how to change your body clock and seize the dayI can't actually remember when I first started thinking of myself as a morning person". When I was in my 20s, the only time I saw a sunrise was if I stayed up all night - I had a series of jobs that let me stroll from bed to work in about 15 minutes. If I ever did overtime it was until one or two in the morning, trying to string together words on a combination of tea, beer and deadline adrenaline. Fast forward a couple of decades and I don't think I've slept past 7.30 in the last six months.This wasn't exactly a lifestyle change I made by choice. First, I got a job with actual responsibilities and a commute, then a life-partner who worked as a personal trainer, and finally a small child with zero respect for the concept of a lie-in. But, although I'm frequently up before the birds and the binmen, I've never felt better. I've become one of those people who reads self-improvement books and grinds out kettlebell swings while most people are blearily thumbing the snooze button. It might even be helping me stay in shape - there's some evidence from a study published last year in the journal Obesity that moderate-to-vigorous exercise earlier in the day is more beneficial for weight management than hitting the gym in your lunch break or after work. Continue reading...
by Hosted by Savannah Ayoade-Greaves; written by John on (#6J5XS)
Long live the Tory Fringe! John Crace reviews last week's conservative comedy hour' (1m22s); Johannes Radebe on how he fought the bullies - and became a Strictly superstar (9m22s); and Zoe Williams reveals how to spot a liar in ten easy steps (26m14s) Continue reading...
The odd memory lapse is no big deal - so when should we start to worry? Experts explain, and share the best ways to stay sharpIsn't it Sod's Law? Just at the point in ourlives when we start seriously considering our long-term health and mortality - perhaps after witnessing older loved ones getting an illness such as dementia - our responsibilities are piled so high that we can feel as if we're losing our mental capacities already. The names of our favourite animals and humans become an interchangeable word soup. Our keys become increasingly elusive. Alerts must be set on all calendar entries.But how can we tell whether this frustrating flakiness is a reflection of age-related cognitive decline; the early signs of our own impending dementia; or merely an overly taxing phase from which we will recover? Could it even just be normal forgetfulness? We're not robots, after all. Continue reading...
Frontline staff are having to make compromises to treat patients appropriately. It's scandalous nothing is being doneMedicine shortages in the UK have been a regular feature on newspaper front pages in recent years. As a doctor on the frontline, I see how this instability in our medicine supply chain is playing out on the ground.I work in a large city hospital and am used to meeting disgruntled patients who have had to wait hours in clinic to receive treatment. But just imagine their concern when I have to explain to them that the medication we would usually treat them with is not available, and that they will have to take an alternative instead or stay in hospital for even longer as a result.Ammad Butt is a freelance writer and foundation doctor at University Hospitals Birmingham Continue reading...
by Justin McCurry in Tokyo and agencies on (#6J51P)
Slim probe landed metres rather than kilometres from its target, but a rocket malfunction has left it in an undignified positionA Japanese spacecraft made a historic pinpoint" landing on the surface of the moon at the weekend, the country's space agency has said, but there is a slight snag: the images being sent back suggest the probe is lying upside-down.Japan became only the fifth country to put a craft on the lunar surface - after the US, the Soviet Union, China and India - when its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) touched down in the early hours of Saturday. Continue reading...
Former tech demo ended up serving as scout for rover and proved powered flight was possible in thin Martian atmosphereNasa's little Mars helicopter has flown its last flight.The space agency announced on Thursday that the 4lb (1.8kg) chopper named Ingenuity can no longer fly because of rotor blade damage. While it remains upright and in contact with flight controllers, its $85m (67m) mission is officially over, officials said. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6J4X9)
Stars sat fading quietly for years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smokeAstronomers have discovered a mysterious group of giant elderly stars at the heart of the Milky Way that are emitting solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas.The stars, which have been named old smokers", sat quietly for many years, fading almost to invisibility, before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke. The discovery was made during the monitoring of almost a billion stars in infrared light during a 10-year survey of the night sky. Continue reading...
