Previously unknown Tutcetus rayanensis is just 2.5 metres long and oldest of ocean-living whales recorded in AfricaA pint-size whale that lived around 41m years ago has been discovered by palaeontologists in Egypt, who say the species may have lived a short, speedy life.Researchers say they unearthed the fossils near Wadi el-Hitan in Egypt, a site where many fossils of ancient whales can be found. At first, they said, it was unclear what they had found. Continue reading...
Vets receive medication originally meant for people amid virulent feline coronavirus that has killed thousands of catsVeterinary services in Cyprus have received a first batch of anti-Covid pills, from a stockpile originally meant for humans, as efforts intensify to stop the spread of a virulent strain of feline coronavirus that has killed thousands of cats.The island's health ministry began discharging the treatment on 8 August - long celebrated as International Cat Day - in what is hoped will be the beginning of the end of the disease that has struck the Mediterranean country's feline population. Continue reading...
Global accord aims to avoid the damage caused during Covid-19 and ensure vaccines and medical equipment are distributed equally to allCovid-19 caught the world unprepared; the scramble it prompted for treatments, tests, protective equipment and vaccines favoured the world's richest nations. To avoid the same thing happening in future pandemics, a group of world leaders has proposed a pandemic treaty, which is being negotiated in a series of international meetings hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO).The draft treaty is aimed at ensuring equity in distributing all that is needed to handle a future pandemic, instead of the coronavirus free-for-all. Continue reading...
Eating even a very small amount of the mushrooms at the centre of the suspected poisoning in Victoria can be fatal, and treatment is often only effective if administered very quickly
by Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Madeleine Fin on (#6DQ56)
In this episode from March 2023, Ian Sample hears from Scotland's Astronomer Royal, Prof Catherine Heymans, about her experience of long Covid and how it has affected her life. He also speaks to Prof Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, about the scientific understanding of the condition, and whether we're any closer to a treatment Continue reading...
Health risk of EG.5, which is related to Omicron subvariant, judged to be low but may drive larger wave of infectionsA new strain of Covid-19 has been designated as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization, although the public health risk has been judged as low.The variant, known as EG.5 or Eris", is related to an Omicron subvariant called XBB.1.9.2, and is growing in prevalence globally, with countries including the UK, China and US among those affected. Continue reading...
After generations of inaction and very few novel ideas, researchers and activists are hopeful a new path is being charted in understanding and treating the crippling chronic conditionThere's an excitement at the moment," says Andrew Horne. After decades of inaction, something is happening in endometriosis.Now, says the professor of gynaecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Edinburgh, I do think things are changing. There are more people working on it, so it's bringing in people from different disciplines with new ideas." Continue reading...
Researchers hail very important discovery' that sheds light on unexplored Italian seabedAfter a weeks-long deepsea expedition, researchers from several universities around the world have discovered three underwater volcanoes off Sicily's south-west coast.According to scientists, the newly discovered volcanoes are at least 6km wide and rise more than 150 metres above the surrounding seabed. They join a series of other volcanic cones discovered in 2019 by the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS) in the marine area between Mazara del Vallo in the Sicilian province of Trapani and Sciacca, a town in Agrigento. Continue reading...
Despite recent scandals of research misconduct and error, the academic world still seems determined to look the other wayScientific misconduct has enjoyed some limelight lately. The president of Stanford, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, resigned last month after a series of investigations exposed serious problems in his research; an independent review of Tessier-Lavigne's work found no evidence that he falsified data himself but concluded that his research failed standards of scientific rigor and process" and that he failed to correct the record on multiple occasions.And in June it was revealed that a scholar at Harvard Business School, Francesca Gino, was accused of having falsified research about - wait for it - honesty. Continue reading...
