feed info

13 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

Non-Covid infectious disease cases down in England, data suggests

GPs have reported a substantial drop in the numbers they are seeing across the countryCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe social restrictions imposed upon our lives because of coronavirus have taken a toll on our emotions, finances, and our waistlines, but there may yet be a silver-lining: a reduction in cases of other infectious diseases. From the common cold to...

Herd immunity letter signed by fake experts including 'Dr Johnny Bananas'

Open letter calling for new Covid-19 strategy also signed by ‘Prof Cominic Dummings’ Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAn open letter that made headlines calling for a herd immunity approach to Covid-19 lists a number of apparently fake names among its expert signatories, including “Dr Johnny Bananas” and “Professor Cominic Dummings”.The Great Barrington...

Sadiq Khan: further Covid restrictions in London ‘inevitable’

Mayor says new measures to curb infections will be capital-wide rather than by boroughCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFurther restrictions to stem the spread of coronavirus in London are “inevitable”, Sadiq Khan has warned.The mayor of London said he had discussed options for three levels of potential restrictions with the health secretary, Matt Hancock,...

Coronavirus symptoms: how to tell if you have a common cold, flu or Covid

Fever, runny nose, headache? Lost your sense of taste or smell? Your guide to differentiating between the three illnessesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWith winter approaching, the UK is entering the traditional seasons for colds and flu, with the additional complication this year that symptoms of those two illnesses can be broadly similar to those experienced by...

BAME groups hit hard again as Covid second wave grips UK nations

As cases surge, figures show the demographics of those most seriously affected by coronavirus remain the same Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOne of the earliest signs that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people were being disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus pandemic came when the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNAR) published...

Britain must nurture its scientific expertise to help save the world from climate crisis | Martin Rees

Clean energy and sustainable food supplies will be the planet’s most pressing issues over the next 30 years“Experts” have had a raised profile during the Covid-19 pandemic, standing – albeit somewhat embarrassed – alongside Boris Johnson during his press conferences. In coping with health-related matters, scientific advice is crucial. We will also need optimally applied science in...

‘Hyperbolic messaging’ eroding public trust in UK's Covid response

Report says recovery efforts are undermined by ministers’ tendency to over-promise and under-deliver Hyperbolic and confused government messaging on Covid-19 has eroded trust among the public and helped created a sense of disconnection between Westminster and those managing the pandemic at a local level, according to a report by Whitehall advisers.The C-19 National Foresight Group highlighted...

'Brain fog': the people struggling to think clearly months after Covid

Doctors grapple for answers as more patients report post-coronavirus cognitive impairmentCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageFor Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar, Covid-19 brought an onslaught of symptoms from chest pains to an 11-day migraine, three positive test results, and a period in hospital.Seven months later, the rollercoaster is far from over: the 36-year-old from...

Scientists get hands dirty with research into medieval poop

Study seeks to compare microbiomes of our ancestors for clues to modern diseasesResearchers working knee-deep in 14th- and 15th-century latrines have found that bacterial DNA from human excrement can last for centuries and provide clues to how our gut contents have changed significantly since medieval times.Analysis of two cesspits, one in Jerusalem and one in the Latvian capital, Riga, could help...

Residents of remote Scottish peninsula face up to its future as spaceport

The Mhoine peninsula in Sutherland will house one of the UK’s first sites of its kind if it wins CAA approvalIn two years time, thousands of tourists and space enthusiasts could be gathering in the far north of Scotland to watch an unlikely event, the inaugural flight of a rocket blasting off from a peat bog usually grazed by deer and sheep.The Mhoine peninsula in Sutherland, a desolate stretch...

'Like baby food': UK students' lockdown complaints grow

Isolating students say universities are charging them high prices for low-quality foodCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageStudents in lockdown across Britain have complained about the cost and quality of the food provided by their universities, with some charged hundreds of pounds for meal packages including baked beans and instant noodles.With outbreaks recorded at more...

Coronavirus live news: doctor clears Trump to return to public events on Saturday; record global case rise

Washington health department releases open letter asking White House staff and guests at super-spreader event to take Covid tests; WHO reports nearly 340,000 new cases. Follow the latest updatesTrump doctor says he anticipates president’s ‘return to public engagements’ on SaturdayEurope struggles to stem rapid resurgence of coronavirusProvider of Trump Covid drug is president’s golf...