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NSPCC and others urge government to fund rebuilding of struggling support service

Restoring and connecting habitat across Britain could save a fifth of species by 2030, says report by Rewilding BritainGlobal heating is shifting Britain’s climatic zones by up to 5km each year, outpacing wildlife’s ability to adapt and survive, according to a new report by Rewilding Britain.If species cannot adapt to higher temperatures or relocate elsewhere, they will be threatened with extinction. Continue reading...

Sir Patrick Vallance and Prof Chris Whitty fear deaths this winter could exceed those in spring

Exclusive: NHS test and trace asks public health directors to sign up to rapid saliva testing plan

You need a combination of passion and grit to maintain a positive mindset. But a Norwegian study has found that by the time we reach our mid-50s we don’t seem to possess bothName: Get Up and Go.

Analysis of early Pterosaurs fossils shows they are likely to have been ungainly in flightPterosaurs, such as pterodactyl, are some of the largest animals ever to have taken to the skies, but the first reptile aviators were clumsy flyers, only capable of travelling short distances, a study suggests. The research may also shed new light on the evolution of flight more generally.Pterosaurs evolved around 245m years ago, and dominated the skies for more than 150m years, before dying out at the end of the Cretaceous period along with many of their dinosaur cousins. With long membranous wings stretching from the ankles to an elongated fourth finger, pterosaurs are considered the earliest vertebrates to have evolved powered flight. But what did these first flights look like? Continue reading...

We should still wash our hands, but growing evidence suggests one of the main ways Covid-19 spreads is through the air

Interactive tool combines statistics to help public understand complex information

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Cosmologist who asked whether the existence of intelligent life has implications for the nature of the universeThe cosmologist John Barrow, who has died aged 67 from colon and liver cancer, was a renowned populariser of science. He combined mathematical and physical reasoning to increase our understanding of the very first moments of the universe.This he did by giving elegant mathematical characterisations of inflationary models, in which a high vacuum energy density causes a dramatic exponential expansion of the universe in the very first instants before gradually evolving into the expansion we see today. He analysed the stability of such models in a range of gravity models that allowed slight deviations from Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In particular, he was interested in the possibility that the physical constants might vary with time, at a level of parts per million over 10bn years, and was a member of a team that claimed to detect such variations, though this claim is not widely accepted. Continue reading...

US scientists release report on meteorite fragments from 2018 eventA fireball that struck near Hamburg, Michigan, in 2018 could offer new insights into the history of the solar system, researchers have said.The fireball – a type of very bright meteor that would even be observed in daylight – was spotted in several states as it flew across the sky on the evening of 16 January 2018; the meteor also produced an atmospheric shockwave equivalent to a magnitude 2.0 earthquake. Continue reading...

Surprise announcement comes as region struggles to contain soaring Covid infections

Exclusive: expedition discovers new source of greenhouse gas off East Siberian coast has been triggeredScientists have found evidence that frozen methane deposits in the Arctic Ocean – known as the “sleeping giants of the carbon cycle” – have started to be released over a large area of the continental slope off the East Siberian coast, the Guardian can reveal.High levels of the potent greenhouse gas have been detected down to a depth of 350 metres in the Laptev Sea near Russia, prompting concern among researchers that a new climate feedback loop may have been triggered that could accelerate the pace of global heating. Continue reading...

Vaccine being trialled by Oxford University and AstraZeneca offers hope for all age groups

A ‘women’s pastime’ practised by Queen Victoria, ‘seaweeding’ spread from the UK to California – now the samples are providing a glimpse into historyOn his first day as the new science director for the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California in 2016, a giant blue storage locker caught Kyle Van Houtan’s eye. The locker was obscured by a dead ficus plant and looked as if no one had opened it for years. But the label on it intrigued him: Herbarium.He opened it and inside found hundreds of stacked manila envelopes. Each one contained a single piece of seaweed, pressed and preserved on white paper. Continue reading...

