Science | The Guardian

This year’s bleaching likely to be widespread although less intensive than previous outbreaks, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration saysThe Great Barrier Reef could be about to experience its most widespread outbreak of mass coral bleaching ever seen, according to an analysis from the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.But the analysis, seen by Guardian Australia, says while bleaching could hit the entire length of the world heritage-listed reef, the impacts may not be as intense as previous major outbreaks. Continue reading...

Virgin Voyages line poised to set sail as founder downplays threat of virus to new ventureSir Richard Branson has launched his first cruise ship and brushed off concerns that the coronavirus outbreak will dissuade younger holidaymakers from embracing his latest venture.Despite the unfortunate timing – with passengers on one ship quarantined in Japan after hundreds caught the virus, and another turned away by five countries over fears someone on board may be ill – Branson said at the launch of Scarlet Lady that he saw cruises as a growth area. Continue reading...

Fresh approach to detecting Covid-19 aims to limit spread of infection across capitalThe NHS has started testing people for coronavirus in their own homes in London. The new approach will be expanded to other areas outside the capital in the coming weeks.The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. Continue reading...

Newly found monument honouring Romulus includes 2,600-year-old sarcophagusA newly discovered ancient shrine believed to have been dedicated to the cult of Romulus, the legendary founder and first king of Rome, has been unveiled.The monument was discovered by archaeologists in a chamber beneath the Roman Forum, the political heart of the Roman empire, and includes a 2,600-year-old sarcophagus and a circular stone structure that is believed to have been an altar. Continue reading...

After the deaths of young health workers, do we have to rethink who is at risk of infection?There have been a number of deaths from the coronavirus among doctors who are young and, as far as we know, otherwise healthy. Continue reading...

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?

Hunting scene dated to 40,000 years ago ‘crumbling before our eyes’, say scientistsThe oldest known figurative paintings in the world, located near a cement mine in Indonesia, are under threat from industry, scientists have warned.In December, cave paintings depicting a hunting scene in the Indonesian island of Sulawesi were dated to at least 40,000 years ago. Continue reading...

Animal’s unique adaptation to low-oxygen life can be basis for protection, say researchersWolves living in the Himalayas are to be recognised as a subspecies of the grey wolf, with researchers predicting that the animals will soon be declared a unique species.The wolves surviving at high altitudes in Nepal and on the Tibetan plateau possess a genetic adaptation to cope with the lack of oxygen that is not found in any other wolf, a study reports. Continue reading...

Gene-editing technologies have the power to change life as we know it. This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you the first episode from our Common Threads series, part of an innovative new Guardian project called The Gene Gap. We’ll be talking about science but without the scientists – instead we’ll hear from the people who could be most affected by the promise of gene editing.This first episode explores identity. What makes us human? And what does it mean to be different in a world that strives for perfection? To listen to episodes two and three, search ‘The Gene Gap: Common Threads’ wherever you get your podcasts

Spacecraft completes first critical stage of mission after successful deployment of boom armThe European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has completed the first critical stage of its mission. Launched on 10 February from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft has sent back its first readings after the deployment of its 4.4 metre-long boom arm.Made of titanium and carbon fibre, the boom arm points away from the spacecraft. It was folded for launch and carries sensors for three of the mission’s science instruments, including the magnetometer. Had it failed to deploy, the mission’s objectives would have been severely compromised. Continue reading...

Turquoise killifish is able to suspend its development for longer than its average lifespanThe curious ability of the African turquoise killifish to press pause on its development could have intriguing implications for human ageing, say researchers.Certain creatures, including the killifish, can put themselves into suspended animation as an embryo – a trait known as diapause. The phenomenon is thought to have evolved in response to pressures such as seasonal changes in the environment – for example ponds drying up – or sudden challenges that pose a risk to the creatures. In other words, diapause allows the animal to put its development or birth on ice until conditions improve. Continue reading...

High cost of entry under immigration overhaul will put off applicants, says thinktankThe UK’s “sky-high” visa fees could deter vital NHS staff and the “brightest and best” scientists that Boris Johnson wants to attract with his new immigration policy, experts have warned.Nurses, lab technicians, engineers and tech experts who currently flock to the UK from the EU may not be able to afford to do so if the prime minister’s proposed immigration overhaul becomes law. Continue reading...

