Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and double winner Barry Sharpless devised way to click molecules together By Ian Sample Three scientists who fuelled a revolution in chemistry by devising a way to “click” molecules together like Lego bricks, even inside living...
Swedish geneticist wins Nobel prize for Neanderthal research
Svante Pääbo receives 2022 award in physiology or medicine for genome discoveries including Neanderthals By Linda Geddes A Swedish geneticist has been awarded the 2022 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. Svante Pääbo won the 10m Swedish kronor (£802,000) prize...
Facebook considering ending restrictions on Covid misinformation
Social network turning to its ‘supreme court’ about decision, says head of global affairs, Nick Clegg By Alex Hern Facebook is turning to its “supreme court” to decide whether to end restrictions on Covid misinformation, more than two years after the company...
The BA.5 Covid variant is causing US cases to rise – should you be worried? All you need to know
The newest challenge hits the nation at a time the leadership has largely moved on from the coronavirus discourse By Melody Schreiber How worried should I be about BA.5? Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising in the US as BA.5 – the newest subvariant of...
As the pandemic ebbs, long-haul Covid still drains patients and confounds doctors
Researchers still don’t know precisely how many get long Covid, what causes it or how best to treat it By Eric Berger Many long haulers report fatigue, brain fog, and a range of other symptoms for months after their infection. Photograph: VioletaStoimenova/Getty...
Dream-enactment disorder rose up to fourfold during pandemic, study finds
Exclusive: Condition most prevalent among those who had Covid, raising possibility of link with Parkinson’s disease By Linda Geddes Scientists have reported a two- to fourfold increase in the prevalence of dream-enactment disorder – whereby people physically act out...
Monkeypox outbreak: WHO working on sexual contact theory, top adviser says
David Heymann says experts developing guidance for countries, as New York City resident tests positive for Orthopoxvirus By Edward Helmore A senior adviser for the World Health Organization has said the monkeypox outbreak seems to be spreading through sexual...
We need a definitive exit from our Covid-19 pandemic. Here’s the roadmap
Nasal or oral coronavirus vaccines, more and better drugs, and a variant-proof vaccine could catalyze a clear way out By Eric Topol As the virus accelerates its evolution, the humans capitulate. For two and a half years, Covid-19 has been outrunning our response,...
‘Failure of an American ideology’: why Covid has an outsized impact on the US
As the US records 1 million Covid deaths, experts note underinvestment in long-term care, primary care and public health all contributed to the toll By Eric Berger David Rosner continually talks to colleagues who are distraught about the American response to the...
External blood oxygenation saved hundreds of Covid-19 sufferers – study
Adding oxygen to blood using ECMO process found to cause big increase in survival rate in severe UK cases By Denis Campbell Scores of severely ill Covid-19 sufferers survived because they were given the NHS’s highest form of intensive care in which an artificial lung...
South Africa may be entering fifth Covid wave earlier than expected
Rise in infections appears to be driven by Omicron sub-variants, say health officials South Africa may be entering a fifth Covid wave earlier than expected after a sustained rise in infections over the past 14 days that seems to be driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron...
Seven in 10 people in England have had Covid, research shows
ONS study reveals only one in three people had been infected until emergence of Omnicron variant By Hannah Devlin More than seven in 10 people in England have been infected with Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Office for National...
Lifting of Covid mask mandate on US transportation horrifies health experts
Warning that ‘This is not the time to be pulling back on mitigation measures’ as CDC appeals judge’s overturning of face-covering rule By Lauren Aratani When the US federal government’s mandate requiring masks on transportation was lifted this week, reports...
Covid treatment sotrovimab can cause drug-resistant mutation, study finds
Australian researchers raise concerns mutated virus could spread in the community if patients given the drug are not monitored By Melissa Davey Australian virologists have uncovered a drug-resistant mutation in the Covid-19 virus associated with the drug sotrovimab...
Higher levels of PFAS exposure may increase chance of Covid, studies say
Four studies are first to support theory PFAS could hinder body’s ability to fight virus, but authors say more is research needed By Tom Perkins Higher levels of exposure to toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” may increase the likelihood of Covid-19 infection,...