‘Real hope’ for cancer cure as personal mRNA vaccine for melanoma trialled
Doctors have begun trialling in hundreds of patients the world’s first personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for melanoma, as experts hailed its “gamechanging” potential to permanently cure cancer. Melanoma affects about 132,000 people a year globally and is the biggest skin…
Exotic spiders flourishing in Britain as new jumping species found in Cornwall
Some are small and jumpy; others are large and intimidating – if you’re a humble housefly. Exotic spiders are flourishing in Britain as international trade offers ample opportunities for spider travel and global heating provides an increasingly hospitable climate. A…
Trump will dismantle key US weather and science agency, climate experts fear
Climate experts fear Donald Trump will follow a blueprint created by his allies to gut the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), disbanding its work on climate science and tailoring its operations to business interests. Joe Biden’s presidency has increased…
Noise from traffic stunts growth of baby birds, study finds
Noise pollution from traffic stunts growth in baby birds, even while inside the egg, research has found. Unhatched birds and hatchlings that are exposed to noise from city traffic experience long-term negative effects on their health, growth and reproduction, the…
Brian Haywood obituary
My grandfather, Brian Haywood, who has died aged 91, spent his career working as a nuclear physicist, mainly at the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell in Oxfordshire. He was born in Birmingham to Vi and Hal, who ran a…
About 2m people have long Covid in England and Scotland, figures show
About 2 million people in England and Scotland say they are experiencing long Covid, figures reveal, with many reporting their symptoms have lasted two years or longer. The findings were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)and cover the…
From birds, to cattle, to … us? Could bird flu be the next pandemic? – podcast
As bird flu is confirmed in 33 cattle herds across eight US states, Ian Sample talks to virologist Dr Ed Hutchinson of Glasgow University about why this development has taken scientists by surprise, and how prepared we are for the…
Deprivation linked to higher second cancer risk among England breast cancer survivors
Female survivors of breast cancer living in the most deprived areas have a 35% higher risk of developing second, unrelated cancers, compared with those from the most affluent areas, research shows. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in…
Cakes and drinks sweetener neotame can damage gut wall, scientists find
A sweetener used in cakes, soft drinks and chewing gum can seriously damage people’s health by weakening the gut, a new study has found. Consumption of even a small amount of the sweetener neotame can lead to someone starting to…
Estuaries, the ‘nurseries of the sea’, are disappearing fast
Estuaries – the place where a river meets the ocean – are often called the “nurseries of the sea”. They are home to many of the fish we eat and support vast numbers of birds, while the surrounding salt marsh…