Wages | Alien life| Northern accents | Marmalade | school | YellowbelliesIt’s welcome news that the average weekly pay is now £474, but this highlights the danger of using averages to help paint a picture. I bet the majority of the 974,000 people on zero-hours contracts would be delighted to earn that amount (Lost decade limps to an end as wages creep above pre-crisis levels, 19 February).

Early results of trials on Covid-19 patients expected in MarchDoctors are likely to know within two to three weeks whether drugs being used to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus are working, according to the World Health Organization.The timetable for early results from two trials taking place in China is short but feasible because of the large concentration of sick people at the centre of the outbreak in Hubei province. That allows a significant number of people of similar ages, fitness and stage of illness to be compared. Continue reading...

WHO issues latest briefing; South Korean city sees surge in cases; and two Japanese passengers from stricken Diamond Princess ship die

Team at MIT says halicin kills some of the world’s most dangerous strainsA powerful antibiotic that kills some of the most dangerous drug-resistant bacteria in the world has been discovered using artificial intelligence.The drug works in a different way to existing antibacterials and is the first of its kind to be found by setting AI loose on vast digital libraries of pharmaceutical compounds. Continue reading...

Twenty years ago, Catherine Blackledge’s history of the vagina The Story of V broke boundaries. As it is reissued, she talks about anasyrma as activism and why we lie about the clitorisCatherine Blackledge immediately knew what her first book, a cultural history of the vagina spanning more than two millennia, should be called: Vagina. But two decades ago, this decision didn’t go down well.“I’ve always liked the word vagina. I think it sounds regal. But the publishers were having none of it. They were horrified by the idea,” says Blackledge today. “Some of the men in the meeting couldn’t even say the word.” Continue reading...

Travel restrictions leave many stranded, while those with flights booked await refundsForeign nationals who live in China or planned to visit say they have been left in limbo as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with many unsure of when they can return to work or get a refund for their trip.Those who live and work in the country said travel restrictions had left them stranded and unable to return home, while people planning to visit the country could lose hundreds of pounds. Continue reading...

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?

A public information campaign is urgently needed to tell people that all bar the very ill should access help from homeEveryone in my walk-in centre is getting a bit twitchy. Coronavirus is spreading, and we are waiting for our first case to arrive after the initial ones became known outside of China, in Singapore and Macau. After January 27, some of the receptionists – understandably nervous about getting infected themselves – begin to flag anyone travelling from a country where there has been a case.A couple come in who had already spoken to 111 because they were afraid after having travelled to such a country. They were told by 111 not to worry, but they still came to the urgent care centre wearing masks. Continue reading...

US says efforts to contain spread ‘may not have been sufficient’ as Japanese health minister argues ‘we’ve been doing our best’Two passengers who were onboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise liner have died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, Japan’s health ministry said on Thursday.The victims – the first people connected to the ship to have died – were an 87-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman, both of whom had pre-existing medical conditions, the public broadcaster NHK said, adding that the man had been hospitalised on 11 February and the woman the following day. Continue reading...

World-leading specialists offer support to Chinese scientists amid ‘crackpot’ theories that virus was manufactured in a lab

Passengers who disembark Diamond Princess may not be allowed to board evacuation flight later in week, FCO warns

Deaths in mainland China pass 2,000 and Foreign Office tells Britons to stay on the Diamond Princess cruise ship

Bones of fish eaten by humans thousands of years ago offer clue to region’s ancient climateThe Sahara’s shift from savannah with abundant lakes to a largely arid expanse has been traced in the remains of fish eaten thousands of years ago.Researchers analysing material found in a rock shelter in the Acacus mountains in south-west Libya say they have found more than 17,500 animal remains dating from between 10,200 and 4,650 years ago, 80% of which are fish. About two-thirds of the fish were catfish and the rest were tilapia. The team say telltale marks on the bones reveal the fish were eaten by humans who used the shelter. Continue reading...