It's very doable', according to the man who co-founded the submersibles company OceanGate. In fact, it's just like a caravan holiday!Guillermo Sohnlein is a man of many ideas. One of those ideas was OceanGate: the company that used to send people to the bottom of the sea in submersibles until one of those submersibles imploded, killing all five people on board, including Sohnlein's co-founder. It's 10 years since Sohnlein left the company, but after a tragedy like that you'd think he'd want to stay away from risky ventures for a while. But no, the businessman recently told Insider that he is intent on colonising Venus. This isn't some lofty vision of the far future: he wants to send 1,000 people to Venus's atmosphere by 2050. He lays out all his plans in an extremely unimpressive website for his foundation called Humans2Venus.While all this may sound completely ridiculous, don't worry: Sohnlein has looked into the logistics and concluded that getting to Venus is very doable". I think it is less aspirational than putting 1 million people on the Martian surface by 2050," he mused. You should trust him on this - he's been researching the matter for a very long time. I think I've been driven to help make humanity a multiplanet species since I was 11 years old," he told Insider. I had this recurring dream of being the commander of the first Martian colony." I've had a recurring dream that I forgot to do any of my maths homework for a year and then I had to sit a test, but I haven't spun that into a business venture.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Study also finds each additional 1,000 steps daily are associated with a further 15% reduction in riskWalking just 4,000 steps a day may reduce your risk of dying from any cause, the largest analysis to date suggests - although the more you walk, the greater the health benefits.The idea that a sedentary lifestyle is linked to poorer health is now well established, yet, until now, it has been unclear what the optimal number of steps people should aspire to is, or if there is an upper limit beyond which further health gains are minimal. Continue reading...
Research suggests behaviour may reflect evolutionary response to previous outbreaks of diseaseAerial surveys of the North Sea have revealed that seals practise social distancing - and the discovery may have profound implications for the spread of disease among the marine mammals.In a paper published today by the Royal Society, researchers conducting censuses of grey and harbour seals detail new evidence that the two species not only maintain distances between their own kind (unlike walruses, for instance, who cluster close together) but also that this behaviour may reflect an evolutionary response to viral susceptibility". Continue reading...
Uncertainty over Britain's post-Brexit version of the CE mark has hampered the development of medical devices, says Roger Bayston. Plus a letter from Ian WhiteThe enormous waste of resources due to red tape described by Polly Toynbee (Business is haunted by Brexit - and this safety mark fiasco is its latest nightmare, 4 August) is not just confined to British business - it has severely affected UK research in the area of medical devices.Scientists need to partner with manufacturers in order to get these devices out of the lab and into the clinic. But we and others have experienced our industrial partners withdrawing support and pulling out of agreements because it has been simply too costly to embark on double certification of potential products. Continue reading...
What are the best exercises to reduce your blood pressure? The plank and the wall sit. Here is how to do them - and some other great poses - whatever your current fitness levelCould the secret to lifelong health be ... staying still? It sounds counterintuitive, but in a recent study, researchers assessing 270 randomised controlled clinical trials (involving more than 15,000 participants) found that isometric exercises, in which muscles are working but remain motionless, were more effective than a range of other options for reducing blood pressure.To be clear, aerobic exercise training, dynamic resistance training, combined training and high-intensity interval training all helped, compared with non-exercise control interventions. But isometrics were most likely to reduce blood pressure, with full-body movements such as the wall squat showing bigger benefits than moves such as hand-gripping or leg extensions. Continue reading...
First study to compare absorption of period products using human blood finds that discs can hold the mostThe first study to compare the absorption of period products using human blood suggests diaphragm-shaped menstrual discs may be better than traditional pads or tampons for dealing with heavy monthly blood flow.The findings could also help doctors better assess whether heavy menstrual bleeding could be a sign of underlying health problems, such as a bleeding disorder or fibroids. Continue reading...
Some of the winning images from Central West Astronomical Society's annual astrophotography competition named after the British-Australian astronomer and photographer.From a smartphone capturing the aurora over Tasmania's mountains to craters on the moon, Australian astrophotographers bring the wonders of our universe into frame
A fireball flying across Australia's night sky that left onlookers in disbelief was likely tonnes of space junk burning up in the Earth's atmosphere, experts say. The mysterious light show shone above Melbourne for almost a minute before disappearing into the darkness, with any surviving debris likely landing in the ocean
by Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay, with S on (#6DMY3)
Installing artificial grass is becoming an increasingly popular way to achieve a neat, green lawn without much effort. But with environmental and potential health costs associated with plastic turf, many campaigners and gardeners would like to see it banned. In this episode from April 2023, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guardian feature writer Sam Wollaston and urban ecologist Prof Rob Francis about why people go for artificial grass, its environmental impact, and whether it's time we rid ourselves of the idea of the perfect lawn altogetherRead about the plastic lawn backlash here Continue reading...
