Science | The Guardian

Queensland health department says variant B1525 was identified in returned travellers in January

European Space Agency aims to take on 26 people for missions to the Moon and eventually to MarsEuropean space chiefs have launched their first recruitment drive for new astronauts in 11 years, with particular emphasis on encouraging women and people with disabilities to join missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars.The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Tuesday that it was looking to boost the diversity of its crews as it cavassed for up to 26 permanent and reserve astronauts. Continue reading...

The 25m-year-old find that will help fill in the gaps in the record of one of the continent’s most diverse speciesA tiny fossil pulled from the edge of a scorching salt lake in the South Australian outback is the oldest known remains of a skink ever found on the continent and may provide a vital clue to the lizard’s evolution.The team of palaeontologists and volunteers from Flinders University and the South Australian Museum found the 25m-year-old specimen during an excavation in 2017. Continue reading...

Analysis suggests everyone in first nine priority groups could get jab four weeks ahead of schedule

Project aims to identify paleoviruses and study virus evolution using the remains, Siberian lab says

Israeli company Kanabo sees shares almost quadruple as it raises £6m for insomnia treatmentShares in a medicinal cannabis company, referred to as “the cannabis Nespresso”, almost quadrupled in value on their trading debut on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday as investors scrambled to buy into the “wellness weed” market.Kanabo, an Israeli company that makes vaporised marijuana pods, saw its shares rise more than 292% to close at 18.5p. The shares, which launched at 4.75p, hit a high of 20.5p earlier in the day. Continue reading...

Latest government data shows 15,576,107 have received first vaccine dose; Scotland’s first minister sets out details of plan to reopen classrooms. This live blog is now closed - please follow the global coronavirus live blog for updates

Dr Gillian Tully says lack of capacity is forcing police to limit toxicology tests on suspected drug driversPolice forces are having to ration forensic toxicology work, especially samples from suspected drug drivers, because there is not enough capacity in the system to handle the volume of work, the outgoing forensic science regulator has said.Dr Gillian Tully, who steps down from her post after six years on Tuesday, said the service needed to be treated as critical national infrastructure and given the funding and regulatory powers necessary to maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system. Continue reading...

Research could have implications for scenarios from job interviews to court trials, say psychologistsThe longer a person takes to respond to a question the more likely it is they will be perceived as lying – whether it is a question about a crime or a friend’s baking skills.Beyond volume, tenor and the pitch of an answer, response time also appears to play a role in the way people perceive the sincerity of answers, psychologists have found. Continue reading...

Liberal MP, who has continued to use social media to defy conventional medical wisdom, posted three links to unproven views on Covid treatments

Scottish study found problems at certain venues, even taking precautions into account

The Com-Cov trial run by the Oxford Vaccine Group in the UK will be testing the efficacy and safety of a ‘mix and match’ approach to immunisation. By giving some participants either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and a second dose of the other, the trial aims to find out if combining different jabs offers sufficient protection. Sarah Boseley speaks to Dr Peter English about where this technique has been used in the past, why it could be beneficial, and how mixing vaccines actually works Continue reading...

Boris Johnson has said he wants ‘irreversible’ lockdown but cannot guarantee this will be the last. This live blog is now closed - for coronavirus updates, please follow the global live blog

Researchers say 32 cases of B1525 in Britain, with other cases in countries including Denmark, US and Australia

Antimicrobial resistance won’t race across the world like Covid-19, but its effects will be devastating. Thankfully, we already know what we need to do to defeat it

Arrivals from 33 countries must book stay, but hotel industry source says government may struggle to secure enough beds

The Amazon founder’s relentless quest for ‘customer ecstasy’ made him one of the world’s richest people – now he’s looking to the unlimited resources of space. Is he the genius our age of consumerism deserves? By Mark O’Connell Continue reading...

Researcher into the genetics of neurological disorders whose work has provided hope for a cure for muscular dystrophyPeter Harper, who has died aged 81, was a world expert on the genetics of inherited neurological disorders, particularly Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy. He also advocated the idea of genetic counselling – helping people to understand the implications of inherited disorders that might affect them and their families.Finding a genetic link between the two wasting conditions has led to highly accurate diagnostic and predictive tests for at-risk individuals and their families. Peter played a leading role in that discovery, and in establishing that in both disorders genes have unstable DNA sequences that tend to expand over generations, accounting for the phenomenon of “anticipation”, by which both conditions worsen, and occur at an earlier age, in successive generations. While there is still no remedy, his work has contributed to an understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms, providing hope that a cure will one day be available. Continue reading...

Mayor Andy Preston disregarded advice from director of public health and ordered pinprick antibody tests

The red planet, although faded since last year’s magnificence, will still appear as bright as the eye of TaurusThis week boasts a picturesque combination of celestial objects with Taurus, the bull, as the backdrop adding even more interest. Continue reading...

