Science | The Guardian

Passengers on Diamond Princess liner ‘disillusioned’ with government over lack of action• All the day’s developmentsPressure is growing on the British government to airlift citizens stranded on a cruise ship stricken by coronavirus, after a Chinese tourist in France became the first person to die from the disease in Europe.The US announced late on Friday that it would be evacuating more than 400 nationals from the quarantined ship, which has had nearly 300 confirmed coronavirus cases, and British travellers called on their government to do the same. Continue reading...

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

We are meant to have desires and should worry less, said Aristotle, while Epicurus cautioned that most of the stuff we think we want won’t make us happyFour hours spent wandering the aisles of Ikea for nothing. My boyfriend and I had long since stopped talking. I was ready to slap the next person who uttered a Swedish word. As I pushed my heaving cart into another room full of boxes I took a deep breath and fought the urge to cry. Thank God for philosophy, I thought to myself.I first got interested in philosophy as a teenager. It was on the curriculum at my high school in Paris, but its image was pretty crusty – philosophers were greybeards who wrote convoluted sentences and looked as if they might need a good wash, right? But when I was 16, a teacher gave me a copy of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and I was struck by one phrase: “That whereof we cannot speak, thereof we must remain silent.” Continue reading...

French health minister confirms death of man from virus that has killed more than 1,500 people

Liu Mengdi could only look on as her relatives were ravaged by the virus. Now she has been warned to stop posting about their trauma

Project is collaboration between privately-funded firm and New Mexico observatoryAstronomers will sweep the entire sky for signs of extraterrestrial life for the first time, using 28 giant radio telescopes in an unprecedented hunt for alien civilisations.The project is a collaboration between the privately-funded Seti Institute and the Very Large Array observatory in New Mexico, one of the world’s most powerful radio observatories. Gaining real-time access to all the data gathered by VLA is considered a major coup for scientists hunting extraterrestrial lifeforms and an indication that the field has “gone mainstream”. Continue reading...

Recent discoveries in space and Earth sciences have provided encouragement to searchers for distant civilisationsIs there anybody out there? For centuries human beings have wondered, although the ways in which we have gone about this have varied, encompassing spiritual and metaphysical questions as well as scientific ones. As we have gained greater understanding of the universe, however, our searches have taken on more concrete form. Questions about extraterrestrials have become a subject for science rather than science fiction and philosophy.Now a new collaboration between the Very Large Array observatory in New Mexico and the privately funded Seti Institute in California, could mean that our curiosity about aliens is closer than ever before to being satisfied. Data from the VLA’s 28 giant radio telescopes, configured so as to scan a vast expanse of sky, will be fed through a special supercomputer that will search for distant signals. Scientists who work at the Seti Institute said the announcement means their research, for a long time confined to the eccentric margins of respectable science, are now “almost mainstream”. Continue reading...

People attended London conference with delegate who has since tested positive

Authorities used DNA links developed through publicly available genealogical websites to free man wrongfully convicted of killing housemateCalifornia authorities used the same DNA techniques that led to the capture of the suspected Golden State Killer to free a man who spent about 15 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted in the slaying of his housemate.Ricky Davis was ordered released from custody during an emotional court hearing in Placerville, near Sacramento, on Thursday, after authorities used extended DNA links developed through publicly available genealogical websites to build a family tree that led to the arrest of a new suspect in the killing of his housemate. Continue reading...

Harvard professor Marc Lipsitch says world’s fourth most populous country may have missed cases

Massachusetts is suing the e-cigarette company for its predatory ads to children. Hopefully other states will follow suit

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

Top White House official Larry Kudlow questions approach of Politburo as China brings in ‘wartime’ measures in more cities

What happened at the dawn of the universe, just trillionths of a second after the start of the big bang, remains a mystery. Revisiting these moments in his new book, At the Edge of Time, Dan Hooper explores many of the unknowns in cosmology. Hooper guides Ian Sample through the birth of our universe to its enigmatic constituents of dark matter and dark energy Continue reading...

The nation pauses for Bramble Cay melomys Remembrance Day

It’s red, it’s cold, it’s 4bn years old: Nasa data from Arrokoth reveals ‘profound truths’ about the solar systemNasa has unveiled details of the most distant object visited by a spacecraft, in observations that could resolve a decades-long puzzle of how the planets first emerged from the hazy dust of the early solar system.The ultra-red, peanut-shaped object, called Arrokoth, sits located 1bn miles beyond Pluto in the Kuiper belt, a vast donut-shaped region that is home to thousands of dwarf planets and icy objects. Nasa’s New Horizons spacecraft made a flyby on New Year’s Day 2019, but the extreme distance from Earth means the probe is still beaming back data gathered during the brief encounter. Continue reading...

