Science | The Guardian

I've managed to conquer my fears and build great friendshipsOn the day I received an offer from my first-choice university, I expected to feel elation and excitement. I had spent years preparing for this moment, and yet when it came, I felt only dread at the thought of freshers' week and all the social challenges this would inevitably involve.I had always been something of a shrinking violet and the fact that I now had a close group of friends at school did not helped to assuagemy social anxiety. I assumed this was a stroke of extreme good luck - a one-off. The potential for rejection seemed immense, and I feared I would spend the next few years in loneliness. Continue reading...

New liquid biopsy' will act as an early warning sign to anticipate risk of tumours returningA new blood test can predict the risk of breast cancer returning three years before any tumours show up on scans in an incredibly exciting" breakthrough that could help more women beat the disease for good.More than 2 million women are diagnosed every year with breast cancer, the most prevalent type of the disease. Although treatment has improved in recent decades, the cancer often returns, and if it does, it is usually at a more advanced stage. Continue reading...

Astrophysicists call for international cooperation on ambitious probe, amid growing interest in the mysterious planetEuropean space scientists have been urged to join forces with Nasa to ensure the success of one of the most ambitious space missions planned for launch this century.Joining a robot spaceflight to the mysterious planet Uranus would offer the opportunity to participate in a groundbreaking, flagship-class mission", astrophysicists have said. Continue reading...

The use of the drugs in treating low mood has sparked debate, not least about the necessity of a hallucinogenic experience. But a new discovery may provide an answerRobitussin has been a staple of American pharmacies since the late 1940s - but since the 1960s, people have swigged bottles of the cough medicine recreationally because, at a high enough dose, its active ingredient, dextromethorphan, can cause hallucinations (so-called robotripping"). Now, that ingredient, common to many cough medications, has a potential new use - as an antidepressant.In recent years, studies have found that conventional antidepressants are only marginally more effective than biologically inactive placebos. Meanwhile, big pharmaceutical companies conduct very little research into mental health drugs. So researchers and sufferers have instead placed their hopes in psychedelic drugs usually considered hallucinatory, such as psilocybin or LSD. Yet the evidence of their effectiveness as an antidepressant comes from small trials, one of the largest involving just 233 people - and no national government medicine regulator has formally approved them for this use. Against this backdrop, a legitimate drug company has quietly moved dextromethorphan beyond robotripping into a, legally approved depression treatment - but with an important twist. Continue reading...

Approach replaces sugar with mashed pulp and husk of cocoa pod and uses less land and waterHealthier and more sustainable chocolate could hit store shelves after Swiss scientists and chocolatiers developed a recipe that swaps sugar for waste plant matter.By mashing up the pulp and husk of a cocoa pod instead of just taking the beans, scientists have made a sweet and fibrous gel that could replace the sugar in chocolate, according to a report published in Nature Food. Continue reading...

DNA test, which takes seconds to collect, can detect men at high risk and spare others unnecessary treatmentScientists have developed a spit test that could turn the tide" on prostate cancer worldwide by spotting the disease earlier, detecting where men are at high risk and sparing others unnecessary treatment.The number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer worldwide is projected to double to 2.9 million a year by 2040, with annual deaths predicted to rise by 85%. It is already the most common form of male cancer in more than 100 countries. Continue reading...

Cat Bohannon tells Hay festival audience it is not known why men go through life smuggling two little death nuggets'Whether it is the fountain of youth or the elixir of life, men have travelled the world looking for the key to increasing their longevity.They should be looking a bit closer to home, according to one leading researcher - although after they do, they might end up taking the years God intended for them. Continue reading...

If satellites get taken out during war, defence forces will need personnel trained to switch from digital back to analog tools

Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus will be visible but viewers may need some equipment to see them clearlyStargazers are in with a chance of a celestial treat on Monday with six planets appearing in alignment.Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus will take part in the parade - which occurs when planets gather on the same side of the sun. Continue reading...