They are among the most enigmatic phenomena in the universe, confounding physicists and mathematicians. Black holes pull in the matter surrounding them and anything that enters can never escape. Yet they contain nothing at all. Guided by the physicist and author of Black Hole Survival Guide, Janna Levin, Madeleine Finlay takes Science Weekly on an interstellar voyage to visit one of these incredible astrophysical objects.In the first of two episodes, the pair discuss their target, Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy and the subject of this year’s Nobel prize in physics, and what happens when you reach the edge of a black hole

Figure has dropped by over a quarter in three months, fuelling concerns over reinfection

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Chancellor says country is on verge of losing control as Europe death toll passes 250k

Proof of significant amounts of H2O has implications for future lunar missionsScientists have gathered some of the most compelling evidence yet for the existence of water on the moon – and it may be relatively accessible. The discovery has implications for future missions to the moon and deeper space exploration.With no significant atmosphere insulating it from the sun’s rays, it had been assumed that the moon’s surface was dry – until the 1990s, when orbiting spacecraft found indications of ice in large and inaccessible craters near the moon’s poles. Continue reading...

Around 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. Simulated nature is better than none - but it’s not nature

In recent months, we’ve all been bombarded with numbers. It’s vital that we learn how to interpret them

US expert Dr Anthony Fauci says it should be known by early December if vaccine is safe to roll out

Survey reveals 17% gender pay gap and strain on industry at a time when it has been at the forefront of responding to coronavirusNearly one in five scientists in Australia are planning to leave the profession permanently, according to a new survey, which also reveals a 17% gender pay gap among those who responded.The survey, based on answers from 1,464 scientists, provides an insight into challenges in the science workforce at a time when it has been at the forefront of responding to Covid-19 but has also come under intense strain. Continue reading...

Red planet puts on a vibrant show in celestial sea between Pisces and Cetus before Halloween blue moonThe almost-full moon comes together with Mars this week for a bright pairing in the evening sky. Mars remains red and vibrant, having recently passed its closest approach to Earth. The chart shows the view looking south-east at 9pm GMT on 29 October. Continue reading...

Madrid government imposes nationwide curfew after country hits 1m cases

Healthcare bosses rebut claims that patients thought unlikely to survive were ‘written off’

No 10 considering move amid fears over poor compliance with 14-day rule

There are more than 200 subtypes of dementia. And researchers have found that in one, confusion and memory loss can be treated. But the trick is to spot it…When John Abraham began to lose his mind in late 2019, his family immediately feared the worst. Abraham had enjoyed robust health throughout retirement, but now at 80 he suddenly found himself struggling to finish sentences.“I would be talking to people, and all of a sudden the final word wouldn’t come to mind,” he remembers. “I assumed this was simply a feature of ageing, and I was finding ways of getting around it.” Continue reading...

Fever, runny nose, headache? Lost your sense of taste or smell? Your guide to differentiating between the three illnesses

TV presenter and medic tells of his own illness, government failures and how to win over the anti-vaxxersBest known as half of the twin-presenter duo of CBBC’s Operation Ouch!, Dr Xand van Tulleken’s impeccable credentials – a medical degree and qualifications in public health and tropical medicine – have also seen him front documentaries on everything from male suicide to the science of dating. But earlier this year he found the tables turned when he caught Covid while he and his brother Chris were making a programme on the pandemic.Being a doctor didn’t stop him panicking. “I was properly anxious, and frightened at the prospect of spending two weeks completely on my own when I was ill,” he told me. “I was quite tearful speaking to my twin about it all.” Continue reading...

Their counterparts in the Common Cold Unit found ways to flirt despite the social distancing measures they lived underThe news that the government is to fund “human challenge studies” into Covid-19, in which young, healthy volunteers will be infected with the safest possible dose and paid to be quarantined to test the efficacy of vaccines, was a reminder that this country has a unique history in such trials. Continue reading...

The great magician dedicated his later years to exposing all forms of fake scienceA mong many tributes to the great James Randi, who died last week aged 92, one stands out. Hours after the death was announced, cutlery expert Uri Geller reacted with a tweet he piously expanded on Facebook. “How sad that Randi died with hatred in his soul. Love to you all.” One thing that the most professional paranormalist may find it hard to conceal, you gather, is indecent glee.Geller’s public gloat has, however, ensured that many people who might never otherwise have viewed his televised humbling in 1973, at the height of media credulity about his claimed paranormal talent, will now have witnessed the spectacle of his inexplicably interrupted powers. Randi had advised the producers to supply their own props. Even supreme rationalists, it turns out, can exact vengeance after death. Continue reading...

