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The SIREN study included thousands of UK health-care workers who were regularly tested for COVID-19.Credit: Kevin Coombs/Reuters Most people who catch and recover from COVID-19 are likely to be immune for several months afterwards, a study of more than 20,000 health-care workers in the United Kingdom has found. The study — published on the preprint

Researchers have made a shocking discovery by finding a link between Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that reproduces fast in cats and transmitted to humans via undercooked pork or raw meat, and brain cancer in humans. (Photo : Inge Wallumrod) The new study, which was published Monday, January 11 in the International Journal of Cancer, revealed that

Hear the latest science news, with Benjamin Thompson and Nick Howe. Your browser does not support the audio element. Download MP3 In this episode: 00:45 Dire wolf DNA Dire wolves were huge predators that commonly roamed across North America before disappearing around 13,000 years ago. Despite the existence of a large number of dire wolf

A bright-blue water droplet is gently held in place by vortices, which are generated by the upright plates of an acoustic ‘tweezer’ set-up. Credit: Haodong Zhu/Duke University Applied physics 13 January 2021 Vortex ‘tweezers’ can pick up and transport particles just 1 millimetre wide. The whirlpools created by sound waves in a liquid can be

According to a study published recently in the scientific journal nature plants, the Graz University of Technology has discovered a bacterium that provides immunity to rice plants against pathogens. Rice plant immunity (Photo : Pixabay) The scientists at the Institute of Environmental Biotechnology at The Graz University of Technology have been studying the microbiome of rice

Otakuye Conroy-Ben studies water, considered sacred by Native American communities.Credit: American Indian Science and Engineering Society Despite long-standing calls to increase diversity on university campuses, Indigenous researchers remain poorly represented in academia, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. For example, Maori people make up about 17% of the population of New Zealand,

It was in 1841 when renowned biologist Richard Owen was left in awe when he found a new sea sponge species in the Philippines. He was astounded by the organism’s beauty. (Photo : From Steve Rupp, National Science Foundation)Green and yellow sea sponges, Antarctica Fast forward to today, many scientists are still marveling over sea

Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, could help to ensure that independent scientific advisers publish and disseminate complete data and evidence for changes to vaccine guidance.Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock Coronavirus vaccines have arrived, and many countries have started their vaccination campaigns. The authorities face a race against time as infections and deaths from COVID-19 continue to

It was a Friday afternoon in March 2013 when Andy Geall got the call. Three people in China had just become infected with a new strain of avian influenza. The global head of vaccines research at Novartis, Rino Rappuoli, wanted to know whether Geall and his colleagues were ready to put their new vaccine technology

Marine scientists from the prestigious University of Hong Kong have turned to 3D printing to make human-made coral reefs off the city’s coast. The tiles are primarily designed to imitate brain corals and this will help to reform the reef population within Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. Inability to Thrive Naturally Prompts the Research (Photo

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The frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions and climate events have significantly affected both human life and the natural environment.  (Photo : Photo by Macau Photo Agency on Unsplash)A taxi rides under heavy rain that is causing flooding in Macau, China Holding capacity for atmospheric water vapor has been increasing due to global warming,

I’m a thin-film materials scientist and manage the Centre for Applied Superconductivity at the University of Oxford, UK. As you can see from the sole of my shoe, which is decorated with the transgender pride flag, I’m a trans scientist. I’d long believed that coming out as transgender would be career-ending. Instead, Oxford was the

When microbiologist Christopher Rensing navigates Fuzhou’s busy streets on his mobility scooter, he finds many people in the Chinese city consider it a novelty vehicle rather than a medical necessity.Credit: Shutterstock The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented me from rejoining my research group at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in Fuzhou, China, where I work as

By now, it is already common knowledge to all shark enthusiasts, or just anyone who knows a thing or two about these big fishes, that the ancient Megalodons might just have been the largest shark to have ever roamed the planet. But, even the colossal sea beasts had to start as babies at one point.

