"Are we ready for another pandemic?"

Views expressed in this science and technology update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 03 January 2025, 1500 UTC.

Content and Source:  https://www.theguardian.com.

Please check link or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.blogspot.com).

 

Science | The Guardian

19

Most popular

Are we ready for another pandemic?

500+Science | The Guardian / 1d

After Covid-19, world leaders agreed to work together to strengthen global health systems, but negotiations on a new agreement have stalled Five years ago, the world was hearing the first reports of a mysterious flu-like illness emerging from Wuhan, China, now known as Covid-19. The pandemic that followed brought more than 14 million deaths , and sent shock waves through the world economy. About

Cambridge study aims to find out if dogs and their owners are on same wavelength

100+Science | The Guardian / 6h

Scientists to examine if humans’ and dogs’ brains synchronise when they interact in a way similar to parents and babies Standing patiently on a small fluffy rug, Calisto the flat-coated retriever is being fitted with some hi-tech headwear. But this is not a new craze in canine fashion: she is about to have her brainwaves recorded. Calisto is one of about 40 pet dogs – from newfoundlands to Tibeta

‘The hair stands up’: citizen archaeologists unearth ancient treasures in Scotland

Science | The Guardian / 48min

Members of the public are helping to sustain digs across the country, even as volunteering declines They were moving forward in a line across the 10 sq metre trench, volunteer excavators elbow to elbow with academics, and Joe Fitzpatrick was at the far edge. He was digging around the hearth of a building, about 60cm (2ft) below surface level, when he hit the earth twice with his mattock and out i

Today

Loneliness linked to ill health through effect on protein levels, research suggests

Science | The Guardian / 4h

Study finds higher levels of certain proteins in people who reported social isolation or loneliness Loneliness has long been associated with ill health but researchers say they have fresh insights into the link between the two. While poor health can result in people becoming isolated and lonely, studies have also suggested loneliness can itself lead to poorer health. Continue reading...

Yesterday

Researchers seek to expand ‘citizen scientist’ testing of UK river quality

Science | The Guardian / 9h

Volunteers’ data should be included in official monitoring reports to tackle pollution crisis, says Earthwatch Citizen science testing of river water quality will expand this year in an attempt to make the data part of official monitoring of waterways, the head of an independent environmental research group has said. The use of ordinary people across the country to test river water quality for po

Colorado city leaders and veterans clash over psychedelic therapy access

Colorado legalizes psychedelic therapy

•

Science | The Guardian / 19h

Conservative council members in Colorado Springs are debating broader psilocybin access, while veterans implore them for treatment As Colorado becomes the second state to legalize psychedelic therapy this week, a clash is playing out in Colorado Springs, where conservative leaders are restricting the treatment over objections from some of the city’s 90,000 veterans, who have become flagbearers fo

MP’s call to ban cousin marriage is prejudiced | Letter

Cousin marriage ban sparks debate

•

Science | The Guardian / 21h

Dr Qurratul-Ain Rehman points to the low absolute risk of birth defects in children born to consanguineous parents in response to Richard Holden’s bill I find it intriguing that a Conservative former minister, Richard Holden, has called for first-cousin marriage to be banned in the UK . He argues that the practice threatens women’s freedom and leads to birth defects. Medical evidence shows that w

Drone footage shows dinosaur footprints unearthed in Oxfordshire – video

Science | The Guardian / 23h

Researchers have unearthed 200 large dinosaur footprints in Oxfordshire, believed to be the biggest site of its kind in the UK. They are from two types of dinosaurs, thought to be the herbivorous cetiosaurus and the carnivorous megalosaurus. The longest trackways are 150 metres in length, and only part of the quarry has been excavated Trackways of large dinosaur footprints found in Oxfordshire qu

Quadrantid meteor shower to light up northern hemisphere sky

Quadrantid meteor shower peaks January

•

Science | The Guardian / 1d

Annual new year event of bright blue fireballs expected to peak this weekend While fireworks are a traditional way to welcome the new year, a natural phenomenon will be lighting up the northern sky this weekend as the annual Quadrantid meteor shower reaches its peak. Taking its name from a now obsolete constellation known as Quadrans Muralis, the event is best viewed in the northern hemisphere, w

