Madrid government imposes nationwide curfew after country hits 1m casesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Spanish government has declared a six-month state of emergency and ordered a nationwide curfew, while Italians have been strongly advised to stay at home as both countries impose tough limits on people’s movements in a effort to contain the second wave of the...

Healthcare bosses rebut claims that patients thought unlikely to survive were ‘written off’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNHS bosses have denied claims that thousands of frail, elderly people were denied potentially life-saving care at the peak of the pandemic in order to stop the health service being overrun.NHS England took the unusual step on Sunday of issuing...

83,718 new cases on Saturday, nearly matching 83,757 on FridayMost cases on a single day had been 77,362 on 16 JulyA day after the US set a daily record for new coronavirus infections, it came very close to doing it again. Related: Coronavirus: Mike Pence continues campaign tour despite chief of staff's positive test Continue...

There are more than 200 subtypes of dementia. And researchers have found that in one, confusion and memory loss can be treated. But the trick is to spot it…When John Abraham began to lose his mind in late 2019, his family immediately feared the worst. Abraham had enjoyed robust health throughout retirement, but now at 80 he suddenly found himself struggling to finish sentences.“I would be...

Fever, runny nose, headache? Lost your sense of taste or smell? Your guide to differentiating between the three illnessesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWith winter approaching, the UK is entering the traditional seasons for colds and flu, with the additional complication this year that symptoms of those two illnesses can be broadly similar to those experienced by...

Move comes amid dissatisfaction with performance of test and trace systemCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageContacts of people infected with coronavirus in England may have to self-isolate for as little as seven days amid concerns in Whitehall about the levels of public compliance with the test and trace system.Officials on the UK government’s Covid-19 taskforce are...

TV presenter and medic tells of his own illness, government failures and how to win over the anti-vaxxersBest known as half of the twin-presenter duo of CBBC’s Operation Ouch!, Dr Xand van Tulleken’s impeccable credentials – a medical degree and qualifications in public health and tropical medicine – have also seen him front documentaries on everything from male suicide to the science of...

Their counterparts in the Common Cold Unit found ways to flirt despite the social distancing measures they lived underThe news that the government is to fund “human challenge studies” into Covid-19, in which young, healthy volunteers will be infected with the safest possible dose and paid to be quarantined to test the efficacy of vaccines, was a reminder that this country has a unique history...

The great magician dedicated his later years to exposing all forms of fake scienceA mong many tributes to the great James Randi, who died last week aged 92, one stands out. Hours after the death was announced, cutlery expert Uri Geller reacted with a tweet he piously expanded on Facebook. “How sad that Randi died with hatred in his soul. Love to you all.” One thing that the most professional...

Has the ISS benefited society? Scientists are divided: for some, it’s a beacon of unity; for others, just a set for an action filmSpace scientists are preparing to celebrate a remarkable astronautical achievement. In a few days, they will mark the 20th anniversary of humanity’s continuous presence in outer space.For two decades, teams of astronauts have made their homes 250 miles above our...

A sense of unfairness has dented public confidence and compliance with fast-changing restrictionsAs the people of Sheffield prepared to join Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region in the premier league of Covid-19 restrictions – tier 3 – there were widely differing views on whether the tough new rules about to be imposed from London were welcome, or would even work. On the streets...

Push to roll out injections may see elderly miss out on effective coronavirus inoculations Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScientists have warned that early adoption of a Covid vaccine with only moderate effectiveness could disrupt efforts to test and create improved versions. Immunising against the disease is not going to be a simple business of turning off the virus...

Health secretary announces publication of Cygnus study but activists point to missing data Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe government has been accused of withholding the full findings of a simulation exercise that warned ministers that the UK would not cope in the event of a pandemic.Campaigners have questioned what the government is hiding by choosing not to...

The origin of modern dogs lies tens of thousands of years ago, but how does a wolf become a pomeranian?Now renowned as a steady family pet, the labradoodle was invented in the 90s to be a low-allergen seeing-eye dog. The breed’s recent origin and portmanteau name makes it rather obvious that labradors and poodles were blended in the creation of the labradoodle. But what about the other 400 or so...

Do you find it hard to say no? Are you always trying to second guess what someone else wants you to do? It’s time you learned to stop being so eager to please“Can you come to this meeting?” No. “Yes.”“Are you free on Saturday night?” No, I’m watching Spiral. “Yes.” Continue...

The scientist whose modelling influenced the UK-wide lockdown says family meetups ‘risk some transmission’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe scientist whose modelling led to the original UK lockdown has said it would be a political judgment whether restrictions on households mixing should be relaxed over Christmas.Prof Neil Ferguson said policymakers would have...

The prime minister is trying to pretend that nakedly political decisions are driven by data. But almost no one buys itWhat happened to following the science? In the spring, when Boris Johnson and his scientific advisers were proceeding in lockstep, there was no disagreement about the necessity of shutting the country down. Now the government is coming to its own conclusions about what is needed,...

Dr Fauci says White House task force meeting less despite rising infection rates; WHO warns of ‘exponential’ rise in cases. Follow updates 7.05am BST Thailand reported one more locally transmitted case of the coronavirus on Saturday, after confirming five domestic infections last week.The new patient is a 57-year-old French woman in the southern province of Surat Thani who tested positive for...

Scientists call for information campaign as evidence on role of poor ventilation mountsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBritons could be urged to throw open the windows in an effort to keep coronavirus at bay as scientists call for a public information campaign to stress the importance of ventilation in reducing its spread.A paper by the Environmental and Modelling...

AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson get go-ahead from Food and Drug Administration after pausing studies when volunteers became illTwo drugmakers have announced the resumption of US testing of their Covid-19 vaccine candidates.Testing of AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate had been halted since early September, while Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine study was paused at the beginning of last week....

After an asteroid encounter, scientists scrambled to minimize the loss of space rocks as the craft belched rubbleA Nasa spacecraft is stuffed with so much asteroid rubble from this week’s grab that it’s jammed open and precious particles are drifting away in space, scientists said on Friday. Related: Nasa Osiris-Rex spacecraft lands on asteroid Bennu in mission to collect dust Continue...

First minister says highest level is similar to lockdown imposed across UK in MarchCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNicola Sturgeon has unveiled a five-level system for restricting people’s movements and limiting physical contact as part of new measures to combat the spread of Covid-19.The system includes a top level that is tougher than the highest of England’s...

Experts explain the best way to wash masks, how to handle them – and how to prevent ‘macne’Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageWe hook them on to our faces, laugh, sneeze and sputter into them, then crumple them into our bags or pockets only to retrieve them and do it all again. Yet despite official advice that we should be wearing a fresh face covering each time we...

Boycotting polyester would reduce microfiber pollution. But the larger problem is the sheer volume of clothing we buy and discardLast week, an exclusive Guardian report revealed that a mind-boggling 13.3 quadrillion microfibers (infinitesimal strands of fabric) were released into the California environment in 2019. Related: Bottle-fed babies swallow millions of microplastics a day, study finds...