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

Prof Chris Whitty says a four-point tactical plan is in place to help country cope with virusCoronavirus – live updatesBritain is hoping to delay any possible outbreak of coronavirus in order to prepare the NHS if it cannot be contained, the chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, has said.“If we are going to get an outbreak here in the UK, and it is an if, not a when, putting it back in time into the summer away from the winter pressures on the NHS … is a big advantage,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Continue reading...

Budget cuts in England and Wales have reduced independent oversight – and could lead to serious miscarriages of justiceIn a case involving a knife attack in 2015 by a group of young people, one of the three victims who were stabbed was carrying a bag containing some of his clothes, which was discovered at the scene. When examined, the bag was found to have some blood on it that contained DNA matching one of the alleged attackers. To the prosecution – and potentially to a jury when the case went to court – the DNA evidence put the defendant squarely in the frame. Fortunately though, the prosecution’s forensic evidence was checked by a scientist employed by the defendant’s lawyer and paid for by legal aid (which is increasingly rare due to budget cuts).Related: Police cuts could see rise in miscarriages of justice, says forensic expert Continue reading...

What symptoms are related to the Covid-19 virus from Wuhan in China, how is it spread and when should you call a doctor?

Confirmed cases of the flu-like virus span 29 countries, with 1,300 deaths, all but three in mainland China

The group have been confined to a hostel for three weeks and want their government to help them fly back home

Stupendemys geographicus, armed with sturdy horns, lived from about 13m to 7m years ago alongside giant crocodiliansScientists have unearthed new fossils of one of the largest turtles that ever lived: a car-sized reptile which prowled the lakes and rivers of what is now northern South America from about 13m years ago to 7m years ago.The fossils of the turtle – Stupendemys geographicus – were found in Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert and Venezuela’s Urumaco region, and for the first time provide a comprehensive understanding of the creature which grew up to 13ft (4 meters) long and 1.25 tons in weight. Continue reading...

Latest update on coronavirus outbreak, including WHO press conference and first case in London

Traces of unknown ancestor emerged when researchers analysed genomes from west African populationsScientists have found evidence for a mysterious “ghost population” of ancient humans that lived in Africa about half a million years ago and whose genes live on in people today.Traces of the unknown ancestor emerged when researchers analysed genomes from west African populations and found that up to a fifth of their DNA appeared to have come from the missing relatives. Continue reading...

The idea that people who infect a large number of others are ‘culprits’ is scientifically flawed – and deeply unfairFew people believe any longer that illness is divine punishment for sin. But if you want to see signs that health is still considered today a moral affair, take a look at how we respond to epidemics like the coronavirus.The Brighton businessman identified as a “super-spreader” of the virus after he contracted it at a conference in Singapore is reported by the Times as feeling “very harassed” and “scared that [he’ll] become a scapegoat”. He is thought to have infected at least 11 people while travelling and socialising, before developing (mild) symptoms himself. It’s hard not to read the media emphasis on his role as a scout leader as an implication that he has carelessly endangered innocent children. Continue reading...

In the poorest areas women are getting their first long-term illness at just 47 and men at 49Women are living nearly ten years longer in poor health than previous estimates, while men are living an extra seven years, according to a report based on new NHS data launched by the health secretary on Wednesday.The new analysis means that men on average are being diagnosed with their first significant long-term condition at 56 and women at 55. In the poorest areas, women are getting their first significant long-term illness at just 47 and men at 49 years old. Continue reading...

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

Questions are being asked about the energy consumption of streaming services – which is why we should all pay more attention to our digital footprint

Death toll climbs to 1,115 but lowest number of new cases in Hubei since January prompts hope that containment strategy is workingChina’s Hubei province has reported its lowest number of new coronavirus cases since January, giving officials hope that measures to contain the outbreak may be working.Health authorities in Hubei, the province at the epicentre of the outbreak, reported 1,638 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, down from a peak of more than 3,000 new cases on 4 February and the lowest number of new infections since 31 January. National infection rates were also down. Continue reading...

Passengers concerned the ship could run out of food after it was turned away by Japan, Taiwan, the US territory of Guam, the Philippines and ThailandMore than 2,000 passengers and crew have been left stranded aboard a cruise ship and low on supplies after Thailand became the fifth country to deny it permission to dock over fears about the coronavirus.The MS Westerdam, carrying 2,257 passengers and crew, is moored in the Gulf of Thailand with nowhere to dock after being refused entry by Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, the US Pacific territory of Guam and now by Thailand on Wednesday, even though no cases of the virus have been found onboard. Continue reading...

Pan Shancu, from the city of Hangzhou, completed 6,250 laps of track consisting of two large tables set up inside his apartment

Sam Rowley’s Station Squabble, featuring a pair of mice fighting over a scrap of food at a London tube station, has been crowned winner of the wildlife photographer of the year: Lumix people’s choice award. The image, among 25 shortlisted for the competition, will be displayed in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum until 31 May Continue reading...

