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7 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

World’s oldest runestone found in Norway, archaeologists say

The 2,000-year-old inscription is among the earliest examples of words recorded in writingArchaeologists in Norway have found what they claim is the world’s oldest runestone, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.The flat, square block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which may be the earliest...

Andrew Bridgen’s Covid vaccine tweets could harm public health | Letter

We need a high booster uptake of Covid and flu vaccines, writes Dr Simon Williams; the fewer anti-vax messages the better It is wholly appropriate that Andrew Bridgen lost the Tory whip after comparing the use of Covid vaccines to the Holocaust (Report, 11 January). As well as being unethical and offensive, his comments are potentially harmful to public health and public trust in vaccines. It is...

England’s PCR Covid testing network drops one of three labs as demand falls

Rosalind Franklin laboratory in Leamington Spa no longer to be part of laboratory network processing Covid testsEngland’s PCR testing network for Covid is to be scaled back due to a fall in demand, public health officials have said.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that the Rosalind Franklin laboratory in Leamington Spa – which at its peak was processing about 75,000 Covid PCR tests a...

Meditation could have positive impact on gut and overall health

Practice may help regulate gut microbiome and lower risk of ill health, study of Buddhist monks findsIt is a practice favoured by Lena Dunham, Tom Hanks and Lady Gaga to boost their focus and bring about calmness in an often busy, distracted world.Now researchers have found evidence that frequent meditation over several years may help alter the human gut – boosting the body’s immune system and...

Visiting green spaces deters mental health drug use, researchers find

Positive effects were stronger among those reporting the lowest annual household income, says Finnish studyVisits to parks, community gardens and other urban green spaces may lower city dwellers’ use of drugs for anxiety, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma, research has found.Researchers in Finland found that visiting such areas three to four times a week cuts people’s...

What’s the reality behind the ‘Love Island smile’? – podcast

As the ninth series of ITV show Love Island kicked off yesterday, viewers may have noticed contestants’ perfectly straight, white teeth. But are there risks associated with achieving a flawless smile? Madeleine Finlay speaks to dentist Paul Woodhouse about some of the dangers of dental tourismIn a survey last year of over 1,000 dentists, the British Dental Association found that 94% of...

Covid increases chance of grave illness and death in pregnant women – study

Research conducted across a dozen countries finds infection also poses health risks for unborn childrenWomen are more likely to die in pregnancy if they catch Covid, according to researchers, who found the infection raised the risk of a swath of serious illnesses for mothers and their newborns.Reports throughout the pandemic have highlighted how pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the...