Researchers say chimpanzees and humans share same pattern of social ageingThere is more that comes with older age than greying hair and wrinkled skin. When humans reach their later years, they favour more established friends and their social circle is pared down.Now, for what appears to be the first time, scientists have seen the same behaviour in another species. More than two decades of...

Sector calls for compromise to ensure UK researchers stay in Horizon EuropeThe UK’s post-Brexit collaboration with European scientists hangs in the balance after it emerged that the EU offer of staying in the Horizon research programme could leave London with a £3bn deficit.“The financial negotiations are not in a good position and the offer that the [European] commission has made to the UK...

Survey published by NHS Digital shows increase of almost half since 2017Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe probable rates of mental disorders among children and young people has increased by almost half since 2017, England’s official survey into child mental health has found, with Covid and lockdown identified as aggravating factors.One in six children aged five to...

Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of first vaccines against the virusThe US regulators who will decide the fate of Covid-19 vaccines are taking an unusual step: asking outside scientists if their standards are high enough.The Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of the first vaccines against the...

Listening to Richard Branson over the past 20 years, you'd be forgiven for assuming that space was by now being frequented by lots of tourists. However, despite the Virgin Galactic chief's optimism, the space tourism industry has yet to take off. Up to now there have been only seven self-funded citizens in space. And with billionaires such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in the space race, why are...

This year, several British brands announced they’d ban glitter from holiday products. US companies should follow suitGlitter is notorious for getting everywhere – touch one sparkly Christmas card and you’ll be finding flecks of the stuff in your food, hair and carpet for months. It’s so obnoxious some people even slather a mixture of it and Vaseline on political yard signs to punish...

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to highlight health and economic inequalities, and the US election fast approaching, this week we return to the archive to explore how divisions in society arise and what we can do about them. In this episode from 2017, Ian Sample investigates where group splits come from, how we can connect to those we disagree with, and what could happen if we fail...

Spain becomes first western European country to pass 1m cases; Rome among latest to bring in curfew; German health minister has Covid-19. Follow the latest updatesSpain is first western European country to pass 1m cases300,000 excess US deaths recorded as Cathay Pacific cuts 5,900 jobsWomen aged 50-60 at greatest risk of ‘long Covid’, experts suggestSee all our coronavirus coverage 12.54am BST...