13 articles from SUNDAY 3.7.2022

Matt Hancock’s blase attitude to the rise in Covid cases is alarming | Letters

Dr Simon Williams says the former health secretary shows a worrying lack of understanding; Verity Gibson finds his views insulting. Plus letters from Jude Geddes and Dr Jon ScalesMatt Hancock’s views show a worrying lack of understanding from a former health secretary (Yes, the number of Covid cases in the UK is rising – but that is no cause for alarm, 30 June). He misleadingly claims that...

Goodbye silicone? A new era of breast reconstruction is on the horizon

Tissue-regrowing implants, which will enter human trials next week, could provide comfortable and accessible alternatives to siliconeHaving an ice pack strapped to your chest – that’s how some describe the experience of taking a walk in cold weather when you have breast implants. Silicone only slowly reaches body temperature once out of the cold, so that icy feeling can persist for hours. As...

Memory games: how to boost your brain power

When it comes to recall, it’s very much a case of ‘use it, don’t lose it’. Here’s how you can improve yours, at any age...The forgetting curve is a visual representation of how much we forget if we don’t try to retain what we learn (a lot; pretty much everything). To combat that, it’s vital to test your recall at intervals. You don’t need to try to remember something specific:...

Explosion of life on Earth linked to heavy metal act at planet’s centre

Formation of solid iron core 550m years ago restored magnetic field and protected surfaceAt the centre of the Earth, a giant sphere of solid iron is slowly swelling. This is the inner core and scientists have recently uncovered intriguing evidence that suggests its birth half a billion years ago may have played a key role in the evolution of life on Earth.At that time, our planet’s magnetic...