36 articles from SUNDAY 25.4.2021

Talking to yourself: a good antidote to loneliness – or the sign of a real problem?

During the pandemic, I have gone from uttering a few words of encouragement to myself to full-blown arguments. I’m not the only one. I asked psychologists what purpose this serves“We should probably go out now,” I say to Danny as I vegetate in front of the TV. “Yeah, we should, but I can’t be arsed,” Danny replies, sitting in an identical pose. “C’mon, we need the exercise; can’t...

UK health regulator concerned over use of rapid coronavirus tests

Exclusive: MHRA says mass testing regime in England ‘a stretch’ of its authorisation for how kits should be usedHow accurate are lateral flow tests?Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe UK’s healthcare regulator has expressed concern to the government that its multibillion pound mass testing programme is “a stretch” of the authorised use of rapid tests, the...

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Flies Faster, Farther on Third Flight

Portal origin URL: NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Flies Faster, Farther on Third FlightPortal origin nid: 470434Published: Sunday, April 25, 2021 - 08:19Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: The craft’s April 25 flight was conducted at speeds and distances beyond what had ever been previously demonstrated, even in testing on Earth.Portal...

15 French volunteers leave cave after 40 days without daylight or clocks

Deep Time project investigated how a lack of external contact would affect sense of time – and two thirds wanted to stay longerFifteen people have emerged from a cave in south-west France after 40 days underground in an experiment to see how the absence of clocks, daylight and external communications would affect their sense of time.With big smiles on their pale faces, they left their voluntary...

What unconscious bias training gets wrong… and how to fix it

Companies may seek to dismantle prejudice among their employees – but psychologists question whether these courses effect lasting changeHere’s a fact that cannot be disputed: if your name is James or Emily, you will find it easier to get a job than someone called Tariq or Adeola. Between November 2016 and December 2017, researchers sent out fake CVs and cover letters for 3,200 positions....

Pink supermoon set to brighten UK night skies next week

Celestial event due to take place shortly before sunset on Tuesday and will be visible until next morningA pink supermoon is set to brighten the night skies over the UK next week, though there will not be any noticeable difference in colour, as the name might suggest.The full moon in April is also known as the “pink moon” as it is named after pink flowers, known as phlox, which bloom in the...

Was King Solomon the ancient world’s first shipping magnate?

Marine archaeologist unearths evidence suggesting biblical king’s riches were based on voyages he funded with Phoenician alliesKing Solomon is venerated in Judaism and Christianity for his wisdom and in Islam as a prophet, but the fabled ruler is one of the Bible’s great unsolved mysteries.Archaeologists have struggled in vain to find conclusive proof that he actually existed. With no...

New vaccine success for Oxford is truly remarkable | Kenan Malik

Malaria has still not been eradicated in the poorest countries, but that could be about to changeAnother vaccine from Oxford’s Jenner Institute and one that may have a greater impact than that against Covid-19. Results from trials of its malaria vaccine, R21, show it to be 77% effective. If replicated in larger scale trials, it would be a remarkable breakthrough. Malaria kills more than 400,000...

3D holographic head-up display could improve road safety

Researchers have developed the first LiDAR-based augmented reality head-up display for use in vehicles. Tests on a prototype version of the technology suggest that it could improve road safety by 'seeing through' objects to alert of potential hazards without distracting the driver.

Biophysicists found an Achilles heel of a cancerogenic virus

The team identified a fundamental pattern in the work of the human proteins and determined the structure of their complex with a functional fragment of the papillomavirus oncoprotein. Using these data, the team suggested a way to affect the stability of the studied protein complex, which could be further developed into a therapeutic approach against papillomavirus infections.

Chinese hazelnut: The newest piece in the hazelnut genome puzzle

Hazelnut is widely grown for its rich oleic acid content and flavor. However, owing to the unavailability of high-quality genetic resources for hazelnut, crop improvement has remained a significant challenge. A new study published in Horticulture Research presents a high-quality whole genome analysis of Chinese hazelnut, along with identification of several genes underlying economically important...

In-cell nano-3D printer: Synthesizing stable filaments from in-cell protein crystals

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have pioneered a novel method for producing supramolecular protein assemblies from protein crystals. Their approach involves strategically introducing mutations in a protein monomer to create disulfide bonds (S-S) between the building blocks of protein crystals at very specific sites. After isolating the protein crystals from the cells and...

Mapping the path to rewilding: the importance of landscape

New research suggests efforts to rewild a landscape must take geography and geology into account--an approach that could be applied globally to help conservation biologists save wild ecosystems. The results will be presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2021, which is taking place from 19-30 April 2021.

Scientists have cultured the first stable coral cell lines

Researchers in Japan have established sustainable cell lines in a coral - a success which could prove to be a pivotal moment for gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of these vital marine creatures. Seven out of eight cell cultures, seeded from the stony coral, Acropora tenuis, have continuously proliferated for over 10 months. The results were published in Marine Biotechnology on the...