Omicron XE is spreading in the UK – a virologist explains what we know about this hybrid variant

Andrii Vodolazhskyi/Shutterstock As the COVID pandemic has progressed, we’ve repeatedly seen the arrival of new viral variants. Variants of concern, such as delta and omicron, are versions of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) which have acquired mutations. These mutations can provide SARS-CoV-2 with a genetic advantage – so forContinue Reading

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The Conversation

After the first round of the 2017 presidential election in France, economist Thomas Piketty suggested that while there were four candidates on very close scores at the head of the field (Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen, François Fillon and Jean-Luc Mélenchon), in reality France was divided into three political camps:Continue Reading

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Quarter life, a series by The Conversation

Women’s football is on the rise. Tickets for the final of the Women’s European Championship, due to take place at Wembley Stadium on 31 July 2022, recently sold out within less than an hour of going on sale. The match could break the attendance record for any European Championship match,Continue Reading

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Review at a glance R obert Eggers’ follow-up to The Witch and The Lighthouse is the ultra-violent Viking saga you never knew you needed. Though not quite as authentic as the 38 year-old American’s previous work, and certainly not as crazy (those hoping for more giant mermaid vaginas will beContinue Reading

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Avocados may cut the risk of heart disease – new research

Krasula/Shutterstock Eating two or more servings of avocado a week may cut your risk of cardiovascular disease by 16%, according to a new study. Researchers at Harvard University analysed data from two large US studies: the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study. Between 1986 and 2016, researchersContinue Reading

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