Data collected by an observatory in Antarctica has produced our first view of the Milky Way galaxy through the lens of neutrino particles. It’s the first time we have seen our galaxy…
Month: June 2023
how incorrect assumptions and poor foresight hampered the UK’s pandemic preparedness
Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, has told the recently opened COVID-19 Inquiry that the UK’s pandemic planning was “completely wrong”. According to Hancock, the doctrine was “to plan for the consequences…
June 2023 was the hottest in England since 1846 – here’s why it was so unusual
Warm or hot weather was persistent in the UK throughout most of June 2023, with temperatures peaking at 32°C in parts of south-east England. Although well short of last July’s record 40°C,…
How do we know health screening programmes work?
The UK is set to roll out a national lung cancer screening programme for people aged 55 to 74 with a history of smoking. The idea is to catch lung cancer at…
Locally transmitted malaria in the US could be a harbinger of rising disease risk in a warming climate – 5 questions answered
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on June 26, 2023, that five cases of locally transmitted malaria had been identified – four in Florida and one in Texas – since…
By ‘helping’ wild animals, you could end their freedom or even their lives – here’s why you should keep your distance
For anyone who enjoys nature, summer is a fascinating time to be outside. Animals are on the move: Turtles are nesting, baby birds are testing their wings, snakes are foraging and young…
Is it legal to sell human remains?
Four individuals were charged with federal crimes in June 2023 related to the “unlawful transport” across state lines of human remains taken from the Harvard Medical School morgue. This indictment was part…
how did things go so wrong, and what needs to change?
There has to come a point where doctors decide, I can’t do my job any more – and then the situation will spiral out of control. I would use the term ‘crisis’:…
Did our mammal ancestors live alongside dinosaurs? New research hopes to end long-running debate
If you were asked to think of a mammal, chances are high you would think of a placental mammal – horses, dogs, cats, humans, even bats and rats all fall into that…
Why the impacts of climate change may make us less likely to reduce emissions
The wildfires raging across Canada’s south-eastern province of Quebec are unprecedented. A warm, dry spring allowed the tinder to accumulate and lightning storms in early June lit the match, dramatically escalating 2023’s…