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12 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

Spacewatch: Solar Orbiter sends first data back to Earth

Spacecraft completes first critical stage of mission after successful deployment of boom armThe European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has completed the first critical stage of its mission. Launched on 10 February from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the spacecraft has sent back its first readings after the deployment of its 4.4 metre-long boom arm.Made of titanium and carbon fibre, the boom arm points...

African killifish may hold key to stopping ageing in humans

Turquoise killifish is able to suspend its development for longer than its average lifespanThe curious ability of the African turquoise killifish to press pause on its development could have intriguing implications for human ageing, say researchers.Certain creatures, including the killifish, can put themselves into suspended animation as an embryo – a trait known as diapause. The phenomenon is...

Doctors look to HIV and Ebola drugs for coronavirus cure

Early results of trials on Covid-19 patients expected in MarchDoctors are likely to know within two to three weeks whether drugs being used to treat patients infected with the new coronavirus are working, according to the World Health Organization.The timetable for early results from two trials taking place in China is short but feasible because of the large concentration of sick people at the...

Antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacteria discovered through AI

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

Coronavirus: cruise ship accounts for more than half of cases outside China – latest news

WHO issues latest briefing; South Korean city sees surge in cases; and two Japanese passengers from stricken Diamond Princess ship die South Korean city on high alert as cases soar at ‘cult’ churchExperts fear false rumours could harm China cooperation on virusBritons stuck on cruise ship to be flown homeShare your experiences 3.52pm GMT The World Health Organization is co-ordinating with the...

UK’s expensive visa fees 'could deter NHS staff and scientists'

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

'Vagina is not a rude word': the scientist fighting to empower women, one word at a time

Twenty years ago, Catherine Blackledge’s history of the vagina The Story of V broke boundaries. As it is reissued, she talks about anasryma as activism and why we lie about the clitorisCatherine Blackledge immediately knew what her first book, a cultural history of the vagina spanning more than two millennia, should be called: Vagina. But two decades ago, this decision didn’t go down...

China's coronavirus outbreak leaves foreign nationals in limbo

Travel restrictions leave many stranded, while those with flights booked await refundsCoronavirus – latest newsForeign nationals who live in China or planned to visit say they have been left in limbo as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, with many unsure of when they can return to work or get a refund for their trip.Those who live and work in the country said travel restrictions had left them...

What is coronavirus and what should I do if I have symptoms?

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?Find all our coronavirus coverage hereHow to protect yourself from infectionIt is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those initially infected either worked or frequently shopped...

I work at a walk-in health centre. The coronavirus super-worriers are a problem | Anonymous

A public information campaign is urgently needed to tell people that all bar the very ill should access help from homeEveryone in my walk-in centre is getting a bit twitchy. Coronavirus is spreading, and we are waiting for our first case to arrive after the initial ones became known outside of China, in Singapore and Macau. After January 27, some of the receptionists – understandably nervous...

Coronavirus: two Diamond Princess passengers die as Japan defends quarantine

US says efforts to contain spread ‘may not have been sufficient’ as Japanese health minister argues ‘we’ve been doing our best’Two passengers who were onboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise liner have died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, Japan’s health ministry said on Thursday.The victims – the first people connected to the ship to have died – were an 87-year-old man...

Experts fear false rumours could harm Chinese cooperation on coronavirus

World-leading specialists offer support to Chinese scientists amid ‘crackpot’ theories that virus was manufactured in a labCoronavirus – latest newsWorld-leading experts on the novel coronavirus have signed a statement of support for their Chinese colleagues, who are being attacked on social media and even threatened with violence as false rumours circulate about its origins.There is a real...