Beam of light that crossed Victoria's night sky burned for almost a minute and caused a loud boom, and Australia's space agency says it was incinerating space junk
The emergence of a possible link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance shows why action to clean up air is so badly neededA decade ago, Britain's top health official issued a grim warning: antibiotic resistance posed an apocalyptic threat, with patients having simple operations at risk of dying from routine infections that could no longer be treated.Sally Davies, then the chief medical officer for England, said global action was required to fight antibiotic resistance and fill a drug discovery void by researching and developing medicines to treat mutating infections. Continue reading...
Global study suggests connection has strengthened over time across every country and continentAir pollution is helping to drive a rise in antibiotic resistance that poses a significant threat to human health worldwide, a global study suggests.The analysis, using data from more than 100 countries spanning nearly two decades, indicates that increased air pollution is linked with rising antibiotic resistance across every country and continent. Continue reading...
Soil estimated to be home to 90% of world's fungi, 85% of plants and more than 50% of bacteria, making it the world's most species-rich habitatMore than half of all species live in the soil, according to a study that has found it is the single most species-rich habitat on Earth.Soil was known to hold a wealth of life, but this new figure doubles what scientists estimated in 2006, when they suggested 25% of life was soil-based. Continue reading...
Scientists claim it is first non-human example of a predator using another animal to hide itself when huntingThey do not use a false beard, dark glasses or hide behind newspapers, but when it comes to shadowing others, trumpetfish could give private detectives a run for their money.Researchers say that when hunting, trumpetfish conceal themselves behind other species of fish to approach their quarry incognito. Continue reading...
We might be able to genetically engineer something like woolly mammoths, but is it a good idea?We may weep for the dodo, but could and should we bring this lovely bird back from the dead? De-extinction is the science of restoring lost species and it has been in the news, sporadically, for decades.The story in modern times began in 1990 when Michael Crichton published his science fiction novel Jurassic Park, in which he imagined a world where scientists were able to bring dinosaurs back to life. Crichton had trained as a biomedical scientist, so he was aware of the then new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology that was revolutionising life-sciences labs. PCR enabled molecular biologists to make millions or billions of copies of DNA very quickly meaning that only tiny samples were needed. Continue reading...
Or denser?Today's three puzzles are written by Barry R Clarke, author of Mensa's bestselling book of logic puzzles. Mensa is the society for people with high IQs, which it defines as those who score in the top 2 per cent of intelligence tests.If you breeze through these puzzles, consider yourself a clever clogs! Continue reading...
The solutions to today's puzzlesToday I set you these three problems by Mensa-approved author Barry R Clarke. Here they are again with solutions.1. Switched on Continue reading...
Our inability to confidently predict sea level rise between an extremely challenging two metres and a civilisation-ending 10 metres is an exemplar of the problem facing researchersThese last few months have been a turbulent time to be an oceanographer, particularly one specialising in the vast Southern Ocean around Antarctica and its role in our climate. The media has been awash with stories of marine heatwaves across the northern hemisphere, the potential collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation by mid-century and the record-breaking deficit in Antarctic sea ice emerging this southern winter. Alongside heatwaves and bushfires in North America and southern Europe, flooding in China and South American winter temperatures above 38C, the climate has moved from a future problem" to a now problem" in the minds of many.The global climate is one hugely complex interconnected system. While the Antarctic and Southern Ocean are far removed from our daily lives, they play an oversized role in this system and the future climate that concerns humanity now. Global warming" is really ocean warming". The atmospheric temperature change, the 1.5C Paris target we are now perilously near to exceeding, really is only a few percent of our total excess trapped heat. Almost all the rest is in the ocean and it is around Antarctica that it is predominantly taken up. How this uptake may change in the future as winds, temperatures and ice shift is a critical scientific, and human, question. Continue reading...
