Researchers say they have found how anemonefish identify unwelcome guests of their own kind, by counting white markingsUnlike the star of Disney's Finding Nemo, real-life common clownfish are not keen on sharing their home with members of their own species.Researchers say they have discovered how they kick unwelcome guests out, by counting the stranger's vertical white markings. Continue reading...
Nasa says it will be a harmless flyby by the giant rock, one of several near-Earth objects slated to swing by the planet this weekAn asteroid as big as a skyscraper will pass within 1.7m miles (2.7mkm) of Earth on Friday.Don't worry: there's no chance of it hitting us since it will miss our planet by seven times the distance from the Earth to the moon. Continue reading...
Female dogs from that category have biggest lifespan among pure breeds, but flat-faced canines more at risk of early deathEvery dog has its day - but some clock up more years than others. Now research has revealed that when it comes to longevity, small, long-nosed breeds are top dog, while flat-faced ones are more at risk of an early death.Once size, face shape and sex were taken into account researchers found that overall small, long-nosed female dogs tended to have the longest lifespans among pure breeds, notching up a median of 13.3 years. Continue reading...
A psychologist offers practical advice for dealing with life's ups and downsIt is refreshing to read a psychology book intended for mainstream audiences that isn't trying to push you towards a particular goal; to achieve more, to work harder. Thanks to the rapid societal and technological changes of the past century, self-actualisation is now possible for more of us than ever before. As welcome as this might seem, self-actualising is hard work, and possibilities can quickly become standards that we fail to live up to. Consciously or unconsciously, our unlived potential can haunt us and provoke us to strive until we burn out.In this book, the second in a planned trilogy, and a follow-up to 2015's How We Are, health psychologist Deary delivers a much-needed message: we have a finite capacity to meet the unpredictable challenges life throws at us. The concept of allostatic load (the wear and tear of chronic stress) crops up repeatedly. In chapter four we are introduced to Anne, a single mother struggling to look after her son and father while working as a probation officer (Deary's case studies are composites of patients he has treated in a fatigue clinic). Anne looksafter everyone except herself. Asher life becomes more difficult and complex, her ability to function is gradually eroded until she collapses into a state of chronic fatigue. During acourse of psychotherapy she comes to understand the vulnerability that results from doing too much for too long, to the point that a few ordinary difficulties can tip you over the edge. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Pet owners risk contaminating their hands with neurotoxins for at least 28 days after application, scientists findVets should limit the use of flea treatments containing pesticides on dogs and cats, scientists have said, after a study revealed the vast amount of toxic substances in them that end up in rivers.Pet owners using these flea treatments risk contaminating their hands with fipronil and imidacloprid, two insecticides, for at least 28 days after the treatment has been applied, according to research by the University of Sussex and Imperial College London. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample with Hannah Devlin, produc on (#6J9RC)
Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss the big science stories of the week - from news that Elon Musk's Neuralink has implanted its first chip into a human, to research suggesting Alzheimer's can pass between humans in rare medical accidents, and the revelation that Rishi Sunak begins each week with a 36-hour fastClips: BBC Continue reading...
With insurance companies using genetic information to set prices and policies, advocates say the need for protection against genetic discrimination is urgent'
Single-dose treatment transformed lives of patients with potentially deadly condition in first human trialA groundbreaking gene therapy has been hailed as a medical magic wand" after the treatment transformed the lives of patients with a hereditary disorder that causes painful and potentially fatal swelling.Patients who took part in the first human trial of the therapy experienced a dramatic improvement in their symptoms, and many were able to come off long-term medication and return to life as normal. Continue reading...
