Scientific analysis suggests coronavirus was spreading in UK weeks earlier than thoughtCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScientists believe a 75-year-old woman from Nottinghamshire was the first known person to catch coronavirus in the UK and the earliest to die from it, as research shows the disease was circulating widely in communities in early February.Samples...

Case for and against pupils wearing a face covering as England prepares to reopen schoolsSchools in England prepare to defy official adviceCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAlthough the Scottish government has given secondary schools “obligatory guidance” that pupils should wear face coverings in corridors, communal areas and school buses, at the moment there are no...

Headteachers call for urgent rethink on facial coverings as part of coronavirus strategyCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageHundreds of schools in England are preparing to allow or encourage pupils to wear face coverings in communal areas in defiance of UK government guidance on coronavirus.Boris Johnson is under growing pressure to review Public Health England advice...

Her 200 days in orbit turned the first female Italian astronaut into a celebrity – and the model for a Barbie doll. Back on Earth, she says, it was hard to find authentic relationshipsThere’s something surreal about talking to someone who’s been to space. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti might be at home in Cologne while I’m Zooming her from London – but there’s still an...

While some scientists believe the virus has become less deadly, others look at the factors that suggest otherwiseAre Covid-19 death rates decreasing?Most statistics indicate that although cases of Covid-19 are rising in many parts of Europe and the United States, the number of deaths and cases of severe complications remain relatively low. For example, patients on ventilators have dropped from...

More than 170 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 170 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue...

Alok Sharma says there are no plans to look again at guidance despite Scottish pupils being asked to wear coveringsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe business secretary, Alok Sharma, has said there are no plans to review the wearing of face masks in English schools despite a plea from headteachers.The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), a trade union...

Experts raise concern over compound that has not been proven safe but could reach public as dietary supplementAllies of Donald Trump have promoted a plant extract called oleandrin to people seeking to ward off Covid-19. The plant the extract is derived from, oleander, is poisonous and there is no proof the compound is either safe or effective to treat or prevent Covid-19, experts say.But unlike...

There’s still a long way to go to prepare for a winter surge. But the country is no longer as vulnerable as it was in MarchNo one knows what the next months hold, but suggestions that Britain will be back to normal by Christmas seem unlikely. Already, Leicester, Greater Manchester and Preston have enforced local lockdowns after registering rises in Covid-19 cases, while increases in Spain and...

Volunteers are receiving doses of drug, which has potential both as a vaccine and a treatmentCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca has started a clinical trial of a drug to help prevent and treat Covid-19, with the first volunteers already receiving doses.The company, which is separately developing a potential Covid-19 vaccine together...

After hitching a ride with humans, the species has colonised entire areas and may be making the soil too fertile, say scientistsThey are a gardener’s best friend, good for the soil and a treat for birds. But the humble earthworm may not always be good news, according to a study that suggests invasive earthworms could be making Arctic soils too fertile.The earthworm is not typically thought of as...

Star calls for live music to challenge social distancing rules, but faces fan backlashVan Morrison has denounced the supposed “pseudoscience” around coronavirus and is attempting to rally musicians in a campaign to restore live music concerts with full capacity audiences.The 74-year-old Northern Irish singer launched a campaign to “save live music” on his website, saying socially distanced...

Empingham, Rutland: The effects of mass-flowering crops are complex and there is often a twist in the tail for pollinatorsMost of our 24 British bumblebee species follow the familiar stripy, mousy or red-tailed formats, but a few beautiful and rare ones are more distinctive. Darting between the honeysuckle flowers in an Empingham garden is a big bumblebee, sooty black from frons to tail. Bombus...

While the Science Weekly team take a summer break, we’re bringing you an episode from the archives – one that seems particularly pertinent as the pandemic continues and governments take a more prominent role in our day-to-day lives. Back in 2017, Ian Sample investigated how we’re constantly “nudged” to change how we act. Exploring the psychology, history and ethics of nudge theory, Ian...

Four cases detected in Gaza outside of quarantine facilities; First known case of re-infection prompts immunity concerns; Usain bolt awaiting Covid-19 test results. Follow the latest updates ‘Very low evidence’ Trump plasma treatment is safe and effective, says WHOOxford University Covid-19 vaccine firm denies Trump talksSix of the most promising treatments for Covid-19 so farSee all our...