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility achieved the feat using lasers to fuse two atomsUS scientists have achieved net energy gain in a nuclear fusion reaction for the second time since a historic breakthrough in December last year in the quest to find a near-limitless, safe and clean source of energyScientists at the California-based Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory repeated the breakthrough in an experiment in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) on 30 July that produced a higher energy yield than in December, a Lawrence Livermore spokesperson said. Continue reading...
Facility in Porton Down, Wiltshire will allow vaccines to be developed for future pandemic pathogensMinisters have opened a new vaccine research centre in the UK where scientists will work on preparing for disease X", the next potential pandemic pathogen.The state-of-the-art Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre is based at the UK Health and Security Agency's (UKHSA) Porton Down campus in Wiltshire. Continue reading...
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 are human eyes different colours? Gabrielle Kuper, aged 5, LondonPost your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday. Continue reading...
Britain has a chance to solve the universe's ultimate mystery - if it can get global support for a project 3,000ft below ground in the UKBritish scientists have an audacious dream. They want to house a giant international particle detector that would be built 3,000ft underground in a working mine in Yorkshire. The device, they say, would give them a last clear chance to pinpoint what is the source of one of the universe's greatest mysteries: dark matter.We are entering the last-chance saloon to show that these particles are the cause of dark matter, and we want to make sure Britain is at the heart of that work by building the final generation of these detectors," physicist Professor Chamkaur Ghag of University College London told the Observer. Continue reading...
A new method called skeletal editing' offers a hugely simplified way to alter matter, paving the way for world-changing innovations in personalised medicine and sustainable plasticsAsk Mark Levin what excites him about his work, and the associate professor of chemistry at the University of Chicago could double as a poet. We're one of the only fields of science that at its core is about making things that have never existed anywhere else in the universe, and would never have existed if we didn't intervene," he enthuses. We get to manipulate matter at the atomic level to shape it to whatever purpose we can think of."Some of those things that would never have existed are of immense value to humanity. From synthetic dyes to celluloid, materials to medicines, synthetic chemistry has made our world a richer place, and helped us live longer to enjoy it. Continue reading...
As cases rise, scientists say country is mostly in the dark about how infections could play out in coming monthsThe UK is nearly flying blind" when it comes to Covid this autumn, experts have said, amid an increase in cases.While the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to track some metrics of Covid, including hospitalisation numbers, many of the community surveillance studies tracking infection levels have finished. Continue reading...
You and the Universe, adapted from his posthumous 2020 Earth Day message, will bring the late physicist's extraordinary work to life for readers of all ages'A new children's picture book by Stephen Hawking is due to be published six years after the theoretical physicist's death.You and the Universe, co-written by the late professor's daughter Lucy Hawking and illustrated by Xin Li, will inspire kids to ask the big questions about Earth and the cosmos", according to publisher Puffin. Continue reading...
If our industry is to avoid superficial ethics-washing, historically excluded communities must be brought into the conversationAI is advancing at a rapid pace, bringing with it potentially transformative benefits for society. With discoveries such as AlphaFold, for example, we're starting to improve our understanding of some long-neglected diseases, with 200m protein structures made available at once - a feat that previously would have required four years of doctorate-level research for each protein and prohibitively expensive equipment. If developed responsibly, AI can be a powerful tool to help us deliver a better, more equitable future.However, AI also presents challenges. From bias in machine learning used for sentencing algorithms, to misinformation, irresponsible development and deployment of AI systems poses the risk of great harm. How can we navigate these incredibly complex issues to ensure AI technology serves our society and not the other way around? Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6DHQY)
Project inspired by John Smeaton, a keen astronomer who is seen as the father of civil engineering, is touring Leeds for four monthsJohn Smeaton is far from a household name, but Abby Dix-Mason believes he should be. His achievements were amazing," she said.He was very modest, he wasn't one to brag or boast but the truth is that so much of what he did has changed the world." Continue reading...
