Science

It’s antibodies that protect us from COVID-19 and the latest data from the Office for National Statistics seem to offer some hope. Eight out of 10 adults now have antibodies. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Burnham: Manchester ‘needs’ jab surge

Drug dealers in the UK are among hundreds of people arrested after criminal gangs were duped into using an app being watched by police around the world, with tonnes of illegal substances seized and murder plots also thwarted. A joint investigation led by the FBI, Europol and Australian Federal Police (AFP) saw US officials take

Vegans and pescatarians may be less likely to get severely ill from coronavirus, according to a new study. The research – which took place across six countries, including the UK – showed that those who had plant-based diets were 73% less likely to develop severe symptoms from COVID-19. People who ate fish but not meat

The government has turned to dating apps to encourage young people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. From Monday, Tinder, Hinge, Match, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, OurTime, Muzmatch and Bumble will allow users to show their support for the vaccine on their dating profiles. They will also give in-app bonuses to those who say they have

El Salvador could become the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender under proposals by its president. The move will “generate jobs and help provide financial inclusion to thousands outside the formal economy”, President Nayib Bukele said in a recorded message to the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida. The cryptocurrency could

Microsoft has blamed “accidental human error” for its search engine Bing failing to produce any results for ‘Tank Man’ on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests. Users in the UK, US, Germany and Singapore were met with the message “There are no results for tank man” when they searched for it on Friday –

Hundreds of tiny worms will blast off into space in a bid to help scientists understand more about human muscle loss and how to prevent it. As part of a new project involving UK scientists, the nematode worm species, known as Caenorhabditis elegans, will be flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. The

Next-generation consoles will get a new 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game next year, after Sega teased the prospect on Thursday. The trailer for the as-yet-unnamed game sees the fearless blue hero running through a forest, leaving a trail of digital effects behind him. It then cuts to what appears to be a runic-style shape before

Poster adverts stating “it’s time to buy” Bitcoin have been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ads for cryptocurrency platform Luno were seen across the London Underground as well as on buses in the capital in February. They featured a cartoon image of a Bitcoin, alongside text stating: “If you’re seeing Bitcoin on

People who have extreme reactions to sounds such as chewing or loud breathing may have a “supersensitised” brain connection, according to a study. Misophonia can trigger intense physical or emotional reactions that others might see as over the top. Newcastle University researchers have found sufferers had increased connectivity between the brain’s auditory cortex and motor

Eight people have been arrested in a series of raids as part of police investigations into scam text messages. Officers from a City of London and Metropolitan Police unit executed warrants during dawn raids in London, Coventry, Birmingham and Colchester. They arrested eight men on suspicion of fraud, for allegedly sending fake texts asking people

Electric scooters will be allowed on London’s roads next month as a long-awaited trial of the devices is set to launch in the capital. Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed a 12-month trial of rental e-scooters, letting people ride the vehicles on roads and cycleways in several boroughs, will begin on 7 June. It follows

Ireland’s health service has closed down its computer systems after what it described as a “significant ransomware attack”. The Republic’s Health Service Executive (HSE) said it had shut down its entire IT network as a “precaution”. It said COVID-19 vaccination appointments were not affected by the cyberattack and were going ahead as planned. Rotunda Critical

Screening the population regularly for ovarian cancer did not reduce deaths from the disease, a UK study has found. More than 200,000 women underwent annual screenings over 16 years as part of the trial but this didn’t translate into more lives being saved, scientists said. Two screening methods were used: a yearly ultrasound scan, or

A motorist who was spotted in the back seat of his Tesla as it travelled down a San Francisco Bay Area freeway has been arrested for reckless driving. California Highway Patrol said Param Sharma, 25, has also been cited for disobeying an officer. Police were alerted after receiving a number of calls describing a person

Social media platform Instagram has added the option for people to show pronouns on their profile. Users are now able to display up to four different identifiers, from a selection chosen by the the Facebook-owned network. A statement said the new settings were made available “in a few countries, with plans for more”. Account owners