On their Facebook page, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources shared a video of an overpass created exclusively for animals. The wildlife division placed the structure over a busy interstate. The Utah government made it to keep both animals and motorists safe and avoid injuries from accidental collisions. Many local animals like bears, deer, moose, and many

If the Antarctic ice sheets ever collapse, the global sea levels would rise to about 180 feet or 60 meters. The consequences would be nothing short of devastating, especially for areas near the shore and communities with low elevation. (Iceber: Photo by Cassie Matias on Unsplash) In hopes of better understanding how the Antarctic ice

Hello Nature readers, would you like to get this Briefing in your inbox free every day? Sign up here Democratic candidates for Senate Jon Ossoff (left) and Raphael Warnock (right) bump elbows during a 4 January rally in Atlanta.Jim Watson/AFP/Getty The results of a run-off election in Georgia mean that the balance of power in

“The idea is not environmentally relevant.” That feedback was one of the negative comments that Michigan State University researcher Gemma Reguerra got when she first proposed her new research project to the National Science Foundation. (Photo : Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash)Microscope Fortunately for Reguera, many other reviewers and the foundation’s program manager did

Vaccine maker Novavax launched a late-stage trial of its shot last December and will face difficulty recruiting and maintaining participants.Credit: PA Images/Alamy Global health researchers breathed a collective sigh of relief last month after nations across Europe, North America and elsewhere issued emergency approvals of the first COVID-19 vaccines. But as the shots are rolled

Hello Nature readers, would you like to get this Briefing in your inbox free every day? Sign up here The new study goes beyond earlier work by including DNA of parents, children and spouses of identical twins.Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP/Getty Scientists have quantified the small genetic differences between monozygotic twins. Researchers analysed the DNA of 381

Delta Airlines joined the ranks of Alaska and American Airlines in no longer accepting emotional support animals (dogs, cats, etc.) and requiring trained service dogs proper and official documentation when boarding their planes. (Photo : Photo by Artem Labunsky on Unsplash)Yellow service Labrador Delta will no longer take new bookings for an emotional support animal,

Astronomers have proposed a new explanation for the mysterious blue veil that surrounds Pluto. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI/SPL Planetary science 08 January 2021 Dwarf planet on the Solar System’s outer fringes might have particles of frozen organic matter in its atmosphere. An analysis suggests that Pluto’s atmosphere is rich in particles of frozen organic compounds, which might

The platypus is infamous, not just for being odd-looking, but for being one of the overall weirdest creatures in modern times. It has the torso and tail resembling those of a beaver, the beak and webbed feet of a duck, and it can produce venom! What type of animal is a platypus?  (Photo : Photo

Genomic techniques can be used to specify the DNA sequence of cells in an entire mouse embryo (pictured). Credit: Meng Zhu, Zernicka-Goetz Laboratory, Cambridge University/SPL Genomics 08 January 2021 DNA barcodes help to detail the genomic architecture and sequence of an unbroken cell or even an entire embryo. A powerful method that combines microscopy and

A hospital worker and COVID patient in South Africa, where a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has been identified.Credit: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty As concern grows over faster-spreading variants of coronavirus, labs worldwide are racing to unpick the biology of these viruses. Scientists want to understand why SARS-CoV-2 variants identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa seem

Aside from being faithful companions, dogs have also been known to be a valued ally for law enforcement; their keen senses can detect bombs, contrabands, and drugs, among many things. But, one dog from Montana chose a more serene career choice. Pepin, a Belgian Malinois from the Missouri River’s headwaters in Montana, is a park

Scientists have mapped the interconnected brain regions involved in a mouse’s empathetic response to seeing a companion in distress. Credit: Alamy Neuroscience 07 January 2021 A mouse sharing a companion’s fear has different neural patterns to one sharing another animal’s pain. Mice witnessing another mouse in fear or pain, or even gaining relief from pain,

Photosynthetic organisms like Algae, Bacteria, and Plants use light as their number one source of energy. A fuel of some sort. However, too much light can be a bad thing. (Photo : Photo by Mark Leeds)Moss covered bricks Too much exposure to light can damage the photosynthetic lifeform’s internal machinery, and that can lead to

The campus of James Cook University, where Juergen Reichardt spends his retirement as an adjunct professor.Credit: Suzanne Long/Alamy Towards the end of my last academic appointment as the vice chancellor of research and innovation at Yachay Tech University in Ecuador, I wondered what the future would hold for me. I am almost 63 years old,

