Boeing X-37B to study impact of radiation and other space effects on seeds and other materialsThe US’s uncrewed X-37B military spaceplane is expected to launch from Cape Canaveral air force station, in Florida, on 16 May.The Boeing craft will be carried into orbit by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This will be its sixth launch, and the first to be the responsibility of the...

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NHS’s first breakdown of underlying health conditions also finds 18% had dementia Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOne in four people who have died in hospital with Covid-19 also had diabetes, the NHS’s first breakdown of underlying health conditions among the fatalities shows.Of the 22,332 people who died in hospital in England between 31 March and 12 May, 5,873...

First national snapshot estimates that 0.27% of population currently positiveCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe first national snapshot of Covid-19 rates has revealed that 148,000 people in England were infected with the virus over the past two weeks.The study, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), tested 10,705 people in more than 5,000 households and...

Student participant admires ‘calm professionalism’ of academics and NHS healthcare workers Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAs one of hundreds of volunteers involved in the University of Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine trials, Dan McAteer said he had few nerves on the day of receiving the jab itself. However, he recalled an unexpected incident from the night...

Findings could help predict how animals will adapt to climate breakdown and loss of habitatScientists have discovered the reason why some birds live fast, die young in findings that could help predict how animals will adapt to climate breakdown and habitat destruction.Research from the University of Sheffield has revealed why some bird species take longer to develop than others. The study,...

Health minister Edward Argar concedes government still needs to ‘make available’ Covid-19 testing capacity so all care home residents Coronavirus latest: at a glanceGlobal coronavirus updates - liveFull coverage of the coronavirus outbreak 9.57am BST Transport for London says there were 10% more Tube journeys made between 5am and 6am this morning than the same period last week, although demand...

Edward Argar says antibody test has been approved but none have been purchased yet Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA health minister has hailed the UK’s approval of an immunity test for coronavirus as a game changer that could allow more people to go to work with confidence, although the government has not yet managed to buy any of the tests.Edward Argar said the...

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...

Every year more than 200m new cases of malaria are reported. And despite the dramatic reduction in cases and deaths over the past two decades, novel treatments and prevention strategies are badly needed. Speaking to Dr Jeremy Herren in Nairobi, Kenya, Nicola Davis hears how a newly-discovered microbe might offer mosquitos protection from the parasite and in doing so, prevent its spread Continue...

Beijing dismisses as slander US claims that any organisation researching vaccines should assume they are a targetCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOrganisations conducting research into Covid-19 may be targeted by computer hackers linked to the Chinese government, according to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.Neither agency cited any specific examples,...

Fauci’s comments ‘not acceptable’, says Trump; Moscow ascribed 60% of April coronavirus deaths to other causes; virus in every African country; follow the latest updatesEU bid to salvage summer with distancing in hotelsBrazil and Mexico record deadliest day from Covid-19‘10 days of battle’: Wuhan draws up plan to test 11m peopleAustralia coronavirus updates – liveCoronavirus latest: at...

The accurate Covid-19-specific test can be quickly processed using existing equipmentCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePublic Health England has approved an antibody test, made by the giant pharmaceutical company Roche, which may now be used to determine how much of the population has been infected by Covid-19.Antibody testing could be hugely useful as the country...