Mark Samuels on why accessing medicines, from routine to life-changing, is getting harder; Philip Clayton wonders why we don't manufacture our own drugsNews that European countries are working together to safeguard drug supplies with a stockpile of 200 critical products comes at a time when the UK is facing the increasingly bleak prospect of more regular shortages (EU plan for medicine stockpile could worsen UK's record shortages, 25 January).Generic medicines - exact copies of original patented products - fulfil 80% of all prescriptions used by NHS patients. They also save the taxpayer 15bn annually via a competitive market, which has meant we have enjoyed the lowest medicine prices in Europe. However, a range of threats are undermining the resilience of the UK's generic medicine supply chain, meaning shortages are becoming much more common. Continue reading...
by Lisa O'Carroll in Brussels and Angelique Chrisafis on (#6J93T)
Delay to rules on setting aside land to encourage biodiversity offered as concession amid continuing protestsFarmers protesting across Europe have won their first concession from Brussels, with the EU announcing a delay in rules that would have forced them to set aside land to encourage biodiversity and soil health.About 10,000 French farmers stepped up their protests on Wednesday, with at least 100 blockades on major roads across France, as 18 farmers were arrested for blocking traffic as they tried to reach the wholesale food market at Rungis, south-east of Paris and 79 others were detained after they managed to get inside. Continue reading...
Christopher Rufo recommends a newsletter to his readers that has published several supporters of discredited genetics theoryThe rightwing activist Christopher Rufo has links to a self-styled sociobiology magazine" that is focused on the supposed relationships between race, intelligence and criminality, and which experts have characterized as an outlet for scientific racism.At the time of reporting, Aporia was one of 19 Substack newsletters Rufo links to in the recommended" section on his own newsletter, which according to Substack has more than 50,000 subscribers. Rufo also appeared on Aporia's podcast, which has published flattering interviews with proponents of scientific racism and eugenics. Continue reading...
Increase in cardiorespiratory levels of 3% annually found to be beneficial, Swedish research suggestsMen can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by as much as 35% by doing a little more jogging, cycling or swimming, a study suggests.Boosting cardiorespiratory fitness by only 3% over the course of a year was linked to a much lower chance of developing the disease. The findings prompted the researchers to encourage men to boost their fitness levels to help cut their prostate cancer risk. Continue reading...
California scientist and film-maker spot apparent pup - never before seen in the wild - in drone picturesResearchers in California may have gotten the first ever look at a newborn great white shark, which they captured in drone images taken last summer.The newborn animal has never before been spotted in the wild. But in July, the wildlife film-maker Carlos Gauna and Phillip Sternes, a biology doctoral student at the University of California, Riverside, glimpsed something unexpected in the waters near Santa Barbara on California's central coast. Continue reading...
Dashboard allows people to explore data including egg and sperm donors from 1991 onwardsPeople turning to fertility treatments such as IVF can now access an online tool to compare NHS funding in their area with the rest of the UK.The dashboard, launched by the regulator Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA), is thought to be a world first, and allows those looking to undergo processes such as IVF and ICSI, as well as researchers, to explore data from 1991 onwards, covering 665,690 patients. Continue reading...
Insect flight paths were filmed at night using hi-res and infrared technology with surprising resultsFrom the Bhagavad Gita to the Merchant of Venice, storytellers have warned of the unappealing fate awaiting those who are drawn like a moth to a flame.Despite the rich history of the baffling behaviour, the science of why insects gather around lights at night has never been nailed down. Popular theories propose that moths navigate by the moon and mistake lamps for moonlight, or that the insects fly towards light to escape imminent danger. Continue reading...
Patient recovering well with signs of promising neuron spike detection', says startup's founderElon Musk, the billionaire founder of the neurotechnology company Neuralink, has said the first human received an implant from the brain-chip startup and is recovering well.The surgery is not a surprise: the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had given the company clearance in September to carry out the first trial of its implant on humans. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6J7WQ)
The trillions of microbes living on and inside the human body are an important part of who we are, from mediating all of our interactions with the environment to determining our cancer risk and influencing who we fall for. And scientists are only just beginning to decipher the species of bugs we share our lives with, and how they shape us.In the final part of this Science Weekly mini-series, Ian Sample meets Julie Thornton, academic director of the Centre for Skin Sciences and professor in cutaneous biology at the university of Bradford. Julie tells Ian how the skin microbiome varies across our bodies, how it helps with everything from wound healing to immunity, and how we can protect it from the disruptive impact of modern life. Continue reading...
