27 articles from SUNDAY 28.6.2020

Starwatch: the time of the scorpion

Now is the time for stargazers in the northern hemisphere to get their best view of the southern zodiacal constellation ScorpiusAs we head into summer in the northern hemisphere, we reach the time of the scorpion. The southern zodiacal constellation of Scorpius, the scorpion, reaches its peak visibility in the northern hemisphere. Even so, from the UK, the constellation never rises fully into the...

The Guardian view on the treatment of shielders: first, not last | Editorial

The handling of those highly vulnerable to coronavirus speaks volumes about attitudes towards chronic illness and disabilityFor more than 2 million people in England, the effects of the pandemic have been especially punishing – forcing them to keep a distance even from others in their household. Those who have been judged clinically extremely vulnerable, including transplant recipients and those...

Can I, a coronavirus 'shielder', find consolation in lockdown? | John Sutherland

As I reflect on the deaths of earlier Sutherlands, and the writers I’ve written books about, I find myself thinking of ProsperoCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNational hibernation the man called it. A refreshing winter snooze. For me what came to mind was not bears in the woods but imprisonment. “Lockdown” is jail jargon and it fitted.It was a version of the...

Hydrogen fuel bubbles up the agenda as investments rocket

Governments and carmakers are pressing on with net-zero hydrogen fuel cells to power cars, buses, trains and even aircraftMore than 50 years ago hydrogen fuel cells helped put Neil Armstrong on the moon, but mainstream usage of the technology has remained elusivesince.Now there are signs that may be changing, with a spate of new investments even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Continue...

Coronavirus: what kind of face mask gives the best protection against Covid-19?

Your questions answered on what type of mask to wear to cut the risk of getting Covid-19Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageYes. Different types of mask offer different levels of protection. Surgical grade N95 respirators offer the highest level of protection against Covid-19 infection, followed by surgical grade masks. However, these masks are costly, in limited supply,...

The coronavirus 'long-haulers' show how little we still know | Debbie Bogaert

My Covid-19 symptoms lasted for months. As an infectious disease specialist, I know the importance of widespread testingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTo a physician scientist working on understanding the burden of respiratory infections, coronavirus is the ultimate professional challenge that might come by perhaps once in your career. However, I was not prepared for...

Beyond Pluto: the hunt for our solar system's new ninth planet

Scientists think a planet larger than Earth lurks in the far reaches of the solar system. Now a new telescope could confirm their belief and change solar system scienceYou’d think that if you found the first evidence that a planet larger than the Earth was lurking unseen in the furthest reaches of our solar system, it would be a big moment. It would make you one of only a small handful of people...

Movie magic: ‘The cinema is my solace in times of crisis’

The writer Simon Stephenson looks forward to the days when he can eat popcorn in the dark againAs a writer who works from home, my lockdown life has not been so different from my previous existence. Perhaps the biggest change is that I have not gone three months without visiting a cinema since I was a child. It seems a shameful thing to admit when others have been suffering so profoundly, but I...

Excessive sugar intake linked with unhealthy fat deposits

Sugar consumption is linked with larger fat deposits around the heart and in the abdomen, which are risky for health. That's the finding of a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "When we consume too much sugar the excess is converted to fat and stored," said study author Ms. So Yun Yi, a PhD student at the...

New solar forecasting model performs best

A new mathematical model for predicting variations in solar irradiance has been developed at Uppsala University. It may help to promote more efficient use of electricity from solar energy. In tests of various data models, the model proved capable of making highly reliable forecasts, and emerged as the best for this purpose in some respects. The results have now been published in two articles in...

Researchers employ antennas for angstrom displacement sensing

Micro -- nano Optics and Technology Research Group led by Prof. LU Yonghua and Prof. WANG Pei from University of Science and Technology of China realized nanometric displacement measurement through the interaction between the illumination optical field and the optical antennas.

The magnetic history of ice

The history of our planet has been written, among other things, in the periodic reversal of its magnetic poles. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science propose a new means of reading this historic record: in ice. Their findings could lead to a refined probing ice cores and, in the future, might be applied to understanding the magnetic history of other bodies in our solar system, including...

Coronavirus live news: global deaths near 500,000 as Australian state of Victoria steps up efforts to fight outbreak

Cases approach 10m; new Covid-19 clusters across world spark fear of second wave; UK NHS will take four years to recover. Follow the latest updatesVictoria nurse tests positive as state reports jump of 41 casesGlobal report: India cases reach half a millionUS one-day case high as states delay reopeningSee all our coronavirus coverage 1.55am BST The US coronavirus death toll passed 125,000 on...