Scientists call for 21 June easing to be delayed by a month as Delta variant cases and hospitalisations double

Experts say three billionaires have upended the traditional model for human spaceflight and are shaping a thriving new eraIt was a week in which two space-faring billionaires tussled again in their futuristic game of cosmic oneupmanship. And this time, for once, Elon Musk was not at the party.The declaration that Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and world’s richest man, was heading into space next month on the first crewed launch of his Blue Origin New Shepard rocket was followed quickly by an apparent leak from within Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic empire that the British tycoon might look to upstage him with a Fourth of July Independence Day spectacular of his own. Continue reading...

Driving force behind change of heart was being able to travel and see family, researchers say

Taskforce chief Kate Bingham gets damehood and Oxford research leaders also rewardedKey figures in the battle against Covid-19 and Britain’s vaccine success have been rewarded in the Queen’s birthday honours list, with vaccines taskforce chair Kate Bingham getting a damehood.Honours are also bestowed on two leaders of the research teams at the Oxford Vaccine Centre who developed and manufactured a vaccine backed by the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. Prof Sarah Gilbert, Saïd professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute, becomes a dame while Prof Andrew Pollard, professor of paediatric infection at the University of Oxford, gets a knighthood. Continue reading...

Monday’s announcement will come as coronavirus case are rising at fastest rate since second wave

News that the Amazon overlord is about to jet off has got the Virgin boss clamouring to get there first. You can do it, Richard!It’s famously impossible to take a bathroom break during a rocket launch, meaning Jeff Bezos will soon experience what it’s like to be one of his warehouse workers. Or, as the Amazon boss put it last week: “To see the Earth from space … changes your relationship with humanity.” That’s hugely encouraging. I feel like we’re just one successful interstellar wormhole mission to a distant galaxy away from allowing employees to unionise.Related: The tech billionaire space race: who is Jeff Bezos up against? Continue reading...

Innova tests’ performance not proven and they should be returned to manufacturer or thrown in bin, says FDA

Variant first discovered in India is thought to spread more easily and be more resistant to vaccines

Those with a certain genetic makeup more likely to develop motor neurone disease, study confirms

This month the Pentagon will release its much-awaited UFO report. Extraterrestrial buffs think they’ll be vindicated - but they’ve gotten a bit ahead of themselves

HOW FAR WE HAVE COME! (not that far actually)

Cambridge research suggests foot problem was more common after Blackadder-style shoe became popularFrom waist-squeezing corsets to crinoline skirts, fashion has rarely been about comfort – or safety. Now researchers have revealed that even in medieval times, men and women could become martyrs to fashion, linking a trend in pointy shoes to a rise in the prevalence of bunions.Bunions – or hallux valgus– are bulges that appear on the side of the foot as the big toe leans in towards the other toes and the first metatarsal bone points outwards. Studies suggest factors such as genetics probably predispose some people to the condition, but it is thought high heels and pointy shoes may exacerbate the problem or speed up its development. Continue reading...

Operators of Rosalind Franklin rover practise controlling it in preparation for Martian landing in June 2023A precise replica of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover has begun a series of test drives at the Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company’s Mars terrain simulator in Turin, Italy.Rover operators will practise controlling the rover in preparation for its landing on Mars’s Oxia Planum in June 2023. As it moves around the simulated Martian terrain, the ground test model is supported by a cradle attached to the facility’s roof, simulating Mars’s lower gravitational field, which is just a third that of Earth. Continue reading...

Huge star, 25,000 light years away, dims by 97% then slowly returns to former brightnessAstronomers have spotted a giant blinking star, 100 times the size of the sun, lurking near the heart of the Milky Way.Telescope observations revealed that over a few hundred days the enormous star, which lies more than 25,000 light years away, dimmed by 97% and then slowly returned to its former brightness. Continue reading...