High-resolution images from cutting-edge space telescope reveal inner region around central white dwarfStunning images of the final stages of a distant star's life have been captured by the James Webb space telescope (JWST) in unprecedented and exquisite detail.Released by an international team of astronomers, the snapshots reveal the doughnut-shaped structure of glowing gas called the Ring Nebula, a well-known object in the sky, which lies about 2,600 light years from Earth. Continue reading...
Beyond physical changes, some experts suggest that pregnancy may help athletes develop mental resilience and coping strategies, contributing to improved performanceA commentator's suggestion during Australia's opening Women's World Cup match that motherhood" had not blunted" midfielder Katrina Gorry's competitive instincts" drew widespread criticism.Gorry, who later said she did not take the comment personally, is far from the first mother to come back to the highest levels of elite sport. Her post-pregnancy return is emblematic of a growing trend among female athletes, who overcome remarkable physical and psychological changes to continue their professional careers. Continue reading...
by Presented by Ian Sample, with Sean Carroll, produc on (#6DGKX)
The film Everything Everywhere All at Once won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Picture. In this episode from March 2023, just before the Oscars, Ian Sample spoke to the theoretical physicist and philosopher Sean Carroll about why we seem to be drawn to the idea of multiple worlds, and what the science says about how the multiverse might actually workClips: Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24), Independent Spirit Awards, Critics' Choice Awards Continue reading...
By offering unconditional love and validation, parents can empower their child to speak their truthA parent's primary instinct is to protect their children from harm. When a child endures the unspeakable trauma of sexual abuse, parents will often feel guilty and it may take time to process that feeling and heal from it. It's important for them to understand they are not responsible for something that was out of their control.In the aftermath of such a distressing experience, parents are their child's strongest pillar of support and understanding and should focus on what is in their control. As they embark on the arduous path of healing, parents play a crucial role in helping their child find solace and reclaim their sense of security. Continue reading...
Rhinotillexis may be underestimated cause of transmission between staff, say researchersNose-picking should be given greater consideration as a potential health hazard, researchers have said, after finding healthcare workers who engaged in rhinotillexis were more likely to catch Covid than those who refrained.Scientists in the Netherlands say research has previously found healthcare workers who had direct contact with Covid patients were more likely to catch Covid than those who did not. Continue reading...
Research also suggests parents who have two children of same sex are more likely to try for third than those with one of each sexCinderella may have had an evil stepmother and a pair of ugly stepsisters to contend with. But the next time you settle down to the fairytale, spare a thought for parents with three daughters under the same roof.Having three daughters and no sons can lead to a minor dent in mothers' wellbeing that can take a whole decade to pass, according to researchers. Continue reading...
Fossils found in Peru from extinct species show it may have had body mass of 85-340 tonnes - heavier than blue whalesThe fossilised bones of an ancient creature that patrolled coastal waters 40m years ago belong to a newly discovered species that is a contender for the heaviest animal ever to have existed on Earth.Fossil hunters discovered remnants of the enormous and long-extinct whale in a rock formation in the Ica desert of southern Peru. Fully grown adults might have weighed hundreds of tonnes, researchers believe. Continue reading...
Do we really want to live in a democratic world so small-minded that our primary need of our leaders is that they be just like us? Lucinda Holdforth does notPersonal virtues are back in fashion. In the 21st century, Australians are putting up their hands for moral thinking and right action. More than a few will openly scold those who fall short of their high standards. I'm also in favour of personal virtues. I think. I know I am nostalgic for a few vices. So the question arises: what exactly are the modern virtues?Well, you only have to spend half an hour on LinkedIn - although I really don't recommend it - to note how the same concepts are elevated time and again: Authenticity, Empathy, Humility. A few others arise, generally along much the same lines. Self-Care is big. So is Vulnerability. Continue reading...
From the hills of Rio de Janeiro to Greece's Temple of Poseidon, stargazers across the world witnessed this month's supermoon. Called the sturgeon moon, it became visible at dusk on 1 August. Supermoons are full moons that come closest to Earth's orbit, making them seem larger and brighter. The August full moon is named after the abundant sturgeon found in the lakes of North America in that month. It will be followed by a second full moon on 30 August, which will be called a blue moon as it appears in the same calendar month