Scientists surprised by marine organisms on boulder on sea floor beneath 900 metres of ice shelfThe accidental discovery of marine organisms on a boulder on the sea floor beneath 900 metres (3,000ft) of Antarctic ice shelf has led scientists to rethink the limits of life on Earth.Researchers stumbled on the life-bearing rock after sinking a borehole through nearly a kilometre of the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf on the south-eastern Weddell Sea to obtain a sediment core from the seabed. Continue reading...

The town of Onil has changed the lives of children everywhereThe first time Kelle Hampton glimpsed a doll with Down’s syndrome, anger boiled up inside her. Its exaggerated features bore little resemblance to the sweet facial characteristics that she loved about her daughter Nella, who was born with the genetic disorder.The experience set the US blogger and author firmly against such dolls. But to her surprise, years later she found herself smitten with another doll. This time it had been carefully crafted to subtly capture the characteristics that made Nella unique. “This one was simply a beautiful doll any child would want to play with,” she said. Continue reading...

UK nationals and residents must pay for a 10-day stay in government-approved hotels from MondayAll UK nationals or residents arriving back in England from high-risk countries will begin checking into government-designated accommodation on Monday as the hotel quarantine regime to prevent the spread of new coronavirus cases begins.People returning to England from 33 “red list” countries – comprised of hotspots with Covid-19 variants in circulation – will be required to quarantine in hotels for 10 days. Continue reading...

Case study: Judy Miller, 74, applied to take part in research into detection of lung cancer

There will continue to be plenty more data gaps because the Covid-19 strain simply behaves like all influenzas and mutates continuouslyBy the time you read this it will be out of date.Why? Because every day we receive new data that causes us to rethink and rewrite our response to Covid-19, notably vaccine programs. This is good. I will explain. Continue reading...

PM also announces that four top priority groups in England have now been offered jabs

Health minister says officials ‘really concerned’ after three deaths from the infectious disease

The Guardian’s picture editors select photo highlights from around the world Continue reading...

My former colleague Lionel Fry, who has died aged 87, was one of the most significant dermatologists of his generation. In addition to running a demanding NHS department at St Mary’s hospital in London, he founded and led a pioneering research unit there which came up with new ways of alleviating psoriasis.Lionel’s work altered our understanding of the development and treatment of psoriasis, and pioneered the use of the immunosuppressant medication cyclosporin in managing severe cases. Continue reading...

Airborne droplets are more likely to spread coronavirus than touch, scientists believeIn the early days of the pandemic, public health experts emphasised handwashing as a way to prevent infection and the government launched a “Hands, Face, Space” campaign to encourage people to wash their hands, wear masks and keep 2 metres apart. Subsequent research has shown the biggest risk of Covid-19 transmission is through particles in the air. Continue reading...

A year ago, two scientists began work on the response to a new virus. Now, as their vaccine is being given to millions, they tell of their incredible 12 monthsExactly a year ago, Oxford University scientists launched a joint enterprise that is set to have a profound impact on the health of our planet. On 11 February, research teams led by Professor Andy Pollard and Professor Sarah Gilbert – both based at the Oxford Vaccine Centre – decided to combine their talents to develop and manufacture a vaccine that could protect people from the deadly new coronavirus that was beginning to spread across the world.A year later that vaccine is being administered to millions across Britain and other nations and was last week given resounding backing by the World Health Organization. The head of the WHO’s department of immunisation, vaccines and biologicals, Professor Kate O’Brien, described the jab as “efficacious” and “an important vaccine for the world”. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary says ‘we’re on track’ to meet vaccine targets, but cautions against making any promises on reopening

Poll backs call for western governments to share Covid vaccine formulae for global rollout

A pandemic is a moral and economic minefield. How should governments weigh up the difficult choices – and are they getting it right?

Behind the numbers: the short answer is yes, and scientists still have much to learn about itCovid-19 and influenza are both respiratory diseases, but there are important differences, which statistics can help us understand.First, Sars-CoV-2 is more infectious than seasonal flu. We’re used to hearing about the reproduction number R, the average number of people whom someone with the virus will infect. In a population without immunity and policies such as social distancing, R for Sars-CoV-2 is now estimated to be around 3. New mutations have raised R further. Continue reading...

Obesity could soon overtake smoking as the main preventable cancer riskTaking regular exercise is going to become increasingly important in helping to prevent cancers as the UK emerges from lockdown, say scientists.Since the pandemic began a year ago, growing numbers of people have reported gaining weight after cutting down on physical activity while others say they have been eating more junk food. Continue reading...

