Results believed to be first compelling evidence that modern humans were cognitively better than NeanderthalsNeanderthals have long been portrayed as our dim-witted, thuggish cousins. Now groundbreaking research has – while not confirmed the stereotype – revealed striking differences in the brain development of modern humans and Neanderthals.The study involved inserting a Neanderthal brain...

Giant ice sheets, ocean currents and permafrost regions may already have passed point of irreversible changeThe climate crisis has driven the world to the brink of multiple “disastrous” tipping points, according to a major study.It shows five dangerous tipping points may already have been passed due to the 1.1C of global heating caused by humanity to date. Continue...

Readers and healthcare professionals respond to Dr Sanah Ahsan’s article which argued that for too long, the dominant mental health narrative has located problems in individuals, and not in social injustice or inequalityLike Dr Sanah Ahsan (I’m a psychologist – and I believe we’ve been told devastating lies about mental health, 6 September), I too work as a clinical psychologist and I see...

Eggs from chickens kept indoors due to bird flu outbreaks could still be labelled free range, raising concerns among UK producersEggs produced in the EU could continue to be labelled as “free range”, even if the birds are not allowed outside, under new proposals.The European Commission has put forward plans for scrapping the time limit on the marketing of eggs as free range if chickens are...

According to a recent study, more than 14% of the world’s population probably has, or has had, tick-borne Lyme disease – an infection that can cause long and debilitating symptoms. That number is set to rise too, as climate and environment changes continue to increase tick populations and distribution.To help prevent some of these cases, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotech company...

This ocean warming controls the rate of climate change, and the effects such as sea level rise are irreversible on human timescalesOver the last 50 years, the oceans have been working in overdrive to slow global warming, absorbing about 40% of our carbon dioxide emissions, and more than 90% of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere.But as our research published today in Nature Communications...