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’

Boycotting polyester would reduce microfiber pollution. But the larger problem is the sheer volume of clothing we buy and discard

More than 170 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Here is their progressResearchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 170 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue reading...

Scheme piloted in south-west England shows positive results while transmission via sewage system remains debatable

Authors agree other trials using higher antibody levels may prove more effective

Report calls for government to set up partnership to support sector facing up to £4bn loss

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Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of first vaccines against the virusThe US regulators who will decide the fate of Covid-19 vaccines took an unusual step on Thursday: asking outside scientists if their standards are high enough.The Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of the first vaccines against the virus. Continue reading...

Researchers say chimpanzees and humans share same pattern of social ageingThere is more that comes with older age than greying hair and wrinkled skin. When humans reach their later years, they favour more established friends and their social circle is pared down.Now, for what appears to be the first time, scientists have seen the same behaviour in another species. More than two decades of observations of chimpanzees reveal that older males choose to hang out with their long-term friends at the expense of other relationships. Continue reading...

Sector calls for compromise to ensure UK researchers stay in Horizon EuropeThe UK’s post-Brexit collaboration with European scientists hangs in the balance after it emerged that the EU offer of staying in the Horizon research programme could leave London with a £3bn deficit.“The financial negotiations are not in a good position and the offer that the [European] commission has made to the UK is not appealing,” Vivienne Stern, the director of Universities UK International, told a Lords Brexit committee on Thursday. Continue reading...

Survey published by NHS Digital shows increase of almost half since 2017

Exclusive: Barking and Dagenham says it acted because of delays at NHS centres

Listening to Richard Branson over the past 20 years, you'd be forgiven for assuming that space was by now being frequented by lots of tourists. However, despite the Virgin Galactic chief's optimism, the space tourism industry has yet to take off. Up to now there have been only seven self-funded citizens in space. And with billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in the space race, why are there still no tourists in space? Continue reading...

This year, several British brands announced they’d ban glitter from holiday products. US companies should follow suit

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to highlight health and economic inequalities, and the US election fast approaching, this week we return to the archive to explore how divisions in society arise and what we can do about them. In this episode from 2017, Ian Sample investigates where group splits come from, how we can connect to those we disagree with, and what could happen if we fail Continue reading...

Archaeologists say killing of animals may have helped cement claim on new territoryThat the Inca sacrificed people to appease their gods is well known, but a discovery in Peru sheds new light on a far more common sacrificial practice: the ritual offering of highly prized and ornately decorated llamas.Four naturally mummified llamas have been uncovered during the excavation of Tambo Viejo, an Incan administrative centre. Continue reading...

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