US accused by Russia of trying to circumvent 1967 treaty banning ownership of areas of the moonCountries joining Nasa’s exploration of the moon will be asked to sign up to a series of guiding principles known as the Artemis accords. Announced on 15 May, the accords are a set of broad themes that the agency hopes will form the basis of agreements to be negotiated with each country involved in the...

Exclusive: experts warn of risk of positive results producing false sense of security Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNHS and social care staff will be given antibody tests revealing whether they have had coronavirus from next week, ministers are to announce on Thursday.In a move designed to reduce frontline workers’ anxiety and provide data on how many people have...

Exclusive: intervention comes after minister appeared to scapegoat scientists over Covid-19 errorsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScientists must be allowed to take independent decisions without fear of recriminations, the head of the Royal Society has warned after a cabinet minister appeared to blame “wrong” science for mistakes made in tackling the coronavirus...

What councils up and down the country are advising their schools, teachers and parentsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage• Sunderland city council said there was “no rush” to open up schools further on 1 June given the relatively local high rate of Covid-19 infections. The council leader, Graeme Millar, said: “Our stance is clear, we cannot expect teachers – or...

Exclusive: ‘Now is not the time to relax,’ says Dr Andrea Ammon, who adds return of people from skiing breaks in March was pivotal to spreadCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe prospect of a second wave of coronavirus infection across Europe is no longer a distant theory, according to the director of the EU agency responsible for advising governments – including...

Researchers observe swirling disc around AB Aurigae star, suggesting new world is formingAstronomers believe they may have found the first direct evidence of a new planet being born.A dense disc of dust and gas has been spotted surrounding a young star called AB Aurigae, about 520 light years away from Earth. Continue...

Researchers map ‘beginning of new ecosystem’ as algae bloom across surface of melting snowScientists have mapped “the beginning of a new ecosystem” on the Antarctic peninsula as microscopic algae bloom across the surface of the melting snow, tinting the surface green and potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species.The British team behind the research believe these blooms...

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...

In some US states, bars are already packed again and you can even get your nails done. Will lockdown boredom lead to a dreaded second wave?Coronavirus is officially cancelled: the US is bored of it, so it is over. That is what it feels like, anyway. In Wisconsin, bars are packed; Texas has reopened restaurants; and Mississippi and Louisiana are reopening their casinos. People in Georgia can get...

Deputy chief scientific adviser suggests track-and-trace stopped in March due to lack of capacityPlans to introduce coronavirus tracing have been hit by fresh uncertainty as it emerged that a mobile tracking app will not be ready until June.Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said last week that the app would be “rolling out in mid May” across England, but on Tuesday ministerial sources tried...

Nicola Davis asks mathematician Kit Yates how useful global comparisons are when it comes to the coronavirus outbreak, given the huge differences in demographics and public health responses. And, as per a question from a listener, what the best metric is when doing such comparisons? Continue...

Trump calls negative hydroxychloroquine study an ‘enemy statement’; WHO pass response investigation resolution; Global deaths pass 320,000. Follow the latest updatesBrazil confirms record daily increase in deaths and casesWorld Bank chief warns 60m to fall into extreme povertyTrump says he’s taking hydroxychloroquine despite FDA warningsAustralia coronavirus updates - liveCoronavirus latest:...