males_design/Shutterstock Coronavirus affects people differently – some infected develop life-threatening disease, while others remain asymptomatic. And a year aftere COVID-19 emerged, it’s still unclear why. To try and answer this question, researchers have started looking at the genetics of people who get COVID-19, and identifying links between developing the diseaseContinue Reading
It was a short message to end a short war. On February 26 1991, Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz put his signature to a letter addressed to the United Nations Security Council: I have the honour to notify you that the Iraqi Government reaffirms its agreement to comply fully withContinue Reading
Short and long naps both have benefits. Rawpixel.com/ Shutterstock Some people swear by an afternoon nap – whether it’s to catch up on lost sleep or to help them feel more alert for the afternoon ahead. Even Boris Johnson supposedly favours a power nap during his work day (though theContinue Reading
Mongkolchon Akesin/Shutterstock In the aftermath of the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19, the New York Times stated that “science has failed to guard us”. This was hardly unfair, given that scientists were unsure what had even caused the pandemic, let alone how to treat it – beyond basic public healthContinue Reading
The USWNT goes up 4-0 against Argentina with a beautifully set up goal by Kristie Mewis late in the first half.Continue Reading
The brains of humans are subtly different from those of Neanderthals. Petr Student/Shutterstock How we humans became what we are today is a question that scientists have been trying to answer for a long time. How did we evolve such advanced cognitive abilities, giving rise to complex language, poetry andContinue Reading
NuPenDekDee/Shutterstock In January, UK education secretary Gavin Williamson announced that GCSE and A-level exams in England would not go ahead. Now, Williamson has outlined further information about how assessments for pupils will take place. Teachers’ judgements will be at the heart of grading decisions this year, based on a rangeContinue Reading
Cave bears are now extinct. Shutterstock/Liliya Butenko Cave bears were giant plant eating bears that roamed Europe and northern Asia, and went extinct around 25 thousand years ago. They hibernated in caves during the winter. This was a dangerous time, as those which had failed to fatten up enough duringContinue Reading
UK Parliament , CC BY-NC You may have heard about the research project which involved sending MPs emails from imaginary people, just to see how they might respond. It involved sending marginally different letters to test whether a certain type of person might be more likely to receive a responseContinue Reading
The ‘Nautobiography’ of a 90-year-old lifesaver— with tales of shipwreck, heroic rescue, wartime tragedy and its later resurrection Ninety years ago, on February 26, 1931, the RNLI took charge of new lifeboat which is still surviving after a heroic career and a longer period of retirement. Nearing the conclusion ofContinue Reading