This pandemic’s precise origins may never be certain. We must address both zoonotic transmission risks and lab security

Observers in north America and Europe were able to witness a morning solar eclipse, as the moon passed between the Earth and the sun. While those in Canada, Greenland and northern Russia were treated to an annular eclipse, creating a 'ring of fire', skygazers elsewhere saw a partial eclipse, creating a crescent sun

Organisation urges governments to be cautious as societies open up and Delta variant advances

From New Jersey to Milton Keynes, skygazers in the northern hemisphere were able to see a partial solar eclipse, witnessing a crescent sun in an eclipsed sunrise in some parts of the world

Skygazers – with appropriate eye protection – could see part of sun obscured on Thursday morning

Smaller firms are developing most antibiotics targeting superbugs but often at risk of bankruptcySmall drugmakers and biotech firms that are developing the bulk of new antibiotics need far more financial support, according to a new report, which warned that without these life-saving medicines there could be a pandemic of drug-resistant infections, worse than Covid-19.The Access to Medicine Foundation, an Amsterdam-based non-profit group, said small and medium-sized firms, which account for three-quarters of all late-stage antibiotics in development, struggle to secure enough funding and are often at risk of bankruptcy, potentially leaving new medicines stranded on the lab bench. Continue reading...

Third of people say they use strong language more than they did five years ago, according to BBFC survey

There are more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth, but by the end of the century, 30% of these could be lost. This week, research warns that knowledge of medicinal plants is at risk of disappearing as human languages become extinct. Phoebe Weston speaks to Rodrigo Cámara Leret about the study, and the links between biological and cultural diversity Continue reading...

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Group of scientists contest privacy concerns that they say are hampering research into illnesses such as long CovidResearchers have said they could struggle to find new treatments for conditions dealt with by GPs, from long Covid to depression, if they cannot get access to the patient data held by GPs because of concerns over privacy.Related: Why has the NHS patient data-sharing scheme been pushed back? Continue reading...

DNA tests on ancient bones show men were related and died following violent incidentsThe skeletons of two Viking age men who were related but died on opposite sides of the North Sea are to be reunited in an exhibition in Copenhagen this month.DNA tests on the ancient bones suggest the men were either half-brothers or a nephew and an uncle, according to Prof Eske Willerslev, a Danish evolutionary geneticist based at the University of Cambridge. Both of the Norsemen died following violent incidents. Continue reading...

When America’s richest are paying proportionately less in tax than those struggling from paycheck to paycheck, the tax system demands a radical overhaulThis week, Jeff Bezos announced his plan to become the first billionaire in space. Next month, on the 52nd anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, he will fly about 100 km above the rest of us, see the curve of the Earth and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, before a final descent. As a metaphor for the relationship between the super-rich and everyone else, it does not come much better. What also takes some beating is the justification from the world’s richest person for living out the sci-fi dreams he had as a boy: he has so much money he doesn’t know how to spend it.“The only way that I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel,” he said in 2018. “That is basically it.” To which the possible counter-suggestions might include: pay your workers more. Or perhaps: pay higher taxes. Because the other big bit of Bezos news this week is that in 2007 and 2011 the multi-billionaire did not pay a cent in US federal income tax. He was in good company: in 2018 Elon Musk of Tesla also paid no federal income taxes. Michael Bloomberg, Carl Icahn and George Soros are also all recent members of the zero club. Continue reading...

Australian scientists develop a microscope that works with 35% more clarity, raising hope for improvements in medical imagingAustralian researchers have developed a microscope that can image tiny biological structures that were previously not visible in what has been described as a significant step for quantum technology.It is believed to be the first time that quantum technology has improved on existing light microscopes, which in future may lead to improvements in medical imaging and navigation systems. Continue reading...

Researchers say species exposed for long periods to light pollution near the shore were less likely to survive than those living farther awayYoung clownfish on coastal reefs are dying faster as a result of exposure to artificial light at night, according to new research.An international team of scientists studying reefs on Moorea, a tiny island of French Polynesia, have found that orange-fin anemonefish – a species of clownfish – exposed for long periods to human-generated artificial light were 36% less likely to survive than clownfish living in reefs farther from the coast. Continue reading...