Has the ISS benefited society? Scientists are divided: for some, it’s a beacon of unity; for others, just a set for an action filmSpace scientists are preparing to celebrate a remarkable astronautical achievement. In a few days, they will mark the 20th anniversary of humanity’s continuous presence in outer space.For two decades, teams of astronauts have made their homes 250 miles above our planet through their uninterrupted occupancy of the International Space Station (ISS). First inhabited by US astronaut Bill Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko on 2 November 2000, the ISS has since provided shelter for a steady rotation of crews that has ensured the station has never been left unoccupied. Continue reading...

A sense of unfairness has dented public confidence and compliance with fast-changing restrictionsAs the people of Sheffield prepared to join Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region in the premier league of Covid-19 restrictions – tier 3 – there were widely differing views on whether the tough new rules about to be imposed from London were welcome, or would even work. On the streets and in the city’s pubs last Thursday evening there was, however, one commonly held opinion – compliance would be some way short of total.“During the first part of lockdown I abided by the rules very strictly,” said Phillip, a 47-year-old gas engineer, as he waited for a pork wrap outside the Greedy Greek Deli. “We still are doing that, but it’s wearing thin. I think the economy and life still has to go on. But then it’s a balancing act with the NHS and the beds.” Continue reading...

Push to roll out injections may see elderly miss out on effective coronavirus inoculations

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Health secretary announces publication of Cygnus study but activists point to missing data

The origin of modern dogs lies tens of thousands of years ago, but how does a wolf become a pomeranian?Now renowned as a steady family pet, the labradoodle was invented in the 90s to be a low-allergen seeing-eye dog. The breed’s recent origin and portmanteau name makes it rather obvious that labradors and poodles were blended in the creation of the labradoodle. But what about the other 400 or so dog breeds – how does a wolf become a pomeranian? Continue reading...

Do you find it hard to say no? Are you always trying to second guess what someone else wants you to do? It’s time you learned to stop being so eager to please“Can you come to this meeting?” No. “Yes.”“Are you free on Saturday night?” No, I’m watching Spiral. “Yes.” Continue reading...

The scientist whose modelling influenced the UK-wide lockdown says family meetups ‘risk some transmission’

The prime minister is trying to pretend that nakedly political decisions are driven by data. But almost no one buys itWhat happened to following the science? In the spring, when Boris Johnson and his scientific advisers were proceeding in lockstep, there was no disagreement about the necessity of shutting the country down. Now the government is coming to its own conclusions about what is needed, and the scientists on the Sage advisory group have started distancing themselves from No 10’s decisions.Critics complain that the politicians are chancing it rather than being led by the evidence. But as the German sociologist Max Weber argued a century ago, politics can never really follow the science. Pretending that it can is where the trouble starts. Continue reading...

Scientists call for information campaign as evidence on role of poor ventilation mounts

AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson get go-ahead from Food and Drug Administration after pausing studies when volunteers became illTwo drugmakers have announced the resumption of US testing of their Covid-19 vaccine candidates.Testing of AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate had been halted since early September, while Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine study was paused at the beginning of last week. Each company had a study volunteer develop a serious health issue, requiring a review of safety data. Continue reading...

After an asteroid encounter, scientists scrambled to minimize the loss of space rocks as the craft belched rubbleA Nasa spacecraft is stuffed with so much asteroid rubble from this week’s grab that it’s jammed open and precious particles are drifting away in space, scientists said on Friday.Related: Nasa Osiris-Rex spacecraft lands on asteroid Bennu in mission to collect dust Continue reading...

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First minister says highest level is similar to lockdown imposed across UK in March

Coronavirus ‘high alert’ warning covers the north-east, parts of the Midlands, London, York and most of Essex among other areas

Experts explain the best way to wash masks, how to handle them – and how to prevent ‘maskne’