Tory MPs use short-lived announcement of export ban to call for overhaul of trade deal, as EU chief is attacked over U-turnCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe European Union’s threat to impose a vaccine border between Northern Ireland and the Republic risks reigniting one of Brexit’s bitterest disputes, as senior Tories said the move proved the need for an...

The llama has provided nanobodies that effectively prevent infection, but the use of other species in Covid research raises troubling ethical questions Cormac the llama lives a quiet life on a farm in Washington State, totally unaware that his unique immune system may be key to protecting the developing world from Covid-19.“He is an extremely charismatic llama … he’s a pretty cool guy,”...

As countries begin an age of Martian exploration, planetary protection advocates insist we must be careful of interplanetary contaminationNext month, three new spacecraft arrive at Mars. Two represent firsts for their countries of origin, while the third opens a new era of Mars exploration. The first is the UAE’s Emirates Mars Mission, also known as Hope, which enters orbit on 9 February....

Quebec astronaut and medical doctor David Saint-Jacques is currently in training at the McGill University Health Centre. 'Now is not the time to let our guard down, even though we've all had enough,' he...

Graves found under demolished student halls are providing valuable insight into life in a post-Roman settlementAn early medieval graveyard unearthed beneath student accommodation at Cambridge University has been described as “one of the most exciting finds of Anglo-Saxon archaeology since the 19th century”.King’s College discovered the “extensive” cemetery, containing more than 60...

The government's climate change advisors say it will compromise the UK’s legally binding carbon budgets.

You have to look – and sometimes very closely – but discovering small patches of woodland or flowers bursting through concrete makes me appreciate nature all the moreOne Friday morning last October, when we still could, I drove down from Brixton in south London to Somerset. It was one of those autumn days people anticipate in the midst of a sticky summer, with pillowy mist and low-lying sun...

Scientists have given a fascinating new insight into the next steps to develop fast, energy-efficient, future computing systems that use light instead of electrons to process and store information - incorporating hardware inspired directly by the functioning of the human brain.

Neuroscientists have experimented on mice to identify the brain region that functions beyond sensory encoding and motor encoding, potentially opening up new directions to studying the cellular and circuit mechanisms of sensory-motor transformations. The researchers report a cortical region traditionally defined as whisker motor cortex in mice is most directly related to the transformation process....

New research demonstrates how certain types of bacteria can adapt to long-term exposure to antibiotics by changing their shape.

Early trial data shows Novavax and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have much less efficacy against new variantEarly data from two new coronavirus vaccine trials has indicated that they have less efficacy at protecting from the South African variant of coronavirus.Clinical trial data showed that the vaccines from Novavax and Johnson & Johnson had significantly less efficacy at preventing...

The first time Mary Ann Price logged into her employer’s system to schedule a vaccine, she found an appointment three days later at a nearby Walgreens pharmacy. She woke up the next day to an email saying it had been canceled. So she logged in again and found an opening that afternoon at the local…

If nations make vaccine delivery equitable, step up testing and study variant genomes, the pandemic could be under control by January 2022Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA year ago, on 30 January, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern – the highest level of alarm at our disposal...

PM pens letter recognising ‘unique challenges’ faced by those looking after children during the pandemicCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageKeeping children entertained can be an arduous task at the best of times, let alone when families are stuck at home for days on end as a result of the Covid lockdown.In recognition of the “unique challenges” faced by parents,...

Flash of light detected on planet, about 10 times more energetic than lightning on Earth, reopens debateDoes lightning strike on Venus? It’s a question that has perplexed planetary scientists for decades. Given that lightning has been detected in the clouds of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, you’d expect lightning to occur on Venus, too, but the planet’s dense clouds ensure that any lightning...

The most deadly global health crisis in a century has resulted in a substantial decline in overall heart surgery volume and an unexplained increase in deaths after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Select patients born with heart defects and who undergo congenital heart surgery recover with few complications and reduced opioid use when a comprehensive, evidence-based enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program is used.

Using a host immune classifier (HIC) test for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may provide better predictors of treatment response and improve outcomes, according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer Singapore.

Primary analysis of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC) 3 study revealed that neoadjuvant atezolizumab prior to lung cancer surgery was well tolerated by patients and met its primary endpoint of 20% major pathologic response rate, according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Nivolumab monotherapy is an effective treatment option for relapsed malignant mesothelioma (MM), according to research presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer World Conference on Lung Cancer.

)-- A phase III study examining whether messenger (m)RNA expression correlated with sensitivity or resistance to chemotherapy did not confer a statistically significant advantage in overall survival for patients with resected stage II-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to research presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer World Conference on Lung...

Nagoya University researchers and colleagues have revealed that colorectal cancer tissues contain at least two types of fibroblasts, namely, cancer-promoting fibroblasts and cancer-restraining fibroblasts, and that the balance between them is largely involved in the progression of colorectal cancer. Their findings suggest that artificially altering the balance between the two types of cells could...

A study presented today by researchers with the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan confirmed the effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening in a pre-defined, never-smoker, high-risk population. The research was presented today at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Women are significantly less likely than men to undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using guideline-recommended approaches, which may result in worse outcomes after surgery.