Analysis in Scotland finds small increase in risk of treatable condition called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

End of social distancing and mask-wearing could leave children vulnerable to common bugs

Nobel laureate David Baltimore says he overstated case, and the origins of the virus are still unknown

Misleading rhetoric has fuelled the belief that our genetic code is an ‘instruction book’ – but it’s far more interesting than that

Juno passed within 645 miles of Ganymede, the closest any spacecraft has come to the moon since 2000Nasa’s Juno spacecraft has provided the first closeups of Jupiter’s largest moon in two decades.Juno zoomed past icy Ganymede on Monday, passing within 645 miles (1,038km). The last time a spacecraft came that close was in 2000 when Nasa’s Galileo spacecraft swept past our solar system’s biggest moon. Continue reading...

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 we know we’re not living in a simulation like The Matrix? Jack Freedom, BristolPost your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published on Sunday. Continue reading...

Achieving herd immunity is possible – and necessary – but requires quick action, say experts

Loss of linguistic diversity may lead to disappearance of age-old remedies unknown to science, study warnsKnowledge of medicinal plants is at risk of disappearing as human languages become extinct, a new study has warned.Indigenous languages contain vast amounts of knowledge about ecosystem services provided by the natural world around them. However, more than 30% of the 7,400 languages on the planet are expected to disappear by the end of the century, according to the UN. Continue reading...

Material science allows us to understand the objects around us mathematically, but there is no formula to describe the sophistication of a handcrafted teacup. Dr Anna Ploszajski is a materials scientist who has travelled all over the UK, meeting makers to better understand her craft and theirs. She spoke to Shivani Dave about what she discovered and documented in her new book, Handmade. Continue reading...

Event may have gone unnoticed had it not slowed data traffic between Nigeria and South AfricaA vast underwater avalanche sent mud and sand more than 1,000km out into the ocean over the course of two days, rupturing submarine cables and disrupting internet traffic on Africa’s western coast, scientists have revealed.The avalanche, the longest sediment flow ever recorded, travelled more than 1,100km from its source at the mouth of the Congo river along a deep ocean canyon, according to a new study. Continue reading...

Guardian Australia picture editor Carly Earl explains the dos and don’ts of photographing the moonWhen a full moon rises, many people will pull out their mobile phones to try and get an Instagram-worthy photograph, but unfortunately the moon is really challenging to get a great photo of.Two reasons: it is very far away and unless you have a telephoto lens (which makes the moon appear closer than it is) it will always appear as a very small glowing dot in the frame. Continue reading...

As Amazon founder prepares to jet off in his Blue Origin vessel, can he compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX?

Research grant applicants ‘entitled to know’ if there is a secret blacklist operating: former research minister Kim CarrAn Australian government agency has been accused of running a secret “blacklist” on researchers by scanning for information about individuals who apply to it for grants.The Australian Research Council has confirmed it collates information about potential “sensitivities” when it prepares funding decisions, including media reports and links to Chinese institutions listed on a database compiled by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (Aspi). Continue reading...

Cumbria is latest county to raise SOS as plant causes erosion and smothers other flowersHimalayan balsam’s attractive exterior masks a deadly intent. Don’t be fooled by its soothing name, pink flowers and pleasant perfume – according to ecologists, this invasive species chokes our waterways, causes riverbank erosion and is smothering our wild flowers at a terrifying rate.Determined to stop this nefarious weed from colonising even more of Britain’s lowlands, crack squads of “balsam bashers” have been out regularly since spring, hoping to pull up the evil herb before it has chance to flower. Continue reading...

Usefulness of aducanumab is disputed but US approval will trigger push to make it available globally

The Delta variant is surging, and the government’s failure to act quickly will likely cost lives

Move comes after concerns from diplomats Britain was being treated as if it posed a similar risk to China

Analysis: Concern over Delta variant means decision on ending restrictions on 21 June hangs in balance

I am not one of nature’s sunbeams, but we all need optimism in our lives right now. Can looking for little moments of joy help?Apparently the fear of happiness has a name: cherophobia. You can check if you have it by answering a questionnaire that is halfway between teen mag summer quiz and the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. “Having lots of joy and fun causes bad things to happen” – strongly agree, somewhat disagree, neither agree nor disagree?I am a “strongly agree”. Not one of nature’s sunbeams, I am superstitiously inclined to regard happiness with suspicion; absurdly, I seem to believe that expecting the worst can ward it off. Continue reading...