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According to a published by the Oregon State University (OSU), co-developing land for both solar PV (photovoltaic) power and agriculture might provide at least 20″ of the total electricity generation in the US, and that comes along with an investment of less than 1% of the annual national budget. (Photo : Photo from Science in

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The speed of the planet’s rotations depends on the frequently complex motion of the innermost molten core along with its oceans, atmosphere, natural satellites, and other celestial bodies. (Photo : Photo from NASA) Because of the constant changes in the conditions that aid in determining the speed that the planet spins, scientists have enough reasons to

The emission spectrum of helium. Laser pulses can expose quantum aspects of pairs of helium atoms. Credit: Dept. of Physics, Imperial College/SPL Atomic and molecular physics 06 January 2021 Zapping helium ‘dimers’ with lasers allows a glimpse into a fleeting relationship. Helium atoms are stand-offish, rarely interacting with atoms of other elements or with one

Restaurants and pubs closed in London as part of an effort to halt a spike in COVID-19 cases.Credit: Kate Green/Anadolu Agency/Getty Stay-at-home orders do little to curb covid spread An analysis of COVID-19 data from 41 countries has identified 3 measures that each substantially cut viral transmission: school and university closures, restricting gatherings to no

Before 2020 ended, Pinkfong, the company behind the song Baby Shark, partnered up with EcoDrive Hong Kong and released a new rendition of the song Baby Shark. Still, the lyrics are about the harmful consequences of single-use plastics. The song, which is appropriately titled ”No More Single-Use Plastic!” to educate young children about how these pollutants destroy

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union — signs the Brexit trade deal with the EU, struck on 24 December.Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Researchers reacted with relief to the news that the United Kingdom and the European Union had reached a last-minute trade deal on 24 December —

A CrossFit gym owner, along with the South African Animal Sanctuary that condoned her action, is experiencing the internet community’s heated fury. She pulled a stunt that caused a tremendous amount of uproar from many concerned citizens.  Emma Roberts, an adventurer, health enthusiast, lifestyle coach, and gym owner, is under fire after doing a pull-up

As a wildlife ecologist, I study many species, but the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is my speciality. I’ve worked with these duck-billed monotremes, which are indigenous to eastern Australia, for 13 years. So much remains unknown about them — as solitary animals, they are very hard to capture. The males have a venomous spur on each

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After months, even years, of research and development, researchers from the University of Tokyo developed a new way to improve the scopes and limitations of former methods for cellular data gathering. It is able to show the insides of living cells using microscopy techniques without using the traditional staining or fluorescent dyeing. Cells are naturally

The strangely bright star J005311 (artificially coloured X-ray image, pictured) will eventually collapse into a neutron star. Credit: XMM-Newton/ESA, L. Oskinova/Univ. Potsdam, Germany Astronomy and astrophysics 04 January 2021 A strange and unstable astronomical object seems to have formed from the merger of two white dwarfs. Unusual X-ray emissions from a star called J005311 suggest

Since more and more people and organizations, advocate and spread awareness regarding the dreadful risks of global warming and climate change, the arctic’s dire troubling state is close to being general knowledge by now. The Arctic is in big trouble. Despite the overwhelming evidence, there are still those who do not believe in what’s happening

Dragging nets and other fishing gear across the sea floor can cut the amount of carbon stored in sediments. Credit: Alamy Ocean sciences 04 January 2021 Bottom trawling not only erodes the sea bed, but also reduces its carbon-storage capacity. A common fishing method called bottom trawling causes potentially irreversible erosion of the sea floor

Catnip (Nepeta cataria), also known as catmint, catswort, and catwort, is a plant famously known for its ability to intoxicate felines, putting them in a state resembling getting high or drunk. It’s like a drug but for cats! From Egyptian royalties to modern cat ladies, this plant has been used by cat owners for decades,

2020 was a year filled with mourning as death counts due to the unexpected occurrence of a global pandemic caused by the SARS-Cov-2 or most commonly known as Covid-19. However, the fatality rate was not exclusive to humans, as many animal species have also perished during the year. The current global virus might not have

The entire year of 2020 was nothing short of bizarre, especially with the idea that a single Asian Bat caused a global lockdown. To call it weird would be an understatement. But, it’s not just the pandemic causing mammal that shook the world; there’s a plethora of freakishly weird natural stories and scenarios that happened