The 25m-year-old find that will help fill in the gaps in the record of one of the continent’s most diverse speciesA tiny fossil pulled from the edge of a scorching salt lake in the South Australian outback is the oldest known remains of a skink ever found on the continent and may provide a vital clue to the lizard’s evolution.The team of palaeontologists and volunteers from Flinders University...

Analysis suggests everyone in first nine priority groups could get jab four weeks ahead of scheduleCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAt current rates, the NHS could offer a coronavirus vaccine to the 32 million people in the first nine priority groups by Easter – four weeks ahead of the official schedule – according to analysis by the Guardian.Government and health...

Project aims to identify paleoviruses and study virus evolution using the remains, Siberian lab saysA Russian state laboratory has announced that it is launching research into prehistoric viruses by analysing the remains of animals recovered from melted permafrost.The Siberia-based Vektor lab said in a statement on Tuesday that the aim of the project was to identify paleoviruses and conduct...

Israeli company Kanabo sees shares almost quadruple as it raises £6m for insomnia treatmentShares in a medicinal cannabis company, referred to as “the cannabis Nespresso”, almost quadrupled in value on their trading debut on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday as investors scrambled to buy into the “wellness weed” market.Kanabo, an Israeli company that makes vaporised marijuana pods, saw...

Dr Gillian Tully says police forces are rationing toxicology work on suspected drug driversPolice forces are having to ration forensic toxicology work, especially samples from suspected drug drivers, because there is not enough capacity in the system to handle the volume of work, the outgoing forensic science regulator has said.Dr Gillian Tully, who steps down from her post after six years on...

Research could have implications for scenarios from job interviews to court trials, say psychologistsThe longer a person takes to respond to a question the more likely it is they will be perceived as lying – whether it is a question about a crime or a friend’s baking skills. Beyond volume, tenor and the pitch of an answer, response time also appears to play a role in the way people perceive...

Latest updates: details of plan to reopen classrooms in Scotland due at midday; Zahawi says rapid testing could be key to reopening sporting and entertainment venuesBoris Johnson says ‘very low’ Covid case rate key to easing lockdownJohnson does not rule out staggered return to school in EnglandCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage 9.23am GMT Nicola Sturgeon is to...