Handful of patients who received human growth hormone from deceased donors in now-banned practice went on to develop signsAlzheimer's can be spread from human to human through rare medical accidents, research suggests, although experts stress there is no evidence the disease can be passed between people through everyday activities or routine care.Researchers say a handful of people who received human growth hormone from the pituitary glands of deceased donors have gone on to develop early onset Alzheimer's - likely because the hormones used were contaminated with proteins that seeded the disease in their brains. Continue reading...
by Presented by Madeleine Finlay. Produced by Rachel on (#6J76C)
Health and science journalist Catherine Price investigates the science behind our relationships with our devices, and what we know about how to break the cycle. Prof Barbara Sahakian of Cambridge University explains why many of us are drawn to looking at bad news on our phones, and what it's doing to us
Sholto David has flagged thousands of papers, most because of concerns over potential image manipulationWhen Sholto David quit his job last autumn he could have looked for another post, taken time out to travel, or grabbed his tent and hopped on his bike. But David, a biologist living in Pontypridd, Wales, threw his efforts into a somewhat obscure hobby: finding flaws in scientific papers and doing his best to have them rectified.The work, David says, is largely thankless. Academics often got defensive about their studies or refused to respond to his criticisms. Journal editors took a similar tack, ignoring his letters, rejecting them, or investigating on timescales bordering on the glacial. Continue reading...
US culture is an incubator of extrinsic values'. Nobody embodies them like the Republican frontrunnerMany explanations are proposed for the continued rise of Donald Trump, and the steadfastness of his support, even as the outrages and criminal charges pile up. Some of these explanations are powerful. But there is one I have seen mentioned nowhere, which could, I believe, be the most important: Trump is king of the extrinsics.Some psychologists believe our values tend to cluster around certain poles, described as intrinsic" and extrinsic". People with a strong set of intrinsic values are inclined towards empathy, intimacy and self-acceptance. They tend to be open to challenge and change, interested in universal rights and equality, and protective of other people and the living world. Continue reading...
Six stars from separate constellations form a prominent asterism' in the cold January skiesNot all star patterns are called constellations. Strictly speaking, constellations are the areas of the sky that contain familiar patterns - such as Taurus, the bull, or Orion, the hunter.The patterns themselves are called asterisms but not all asterisms are related to constellations. In the northern hemisphere winter, a particularly prominent asterism is known as the Winter Hexagon or Winter Circle. It contains bright stars from six separate constellations, marked on the chart in yellow. Continue reading...
Experts say alarming projections for 2024 stem from surge in obesity, poor diets and physical inactivityThe rate at which people under the age of 50 in the UK are dying from bowel cancer is on course to rise by a third this year, according to projections that experts say are alarming and stem from a surge in obesity, poor diets and physical inactivity.Death rates among those aged 25 to 49 are predicted to increase by 39% among women and 26% among men in 2024, compared with the average between 2015 and 2019, the last five-year period for which data was studied. The findings were published in the journal Annals of Oncology. Continue reading...
Moon probe starts taking pictures of lunar surface after bumpy landing left its solar cells pointing in the wrong directionJapan's Moon lander has resumed operations, the country's space agency said on Monday, indicating that power had been restored after it was left upside down during a slightly haphazard landing.The probe, nicknamed the moon sniper", had tumbled down a crater slope during its landing on 20 January, leaving its solar batteries facing in the wrong direction and unable to generate electricity. Continue reading...
An unreliable narrator gives a locked-room mystery a fresh spin; a fascinating look at our relationship with all things lunar; and ranging far and wide culturally in the company of wolvesAlex Michaelides
How leaving Beijing for Dali, home of China's urban escapees, was a step on my route to finding serenityNine months after I moved to Dali, in the autumn of 2020, I finally set off to climb Cangshan, the high mountain which towers over this valley in southwest China. Each morning, I had looked up at the top of its imposing ridge line, 2,000m above the village of Silver Bridge, north of Dali's historic old town, that for a while I called home. Eighteen glacial gorges separated the 19 peaks, each carved by a running stream. Ever since moving there, I had fantasised about standing on top of that mountain. Reaching its summit had become an objective I fixated on. Scaling it would be healing, I had convinced myself.I wasn't alone in that outlook. It's the quest for personal change that draws so many escapees from China's cities to this rural valley. Cangshan (the verdant mountain") is a spectacular, 44km-long massif, carpeted by lush, evergreen forest, hugging the western shore of a crystalline lake and looming over a valley in the foothills of the eastern Himalaya, near the border with Myanmar. Each evening, I'd sit and watch the sun setting over them from my farmhouse, casting rays of pink, yellow and ochre through the clouds that rolled off the ridge line. Continue reading...