As Australia’s chief science nerd, I found lessons for today in this obscure piece of science history. It can help us map our nation’s future

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and at what point should you call a doctor?

There are decisions being made right now that could have an effect on global populations for generations to come. As part of this project, we commissioned an artist to investigate some of the themes raised in the podcasts. This work of fiction imagines a future where gene editing has become mainstream and discusses the moral, ethical and political divides that this might create Continue reading...

In our third and final episode, we talk about trust in science. In particular, how historical cases of abuse led many in our groups to question gene editing, science and medicine. If we focus on the past, will we ever move forward? Continue reading...

We would like to find out what you think about gene editing. What are the benefits – and the downsides for society?Gene editing is a group of technologies that gives scientists the ability to change an organism’s DNA. These technologies have the power to change life as we know it, but what do people really think about how we should use them? Continue reading...

More than 3,000 people to disembark over three days after ship proved a fertile breeding ground for Covid-19

Cancer patient’s immature eggs were collected, matured in lab and frozen for use five years onA woman who was left infertile by cancer treatment has given birth to a baby after her immature eggs were collected, matured in a lab and frozen for use five years later.Fertility specialists at Antoine Béclère University hospital in Clamart near Paris said the healthy boy, named Jules, was the first baby to be born through the new procedure. Continue reading...

After a week on a high fat, high added sugar diet, volunteers scored worse on memory testsConsuming a western diet for as little as one week can subtly impair brain function and encourage slim and otherwise healthy young people to overeat, scientists claim.Researchers found that after seven days on a high fat, high added sugar diet, volunteers in their 20s scored worse on memory tests and found junk food more desirable immediately after they had finished a meal. Continue reading...

Researchers say whether a family has lots of boys or girls, or equal mix, is down to chanceMrs Bennet may have lamented having five daughters and no son in Pride and Prejudice, but it appears that Lizzy and her sisters would be unlikely to produce a similar set of children: research suggests having multiple offspring of the same sex does not run in the family.In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found that whether a family is dominated by boys or girls – or has an equal mix – is simply down to chance. Continue reading...

The fossils found in Iraqi cave provide fresh evidence the species buried their death with mortuary ritualsA Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in an Iraqi cave, already famous for fossils of these cousins of our species, is providing fresh evidence that they buried their dead – and intriguing clues that flowers may have been used in such rituals.Scientists said they had discovered the well-preserved upper body skeleton of an adult Neanderthal, who lived about 70,000 years ago, in Shanidar Cave in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq on Tuesday. The individual – dubbed Shanidar Z – was perhaps in his or her 40s or 50s with their sex undetermined. Continue reading...

The plants trap polluting particles like natural air filters, and protect against flooding, tooHedges and trees in towns and cities are more than just attractive, they can behave like natural air filters, trapping traffic pollution made up of dangerous microscopic particles blamed for a range of serious health problems, ranging from heart disease, asthma and strokes to diabetes, obesity and dementia.A study at Lancaster University showed that silver birch trees maintained as hedges at about the height of an adult person were particularly good at cleaning the air. Continue reading...

Four members of same family die during self-quarantine at centre of outbreak in WuhanA Chinese film director, his sister, mother and father have all died from the coronavirus, the latest high-profile victims of the disease in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak.Chang Kai, 55, died on 14 February. His parents died over the previous two weeks, after the family spent days together in self-quarantine, the Chinese magazine Caixin reported. Chang’s sister died hours after he did, and his wife is in a serious condition. Continue reading...

The ancient Roman city’s House of the Lovers has reopened to the public 40 years after it was severely damaged in 1980 by an earthquake

UK prepares evacuation flight for cruise ship passengers. Follow the latest news

We must be able to trust the integrity of scientific research as we work to protect our families and our planetNot again. News out of Europe last week revealed that more than 20 scientific studies submitted to regulators to prove the safety of the popular weedkilling chemical glyphosate came from a large German laboratory that has been accused of fraud and other wrongdoing.The findings come amid global debate over whether or not glyphosate causes cancer and other health problems and if regulators and chemical companies proclaiming the chemical’s safety actually have credible science on their side. Continue reading...