Inexpensive test can help diagnose even inaccessible' tumours earlier, speeding up treatment and improving outcomesSurgeons and scientists have developed a world-first blood test for brain cancer that experts say could revolutionise diagnosis, speed up treatment and boost survival rates.For years, brain tumours have remained notoriously difficult to diagnose. They affect hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year, and kill more children and adults under the age of 40 in the UK than any other cancer. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6J4TF)
Bloc plans to bulk-buy key drugs for all 27 countries, potentially leaving Britain behind in the queue'The EU is to stockpile key medicines that will worsen the record drug shortages in the UK, with experts warning that the country could be left behind in the queue".The EU is seeking to safeguard its supplies by switching to a system in which its 27 members work together to secure reliable supplies of 200 commonly used medications, such as antibiotics, painkillers and vaccines. Continue reading...
Hunting by Kenyan lions impeded in ecological chain reaction' as big-headed ants fail to stop elephants stripping acacia trees - the cats' ambush coverWhen a lion decides to chase down a zebra it seems as though nothing can stop it. But now researchers have discovered these enormous predators are being thwarted by a tiny foe: ants.Scientists have found the spread of big-headed ants in east Africa sets off a situation leading to lions making fewer zebra kills. Continue reading...
Model used by researchers in South Korea suggests early feathers may have helped creatures such as Caudipteryx to flush out preyThe problem with being an expert on dinosaur behaviour is that little can be inferred from the fossilised bones of beasts that died millions of years ago.For researchers in South Korea, however, the absence of any living creatures to observe was merely another challenge to overcome. Enter Robopteryx, a robot that resembles - if one squints and ignores the wheels - the prehistoric, peacock-sized and fan-tailed omnivore, Caudipteryx. Continue reading...
The woman at the heart of the PPE scandal is widely hailed as a successful businessperson. But the fate of her high-profile lingerie company raises questions
by Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay; sound on (#6J42Z)
The trillions of microbes living on and inside the human body are an important part of who we are, from mediating all our interactions with the environment to determining our cancer risk and influencing who we fall for. And scientists are only just beginning to decipher the species of bug we share our lives with, and how they shape us.In the second of a three-part Science Weekly mini-series, Madeleine Finlay meets Ina Schuppe Koistinen, associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and author of the book Vulva: Facts, Myths and Life-Changing Insights. Ina explains what makes the vaginal microbiome special, why it could hold the key to understanding pregnancy complications, and how we can better care for and protect it. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6J3QV)
Researchers reject macho caveman' stereotype after burial site evidence suggests a largely plant-based dietEarly human hunter-gatherers ate mostly plants and vegetables, according to archeological findings that undermine the commonly held view that our ancestors lived on a high protein, meat-heavy diet.The evidence, from the remains of 24 individuals from two burial sites in the Peruvian Andes dating to between 9,000 and 6,500 years ago, suggests that wild potatoes and other root vegetables may have been a dominant source of nutrition before the shift to an agricultural lifestyle. Continue reading...
Dr Clive Dix says all activities to prepare for next outbreak are literally gone' and vaccine manufacturers have been driven awayThe UK is less prepared for a pandemic than it was before the Covid crisis after driving away jab manufacturers and relying on a narrow range of shots, according to the country's former vaccine chief.Dr Clive Dix, who chaired the UK's vaccine taskforce, told MPs on Wednesday there had been a complete demise" of work to ensure the UK was better equipped with vaccines for the next pandemic, noting that all the activities were literally gone". Continue reading...
