24 articles from SATURDAY 14.1.2023

Egypt unveils ancient royal tomb in Luxor

Egyptian authorities announced Saturday the discovery of an ancient tomb in Luxor dating back around 3,500 years that archaeologists believe holds the remains of an 18th dynasty royal.

Glass too full? Why safe drinking guidelines vary between countries

Belgium suggests 21 drinks a week is safe for men, while Australia recommends no more than 10 for anyone. What goes into the decision making?Craft beer in Melbourne, pinot noir in Paris, mojitos in Havana –alcohol is part of nearly every culture around the world. As the evidence of harm has accumulated, the message from health authorities globally is that we need to drink less and even abstain...

Computers need to make a quantum leap before they can crack encrypted messages | John Naughton

The latest claims by scientists that they are able to break the most common digital encryption system are far-fetched Security in a digital world requires that our communications are safe from digital eavesdroppers. The way we do that is to encrypt our messages using mathematical tools. The most powerful of these use trapdoor functions – that is, ones that work easily in one direction (making...

Immunity debt: does it really exist?

Some claim the rise in winter infections has been caused by the reduction of seasonal bugs during lockdowns. But experts are sceptical about these oversimplified explanationsThe deaths of at least 74 people, including 19 children, from the invasive bacterial infection group A streptococcus, or strep A, are the most extreme consequences of a wave of winter infections that have seemingly left most...

‘Wings like cracked eggshells’: Richard Branson faces turbulence over safety of passenger space flights

Investors are pursuing legal action against Virgin Galactic, claiming the company’s two spacecraft are not suitable for regular space travelIn a desert basin in New Mexico, Richard Branson hopes history will be made later this year with the launch of Virgin Galactic’s first commercial flights to the edge of space, with tickets costing about $450,000 (£370,000) each.It is an ambitious schedule...

‘He did not want this’: no rest in quest to end display of Irish Giant

Researchers spurred by injustice explain why 18th century Irish man famed for his exceptional height deserves burial he wantedThomas Muinzer recalls the day when, as a bored student in Belfast learning about property law, a few sentences about the 18th century “Irish Giant” Charles Byrne caught his eye.“I saw a footnote about a celebrity Irish giant from Northern Ireland whose remains were...

HRT ‘potentially important’ in reducing women’s dementia risk

Research suggests hormone replacement therapy may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s in some womenHormone replacement therapy may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease in millions of women at risk of developing the condition, research suggests.Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health threats. The number of people living with the condition worldwide is set to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, and...