The Nobel prize-winning scientist on Covid-19, the burden of Brexit, his astonishing upbringing and terrible failures at FrenchSir Paul Nurse is a geneticist who won the Nobel prize in 2001 for his work on the cell cycle. He is director of the Francis Crick Institute and was head of Cancer Research UK. He has also been president of the Royal Society. What Is Life? is his first book and it seeks to...

Threadneedle Street’s forecasting has been faulty. But it must still play its central role in protecting jobs and the economyThe UK is performing better than expected. That was the message from the Bank of England’s governor, Andrew Bailey, following its latest review of the economy.It was a message he almost muttered under his breath, as if knowing that almost anyone listening would yell...

My love of gardening is a constant comfort and has a deep resonance with my family’s historyWhen lockdown began, the forget-me-nots were blooming in the garden, a sea of pale blue. The lilac tree, too, was flowering, and the clematis I’d planted. They filled the air with scent as I sat outside on an unusually sunny April day, feeling fortunate to have this rented outdoor space, and thinking...

From ‘Covid-secure’ offices to healthcare ‘heroes’ bracing for a new ‘wave’, the language around coronavirus is infected with political rhetoricThe word “alert” comes from the Italian “all’erta”, literally “at a high place”, describing a military watch or guard duty. The UK government’s advice to “stay alert” in order to “control the virus” therefore implied...

Chief medical officer Brett Sutton says low number of deaths likely ‘a blip’ as Daniel Andrews announces 264 mystery casesFollow today’s live blog: Coronavirus live news: Victoria in Australia adds 303 cases as restrictions tighten in EuropeVictoria has recorded another 303 cases of coronavirus and four deaths, including two connected to outbreaks in aged care facilities.The state’s chief...