American chemist inspires moment of diplomatic levity with controversial brewing suggestionsThe special relationship between two G7 countries has possibly been imperilled by an American scientist's claim that Britain's favoured brew requires a pinch of salt.The international incident was triggered when a scientist from the US claimed to have found the recipe for a perfect cuppa. The secret, according to Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, is a pinch of salt - and energetic squeezing of the teabag.Adding a pinch of salt - the sodium ion in salt blocks the chemical mechanism that makes tea taste bitter.Steeping teabags quickly but with plenty of dunking and squeezing - to reduce the sour-tasting tannins created by caffeine dissolving slowly in water.Decaffeinated tea can be made by steeping a teabag for 30 seconds, removing it and discarding the liquid, then adding fresh water and rebrewing for five minutes.A small squeeze of lemon juice can remove the scum" that sometimes appears on the surface of the drink, which is formed from chemical elements in the tea and water.The aroma of tea is almost as important as the taste - so when drinking from a takeaway cup, it's best to remove the lid. Continue reading...
Research has cast doubt on the longstanding framework. But for some, it's an inextricable part of the dating lexiconNatalia Buia probably would not date a man if he refused to at least entertain a conversation about love languages. It's not a deal breaker per se, but I have gotten into arguments with men on dates over it," said Buia, who is 35 and lives in Toronto. If someone thinks love languages are silly or stupid, it means that we don't see eye-to-eye on communication."Buia only recently learned about the five love languages, after leaving a 10-year marriage and re-entering single life. Her friends turned her on to a quiz that purports to tell you how you best receive and express love. It is based on The 5 Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. The book has sold 20m copies since being published by Gary Chapman in 1992. Continue reading...
The first successful embryo transfer in a southern white rhino paves way for using technique to save rarer northern cousinsThe critically endangered northern white rhino could be saved from the brink of extinction after scientists performed the first successful embryo transfer in white rhinos.After the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, died in 2018, the disappearance of the species looked imminent. Just two infertile female northern white rhinos - Fatu and Najin - remain, and are under 24-hour armed protection at a conservation reservation in Kenya. But a new scientific advancement means the mother and daughter may not be the last of their kind. Continue reading...
The Traitors has shown just how adept some people are at lying. Here, an ex-FBI agent, a psychologist and a fraud investigator share their best tips for detecting dishonestyTwenty-two people in a castle, Claudia Winkleman hamming it up like crazy, a number of silly challenges, a chunk of money sitting at the centre, almost glowing, and human nature laid bare. To try to pick apart exactly what makes The Traitors so compelling would be to miss the point, like trying to analyse the ingredients in a Krispy Kreme doughnut.As enjoyable as it is, though, the show gets more infuriating with each episode. I don't want to point fingers, still less give spoilers, so let's keep this broad: why are they (the Faithful) all so stupid? Why can't they tell when they are being lied to? It's so obvious! Continue reading...
How did the country get from a 2017 WHO declaration that the disease had been eliminated in Britain to the current crisis?In September 2017, Britain was basking in the glory of a public health success story. No indigenous cases of measles had been recorded for three years. Decades after a sham study threatened to permanently undermine trust in the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, the World Health Organization declared the disease had been eliminated for the first time in the UK.Dr Mary Ramsay, then head of immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), expressed delight. This is a huge achievement and a testament to all the hard work by our health professionals in the NHS to ensure that all children and adults are fully protected with two doses of the MMR vaccine." Continue reading...
Traces of DNA found on lumps of tree resin suggest trout and hazelnuts were popular 10,000 years agoDNA from a type of chewing gum" used by teenagers in Sweden 10,000 years ago is shedding new light on the stone age diet and oral health, according to research.The wads of gum are made from pieces of birch bark pitch, a tar-like black resin, and carry clearly visible teethmarks. Continue reading...
Study finds measuring levels of a protein could be just as good at detecting disease as lumbar punctures and scansThe possibility of simple blood tests to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease faster has been given a boost after researchers revealed evidence that they can rival costly brain scans or painful lumbar punctures for accuracy.Recent studies have brought the possibility of reliable blood tests for dementia closer to becoming a reality. A 5m project was launched by researchers in the UK last year with the goal of enabling people to be diagnosed in seconds on the NHS within five years. Continue reading...
