Lawsuit follows similar ones challenging new Biden administration rules for federal contractors and large businessesA coalition of 10 states sued the federal government on Wednesday to try to block a Covid-19 vaccine requirement for healthcare workers, marking a new front in the resistance by Republican-led states to the pandemic policies of President Joe Biden’s administration.The lawsuit...

Genomics England and NHS England findings highlight benefits of using WGS to help detect rare diseasesThe use of whole genome sequencing could save the NHS millions of pounds, a study suggests, after it found a quarter of people with rare illnesses received a diagnosis for their condition through the technology.In some cases, the findings have provided reassurance for families that they have not...

Research finds language family that includes modern Japanese, Korean and Turkish spread largely due to agricultureA study combining linguistic, genetic and archaeological evidence has traced the origins of a family of languages including modern Japanese, Korean, Turkish and Mongolian and the people who speak them to millet farmers who inhabited a region in northeastern China about 9,000 years...

Findings of Japanese study back idea that cats retain a mental representation of their ownersIf you’ve ever pondered whether your pet cat gives a whiskers about your whereabouts, research may have an answer: cats appear to track their owners as they move about the house and are surprised if they turn up somewhere they’re not expecting them.The finding supports the idea that cats retain a...

Readers express frustration at the prime minister’s recent visit to Hexham hospital, where he failed to wear a face coveringWith regards to Boris Johnson’s trip to Hexham hospital, the website of the Northumbria NHS foundation trust has advice for those wishing to visit (Boris Johnson seen maskless in hospital as cases among MPs rise, 8 November). To paraphrase, visiting should be kept to a...

Study on mice found palmitic acid promoted metastasis in mouth and skin cancersScientists have shown how a fatty acid found in palm oil can encourage the spread of cancer, in work that could pave the way for new treatments.The study, on mice, found that palmitic acid promoted metastasis in mouth and skin cancers. In future, this process could be targeted with drugs or carefully designed eating...

Study says some individuals clear virus rapidly due to a strong immune response from existing T-cells, meaning tests record negative resultCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWe all know that person who, despite their entire household catching Covid-19, has never tested positive for the disease. Now scientists have found an explanation, showing that a proportion of people...

Animal thought to have caught coronavirus from owners, but experts say there is no evidence pets can pass it to humansCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageHumans share many things with their dogs, from the sofa to cuddles and quality time. But it seems the list of joint experiences may also include coronavirus infections.Experts say they have detected the first case in the...

Only half of children aged 12 and above have been vaccinated, despite vaccine being available for months When Nia Heard-Garris’s son found out the Covid vaccines were authorized for adults in the US late last year, he was thrilled, then asked, “But what about us? What about kids?”The eight-year-old is finally signed up for his first shot later this week. Even though he’s afraid of needles,...

The Science Weekly podcast is in Glasgow, where we are bringing listeners daily episodes from Cop26. Each morning you will hear from one of the Guardian’s award-winning environment team. Today, Guardian global environment editor, Jonathan Watts, talks to Katharine Hayhoe and Peter Stott about their work as climate scientists and how they feel Cop26 is progressingThe Guardian’s global...

Agency says funding issues, along with delays tied to Bezos legal challenge, will push back first landing in a half centuryNasa has delayed putting astronauts back on the moon until 2025 at the earliest, missing the deadline set by the Trump administration.The space agency had been aiming for 2024 for the first moon landing by astronauts in a half century. Continue...