For any monitoring system to be reliable and cost-effective, it cannot rely solely on self-reported tests, writes Prof Sylvia Richardson of the Royal Statistical SocietySajid Javid is right to argue against scrapping the Office for National Statistics’ Covid surveillance study (Cabinet splits emerge over ‘living with Covid’ strategy and free testing, 17 February). Throughout the pandemic, national surveillance studies have provided invaluable information to support decision-making.For any real-time health surveillance system to be reliable and cost-effective, it cannot rely solely on self-reported tests. These data sets are likely to be biased, as it is impossible to know how many people are also reporting their negative results and, if tests start to come with a cost, how many people simply aren’t testing. If we are to get reliable information about the prevalence of Covid, it is essential to maintain studies such as the ONS’s and React to allow statisticians to estimate infectiousness and the proportion of the population who are infected (including those without symptoms), as well as to identify new variants. Continue reading...

French virologist who shared the Nobel prize as co-discoverer of HIV but championed the anti-vax movement in later lifeThe French virologist Luc Montagnier was a protagonist in one of the most acrimonious scientific disputes of the late 20th century. The disagreement, with the American scientist Robert Gallo, over who had discovered HIV and its role in causing Aids, was resolved only after the intervention of the US and French presidents, Ronald Reagan and Jacques Chirac. In 2008 Montagnier and his colleague Françoise Barré-Sinoussi were jointly awarded half of the Nobel prize for medicine. The rest of the prize went to Harald zur Hausen, for his unrelated discovery that human papillomaviruses cause cervical and other cancers.In later life Montagnier, who has died aged 89, alienated his own supporters after he promoted a range of fringe theories. He was a champion of the anti-vax movement, arguing that diseases including HIV could be cured by diet. When the Covid pandemic began, he claimed that Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, had originated in a lab experiment to combine coronavirus and HIV. He told viewers on French TV that vaccination was an “enormous mistake” that would promote the spread of new variants. Continue reading...

Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia first countries to be assisted by global mRNA hub

Cases of illness normally seen in west Africa are ‘stark reminder’ of need to invest in outbreak preparednessThe death of a newborn baby with Lassa fever in Luton is a grim reminder of the global threat posed by deadly infectious diseases. Three cases have been confirmed in England – the first time the acute viral illness normally only seen in west Africa has emerged in the UK for 13 years.This weekend, officials from the UK Health Security Agency are closely monitoring hundreds of people identified as potential contacts of the three cases. The Guardian has learned many of these individuals will continue to be monitored for the rest of the month and into March. Continue reading...

A black rock, the size of a fist, was lying right where my head had beenI live in a small town called Golden, in a valley bottom between two mountain ranges in Canada. I’m retired, and apart from my dog, Toby, I live alone. I lead a pretty quiet life, especially since the pandemic.On Sunday 3 October last year, I went to bed as usual at about 9.30pm. The next thing I remember is waking up at 11.30 to the sound of Toby barking like mad. It was his protective bark: “Something’s out there!” So I quickly got up. Almost immediately there was an explosion, and everything was covered in plasterboard and debris. Continue reading...

Both will focus on origin of ‘solar wind’ and turbulence within itNasa is setting up two space missions that will help us understand space weather and the constantly changing space environment.Space is filled with charged particles and magnetic fields that originate on the Sun. This “solar wind” is turbulent and can damage technology on Earth and in space. Because it is a form of radiation, it can also be harmful to astronauts. Nasa’s two new missions will study the origin of the solar wind and the turbulence within it. Continue reading...

More than 300 senior staff in England polled as Boris Johnson expected to unveil living with coronavirus plan

The latest statistic hints at the breadth of Covid-19’s impact on health in the United StatesThere have been more than 1m excess deaths in the US during the pandemic, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The deaths are mainly attributable to Covid-19, as well as conditions that may have resulted from delayed medical care and overwhelmed health systems. Continue reading...

After-work drinks on Zoom are not the same as in the office or the pub. I can’t wait to reconnect

Research into samples of 30,000 men in China suggests ability of sperm to swim in right direction could be affectedAir pollution may affect semen quality, specifically sperm motility — the ability of sperm to swim in the right direction — according to a new study analysing the sperm of over 30,000 men in China.The research, published today in the journal JAMA Networks, also suggests that the smaller the size of the polluting particles in the air, the greater the link with poor semen quality. Continue reading...