Scientists say animals can become more or less bold and adventurous as they grow upHumans are not alone in enduring the rollercoaster ride of puberty as powerful hormones flood the body and cause mood swings from one day to the next. Scientists have found that dairy cows pass through a similar phase of emotional confusion that disturbs their otherwise rather stable personalities.The findings emerged from extensive observations of Holstein dairy cattle as they matured from calves to adulthood. “Our study identified a period of inconsistency in personality traits over puberty,” said Nina Von Keyserlingk, a professor of animal welfare at the University of British Columbia in Canada. Continue reading...

WHO says at least a dozen drugmakers are working on vaccines as organisation names virus Covid-19. This blog is closed.

A&E staffer is among eight UK cases, along with doctor and Brighton businessmanA healthcare worker at Worthing hospital is among the eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.Staff at the West Sussex hospital received a memo on Tuesday telling them a member of staff working in the A&E department had been diagnosed with the disease. Continue reading...

It is hoped delicate procedure to divert 0.3mm vessels could benefit more patientsDoctors have used a robot to perform extremely delicate surgical operations on breast cancer patients in the first human trial of the technology.Eight women had the robot-assisted procedure at Maastricht University Medical Center, in the Netherlands, to alleviate a common complication of breast cancer surgery. Continue reading...

Every leading Democratic candidate supports a form of conservation that can reduce greenhouse gases and create jobs in rural America

Exclusive: Public health epidemiologist says other countries should consider adopting China-style containment measures

Public consultation follows concerns 10-year limit affects women disproportionatelyThe limit on how long frozen eggs, sperm and embryos can be stored may be extended amid concerns that women are being disproportionately affected, the government has announced.The maximum storage period is 10 years, after which families must decide whether to undergo fertility treatment or have their eggs, sperm and embryos destroyed. The Department of Health and Social Care is launching a public consultation into whether this should be changed. Continue reading...

Xu Zhangrun says culture of suppression and ‘systemic impotence’ have created the crisis that has killed more than 1,000 people

Death toll inside China’s Hubei province jumps to 974, after UK government declared virus an ‘imminent threat to public health’. This blog is closed.

Species is thought to be the oldest member of the T rex family yet discovered in northern North AmericaScientists in Canada have announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur closely related to Tyrannosaurus rex that strode the plain of North America about 80m years ago.Related: Dinosaurs had feathers ruffled by parasites, study finds Continue reading...

When psychologists warn that global heating could cause trauma to become normalised, world leaders should take notice“It makes sense” is the first thing to say about the phenomenon being described by psychologists as climate anxiety. Wherever in the world you live, there are very good reasons to feel anxious about the rate of global heating and the lack of adequate action to tackle it by governments, businesses and organisations of all sorts.The predicted consequences are frightening: hotter weather in already inhospitable places, sea-level rises caused by melting ice sheets, and increased disruption of weather systems leading to floods, fires, hurricanes, food and water shortages – with the linked biodiversity crisis another cause for grave concern. Depending on the steps that are taken (or not) over the next decade, a period during which the UN estimates that carbon emissions need to be cut by 7.6% annually if we are to avoid temperature rises above 1.5C, the disruption caused to human societies could be immense. For countries such as Bangladesh, the effects are likely to be devastating. Continue reading...

The council says it is using ‘robust infection control measures’ after fifth case diagnosed

Project aims to locate Nuestra Señora del Juncal and train underwater archaeologistsAlmost 400 years after storms sent one of Spain’s greatest treasure galleons to the bottom of the sea off Mexico, archaeologists from the two countries are to renew their search for the ship and its precious cargo of gold, silver and jewels.Even before the tempests hit, the omens for the Nuestra Señora del Juncal’s return voyage in October 1631 were decidedly ill. A day before the fleet of which it was a part set sail from Mexico, its commander died. The ships pressed on even though the Juncal was in a poor state of repair and taking on water. Continue reading...

The answers to today’s puzzlesEarlier today I set you the four puzzles below, taken from the MIT Technology Review’s Puzzle Corner.1. What is the numerically largest Roman numeral that is a normal English word? Continue reading...

Onset of glandular breast tissue development has shifted by three months per decadeGirls are beginning puberty almost a year earlier than women 40 years ago, according to research.Scientists have found the onset of development of glandular breast tissue has crept forwards by about three months per decade since the late 1970s. Continue reading...

Bronze age specialists split on why so many objects would have been broken and buriedOne of the largest and most mysterious bronze age hoards ever found in the UK contains objects that have astonished archaeologists, including items more commonly found in France and the Alps.The Museum of London on Monday revealed new finds among the Havering hoard, a remarkable collection of 453 swords, axes, knives, chisels, sickles, razors, ingots and bracelets excavated from a quarry in east London over a period of three months and revealed last year. Continue reading...

President greets workers in Beijing as WHO chief warns cases could be ‘tip of iceberg’