Unexpected brightness of JADES-GS-z14-0 means telescope could capture images of galaxies even further awayThe most distant known galaxy has been captured in a record-breaking image by the James Webb space telescope.The galaxy, called JADES-GS-z14-0, is revealed as it was just 290m years after the big bang, at the dawn of the universe. The telescope's previous record holder was a galaxy seen at 325m years after the big bang, which happened nearly 14bn years ago. Continue reading...

More than half of patients with advanced forms of disease who took lorlatinib were still alive after five years with no progressionDoctors are hailing off the chart" trial results that show a new drug stopped lung cancer advancing for longer than any other treatment in medical history.Lung cancer is the world's leading cause of cancer death, accounting for about 1.8m deaths every year. Survival rates in those with advanced forms of the disease, where tumours have spread, are particularly poor. Continue reading...

RHS fears non-native fungi could alter microbiology of soil when grown in gardens or disposed of in compost heapsA boom in the popularity of mushroom-growing at home could lead to a biodiversity disaster, UK garden experts have warned.There has been a rise in the number of people growing mushrooms in their gardens, and this year, the RHS Chelsea flower show's plant of the year award included a mushroom - the tarragon oyster mushroom, thought to be found only in the British Isles - in its shortlist for the first time, despite it being a fungus, not a plant. Continue reading...

Vitamin D levels, sanitation, diet and migration patterns are all thought to play a role. But there are trials under way to develop new strategies to prevent food allergiesAustralia has often been called the allergy capital of the world".An estimated one in 10 Australian children develop a food allergy in their first 12 months of life. Research has previously suggested food allergies are more common in infants in Australia than infants living in Europe, the United States or Asia. Continue reading...

The NHS in England is recruiting for the first large-scale trial of its kind, with hopes high that the personalised jabs could be a gamechanger

Jab personalised for individual's tumours hailed as gamechanger' amid high hopes of stopping disease returning

AI expected to help researchers unlock two-way communication, say team that includes Tel Aviv UniversityIn the Dr Dolittle books and films, the ability to talk to the animals" captured the imagination. Now scientists are being offered a $10m prize to create real conversations.The Coller Dolittle Challenge for Interspecies Two-Way Communication has been launched by the Jeremy Coller Foundation and Tel Aviv University. While the use of AI is not obligatory, the team say the technology can boost almost all proposals. Continue reading...

Revolutionary ancient DNA evidence indicates that Homo sapiens finished off Neanderthals through deadly infectious diseasesLess than a decade ago, the American anthropologist James C Scott described infectious diseases as the loudest silence" in the prehistoric archaeological record. Epidemics must have devastated human societies in the distant past and changed the course of history, but, Scott lamented, the artefacts left behind reveal nothing about them.Over the last few years, the silence has been shattered by pioneering research that analyses microbial DNA extracted from very old human skeletons. The latest example of this is a groundbreaking study that identified three viruses in 50,000-year-old Neanderthal bones. These pathogens still afflict modern humans: adenovirus, herpesvirus and papillomavirus cause the common cold, cold sores, and genital warts and cancer, respectively. The discovery may help us resolve the greatest mystery of the Palaeolithic era: what caused the extinction of Neanderthals.Jonathan Kennedy teaches politics and global health at Queen Mary University of London and is the author of Pathogenesis: How Germs Made History Continue reading...

Florida scientists use AI and virtual reality to create 3D renderings of brain formations of mice, whose neuron types are like humans'Neuroscientists at a Florida university have pioneered a technologically advanced method of brain mapping they believe can help demystify Alzheimer's disease, autism and related disorders, and offer hope of more effective treatments for traumatic brain injuries.A team at the University of South Florida's (USF) auditory development and connectomics laboratory is using virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence to create a high-definition visual timeline of the journey of billions of neurons in the developing brains of newborn mice. Continue reading...

John Belgrave, 60, uncovered rare sword, axe head and bangle in Dorset after becoming separated from groupAn amateur detectorist has described how he unearthed a bronze age hoard, including a rare sword, after getting lost during a treasure hunters' rally.John Belgrave, 60, became separated from the main group of detectorists and headed to higher ground to try to spot them when he made what he has called the find of a lifetime. Continue reading...