Campaigners say 76% decline in riverfly species' abundance at Cunsey Beck is being caused by sewage dischargesTesting by citizen scientists of a beck that feeds into Windermere has revealed a huge loss in invertebrate life in the lake in Cumbria that campaigners say is being caused by sewage discharges.Save Windermere and WildFish carried out testing for invertebrates in Cunsey Beck, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), in order to assess the impact on its freshwater ecology of the Near Sawrey wastewater treatment works, owned and operated by United Utilities. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6J27N)
The trillions of microbes living on and inside the human body are an important part of who we are, from mediating all of our interactions with the environment to determining our cancer risk and influencing who we fall for. And scientists are only just beginning to decipher the species of bugs we share our lives with, and how they shape us.In the first of a Science Weekly three-part mini-series, Ian Sample speaks to colorectal surgeon and researcher, James Kinross, about the miraculous world of our gut microbiome, how modern life is impacting it, and what we can do to look after it Continue reading...
The answers to today's puzzles - and some of your Scrabblegrams!Earlier today I introduced the Scrabblegram: a form of constrained writing in which you must use all 100 tiles in a Scrabble set, including the two blanks, and no other letters. Many of you sent me your Scrabblegrams, and I'll print a few below.But first, the answers to today's puzzle, which I think is possibly the greatest wordplay puzzle of all time. Written by David Cohen, both the question and the answer are Scrabblegrams. Continue reading...
A new study suggests that illness anxiety can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fortunately, there are effective treatmentsIn an English churchyard, the Irish comedian Spike Milligan's gravestone has a chastening message for those who knew him: I told you I was ill."We can all identify with Milligan's concerns. Who hasn't panic-researched supposed symptoms, fearing the worst? His joke speaks to our fear that legitimate health concerns will be shrugged off as nothing to worry about - Oh, it's just hypochondria." Continue reading...
Scrabble as you have never seen it beforeUPDATE: Read the solutions hereThe Scrabblegram is a form of constrained writing in which you must write a piece of text that uses all 100 tiles in an English Scrabble set, and no other letters. The blank tiles must be used, and as per the rules can be any letter.This example by David Cohen is considered one of the best examples in the genre: Continue reading...
This month the moon will sit directly below two bright stars in the constellation of GeminiThe full moon meets the celestial twins this week. The chart shows the view looking south-east from London on 24 January at 2000 GMT, when the full moon will sit directly below the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation of Gemini.The story of the twin half-brothers of Greek and Roman mythology is that Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, while Pollux was the divine son of Zeus. Pollux requested that he be able to share his immortality with his brother, so Zeus transformed them into stars. Continue reading...
Researchers suggest image of prehistoric giant based on proportions of great white shark could be mistakenHuge, fearsome and boasting an enormous pair of jaws, the star of Hollywood's The Meg left even the movie hardman Jason Statham troubled by its size.Now researchers say the gigantic prehistoric shark megalodon might have been slimmer than previously thought. Continue reading...
UKHSA declares national incident as figures suggest more than 3.4 million children have not had MMR jabA national campaign to boost uptake of a vaccine that protects against measles has been launched in England after a rise in cases of the potentially deadly disease.Measles outbreaks have occurred around the country, including in London, with the West Midlands experiencing cases at their highest level since the mid-1990s. Continue reading...
After months of wrestling with last two of 35 fasteners, scientists were able to remove dust from Bennu to examineCurators at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston have said they are overjoyed" to have finally got a canister of asteroid dust open, four months after it parachuted down through the Earth's atmosphere into the Utah desert.The space administration announced Friday that it had successfully removed two stuck fasteners that had prevented some of the samples collected in 2020 from the 4.6bn-year-old asteroid Bennu, which is classified as a potentially hazardous" because it has one in 1,750 chance of crashing into Earth by 2300. Continue reading...
