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17 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

95,000 have entered UK from abroad during coronavirus lockdown

Government chief adviser fails to give estimate of how many have arrived with Covid-19At least 95,000 people have entered the UK from overseas since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed, one of the government’s chief scientific advisers has revealed, while repeatedly failing to provide an estimate of how many of these people had Covid-19.Appearing before MPs on the science and technology...

The Guardian view on the hybrid parliament: unfinished business | Editorial

Digital scrutiny is imperfect but it has proved that the Commons can modernise. Ending the experiment prematurely is a backwards stepThere is still much to be learnt about the coronavirus, but it is clear that transmission is efficient in crowded, enclosed spaces. On that basis a full House of Commons is unsafe.That is why “hybrid scrutiny” was introduced, with most MPs contributing to debates...

Cold war atomic tests led to increased rainfall on Shetland

Electric charge released by radiation from nuclear testing thickened clouds thousands of miles away, research findsNuclear bombs detonated during the cold war caused atmospheric changes that increased rainfall thousands of miles away, research suggests.The electric charge released by radiation from atomic tests carried out mostly by the US and Soviet Union in the 1960s led to increased rainfall on...

Coronavirus UK: should I be wearing a face mask? - video explainer

The UK government has told the public to wear 'cloth face coverings' in crowded places where it's not possible to comply with physical-distancing measures, but what does this mean? Why not face masks? Outside too? Should anyone avoid wearing a face covering? The Guardian's health editor, Sarah Boseley, answers these and other questionsHow to make your own non-medical maskCoronavirus live...

Covid-19 crisis raises hopes of end to UK transmission of HIV

Sexual health experts see in lockdown restrictions a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ chanceCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage“In the war against any infectious virus,” says Dr Alan McOwan, “You’re trying to win various battles. You have to keep clobbering it from every direction you can.”That’s true for coronavirus, he says, as well as for other viral conditions....

Are coronavirus antibody tests worth the money? As a GP, I thought I'd give one a try | Ann Robinson

The commercial kits are tempting, but offer little certainty when we aren’t even sure that antibodies confer immunity“Does anyone know of a private Covid antibody test that is properly reliable?” asked one of my friends on WhatsApp.The question made me curious. Having antibodies, of course, means you’ve been exposed to the virus and you’re unlikely to spread it. But with possible false...

Coronavirus UK: latest deaths, confirmed cases – and which regions are hardest hit?

Latest figures from public health authorities on the spread of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom. Find out how many confirmed cases have been reported in each of England’s local authoritiesCoronavirus - live news updatesFind all our coronavirus coverage hereHow to protect yourself from infectionPlease note: these are government figures on numbers of confirmed cases - some people who report symptoms...

'Finally, a virus got me': Ebola expert on nearly dying of coronavirus

Peter Piot tells of his brush with death and predicts people will suffer effects of the virus for yearsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePeter Piot, the scientist who helped discover the Ebola virus, and the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has told of his brush with death after contracting Covid-19.The professor had never previously been...

Snowflake or safety first? How face masks were drawn into Trump’s culture wars | Arwa Mahdawi

Everything is partisan in the US now – even the coronavirus. Choosing whether or not to cover your face has become a political statementCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageLet’s face it: wearing a face mask is not pleasant. They can fog up your glasses and hurt your ears. If you are cursed with terrible allergies, as I am, they quickly become a disgusting sneeze...

Transparency is key in a crisis - so why isn't the British government being straight with us? | Stephen Reicher

Contrary to popular belief, people rarely panic in dangerous situations. Withholding information is patronising and counter-productiveStephen Reicher is a member of SageYou might assume that during a time of crisis it’s important for governments to hold information close to their chest. Surely, in the midst of a life and death struggle, the priority is to be pragmatic and effective. In such...

Unicef: 6,000 children could die every day due to impact of coronavirus

Disruption of essential maternity and health services is the biggest crisis faced by under fives since second world warCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAs many as 6,000 children around the world could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months due to the impact of coronavirus on routine health services, the UN has warned.Global disruption of...

Coronavirus live news: Brazil reports a record 881 deaths as Wuhan prepares to test 11m residents

Pence avoiding Trump after aide’s positive test; Saudi oil profits drop 25%; French schools reopen; follow the latest updatesChina plans to test all 11m Wuhan residents for coronavirusEU could reopen borders to countries with similar risk profilesCoronavirus latest: at a glanceAustralia coronavirus updates - liveSee all our coronavirus coverage 5.45am BST 5.35am BST Hannah Devlin speaks to Prof...

Dogs endure emotional difficulties in puberty like humans, says study

Research finds animals are less responsive to instructions from their carer during adolescenceMoody, unpredictable and with an striking disregard for the rules, teenagers can be hard to handle. Now it turns out the same is true for adolescent dogs.Researchers say they have found that pooches become less responsive to instructions from their carer during adolescence. Continue...

Coronavirus patient DNA study could tell us why some fare worse

Analysis of samples from thousands of patients might point to genetic variationsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThousands of UK patients who have fallen ill with coronavirus will have their genomes read in a major study to understand how a person’s DNA affects their susceptibility to the infection.The nationwide effort aims to collect DNA samples from up to 20,000...

Millions with health conditions at risk from Covid-19 'if forced back to work'

About 20% of UK population vulnerable but not included in government’s shielding adviceEight million people with underlying health conditions should be exempted from plans to get the country back to work and normal life, according to scientists who warn that easing lockdown too quickly could propel the Covid-19 death toll to 73,000 this year.About 80% of the population have little to fear from a...