Space agency says ‘certain cosmic nicknames are insensitive’ and vows to drop any reference to themNasa has signaled it is joining the social justice movement by changing unofficial and potentially contentious names used by the scientific community for distant cosmic objects and systems such as planets, galaxies and nebulae.In a statement last week, the space agency said that as the...

Algorithms routinely come up with ‘recommendations’ for anti-vax ‘bestsellers’ or juices that cure cancerIt’s a truism that we live in a “digital age”. It would be more accurate to say that we live in an algorithmically curated era – that is, a period when many of our choices and perceptions are shaped by machine-learning algorithms that nudge us in directions favoured by those who...

Headaches are telling you something about how your brain works with your body, influencing your behaviour and feelingsWe need pain. It seems contradictory to say it, particularly now that we have so many ways of dealing with it and switching it off. Pain not only tells us something is wrong, it also protects us. If you slam the car door on your hand, it’s going to hurt. You will have damaged the...

More than 140 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine - here is their progressResearchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 140 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue...

The feline had caught coronavirus from its owners, but our research shows it’s a rare occurrenceWillie Weir is professor of veterinary infectious disease at the University of GlasgowCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSince the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, the potential role of animals in catching and spreading the disease has been closely examined by scientists....

City of Preston urges young people ‘don’t kill granny’ as cases rise in the Philippines, Australia and Italy. Follow the latest, liveTrump poised to intervene in relief plans after talks break down‘We’re still so tired’: European doctors brace for second wave‘Very dead’: army and police patrol the deserted streets of coronavirus-stricken Melbourne 9.29am BST Further coronavirus...