AI-powered technology that projects lifelike avatars trialled at Loughborough UniversityAny university lecturer will tell you that luring students to a morning lecture is an uphill struggle. But even the most hungover fresher would surely be enticed by a physics lesson from Albert Einstein or a design masterclass from Coco Chanel.This could soon be the reality for British students, as some universities start to beam in guest lecturers from around the globe using the same holographic technology that is used to bring dead or retired singers back to the stage. Continue reading...
The zoologist on observing animal communication in the wild, why dolphins give one another names, and the high likelihood that humans could converse with aliensDr Arik Kershenbaum is a zoologist at Cambridge University who specialises in animal communication, studying wolves, gibbons and dolphins to understand more not just about their ecology and conservation, but also about the evolution of our own language". His first book, The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy, which speculated on alien life, came out in 2020. His new book, Why Animals Talk: The New Science of Animal Communication, will be published on 25 January.Why did you decide to write this book?
The coverage of the model's birthday celebrations has led me to reflect on my tendency to compare myself to others. Perhaps it's time to take a different tack ...Thoughts and prayers, please, for those of us born in 1974, as the global news event that is Kate Moss turning 50 continues. Given the blanket coverage, I probably don't need to tell you much about it, but just in case you're a high court judge, here are the bullet-point basics. Moss went to a spiritual retreat" on Mustique, then private-jetted to Paris for a party at which she wore an incredible vintage sheer lace dress. Guests included Venus Williams and Stella McCartney, but the lack of gawping paparazzi pics suggests it was mainly her friends in attendance; the whole thing seemed high on glamour and low on scandal, as befits a 50-year-old style icon with absolutely nothing left to prove.It's not my turn for months yet, but it's pretty clear that my 50th will be less catsuit, more crying into my crisps. It could be a tricky year, self-esteem-wise, as my peers - Leonardo DiCaprio, Victoria Beckham, Robbie Williams, Penelope Cruz, Chloe Sevigny - hit their half-century. Do you remember how at the start of secondary school, kids in your class looked wildly different ages, anything from eight to 28, depending on genetics and gender? Well, 50 seems to be the same: some of us (me) look as if they've been excavated from a Valley of the Kings antechamber after multiple graverobbings; Moss, despite the decades of cigs and partying, looks better than ever. Continue reading...
Modern life can be exhausting. Psychologist, author and fatigue expert Vincent Deary says the answer is to learn how to restVincent Deary, psychologist, fatigue specialist and author, has been telling me what an anxious creature" he is. He barely slept last night. The hotel room was unfamiliar and noisy. Worse, the prospect of an interview and of meeting someone new made his arrhythmic heart race.It's racing now as we sit together in a London hotel. We're here to discuss his new book, How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living, an exploration of our varying responses to the corrosive pressures of daily life, especially work, and an assertion of the vital necessity of rest, recovery and the lost art of convalescence. The book is the second in a trilogy by Deary, a professor of psychology at Northumbria University and a clinical fatigue specialist at the Cresta Fatigue Clinic, a role from which he has just retired. The NHS clinic, which is closing later this year, is unique in the UK for taking a multi-disciplinary approach to disabling fatigue. Deary goes on to share something else with me: he dreads the intimacy of dinner parties and hates surprises, before adding that his partner of 10 years recently threw a surprise party for his 60th birthday - and he loved it. Proof, it seems, that people can change. Continue reading...
Threat of outbreak from microbes trapped in permafrost for millennia raised by increased Siberian shipping activityHumanity is facing a bizarre new pandemic threat, scientists have warned. Ancient viruses frozen in the Arctic permafrost could one day be released by Earth's warming climate and unleash a major disease outbreak, they say.Strains of these Methuselah microbes - or zombie viruses as they are also known - have already been isolated by researchers who have raised fears that a new global medical emergency could be triggered - not by an illness new to science but by a disease from the distant past. Continue reading...