It's been a busy week in the world of artificial intelligence. OpenAI found itself in hot water with Scarlett Johansson after launching its new chatbot, Sky, drawing comparisons to the Hollywood star's character in the sci-fi film Her. In South Korea, the second global AI summit took place, and a report from the Alan Turing Institute explored how AI could influence elections. The Guardian's UK technology editor, Alex Hern, tells Madeleine Finlay about what's been happeningClips: Today, BBC News Continue reading...

Squeals and growls tend to occur in groups, finds study of infants aged up to 13 monthsIt might sound like a stream of jolly nonsense, but the peculiar sounds babies produce could be an attempt to practise the vocal control necessary for speech, researchers have suggested.A study analysing the sounds made by infants during their first year of life has found squeals and growls tend to occur in groups. Continue reading...

The 11ft tall and 20ft long fossil, nicknamed Apex, could fetch up to $6m as it's celebrated as one of the best unearthed'The largest and most complete Stegosaurus fossil ever found is expected to fetch up to $6m (4.7m) when it is sold as the star lot in Sotheby's geek week" auction this summer.At 11ft (3.4 metres) tall and more than 20ft long the virtually complete" fossil, which has been nicknamed Apex", is more than 30% larger than Sophie", the previously most intact stegosaurus specimen which was on display in London's Natural History Museum. Continue reading...

Allen's husband decides the apps she is allowed to use and she decides his. It's one of many approaches people are taking to try to ditch social media and unbreak their brainsAn annoying thing about being a parent is that you have to consistently model good behaviour. You can't just shove crisps in your mouth and stare at your phone when you need a break.I've always spent an unhealthy amount of time staring at my phone, but I didn't worry about my habit until I had a toddler. The thing with toddlers is that they have more sophisticated surveillance techniques than Facebook. Even when you think they're completely absorbed in emptying the contents of your cupboards on to the living room floor, they know when you're looking at your phone and not at them. And, according to various alarming studies, this guarantees a lifetime of therapy bills. One 2023 study, for example, found parental phone use is associated with still face". This means that you look like a depressed robot while scrolling - and it can affect a child's emotionaldevelopment. Continue reading...

Archaeologists trying to determine whether animals were killed in battle or buried as part of a ritualFrench archaeologists have uncovered nine large graves containing the remains of horses from up to 2,000 years ago, in a find described as extraordinary".The 28 stallions, all around six years old, had been buried shortly after they died, each placed in pits on their right side with their head facing south. Nearby a grave contained the remains of two dogs, heads facing west. Continue reading...

Charcoal graffiti believed to have been sketched by children uncovered at ancient Roman cityDrawings of gladiators believed to have been made by children inspired by watching battles at Pompeii's amphitheatre are among the latest discoveries in the ruins of the ancient Roman city.The charcoal drawings were found during excavations at I'Insula dei Casti Amanti, a cluster of homes in Pompeii's archaeological park that opened to the public for the first time on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Children who eat peanut snacks regularly from four to six months onwards 71% less likely to have peanut allergy at 13, research findsFeeding children peanut products from infancy until the age of five cuts their risk of developing a peanut allergy into early adolescence, researchers say.Children who ate peanut pastes or puffed peanut snacks regularly from four to six months onwards were 71% less likely to have a peanut allergy at age 13 than those who avoided peanuts, pointing to a long-lasting effect of early peanut consumption. Continue reading...

Concrete is strong and durable - which is why it's the basis for so much of our infrastructure. It's also terrible for the planet, due to one key ingredient: cement, which is responsible for almost 90% of concrete emissions. Researchers have now found a way to recover old cement while also reducing the environmental impact of recycling steel. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Julian Allwood, professor of engineering and the environment at the University Of Cambridge, to find out how the process works, and what it could mean for the emissions generated by the construction industryFind more on concrete here in a special series from the Guardian Continue reading...

