28 articles from SUNDAY 6.9.2020

Starwatch: follow Jupiter and Saturn to find the sea goat

Capricornus is one of the fainter constellations, but at the moment there are two bright planets pointing the wayThis is the best time of year to search out Capricornus, the goat. It is most often represented on sky maps as the mythical sea-goat, a half-goat half-fish creature. Capricornus is one of the 12 zodiacal constellations, occupying its station between Sagittarius and Aquarius. Continue...

Blaze extinguished on stricken oil tanker off Sri Lanka

A massive fire on a stricken oil tanker off Sri Lanka's coast has been extinguished, the island nation's navy said Sunday, as international salvage experts began to assess the damage over fears of an environmental disaster if there is a leak.

Why people with knee osteoarthritis experience different kinds of pain

People with more pain sensitization were more likely to suffer from constant and unpredictable pain, rather than just intermittent pain. This study has identified for the first time a potential underlying mechanism in the nervous system responsible for why people experience varying pain patterns with knee osteoarthritis.

Common cold jumpstarts defense against influenza

As the flu season approaches, a strained public health system may have a surprising ally -- the common cold virus. Rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of common colds, can prevent the flu virus from infecting airways by jumpstarting the body's antiviral defenses, researchers report.

Prominent scientist slams forestry association for dismissing logging links to bushfire risk

Exclusive: John Dargavel says his professional body ‘damaged and demeaned’ all foresters by dismissing links between logging and bushfire risksA veteran Australian forestry scientist has launched a blistering attack on his professional association after it used the retraction of a scientific paper to dismiss links between logging and increased bushfire risks.In an open letter to the Institute...

Village effort saves those caught short

Public toilets | National anthem | Local poo | Comfort blanket | OverkillThe closure of public toilets has caused a panic, not least for those travelling by car (The Shewee revolution: how 2020 has changed urination, 3 September). When our parish council decided to close the village centre toilets a splendid initiative took them over. Now, they are a pristine facility, funded and run by...

Climate activists gathered at Trient glacier mourn Switzerland's receding ice

Climate activists gathered at Switzerland's Trient glacier on Sunday to urge authorities to take action to reduce CO2 emissions and draw attention to the disappearance of ice shelves and glaciers in the Alps and beyond. More than 200 people gathered at the foot of the Trient glacier, situated along one of Western Europe's tallest mountain ranges, the Mont Blanc massif, to call attention to the...