Science

Children and covid-19 vaccines: Why has the UK been so slow to vaccinate teenagers and children?

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Compared with other high-income countries, the UK has been slow to approve and roll out covid-19 vaccines to teenagers, prompting concerns over long covid and the new omicron variant Health 3 December 2021 By Clare Wilson Children at a school in Cardiff, UK, in September Matthew Horwood/Getty Images For the first few months of this … Read more

Beer in Ancient Egypt: Wealthy people used porridge-like beer in their ceremonies 5600 years ago

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Centuries before the pharaohs emerged in Egypt, the local elites used a thick porridge-like beer in their ceremonies Humans 3 December 2021 By Jason Arunn Murugesu Reconstruction of beer cups and jars from early Egypt Dr. Renee The elite members of early Egyptian society – before the emergence of the pharaohs – probably drank beer, … Read more

Covid vaccine passports are available on the dark web

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Researchers found 17 illicit marketplaces claiming to sell vaccine passports, and some appear to be valid entries in national databases Technology 3 December 2021 By Chris Stokel-Walker An EU Digital Covid Certificate displayed on a mobile phone PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images Digital covid-19 vaccination certificates for use in the US and the European Union … Read more

Covid-19 race disparities: Multigenerational households may partly explain why Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities were disproportionately affected in the UK’s second wave

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People in the UK of Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage are more likely to live in households that include schoolchildren and people aged 70 or older – a factor that may explain why people from these backgrounds were more likely to die from covid-19 during the country’s second wave Health 3 December 2021 By Jason Arunn … Read more

Scientists Find a New Source of a Greenhouse Gas Emissions in The Siberian Permafrost

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A major part of tackling the climate crisis is in understanding what’s happening in Earth’s atmosphere in terms of heating, cooling, and the factors playing into that. Now scientists have discovered a massive new source of nitrous oxide (N2O), one of the greenhouse gases causing our planet to warm up.   This nitrous oxide source … Read more

Western honeybees: World’s most common bee originated 7 million years ago in Asia

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A genetic analysis suggests the world’s most common species of honeybee, the western honeybee, first appeared in western Asia about 7 million years ago and then spread into Africa and Europe Life 3 December 2021 By Carissa Wong Honey bee workers (Apis mellifera) Kim Taylor / naturepl.com Genomic analysis has revealed that the western honeybee … Read more

Diabetes: Night-shift workers who eat only during the day may lower risk of type 2 diabetes

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People who work overnight are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, but the risk may be reduced by eating only between 7am and 7pm Health 3 December 2021 By Clare Wilson A night-shift worker using a metal cutter on a subway line in Ankara, Turkey Mustafa Kamaci/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images People who work night shifts … Read more

Anti-ageing: Mice treated with a chemical from grape seed extract live 9 per cent longer and are more physically fit

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A chemical derived from grape seeds selectively destroys worn-out cells in mice, allowing them to live 9 per cent longer than their untreated counterparts Health 6 December 2021 By Carissa Wong Grapes cut open to reveal their seeds Shutterstock / kholywood A chemical isolated from grape seed extract prolongs the lifespans of old mice by … Read more

Cataracts and dementia: People who undergo eye surgery have lower risk of brain condition

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People who have cataracts can reduce their risk of developing dementia by about 30 per cent by undergoing surgery to restore their sight, although it’s not clear why Health 6 December 2021 By Clare Wilson Laser surgery for the treatment of cataracts IMANE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Older people who have cataract surgery to improve their eyesight … Read more

Birds feathers: Migratory species may have paler plumage to help them keep cool

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Overheating is a serious issue for birds flying long distances, and paler plumage that reflects more of the sun’s heat may be one of the ways they cope Life 6 December 2021 By Michael Le Page Migrating snow geese at a misty lake in Pennsylvania Delmas Lehman/Shutterstock A study of nearly all of the 10,000 … Read more