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8 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

Why have sperm counts more than halved in the past 40 years?

Dr Shanna Swan, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at Mount Sinai school of medicine in New York City, talks to Rachel Humphreys about declining fertility in men. Over the past 40 years, average sperm counts among western men have more than halved. She tells Rachel how certain chemicals can interfere with reproductive health. Phthalates, used to make plastic soft and flexible,...

To infinity and beyond: the spectacular sensory overload of Ryoji Ikeda’s art

Incandescent light, the thud of Kyoto nightclubs, particle physics … it all goes into Ryoji Ikeda’s extraordinary sensory symphonies. He talks about his upcoming show at 180 The StrandRyoji Ikeda has delivered some dazzling assaults on the senses over his 25-year career: a beach in Rio de Janeiro bathed in his unique palette of light; New York’s Times Square given over to his black and white...

Down to earth: how escaping to the country isn’t always what it seems

When Rebecca Schiller swapped the city for a rural dream life seemed idyllic. But however far you go, you can’t escape your self… Winter has hung around this year as though even the seasons are waiting for government permission to unlock. Despite spring’s late arrival on the smallholding, Amber has gone into labour early. It’s just me and her in the kidding pen; me muttering soft,...

Traffic light travel plan will let new Covid variants into UK, scientists warn

Key advisers are among those who say scheme is flawed as holiday firms report huge rise in bookingsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt is inevitable that new Covid variants will continue to enter the country, scientists warned this weekend, claiming there are “obvious flaws” in the government’s system for reopening international travel to and from England.On...

The buried truths that say so much about our ancestors | Kenan Malik

The discovery of a child laid to rest in Africa 78,000 years ago indicates a value placed on life that we shareScientists have discovered what may be the oldest known burial in Africa. The remains of a person, probably aged two or three, and buried some 78,000 years ago have been discovered in Panga ya Saidi, a cave system in Kenya. The child, given the name Mtoto, Swahili for “child”, appears...

Covid live news: Modi faces increased pressure for national lockdown in India

Latest updates: India’s Covid-19 deaths rose by more than 4,000 for a second consecutive day; New South Wales to extend Covid restrictions for another weekUS must export vaccine doses before waiving patents, say EU leadersUK government ‘failed to consider gender’ in its response to Covid pandemicPope adds voice to call for pharma giants to waive vaccine patentsSee all our coronavirus...

How good are we at predicting the pandemic? | David Spiegelhalter & Anthony Masters

Models have been useful, especially as humans are far too optimistic and confidentEpidemiological models have been a source of continual controversy from the start of the pandemic, often blamed for fearmongering and inaccuracy. How well have they done?Perhaps the most famous piece of modelling came from Neil Ferguson’s team at Imperial College London in March 2020, credited with provoking the...

Chinese rocket debris crashes back to Earth, plunging into Indian Ocean – state media

The core of the Long March 5B rocket has been losing altitude since last week, and is one of the largest pieces of space debris to return to EarthThe remnants of China’s largest rocket have plummeted back to Earth, plunging into the Indian ocean near the Maldives, according to Chinese state media, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit.Most of the debris burned up in the...