Biggest trackway of dinosaur footprints found in Oxfordshire quarry

UK discovers largest dinosaur footprints

•

Science | The Guardian / 1d

Cetiosauruses and a megalosaurus are thought to have left prints at trackway dating to nearly 166m years ago Gary Johnson was clearing clay with a digger at the Oxfordshire quarry where he works when he hit an unexpected bump in the limestone surface. “I thought, it’s just an abnormality in the ground,” he said. “But then it got to another, three metres along, and it was hump again, and then it w

Jan 1, 2025

‘Extraordinary longevity’: great whales can live a lot longer than we thought – if we leave them alone

Science | The Guardian / 1d

Bowhead whales may not be the only species that can live to 200 years old. Researchers have found that the industrial hunting of great whales has masked the ability of these underwater giants to also live to great ages In Moby-Dick, Herman Melville’s epic novel of 1851, the author asks if whales would survive the remorseless human hunt. Yes, he says, as he foresees a future flooded world in which

Revisited: does the evidence on glucose tracking add up? – podcast

Science | The Guardian / 1d

You might have noticed that everyone has recently become a bit obsessed with blood sugar, or glucose. Wellness firms such as Zoe in the UK – as well as Nutrisense, Levels and Signos – claim to offer insights into how our bodies process food based on monitoring our blood glucose, among other things. But many researchers have begun to question the science behind this. In this episode from July, Ian

Scandinavians came to Britain long before Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, finds study

Science | The Guardian / 1d

Genetic analysis of Roman soldier or gladiator buried in York reveals 25% of his ancestry came from Scandinavia People with Scandinavian ancestry were in Britain long before the Anglo-Saxons or the Vikings turned up, researchers have found after studying the genetics of an ancient Roman buried in York. The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons brought an influx of Scandinavians to ancient Britain in the fi

Chunky European snails may be coming to Australia, with their crazy sexual practices – but all in good time

Science | The Guardian / 2d

Farmers seek permission to import live molluscs so they can breed the sexually remarkable hermaphrodites and sell them to restaurants More summer essentials Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Frankly, the process has been going at a snail’s pace. In 2019 the Australian government began a risk analysis on bringing European molluscs into the country for breeding and, event

Make a much shorter to-do list! 15 quick, simple ways to avoid overwhelm

Science | The Guardian / 2d

From weightlifting to woodland walks, Guardian readers and health experts share their tried-and-tested ways to keep burnout at bay Overwhelm can come from multiple worries going round and round in our heads like a washing machine, which can deplete our energy. A helpful strategy is to set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day for “constructive worrying”, where you write down your concerns. You can then

Dec 31, 2024

A total eclipse of the Moon, Saturn’s rings ‘disappear’, meteors and more: your guide to the southern sky in 2025

2025 skywatching events guide

•

24Science | The Guardian / 2d

These nocturnal events are more spectacular from dark country sky, but they can still be seen from a light-polluted city – and for many, no telescope is needed Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Each night an annual parade of constellations passes above our heads but there are always exciting, less frequent events to look out for in the sky. The year 2025 is no exception

Xavier Mulenga on how to know when to quit alcohol – podcast

Science | The Guardian / 3d

Thinking of breaking up with the booze? Addiction specialist and psychiatrist Xavier Mulenga tells Bridie Jabour the common reasons people think they can’t quit and the steps you can take to reduce your alcohol intake You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport You can subscribe for free to Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast Full Story on Apple Podcasts and Spotify . Rea

Dec 30, 2024

Northern Lights Photographer of the Year – 2024

44Science | The Guardian / 3d

The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year collection from Capture the Atlas features the most extraordinary aurora photos captured over the 12 months. This year, as we reach the solar maximum of this solar cycle, the northern and southern lights have been more active than ever, illuminating skies in unexpected places where they’ve rarely – if ever – been photographed. Some examples of these un

Revisited: just how bad is alcohol for us? – podcast

Science | The Guardian / 3d

For the regular drinker, the studies that say a daily tipple is better for a longer life than avoiding alcohol completely are a source of great comfort. But a new analysis challenges that thinking and says it was based on flawed research that compares drinkers with people who are sick and sober. In this episode from August, Madeleine Finlay hears from the study’s lead author, Tim Stockwell, a sci

End of feed