Findings go against the assumption that mental processing speed declines from a peak at age 20It is widely accepted as one of life’s bleak but unavoidable facts: as we get older, our brains get slower. But now a study, based on data from more than 1 million people, suggests that mental processing speed remains almost constant until the age of 60.The analysis puts perceived reductions in speed down to people becoming more cautious as they get older. This could account for the large body of research that has concluded that mental processing speed peaks at about the age of 20 and undergoes a steady decline from that point onwards. Continue reading...

Authorities warn against practice for younger children due to lack of safety and efficacy dataAs news broke recently that the Covid vaccine for children under five would be delayed in the US amid ongoing clinical trials, a call to make the vaccines off-label for use among those children gained force – but officials caution against vaccinating young children without any safety or efficacy data for this age group.When providers sign an agreement to provide Covid-19 vaccine shots, they also agree not to give the vaccine off-label, or use it for purposes other than what it was approved to do. Continue reading...

To study life on the red planet, people from around the world volunteer to live with strangers in the middle of nowhereThe Mars weather is beautiful today, and an astronaut is about to suffocate to death under the cloudless blue sky.The trouble starts after three crew members leave the safety of the Hab, their pressurized six-person living station, and venture outside to do some routine work. They trudge along in 35lb spacesuits, breathing air pumped by fan and watching the jagged red landscape through their fishbowl-like glass helmets. Continue reading...

While Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote about death and taxes remains true for most, the same might not be said for some of the world’s billionaires. And their efforts to extend life are under way. Most recently, a Silicon Valley start-up called Altos Labs signed up a dream team of scientists, including numerous Nobel laureates, with an aim to rejuvenate human cells.Ian Sample speaks to Prof Janet Lord about the science of ageing, extending our health as well as our lifespans, and how old we could actually goArchive: TEDx Talks, Bloomberg Studio 1.0, Lifespan News, Lance Hitchings Continue reading...

Exclusive: whole genome sequencing could end ‘diagnostic odyssey’ of multiple tests that still do not give precise diagnosisA simple test could end years of uncertainty for people with relatively common neurological conditions, new research has found.Historically, obtaining a definitive diagnosis for conditions including Huntingdon’s disease and some forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been difficult, because, although the cause of the symptoms is genetic, knowing which test to carry out has resulted in delays of many years. Continue reading...

Research finds much lower risk of infant hospitalisation when mother had mRNA vaccine during pregnancy

Researchers say taking social attitudes into account sees 2100 climate projections varying by 1.8CScientists have modelled thousands of possible futures, and found that different social attitudes could make the difference between a temperature increase of just 1.8C or 3.6C by the end of the 21st century.Researchers dived into how the complex interactions between social factors, such as public opinion or adherence to the status quo, will affect the global heating trajectory by 2100 and found that there were five main possible outcomes. None of them meet the 1.5C Paris agreement target, but almost all achieve 0.5C less heating than the standard models, which don’t account for changes in social factors. Continue reading...

Good-looking people may be better at fighting infections, a study finds, so don’t feel shallow when you swipe rightName: Gorgeous people.Age: Considerable. Certainly of greater longevity than poor saps like you who’ve been battered by the ugly stick and, let’s face it, will probably die sooner than hotties like me. Continue reading...

As a person dies in the UK from a case of Lassa fever, what do we know about this potential deadly disease?A patient in the UK who has died from Lassa fever, an acute viral infection endemic in parts of Africa, was a newborn baby, according to reports.The Guardian reported last week that a patient had died in Bedfordshire after being found to have Lassa fever. The confirmed case brought the total number of people diagnosed with the disease in England to three. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Group representing local bodies warns that forcing people to pay for PCR tests could hit take-up

Watching the misfortunes of Boris Johnson or Novak Djokovic is deliciously satisfying – and unmistakably human. But is it wrong to submit to our basest instincts?No one is especially shy about the anger they feel about the partygate shambles in Downing Street, nor should they be. We are all a bit more discreet, though, about how enjoyable it is to watch the prime minister’s downfall. It hits every base of funny, from the slapstick to the surreal; a comedy home run. But there is something delicious here that is richer than humour. To see a chancer unmasked is a very particular pleasure.Likewise, I would happily give you my thoughts on the international tennis elite and their stance on vaccination. But why it was so droll to see Novak Djokovic detained in and then deported from Australia I would struggle to say; I never had anything against the man. Continue reading...