Archaeologists have been wowed by the early dates and the evidence, including the size of the tuyereAn iron age workshop, where blacksmiths were forging metal about 2,700 years ago, has been discovered in Oxfordshire, complete with everything from bellows protectors to the tiny bits of metal that flew off as the red hot iron was hammered into shape.Radiocarbon tests date it between 770BC and 515BC, during the earliest days of ironworking in Britain. From about 800BC, the art of forging iron became widespread in the British Isles for tools and weapons and the iron age takes its name from the mastery of this metal. Continue reading...
Early risers know only too well the smug satisfaction of getting up and getting going. But what if you're more of an owl than a lark? Here's how to change your body clock and seize the dayI can't actually remember when I first started thinking of myself as a morning person". When I was in my 20s, the only time I saw a sunrise was if I stayed up all night - I had a series of jobs that let me stroll from bed to work in about 15 minutes. If I ever did overtime it was until one or two in the morning, trying to string together words on a combination of tea, beer and deadline adrenaline. Fast forward a couple of decades and I don't think I've slept past 7.30 in the last six months.This wasn't exactly a lifestyle change I made by choice. First, I got a job with actual responsibilities and a commute, then a life-partner who worked as a personal trainer, and finally a small child with zero respect for the concept of a lie-in. But, although I'm frequently up before the birds and the binmen, I've never felt better. I've become one of those people who reads self-improvement books and grinds out kettlebell swings while most people are blearily thumbing the snooze button. It might even be helping me stay in shape - there's some evidence from a study published last year in the journal Obesity that moderate-to-vigorous exercise earlier in the day is more beneficial for weight management than hitting the gym in your lunch break or after work. Continue reading...
by Hosted by Savannah Ayoade-Greaves; written by John on (#6J5XS)
Long live the Tory Fringe! John Crace reviews last week's conservative comedy hour' (1m22s); Johannes Radebe on how he fought the bullies - and became a Strictly superstar (9m22s); and Zoe Williams reveals how to spot a liar in ten easy steps (26m14s) Continue reading...
The odd memory lapse is no big deal - so when should we start to worry? Experts explain, and share the best ways to stay sharpIsn't it Sod's Law? Just at the point in ourlives when we start seriously considering our long-term health and mortality - perhaps after witnessing older loved ones getting an illness such as dementia - our responsibilities are piled so high that we can feel as if we're losing our mental capacities already. The names of our favourite animals and humans become an interchangeable word soup. Our keys become increasingly elusive. Alerts must be set on all calendar entries.But how can we tell whether this frustrating flakiness is a reflection of age-related cognitive decline; the early signs of our own impending dementia; or merely an overly taxing phase from which we will recover? Could it even just be normal forgetfulness? We're not robots, after all. Continue reading...
Frontline staff are having to make compromises to treat patients appropriately. It's scandalous nothing is being doneMedicine shortages in the UK have been a regular feature on newspaper front pages in recent years. As a doctor on the frontline, I see how this instability in our medicine supply chain is playing out on the ground.I work in a large city hospital and am used to meeting disgruntled patients who have had to wait hours in clinic to receive treatment. But just imagine their concern when I have to explain to them that the medication we would usually treat them with is not available, and that they will have to take an alternative instead or stay in hospital for even longer as a result.Ammad Butt is a freelance writer and foundation doctor at University Hospitals Birmingham Continue reading...
by Justin McCurry in Tokyo and agencies on (#6J51P)
Slim probe landed metres rather than kilometres from its target, but a rocket malfunction has left it in an undignified positionA Japanese spacecraft made a historic pinpoint" landing on the surface of the moon at the weekend, the country's space agency has said, but there is a slight snag: the images being sent back suggest the probe is lying upside-down.Japan became only the fifth country to put a craft on the lunar surface - after the US, the Soviet Union, China and India - when its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (Slim) touched down in the early hours of Saturday. Continue reading...
