This live blog is now closed. For the latest on the flight, read our full report: Blue Origin crew including Katy Perry returns to Earth after space flight It’s a clear, crisp morning in Texas. There’s a crackle of anticipation among the supporters gathered to watch the big launch. A...
Blood test could detect Parkinson’s disease before symptoms emerge
Researchers behind test using biomarkers say it could ‘revolutionise’ early diagnosis of disease Researchers have developed a simple and “cost-effective” blood test capable of detecting Parkinson’s disease long before symptoms emerge, according to a study. About 153,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK, and scientists who undertook the research...
Documents reveal Trump’s plan to gut funding for Nasa and climate science
Critics say Nasa faces ‘extinction-level event’ with budget plan, with climate research funding also to be slashed Donald Trump shows no signs of easing his assault on climate science as plans of more sweeping cuts to key US research centers surfaced on Friday. The administration is planning to slash budgets...
Combination of two cheap drugs could save lives after heart attack, study finds
Giving patients statins and ezetimibe after a heart attack can reduce risk of second attack or stroke, say scientists Thousands of heart attacks or strokes could be prevented and lives saved with a combination of two cheap drugs, a study suggests. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death...
New gonorrhoea treatment hailed as breakthrough in fight against drug resistance
Researchers say gepotidacin could be delivered via a pill and help combat strains resistant to standard treatment Scientists have hailed a new antibiotic treatment for gonorrhoea, the first in three decades, which they said could help combat the global rise of drug-resistant infections. The sexually transmitted infection can result in...
How and where to watch the Lyrid meteor shower
Annual celestial display is visible for several days in April as the Earth passes through debris left by comet C/1861 G1 With the Lyrid meteor shower expected to light up the skies this month, we reveal how to get the best view and what to look for. Continue reading...
Blue Origin crew including Katy Perry safely returns to Earth after space flight
All-female crew led by Jeff Bezos’s fiancee Lauren Sánchez lands in Texas after reaching the edge of outer space Six women – including the pop star Katy Perry and morning TV host Gayle King – safely completed a trip to the edge of outer space and back from a private...
I’m disagreeable – and it’s backed by science. Can I change my personality?
I scored low for agreeableness in a personality test for the ‘big five’ traits – does this mean I’m doomed to be disagreeable? I looked into how I can change who I am The other day, a friend decided to playfully name our individual roles within the group: planner, emotional...
Older people who use smartphones ‘have lower rates of cognitive decline’
Analysis of over-50s who engage with phones, tablets and other devices challenges fears of ‘digital dementia’ Fears that smartphones, tablets and other devices could drive dementia in later life have been challenged by research that found lower rates of cognitive decline in older people who used the technology. An analysis...
How Philadelphia police draw on personal experiences to respond to mental health crises
The Philadelphia Police Department piloted its Crisis Intervention Teams on the Behavioral Health Unit a little more than two years ago, as a co-responder program that sends an officer with a mental health clinician or social worker to respond to crise...