Reports of conflicting results are common if mystifying; however, scientists have a number of explanations

Largest study of its kind suggests prevalence of intolerance is much lower than was previously thoughtThe proportion of patients who are intolerant to statins is far lower than previous estimates suggest, according to the world’s largest study of the issue.According to the British Heart Foundation, an estimated 7-8 million adults in the UK take statins, which reduce the risk of heart attack and strokes. However, concerns around side-effects mean some people reduce their dose or stop taking them altogether. Continue reading...

An animal welfare group alleges that monkey test subjects endured ‘crude surgeries’ and ‘extreme suffering’Elon Musk’s brain chip company Neuralink is defending itself against claims that its researchers abused monkeys in the testing of its products.Neuralink – which hopes to create a revolutionary interface that would allow humans to control devices with their brains – said in a statement on Monday that its research animals were “respected and honored by our team”. The company was responding to allegations that the animals were tortured and left to die in horrific experiments at its facilities. Continue reading...

Patient is mixed-race woman treated in New York using umbilical cord blood, in technique raising chances of finding suitable donorsScientists appear to have cured a third person, and the first woman, of HIV using a novel stem cell transplant method, American researchers in Denver, Colorado, said on Tuesday.The patient, a woman of mixed race, was treated using a new method that involved umbilical cord blood, which is more readily available than the adult stem cells which are often used in bone marrow transplants, according to the New York Times. Continue reading...

The longing for pre-pandemic life is natural. But we won’t get back what we missed by pretending that the risks are overAmid the gloom of February and the cost-of-living crisis, there are at least some reasons to be cheerful when it comes to coronavirus in the UK. Vaccinations have saved countless lives and allowed people to return to many of the activities they missed. The Omicron variant did not lead to the rocketing rates of hospitalisation and death initially feared, and infection and mortality rates are declining again.The desire to return to pre-pandemic life is natural – a reaction to the sacrifices made and, more generally, to the exhaustion and emotional toll of the past two years. People are tired of thinking about Covid. But the best hope of maximising our freedoms is to rigorously monitor the spread of infection and enable people to protect themselves and others. The government appears set on dismantling the very things that make this possible. Continue reading...

The experiment, which went swimmingly, marks a hopeful step in the advancement of heart treatments such as pacemakersScientists at Harvard University have engineered an artificial fish whose flapping tail is powered by cells from a human heart, a groundbreaking project that has ignited hopes for the future of cardiac research.The team of scientists at Harvard, in collaboration with Emory University, built the “biohybrid fish” using paper, plastic, gelatin and two strips of living heart muscle cells, the contractions of which pulled the fish’s tail from side to side and allowed it to swim. Continue reading...

Archaeologists excavating the windswept Ness of Brodgar are unearthing a treasure trove of neolithic villages, tombs, weapons and mysterious religious artefacts, some to be displayed in a blockbuster exhibitionIf you happen to imagine that there’s not much left to discover of Britain’s stone age, or that its relics consist of hard-to-love postholes and scraps of bones, then you need to find your way to Orkney, that scatter of islands off Scotland’s north-east coast. On the archipelago’s Mainland, out towards the windswept west coast with its wave-battered cliffs, you will come to the Ness of Brodgar, an isthmus separating a pair of sparkling lochs, one of saltwater and one of freshwater. Just before the way narrows you’ll see the Stones of Stenness rising up before you. This ancient stone circle’s monoliths were once more numerous, but they remain elegant and imposing. Like a gateway into a liminal world of theatricality and magic, they lead the eye to another, even larger neolithic monument beyond the isthmus, elevated in the landscape as if on a stage. This is the Ring of Brodgar, its sharply individuated stones like giant dancers arrested mid-step – as local legend, indeed, has it.It’s between these two stone circles that archaeologist Nick Card and his team are excavating a huge settlement of neolithic stone buildings. The earliest date from about 3300BC, their walls and hearths crisply intact, their pots and stone tools in remarkable profusion, the whole bounded by six-metre-wide monumental walls. “You could continue for several lifetimes and not get to the bottom of it,” says the neatly white-bearded, laconic Card as we gaze out over the site, presently covered with tarpaulin to protect it from the winter storms. “Every year it never fails to produce something that astounds us.” After nearly two decades of digging, they have excavated only about 10% of its area, and about 5% of its volume. It goes deep: buildings are stacked on the ruins of older ones; the place was in use for 1,000 years. When summer comes, they’ll dig again. When the coverings come off each July, says Card’s colleague, Anne Mitchell, “down you go and you’re among the ghosts of the past”. Continue reading...

