Prof Ravi Mahajan and Alan Walker respond to Richard Horton’s article in which he questions how scientists can stand by this government. Plus Philip Barber wonders why we are being led by science, while simultaneously disregarding itRichard Horton is correct to highlight the vital need for medical leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic (How can any scientists stand by this government now?, 27...

Reopening places of worship | Anagram origins | Stars | Margaret Meek Spencer | Uses for tights I do not to go to church much (save for inter-faith events), but I totally support calls from the clergy for places of worship to open in a way compatible with social distancing and other safety measures. If supermarkets can operate to feed our bodies, and bookshops to nourish our minds, then religious...

Scientists use kirigami techniques to create a sole with pop-up, high-friction spikesThe Japanese art of paper cutting and folding, or kirigami, has led to mind-bending 3D structures from 2D sheets, including spectacular pop-up designs. But now researchers have been getting to grips with the technique for a very down-to-earth reason: creating non-slip shoes.Scientists have revealed they have...

The solution to today’s puzzlesEarlier today I set you three puzzles.1) Deduce the Zoom algorithm for placing four faces, using the three screengrabs below taken from three different people’s computers during the same meeting. For those who have never used Zoom before, the yellow outline tells you who is speaking, and doesn’t affect the positions. The fourth screengrab from the same meeting...

The K value sheds light on how the transmission rate varies and can help identify clusters Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWhen deciding how and when lockdown restrictions will be lifted across the UK, the government has said the R value, denoting how many people on average one infected person will themselves infect, is crucial. But experts say another metric is...

More than 24,000 cases of cancer have gone undiagnosed according to Cancer Research UKAlmost 2.5 million Britons have not been screened, tested or treated for cancer because the Covid-19 pandemic has led to “enormous disruption” of NHS care for the disease, experts have warned.More than 24,000 cases of cancer have gone undiagnosed as a result of the suspension of normal services while delays...

Deaths of people thought caused by other respiratory infections are being re-examined by doctors Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA day before the first confirmed fatality from coronavirus outside mainland China was reported on 2 February this year, the death of the influential guitarist and musician Andy Gill was announced. The 64-year-old, who fronted the post-punk...

How the ubiquitous app places our facesToday’s first puzzle concerns Zoom. For those of you who have been hiding under a stone all lockdown, it is a video-conferencing app.1) Deduce the Zoom algorithm for placing four faces, using the three screengrabs below taken from three different people’s computers during the same meeting. For those who have never used Zoom before, the yellow outline...