H5N1 bird flu is closer to gaining pandemic potential than we thought
The flu virus currently circulating in birds and dairy cows is already better at infecting people than earlier variants, and…
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Intestinal parasites may reduce covid-19 vaccine effectiveness
Around 25 per cent of the world’s population has intestinal parasite infections – these could hinder the effectiveness of covid-19…
Opioids no better than placebo for short-term lower back and neck pain
People who took the opioid oxycodone or a placebo for six weeks reported similar pain scores for acute discomfort in…
Exquisite new-to-science frog species has golden legs and odd habits
A newly described poison dart frog, which is about the size of a thumbnail, has been found in the forests…
The world’s climate is in uncharted territory, warns major report
A World Meteorological Organization report details a long list of grim records for everything from CO2 levels and temperature to…
Is Google’s new Willow quantum computer really such a big deal?
Google has unveiled a new quantum computer called Willow that excels at a benchmarking problem, but it still isn't clear…
One-day mental health workshop improves teenagers’ mood for six months
In a randomised trial at schools in England, students who took part in a cognitive behavioural therapy course saw small…
What is cloud seeding and did it cause the floods in Dubai?
Cloud seeding almost certainly did not play a significant role in the flooding on the Arabian peninsula this week –…
The pandemic helped some children develop their vocabulary
Some preschool children in Canada scored higher on cognitive skills tests during the pandemic than those tested before covid-19 emerged,…
Hunter-gatherer genes gave European farmers an immunity boost
An analysis of ancient genomes has revealed that the descendants of Stone Age farmers in Europe and hunter-gatherers gained more…