Hundreds turn out for testing across the Pacific country after a traveller from New Zealand tested positive for the virusOne of the last remaining countries without Covid-19 - the small Pacific nation of Cook Islands - has reported its first case of the virus.Prime minister Mark Brown said the first case arrived on an international flight from New Zealand on 10 February. Continue reading...

Last week Boris Johnson announced that all Covid regulations in England, including the requirement to isolate after testing positive, were due to be abolished on 24 February. Whilst the Omicron variant has caused fewer hospitalisations and deaths than many predicted, some scientists say the changes may be going too far, too soon. Madeleine Finlay gets the Guardian science correspondent Hannah Devlin’s view on whether there’s scientific evidence backing up this decision and what the changes could look likeArchive: Daily Mail, Sky News Continue reading...

Astronomers say mistake over object that is due to hit lunar surface in March highlights difficulties of deep space trackingA rocket expected to crash into the moon in early March was built by China, not SpaceX, it has emerged.A rocket will indeed strike the lunar surface on 4 March, but contrary to what had been announced, it was built not by Elon Musk’s company, but by Beijing, experts now say. Continue reading...

Instead of pollution or 5G, it was most likely another bird that caused deaths caught on camera in CuauhtémocHundreds of yellow-headed blackbirds have been filmed appearing to fall from the sky, some of them dying, in mysterious circumstances in the northern Mexican city of Cuauhtémoc.The cause of death remains unclear but experts said it was most likely the flock was “flushed” from above by a predatory bird swooping down to make a catch. Continue reading...

Scientists think surveillance is urgent as deer could act as large reservoirs for the virus, and serve as a source for new variantsMichael Tonkovich spent the week after Thanksgiving at deer processors around Ohio, swabbing the carcasses to test for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that can cause Covid-19.When he explained his goal to hunters, a common reaction was: help yourself. And perhaps you can butcher it too, they joked. Continue reading...

On Wednesday, an hour after moonrise, Algieba and Regulus will frame the moon in the darkening skyThis week, watch the full moon rise between the two brightest stars of Leo, the lion.On Wednesday, the moon will rise in the gathering twilight at around 4.52pm GMT. About an hour later, the stars Algieba and Regulus will be visible on either side of it, against the darkening sky. Continue reading...

Charlatans and scientists | The PM and the police | San Serriffe | CBeebies | RecordersThere is a simple rule of thumb for distinguishing between charlatans like the Net Zero Scrutiny Group (Report, 8 February), the European Research Group and anti-vaxxers on the one hand, and the science community on the other: charlatans only look for evidence that they are right; scientists are only interested in evidence that they are wrong.

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsHow do you conquer your Fomo (fear of missing out)? Richard Orlando, QuebecSend new questions to nq@theguardian.com. Continue reading...

The fusion energy industry could produce a breakthrough in human history akin to the adoption of electricityIf you want proof that the process known as nuclear fusion can produce energy at scale somewhere in the universe, you need only look at the night sky: each pinprick of light is a natural nuclear fusion-powered reactor. For decades, scientists have sought to bring the power source of stars down to Earth and, in a stunning result recently announced, the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in Oxfordshire has reached a new landmark in sparking and sustaining a mini star.Scientists working on a doughnut-shaped machine called Jet, or the Joint European Torus, were able to double the previous world record (set in 1997) for energy released by fusion reactions. While the experiment ran, the output of fusion power was equivalent to four onshore wind turbines – a step towards power production at an industrial scale. Continue reading...

New research into sudden weight loss finds a possible cause of cachexia in cancer patients and Cockayne syndrome in childrenOne of the most serious impacts of cancer is the sudden loss of weight, appetite, and muscle that can hit some patients in the later stages of the disease. This wasting syndrome is known as cachexia and it can be triggered in other serious conditions, including heart disease and HIV.In addition, an inherited version of extreme wasting syndromes can affect children. Known as Cockayne syndrome, it causes them to suffer severe malnutrition and wasting that parallels the effect of cachexia. Continue reading...

