News at a glance: A bold antitobacco plan, updated Arctic warming rates, and a COVID-19 infection from a lab | Science

RESEARCH FACILITIES Tornado razes agricultural center A hub of agricultural research in the small city of Princeton, Kentucky, was among the many places left in ruins last week as a series of tornadoes ripped through the region, killing dozens. No employees of the University of Kentucky’s Research and Education Center were killed, and just one … Read more

Covid-19 news: Pregnant women added to UK’s vaccine priority list

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool A pregnant woman with a plaster on her arm aire images/Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 11am on 17 December UK vaccine committee urges pregnant women to book jabs Pregnant women should … Read more

Covid-19 news: Chris Whitty urges caution as UK cases hit record level

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Chris Whitty at a briefing on 15 December Tolga Akmen – WPA Pool/Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 11am on 16 December England’s chief medical officer suggests people should reduce social contacts … Read more

Covid-19 news: Myocarditis more common after infection than vaccines

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Latest coronavirus news as of 1pm on 15 December Huge study finds myocarditis is at least four times more likely to occur after a covid-19 infection than after a vaccination Heart inflammation is … Read more

Covid-19 news: Two vaccine doses not enough to stop omicron infection

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Syringes filled with the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 1pm on 14 December Two doses of the Pfizer jab are only 33 per cent effective … Read more

Dog news: Pets can respond to 89 distinct words on average

A survey of dog owners has concluded that the average pet can respond to 89 words or phrases, with some dogs responding to 215 Life 14 December 2021 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre Dogs respond to more words than you might think Shutterstock / Prostock-studio Domestic dogs respond to 89 words and phrases, on average – including … Read more

Covid-19 news: UK will see large wave of omicron, scientist says

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Visitors queue for covid-19 vaccinations at a walk-in vaccine center in Romford, UK Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 1pm on 13 December All adults in England will be … Read more

Covid-19 news: UK will see large wave of omicron, scientist says

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Commuters make their way across London Bridge on 9 December, 2021 in London, England Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 11am on 10 December Omicron variant may be spreading faster … Read more

News at a glance: Tackling U.S. plastic waste, targeting Omicron with an antibody, and new AI institute | Science

ECOLOGY Hippo gut microbes make a splash A study of hippo pools in Africa suggests the microscopic gut residents of these massive animals have an unexpected influence outside their bodies. Like almost all animals, hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) host beneficial gut microbes, such as bacteria that aid digestion. But when hippos defecate into the large pools … Read more