Naval hero praises Jenner’s cowpox jab in a newly found love letter to Emma Hamilton, written as he prepared for warHe is best remembered as the one-armed hero who defeated Napoleon, rewrote the rules of naval warfare and died at sea, in battle, onboard HMS Victory.Now, the “chance discovery” of a 220-year-old love letter from Admiral Horatio Nelson to Lady Emma Hamilton, his mistress, reveals how open-minded and ahead of his time the formidable captain was about a radical new scientific breakthrough: the smallpox vaccine. In the letter, dated July 1801, Nelson appears to advocate the use of the brand new vaccine on his own baby daughter. Continue reading...

Our scientists’ accomplishments on vaccines and genome sequencing are exemplary and must be shared with the rest of the worldA remarkable milestone will be passed today when government figures reveal that more than 15 million people in Britain have received at least one dose of a vaccine that will protect them from the severest impacts of Covid-19. It is a striking achievement. In just over two months, more than 20% of the population of the UK has been given protection against the worst ravages of a virus that has paralysed the nation and brought much of the rest of the planet to a standstill. For the first time since lockdown was imposed last March, the population can realistically conceive of enjoying some sort of a return to normality – not immediately, perhaps, but within some reasonable timeframe.And for that reassurance, we should acknowledge our debt to the scientists who have strived so hard to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control. This, we should stress, has been a global effort by researchers working across the globe in myriad disciplines, from genetics to immunology and from disease modelling to vaccine design. Science is, above all, an international activity and the work of its practitioners in China, the US, Germany and a host of other countries has been crucial in limiting the worst impact of the pandemic. Continue reading...

Coronavirus R number falls below 1 in UK; Cuomo faces calls to resign amid allegations of hiding nursing home deaths; High-risk groups missed off UK’s vaccine priority list. Follow the new blog below

Falling head over heels in love is one thing, but if it becomes all-consuming you may be in ‘limerance’A few years ago I was at my university’s library, frantically refreshing a dating app. Under my crush’s photo there was a location setting that told me how far she was from me. “One mile away!” I felt a surge of adrenaline and my mind started racing.I was a promoter for a gay nightclub in London’s Soho, which was where I met Lucy. I’d drop my flyers on purpose and she’d help me pick them up. We had been on a few dates and were making plans to meet again. Then we came across each other on a dating app – “Fancy seeing you here!” – and matched as a joke. Even though dating apps were probably unreliable in their geolocation abilities, suddenly I could gauge her distance from me. Continue reading...

Local authorities say transmission risk from single case found in village of Bramley ‘very low’

The Descent of Man, 150 years old this month, is a work of humanist brilliance – yet its errors, particularly on gender, now make for uncomfortable reading“Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history.” That sentence is the sole reference to human evolution in Charles Darwin’s masterwork On the Origin of Species, which in 1859 set down the theory that explains how life on Earth has evolved. Darwin had entirely excluded humans from his scheme. That tease comes in the final chapter, almost like a post-credit scene in a superhero movie, as if to simply say: “To be continued…”The sequel did come, in the form of The Descent of Man, published in February 1871. All of Darwin’s canon is worth reading (though the one about worms and vegetable mould is perhaps a bit niche), but The Descent of Man is my favourite, because it is the one where he holds humans up to the light. Darwin was a great writer, and the prose is typically grand: Continue reading...

Prime minister says priority is to reopen schools on 8 March once 15m in priority groups vaccinated

Disease researchers argue vaccine stockpiling in wealthier countries will only prolong the crisis

Despite success of vaccine programme, scientists ‘genuinely worried’ about potential surge in cases

John Jobber’s flight home, after being stuck in Ireland, will not be accepted due to lockdown restrictions

WHO chief makes statement; Greece widens lockdown to more regions to halt Covid spread. This blog is now closed

Australian Antarctic Division will drill 3,000 metres deep in bid to improve ancient climate records and future modelsAntarctic scientists are close to finalising a drilling location deep in the frozen continent’s interior that could reveal a continuous record of the Earth’s climate going back 1.5 million years.After almost a decade of work, scientists at the Australian Antarctic Division are close to pinpointing a place to drill an ice core almost 3,000-metres deep. Continue reading...

Milestone means 65 to 69-year-olds will be invited for jab and those with underlying conditions are expected to follow

My friend and colleague John Bishop, who has died aged 85, was a pioneer of molecular cell biology whose career bridged a remarkable era in life sciences – from genes to genetic engineering.Born in Edinburgh, to Mary (nee Oliver) and Robert Bishop, John was raised in the nearby town of Bo’ness, where his father was a shopkeeper. He won a scholarship to attend George Heriot’s school in Edinburgh, and then studied genetics at Edinburgh University (BSc with first-class honours, 1957), and took a PhD in the same department. In 1959 he married Jill Spowart, a fellow student. Continue reading...