Cause of accident was operational reliability of engine', says Pyongyang, after two failed attempts last yearNorth Korea's latest attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit ended in a mid-air explosion, Pyongyang said late Monday, hours after its announcement of a planned launch was criticised by Seoul and Tokyo.Japanese broadcaster NHK ran footage of what appeared to be a flaming projectile in the night sky, which then exploded into a fireball. NHK said the footage was taken from northeast China at the same time as the attempted launch. Continue reading...

It has long been thought that psychological tactics can persuade consumers to adopt much healthier habits. But it turns out there is a hitch ...Name: Behavioural nudges.Age: Nudge theory was popularised by the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. But the term nudge had been used in cybernetics, the science of communications and automatic control systems, in the 1990s. Continue reading...

The answers to today's crunchy teasersEarlier today I set you these two puzzles. Here they are again with answers. Continue reading...

Amid baby boom reports linked to drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic, experts say it would be wise' to take extra precautionsClaims that skinny jabs" are fuelling an unexpected baby boom have led experts to warn women to pair their use with effective contraception.Medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic, both of which contain semaglutide, have become hugely popular, not least because they can help people lose more than 10% of their body weight. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Bronze age remains and Roman roads among 12,802 sites discovered using latest technologyBronze age burial mounds, Roman roads and deserted medieval villages are among almost 13,000 previously-unknown ancient sites and monuments that have been discovered by members of the public in recent months, it will be announced this week.Truck drivers and doctors are among more than 1,000 people who participated in Deep Time, a citizen science project" which has harnessed the power of hobbyists to scour 512 sq km (200 sq miles) of Earth Observation data, including high-resolution satellite and lidar - laser technology - imagery. Continue reading...

We fear others' judgment, but the evidence tells us that the things which cause us shame can make us more likableWe all carry some secrets thatwe would rather not share with the people around us. In much the same way that we mayonly invite visitors into the good rooms" of our house whilethe rest is an absolute tip, we often hide the chaosof our personal lives behind a polished facade. This may be a serious mistake, since it's precisely thosevulnerabilities that can offer rich opportunities to bond with the people around us.This is sometimes known as the beautiful mess effect", and one striking example of it playing out in the public sphere is in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. At the time, even her harshest critics would have admitted that she had an incredible capacity to connect with people. And the widespread admiration for her seems to have arisen because of her vulnerabilities, rather than in spite of them. In her controversial BBC Panorama interview in 1995, for example, she discussed her husband's infidelities, but also her struggles with mental health and her love affairs. Many of Diana's detractors believed that she had provided the material for her own character assassination, but Diana's popularity soared in the days after the interview, with the Daily Mirror reporting that an astonishing 92% of the public supported her appearance on the programme. Continue reading...

Two sweet and crunchy brainteasersUPDATE: Read the answers hereHere's a curious fact taken from The Call of Coincidence, a book by Owen O'Shea about serendipity in maths.The triangle with sides 45, 97 and 56 has an area of 459.756. Continue reading...

Cancer Research UK notes particular rise in diagnoses among older people and says majority of cases are preventableRates of melanoma skin cancer have reached an all-time high in the UK, according to analysis that highlights a substantial rise in the number of cases over the past decade, particularly among older people.New diagnoses increased by almost a third from 21 to 28 in every 100,000 people between 2007-09 and 2017-19, according to Cancer Research UK (CRUK) figures, with a 57% rise among the over-80s and a 7% rise in those aged 25 to 49. Continue reading...

Discovery of echidnapus' and two more species show the furry egg-layers predated marsupials

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers' questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical conceptsWhy do neanderthals have such a bad reputation? Carlo Moretti, VeronaPost your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday. Continue reading...

Finding tunes with a tempo and rhythm to match your heart rate can help you keep the pace when you exercise - and make it more enjoyableAnyone who's ever hefted a dumbbell or laced up a running shoe understands that music, on some level, makes the process more enjoyable. That's why tunes and training are a hit combination: there are playlists, classes and even entire fledgling genres promising to help you push for the burn.Broadly speaking, there are two ways music can help you mid-workout. First, by helping you dissociate from any discomfort you're experiencing and, second, by improving the quality of the training itself. The former seems to work especially well for long, slow efforts. Continue reading...