Former tech demo ended up serving as scout for rover and proved powered flight was possible in thin Martian atmosphereNasa's little Mars helicopter has flown its last flight.The space agency announced on Thursday that the 4lb (1.8kg) chopper named Ingenuity can no longer fly because of rotor blade damage. While it remains upright and in contact with flight controllers, its $85m (67m) mission is officially over, officials said. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6J4X9)
Stars sat fading quietly for years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smokeAstronomers have discovered a mysterious group of giant elderly stars at the heart of the Milky Way that are emitting solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas.The stars, which have been named old smokers", sat quietly for many years, fading almost to invisibility, before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke. The discovery was made during the monitoring of almost a billion stars in infrared light during a 10-year survey of the night sky. Continue reading...
Inexpensive test can help diagnose even inaccessible' tumours earlier, speeding up treatment and improving outcomesSurgeons and scientists have developed a world-first blood test for brain cancer that experts say could revolutionise diagnosis, speed up treatment and boost survival rates.For years, brain tumours have remained notoriously difficult to diagnose. They affect hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year, and kill more children and adults under the age of 40 in the UK than any other cancer. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6J4TF)
Bloc plans to bulk-buy key drugs for all 27 countries, potentially leaving Britain behind in the queue'The EU is to stockpile key medicines that will worsen the record drug shortages in the UK, with experts warning that the country could be left behind in the queue".The EU is seeking to safeguard its supplies by switching to a system in which its 27 members work together to secure reliable supplies of 200 commonly used medications, such as antibiotics, painkillers and vaccines. Continue reading...
Hunting by Kenyan lions impeded in ecological chain reaction' as big-headed ants fail to stop elephants stripping acacia trees - the cats' ambush coverWhen a lion decides to chase down a zebra it seems as though nothing can stop it. But now researchers have discovered these enormous predators are being thwarted by a tiny foe: ants.Scientists have found the spread of big-headed ants in east Africa sets off a situation leading to lions making fewer zebra kills. Continue reading...
Model used by researchers in South Korea suggests early feathers may have helped creatures such as Caudipteryx to flush out preyThe problem with being an expert on dinosaur behaviour is that little can be inferred from the fossilised bones of beasts that died millions of years ago.For researchers in South Korea, however, the absence of any living creatures to observe was merely another challenge to overcome. Enter Robopteryx, a robot that resembles - if one squints and ignores the wheels - the prehistoric, peacock-sized and fan-tailed omnivore, Caudipteryx. Continue reading...
The woman at the heart of the PPE scandal is widely hailed as a successful businessperson. But the fate of her high-profile lingerie company raises questions
by Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay; sound on (#6J42Z)
The trillions of microbes living on and inside the human body are an important part of who we are, from mediating all our interactions with the environment to determining our cancer risk and influencing who we fall for. And scientists are only just beginning to decipher the species of bug we share our lives with, and how they shape us.In the second of a three-part Science Weekly mini-series, Madeleine Finlay meets Ina Schuppe Koistinen, associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and author of the book Vulva: Facts, Myths and Life-Changing Insights. Ina explains what makes the vaginal microbiome special, why it could hold the key to understanding pregnancy complications, and how we can better care for and protect it. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6J3QV)
Researchers reject macho caveman' stereotype after burial site evidence suggests a largely plant-based dietEarly human hunter-gatherers ate mostly plants and vegetables, according to archeological findings that undermine the commonly held view that our ancestors lived on a high protein, meat-heavy diet.The evidence, from the remains of 24 individuals from two burial sites in the Peruvian Andes dating to between 9,000 and 6,500 years ago, suggests that wild potatoes and other root vegetables may have been a dominant source of nutrition before the shift to an agricultural lifestyle. Continue reading...