Weeping is informed by everything from culture and identity to social standing – and studying it could help us better understand ourselvesIt is common for people to scoff at tears as a behaviour and a subject of investigation. Tears are, they say, feminine, self-indulgent and melodramatic. It is not hard to notice, in those beliefs, the patriarchal assumptions about what should be valued and what should be mocked. Writing teachers will instruct students not to show their characters’ sadness through crying, calling it cheap. On the other hand, there are those who proclaim the necessity of “a good cry”, who indignantly defend weeping of all varieties and who see tearfulness almost as an identity. “I’m a crier,” they declare, praising its soul-cleansing effects. “Get over it,” their opponents instruct, demanding the shift toward progress and action that they believe crying prevents.But rather than looking at tears with a predetermined belief in their value, or away from them in embarrassment or disgust, it can be clarifying to look through, into or around tears, to trace the small and large patterns that they create and reveal. Continue reading...

UCL scientists measured heart rates and sweat glands of audiences and found live shows caused much greater responseScience has proved what theatre and concert-goers have long known. When it comes to emotional impact, watching a live performance is so much more thrilling than a version on screen.Scientists from University College London (UCL) measured heart rates and sweat glands of audience members as they watched both theatre productions and films. They found that heart rates go up and down with the narrative arc of a story and that the highs are highest and lows lowest at a live show. Peak heart-rate levels were much higher among those watching live theatre than in people viewing a film. Continue reading...

What are the symptoms of the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, how many people have died and when should you call a doctor?

Grave in Lincolnshire dates to medieval pandemic of 1348 and reveals rural plague catastropheA mass grave containing the remains of dozens of victims of the Black Death offers chilling new evidence of the speed and scale of the devastation the plague brought to rural England, according to archaeologists.The grave, discovered in a remote corner of rural Lincolnshire, has been dated to the 14th century, almost certainly to the earliest and deadliest medieval outbreak of the disease in 1348-9. Continue reading...

David and Sally Abel taken off ship, as UK says it is trying to organise evacuation of British passengers

In city of 11m, officials threaten with punishment those who delay reporting symptoms

Study found differences compared with those who did not offend or who only transgressed as adolescentsParents should not worry about their teenagers’ delinquent behaviour provided they were well behaved in their earlier childhood, according to researchers behind a study that suggests those who offend throughout their life showed antisocial behaviour from a young age and have a markedly different brain structure as adults.According to figures from the Ministry of Justice, 24% of males in England and Wales aged 10–52 in 2006 had a conviction, compared with 6% of females. Previous work has shown that crime rises in adolescence and young adulthood but that most perpetrators go on to become law-abiding adults, with only a minority – under 10% of the general population – continuing to offend throughout their life. Continue reading...

This blog is closed

The press – and opponents within and without the Tory party – have brought Dominic Cummings to heel. But his mission remains the pursuit of polarising politics.Dominic Cummings, the chief special adviser to the prime minister, thinks the answer to Britain’s problems is hiring brilliant people to work outside of bureaucratic constraints. He may be right, but not if one of his first hires as a “weirdo and misfit” to join him in No 10 is anything to go by. Andrew Sabisky quit after it emerged he was not a wunderkind but a rightwing provocateur who promoted ideas about eugenics cloaked in the sham argument that this is hard science. Mr Sabisky, 27, had no academic research of note to his name. From a well-off family, he hardly fit Mr Cummings’ call for “true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought their way out of an appalling hell hole”.It speaks volumes about the arrogance of Downing Street that Boris Johnson did not immediately dump Mr Sabisky – or even disassociate himself from his views which are routinely found in the darker, damper recesses of the internet. You cannot have such people in government unless you mean to give the impression that you agree with them. But someone in No 10 thought better. Mr Johnson’s team had gone out of its way to back Mr Sabisky. When the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said Mr Sabisky’s comments were “not my views and those are not the views of the government” he was slapped down by Downing Street’s press operation. Continue reading...

Covid-19 not as deadly as Sars, figures show, and children not affected in same way as adults