Scientists say agreement must cover extraction of raw materials and pollution that blights seas and landA binding global treaty is needed to phase out the production of “virgin” or new plastic by 2040, scientists have said.The solution to the blight of plastic pollution in the oceans and on land would be a worldwide agreement on limits and controls, they say in a special report in the journal...
New research challenges widely held view of the condition and could pave way for better treatmentFibromyalgia – a poorly understood condition that causes widespread pain throughout the body and extreme tiredness – may be caused by be an autoimmune response that increases the activity of pain-sensing nerves throughout the body.The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation,...
Weakened lungs and immune systems make people increasingly vulnerable, warn scientistsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA rash of cases of a rare “black fungus” infection affecting thousands of critically ill Covid patients in India caused alarm last month. Now scientists are warning that other dangerous or even deadly fungal infections have spawned in critically...
Funk who was denied the job of astronaut in the 1960s over her gender, will be the oldest person ever to travel into spaceWally Funk, a trailblazing female pilot denied the job of astronaut in the 1960s over her gender, will finally get the chance to fulfill her dreams of going into space.Billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced Thursday on Instagram that Funk will be part of a...
Software in use at an NHS trust could prove a breakthrough in diagnosing one of the deadliest forms of cancerOne of the NHS’s leading hospital trusts has begun using artificial intelligence to help detect cancer in the gullet, which kills 8,000 Britons a year. It is hoped the technology will increase the number of cases of cancer in the oesophagus that doctors spot.Oesophageal cancer is one of...
Potential risk domestic animals could act as ‘reservoir’ for virus and reintroduce it to humans, study showsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCat or dog owners who have Covid-19 should avoid their pets while infected, experts have said.Scientists in the Netherlands have found coronavirus is common in pet cats and dogs where their owners have the disease. While cases...
I hate it when language is used to exclude and obscure. But it takes guts to resistMy first job in journalism was in business news. This wasn’t my first choice; in truth it would probably have been my last, but it was the only place that would have me. I was as bewildered as the next work experience bod but, since I had three weeks there, I thought I might as well try to get to the bottom of the...
Bulk of Pfizer and other mRNA vaccines expected to arrive in third quarter of this year, despite widespread lockdownsAustralia’s finance minister has said the country is at the “back of the queue” for Pfizer vaccines, contradicting assurances from the prime minister Scott Morrison and the health minister that “our strategy puts Australia at the front of the queue”.Simon Birmingham on...
When new treatments are announced, patients are often unaware of the strength of the evidence used to grant regulatory approvalOne of my most uncomfortable professional moments occurred some years ago when I cared for a successful business owner with advanced cancer. Following a stable period for years, her illness eventually entered a rapid trajectory when successive therapies began failing. It...
After 18 months of life being at a near standstill, Science Weekly’s Shivani Dave found a lot of their conversations with friends turned to the severity of hay fever this year. Many claimed their allergies had never been worse. Shivani Dave asks horticulturist, Thomas Ogren, whether hay fever symptoms have become more severe in recent times Continue...
UK’s narrow clinical definition only includes high fever, continuous cough, or loss of smell and tasteCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSenior scientists have called for the UK to expand its official list of Covid symptoms to reduce the number of missed cases and ensure more people know they should self-isolate.The researchers, who include Prof Calum Semple, a member...
Omega-3 fatty acids linked to reduction of headaches in women, study findsEating a Mediterranean diet containing lots of oily fish could help to reduce the frequency of migraines in people who suffer from them, data suggests.Roughly 10 million adults in the UK suffer from migraines, with women three times more likely to be affected than men. Although several new treatments have become available in...