A study that finds ‘agreeable’, ‘neurotic’ and ‘open’ types are fans of the same artists misses the point of music – and peopleDoes music taste reflect personality? A study from the University of Cambridge involving 350,000 participants, from 50 countries, across six continents, posits that people with similar traits across the globe are drawn to similar music genres. So, “extroverts” love Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake. The “open” thrill to Daft Punk, Radiohead and Jimi Hendrix. The “agreeable” are into Marvin Gaye, U2 and Taylor Swift. The “neurotic” enjoy, presumably as much they can, the work of David Bowie, Nirvana, and the Killers. And so on.While the study doesn’t claim to be definitive, how strange to be allotted only one personality trait/genre each. It sounds like Colour Me Beautiful for music. “What sound best goes with my personality? Did you bring along swatches?” Certainly, back when I worked for the New Musical Express, journalists, musicians and readers alike resisted being wrangled into such rigid categories. Continue reading...

This exciting industrial advance will bring new jobs – especially if we put ethics at its coreIt’s easy to miss good news amid coverage of the pandemic, the rising cost of living and the, ahem, rest. However, the United Kingdom is getting something right.On Thursday, the government announced that it is investing up to £23m to boost artificial intelligence (AI) skills by creating up to 2,000 scholarships across England. This will fund masters conversion courses for people from non-Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees. Continue reading...

Demands grow for government science chiefs to reveal evidence backing move to lift last protective measuresA future variant of Covid-19 could be much more dangerous and cause far higher numbers of deaths and cases of serious illness than Omicron, leading UK scientists have warned.As a result, many of them say that caution needs to be taken in lifting the last Covid restrictions in England, as Boris Johnson plans to do next week. Continue reading...

The clinical psychologist has 3 million followers for her self-help TikToks and now her book is a bestseller. She talks about social media, the pandemic and the simple tools that really helpDr Julie Smith, 37, is a clinical psychologist who has a private practice in Hampshire and has spent 10 years working for the NHS. In November 2019, she started making TikToks containing clear, engaging advice about various mental health issues. She has more than 3 million followers and in January published her first book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, which has spent four weeks at the top of bestseller lists.There are a lot of self-help books published; why do you think yours has struck a chord?

Thousands who experience ongoing effects from the virus are crying out for integrated care to treat the myriad symptoms as they struggle to live with an interminable illness

Equipment worth £1.7bn sourced from politically connected companies was stockpiled after government over-orderedMore than half the £1.7bn paid by the government to politically connected “VIP” companies to supply PPE in the pandemic was spent on equipment that has not been used, according to new figures.The total value of unused PPE was £2.8bn for 1.9bn items, according to newly released figures from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Continue reading...

Research busts myth childcare rejuvenates grandparents – but suggests looking after a neighbour’s child mightGrandparents planning hefty amounts of childcare this half-term might want to think again after research claimed to disprove previous findings of a “rejuvenating effect” from looking after grandchildren.Many studies have appeared to show mental and physical health advantages for those who care for their grandchildren. But none involved researchers talking to the same grandparents before and after their caregiving responsibilities began. Continue reading...

The South Downs national park is one of 19 International Dark Sky Reserves, and its popular cosmic photography contest produced awe-inspiring winning images. The public will have two weeks to vote for their favourite night-time shot from shortlisted images, with a prize of £50 going to the winner for the people’s choice award

5,000-year-old chalk drum decorated with motifs was discovered in Yorkshire alongside burial of three childrenA 5,000-year-old chalk sculpture discovered in east Yorkshire, due to be displayed at the British Museum, has been described as the most important piece of prehistoric art to be found in Britain in the last century.The object, which archaeologists have named the “Burton Agnes drum”, is a chalk sculpture which had been decorated with motifs similar to the artistic style at the same time as Stonehenge was built. The drum was discovered alongside the burial of three children. Continue reading...

Research raises hopes for new therapies that could help tackle disease and symptomsPeople who develop Alzheimer’s disease can experience sleep disturbances years before the condition takes hold, but whether one causes the other, or something more complex is afoot, has always proved hard for scientists to determine.Now, researchers in the US have shed light on the mystery, in work that raises hopes for new therapies, and how “good sleep hygiene” could help to tackle the disease and its symptoms. Continue reading...

Scientists who examined a fossil of ‘Dolly’ say it would have suffered coughing, sneezing and feverIn a timely reminder that respiratory infections are not a modern malaise, researchers have found the first evidence of such an affliction in a dinosaur that lived 150m years ago.Palaeontologists made the discovery when they examined the fossilised neck bones from a diplodocid, a huge, long-necked herbivore that walked the Earth in the late Jurassic period. Continue reading...