Dr Clive Dix says all activities to prepare for next outbreak are literally gone' and vaccine manufacturers have been driven awayThe UK is less prepared for a pandemic than it was before the Covid crisis after driving away jab manufacturers and relying on a narrow range of shots, according to the country's former vaccine chief.Dr Clive Dix, who chaired the UK's vaccine taskforce, told MPs on Wednesday there had been a complete demise" of work to ensure the UK was better equipped with vaccines for the next pandemic, noting that all the activities were literally gone". Continue reading...
American chemist inspires moment of diplomatic levity with controversial brewing suggestionsThe special relationship between two G7 countries has possibly been imperilled by an American scientist's claim that Britain's favoured brew requires a pinch of salt.The international incident was triggered when a scientist from the US claimed to have found the recipe for a perfect cuppa. The secret, according to Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, is a pinch of salt - and energetic squeezing of the teabag.Adding a pinch of salt - the sodium ion in salt blocks the chemical mechanism that makes tea taste bitter.Steeping teabags quickly but with plenty of dunking and squeezing - to reduce the sour-tasting tannins created by caffeine dissolving slowly in water.Decaffeinated tea can be made by steeping a teabag for 30 seconds, removing it and discarding the liquid, then adding fresh water and rebrewing for five minutes.A small squeeze of lemon juice can remove the scum" that sometimes appears on the surface of the drink, which is formed from chemical elements in the tea and water.The aroma of tea is almost as important as the taste - so when drinking from a takeaway cup, it's best to remove the lid. Continue reading...
Research has cast doubt on the longstanding framework. But for some, it's an inextricable part of the dating lexiconNatalia Buia probably would not date a man if he refused to at least entertain a conversation about love languages. It's not a deal breaker per se, but I have gotten into arguments with men on dates over it," said Buia, who is 35 and lives in Toronto. If someone thinks love languages are silly or stupid, it means that we don't see eye-to-eye on communication."Buia only recently learned about the five love languages, after leaving a 10-year marriage and re-entering single life. Her friends turned her on to a quiz that purports to tell you how you best receive and express love. It is based on The 5 Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. The book has sold 20m copies since being published by Gary Chapman in 1992. Continue reading...
The first successful embryo transfer in a southern white rhino paves way for using technique to save rarer northern cousinsThe critically endangered northern white rhino could be saved from the brink of extinction after scientists performed the first successful embryo transfer in white rhinos.After the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, died in 2018, the disappearance of the species looked imminent. Just two infertile female northern white rhinos - Fatu and Najin - remain, and are under 24-hour armed protection at a conservation reservation in Kenya. But a new scientific advancement means the mother and daughter may not be the last of their kind. Continue reading...
The Traitors has shown just how adept some people are at lying. Here, an ex-FBI agent, a psychologist and a fraud investigator share their best tips for detecting dishonestyTwenty-two people in a castle, Claudia Winkleman hamming it up like crazy, a number of silly challenges, a chunk of money sitting at the centre, almost glowing, and human nature laid bare. To try to pick apart exactly what makes The Traitors so compelling would be to miss the point, like trying to analyse the ingredients in a Krispy Kreme doughnut.As enjoyable as it is, though, the show gets more infuriating with each episode. I don't want to point fingers, still less give spoilers, so let's keep this broad: why are they (the Faithful) all so stupid? Why can't they tell when they are being lied to? It's so obvious! Continue reading...
How did the country get from a 2017 WHO declaration that the disease had been eliminated in Britain to the current crisis?In September 2017, Britain was basking in the glory of a public health success story. No indigenous cases of measles had been recorded for three years. Decades after a sham study threatened to permanently undermine trust in the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, the World Health Organization declared the disease had been eliminated for the first time in the UK.Dr Mary Ramsay, then head of immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), expressed delight. This is a huge achievement and a testament to all the hard work by our health professionals in the NHS to ensure that all children and adults are fully protected with two doses of the MMR vaccine." Continue reading...
Science | The Guardian