Former UK chief scientific adviser warns we are not ready yet' and urges next government to prepare

Across the world, medical tests are being adjusted according to patients' skin colour - with shocking consequences. One science writer tells how she helped overturn one of the pernicious assumptions of race-based healthcare

Thousands of children could die after court backs campaign group over GM crop in Philippines, scientists warnScientists have warned that a court decision to block the growing of the genetically modified (GM) crop Golden Rice in the Philippines could have catastrophic consequences. Tens of thousands of children could die in the wake of the ruling, they argue.The Philippines had become the first country - in 2021 - to approve the commercial cultivation of Golden Rice, which was developed to combat vitamin A deficiency, a major cause of disability and death among children in many parts of the world. Continue reading...

Research shows fish oil may increase risk of people developing a heart condition or strokeOmega-3 oils, typically found in oily fish and fish oil supplements, are often said to have numerous health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart attacks, dementia and joint pain.But recent research published in the journal BMJ Medicine shows that while fish oil supplements could reduce the risk for those who already have cardiovascular disease, they may increase the risk of someone developing a heart condition or stroke in the first place. Continue reading...

With second human case of H5N1 reported, CDC launches dashboard to monitor wastewater, and recruits students to helpAmid widespread gaps in US testing for H5N1, a type of bird flu, and as a second case among humans has been detected, scientists are turning to more creative ways of monitoring the outbreak - especially in human and animal feces.Scientists and officials are expanding wastewater monitoring across the US and engaging community members to collect waste samples from birds. They hope to keep tabs on this outbreak while preparing for the next pandemic. Continue reading...

Queensland- and Scotland-based PhD students co-lead team celebrating Eureka moment' spotting Gliese 12bAn Australian university student has co-led the discovery of an Earth-sized, potentially habitable planet just 40 light years away.Shishir Dholakia, a PhD candidate in astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland, is part of an international team that published the discovery in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Continue reading...

Models suggest deaths in poorer countries could be cut by 18% - or about 750,000 a year - with preventive measuresEvery year 750,000 deaths linked to drug-resistant superbugs could be prevented through better access to clean water and sanitation, infection control and childhood vaccinations, research suggests.Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is a huge global challenge, with the evolution of drug-resistant superbugs, driven by factors including inappropriate and excessive antibiotic use, raising the prospect of a future where modern medicine fails. Continue reading...

The accord - conceived during Covid to prevent and respond to pandemics - will top the agenda at the World Health AssemblyGlobal health leaders will gather in Geneva on 27 May at the annual World Health Assembly, where a new agreement for countries to work together to prepare for, prevent, and respond to pandemics - known as the pandemic accord" - will top the agenda.It was first proposed by world leaders in early 2021, with a promise to avoid the mistakes of the Covid-19 pandemic next time around. Continue reading...

The morning's tea needs to be brewed in the yellow pot, the sheepdog must be scratched repeatedlyAmid the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic lockdowns a few years ago, as I walked the neighbourhood each twilight, I couldn't help observe the little domestic quirks of people I didn't and still don't know.Like everyone else I was finding light and meaning and comfort wherever I might. The early evening - like the early morning and lunchtime - walk with my dogs was part of that.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Wandering worlds are seen deep inside Orion nebula, a giant cloud of dust and gas 1,500 light years awayAstronomers have spotted dozens of rogue planets floating free from their stars after turning the Euclid space telescope to look at a distant region of the Milky Way.The wandering worlds were seen deep inside the Orion nebula, a giant cloud of dust and gas 1,500 light years away, and described in the first scientific results announced by Euclid mission researchers. Continue reading...

Carnivorous predator Radnorscolex latus existed 425m years ago and caught prey with its retractable throatAn ancient worm unearthed in Herefordshire was a carnivorous predator that shoved its throat out to catch and eat prey, according to scientists.The creature, named Radnorscolex latus, was found at a disused Victorian quarry site in the village of Leintwardine, near the Welsh border. Continue reading...