National Museums Scotland restores soldier's brass guard, only the third of its kind known to existA spectacular brass guard that would have protected the sword arm of a high-ranking Roman soldier some 1,800 years ago has been reconstructed from more than 100 fragments found at Trimontium, the Roman fort complex in Scotland.The extraordinary jigsaw puzzle has been pieced together by National Museums Scotland (NMS) in Edinburgh, and the arm-guard will now be lent to the British Museum's forthcoming exhibition on life in the Roman army. Continue reading...
Mental health problems affect up to 20% of new mothers, but provision of mother-and-baby support is patchyThe bed was covered with baby clothes neatly arranged with milestone cards for future events such as coming home" and Easter". They were the outfits for all the special occasions Tara Maguire thought she would miss with her daughter Maisie, then just two weeks old. Downstairs her husband and mother-in-law were waiting to drive her to be admitted as an inpatient at the Bluestone psychiatric unit of Craigavon Area hospital in Northern Ireland. It was really hard," recalls Tara, wiping away tears.Tara had postpartum psychosis, one of the mental health conditions that affect 10-20% of mothers either during pregnancy or the year after - the perinatal" period. They include depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. Many factors make women more vulnerable to mental illness during this period, from changes in hormone levels and the brain, physical and psychological stress and traumas during birth, the sheer magnitude of this life event, or a potential genetic vulnerability. Continue reading...
by Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Sam Jones in Madrid on (#6J0FF)
The controversial painkiller is being cited in a growing number of deaths in Spain despite warnings about dangerous side-effectsOn an October evening last year, Summer Moses stood at her partner's bedside in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Spain and agreed the life support systems could be switched off. Her partner, Mark Brooks, lay under a transparent cover surrounded by tubes and machines. His body was swollen, blistered and broken.Moses was in a state of shock. Just six days earlier, Brooks had been enjoying a game of golf in eastern Spain in bright sunshine near his home. He sought treatment the next day for shoulder pain, and was given a painkiller injection of the drug metamizole at a local clinic. Continue reading...
Japan has become the fifth country to put a spacecraft on the moon after its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) made a successful landing on Friday. Hitoshi Kuninaka, the head of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, said: We are also able to confirm that the spacecraft is receiving commands correctly from Earth and responding to them.' However, Kuninaka said the spacecraft wasn't able to generate electricity due to problems with its solar panels
Jaxa space agency says lander's solar panels may not be angled correctly, after apparently flawless descentJapan's hopes to become the fifth country to land a working spacecraft softly on the moon ran into difficulties on Friday after mission controllers said the probe was unable to generate electricity after touchdown.The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) was trialling new technologies for pinpoint landings, but after an apparently flawless approach and descent, the mission hit a glitch when the probe landed soon after 3pm UK time. Continue reading...
Open letter says lawmakers must reject fearmongering' and allow scientists to develop crops that can withstand climate emergency'The EU must reject the darkness of anti-science fearmongering" before a key vote on gene editing, 34 Nobel prize winners have said.In an open letter shared with the Guardian and other European newspapers, the laureates demanded that lawmakers relax strict rules on genetic modification to embrace new techniques that target specific genes and edit their code. The technology could make crops more resistant to disease and more likely to survive extreme weather events that are growing more violent as the planet heats up. Continue reading...
by Presented by Michael Safi with Robin McKie; produc on (#6HZAZ)
The space race of the 20th century put the first person on the moon. Now a new race to the lunar surface - with new global players - is just getting going. Robin McKie reportsRobin McKie is the science editor of the Observer. Over the last 42 years, he's covered everything from advances in genetics and new discoveries in physics to the urgent scientific issues raised by the Covid pandemic. But one topic excites him more than any other: space - and, more specifically, the moon.He tells Michael Safi how the first crewed mission to the moon in 1969 captured the imagination of his generation and why the modern-day missions are something to be newly excited by. Continue reading...
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