Apocalyptic predictions about male infertility seem to be everywhere, but the science doesn’t support themWhat’s too small to see with the naked eye, made by half the population in batches of millions, and in alarmingly short supply? The answer, according to some scientists, is sperm. Specifically, researchers are concerned that men in the west have been producing fewer and fewer sperm since the 1970s, a decline that they say shows no sign of stopping. At the current rate, they say, these men could be infertile by 2045. But these figures should give us pause. The idea that the sperm of men in western countries is about to flatline is, in a word, extraordinary. The data doesn’t support it.The fear of a decline in sperm counts is potent and far-reaching. It has been voiced by everyone from environmentalists such as Erin Brockovich to white supremacists and their mainstream media mouthpieces such as Tucker Carlson. The broad appeal of this notion is possible because the alleged causes of a decline run the material and ideological gamut. They include chemicals found in common household products as well as modern urban lifestyles in which white men are physically sedentary and compelled to share power with people of ever-diversifying genders and ethnicities. Continue reading...

The shocking mistreatment of women by the medical establishment is laid bare in a compelling social historyDuring the recent anxieties about the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine and its possible link to blood clots, many women felt obliged to point out, on social media and in the press, that the risk of fatal thrombosis was significantly higher from using hormonal contraception, and yet this continues to be prescribed to millions of women without anything like the level of concern or scrutiny that the vaccine has received. The potential danger of a medication that only affects women is less of a headline-grabber, it seems. In fact, when the pill was first licensed in the US in 1960 it contained more than three times the levels of synthetic hormones than the modern version, and the side-effects – including fatal pulmonary embolisms and thrombosis – were deliberately downplayed. It took a sustained grassroots campaign by women’s groups to bring the issue to the attention of a congressional hearing in 1970. “From the beginning, the pill was couched as a way for women to take control of their bodies and fertility,” writes cultural historian Elinor Cleghorn in her debut book, Unwell Women. “But this also means that the costs – physical and mental – remain women’s burdens.”The history of the pill is just one fascinating episode in this richly detailed, wide-ranging and enraging history of how conventional medicine has pathologised, dismissed and abused women from antiquity to the present. A male-dominated medical establishment, influenced by religious, cultural and political ideas about women’s bodies – particularly with regard to sexuality and reproduction – has inflicted immeasurable suffering on women and girls, often with a sense of righteous zeal. Some of the cases Cleghorn unearths could come straight from The Handmaid’s Tale. There’s the 19th-century London surgeon Isaac Baker Brown, an avid proponent of clitoridectomy to cure the hysteric and nervous disorders thought to be brought about by excessive masturbation in young middle-class women. Or the American neurologists Walter Freeman and James Watts, who pioneered the craze for lobotomies in the 1930s and 40s – by 1942, 75% of their patients were women. “In an era when a mentally healthy woman was a serene wife and mother, almost any behaviour or emotion that disrupted domestic harmony could be interpreted as justification for a lobotomy.” Continue reading...

A Pentagon report on UFOs is almost here, but I’d rather not consider another looming disasterAs a child, I loved unsolved mysteries, and I’m not talking about detective novels. I’m talking about those big, fat, cheaply printed volumes you could buy from Woolworths which anthologised everything from the Mary Celeste and the Loch Ness monster, to Kaspar Hauser to the Enfield poltergeist, throwing in the Yeti and the Moberly–Jourdain incident for good measure. I gobbled them up, as well as being an avid reader of Fortean Times and an avid watcher of the paranormal series Strange but True? – 90s television introduced me to things that a small child really has no business knowing about, such as spontaneous human combustion. The black and white image of a burned-out armchair where a person used to be, with only their charred legs remaining, will probably never leave me.