https://www.theguardian.com/science Latest Science news, comment and analysis from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:07:56 GMT 2026-06-11T13:07:56Z en-gb Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026 https://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.png https://www.theguardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jun/10/world-leading-uk-science-facilities-funding-crisis <p>Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source face cuts of up to 20% as Science and Technology Facilities Council seeks savings</p><p>Britain’s scientific capabilities face “serious damage” with some national facilities at risk of closure under spending cuts that are being considered to meet spiralling costs at the government’s infrastructure funding agency.</p><p>The concern surrounds sites funded and operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), including the Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in Oxfordshire and other national facilities at the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jun/10/world-leading-uk-science-facilities-funding-crisis">Continue reading...</a> Research funding Science Physics Particle physics UK news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:12 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jun/10/world-leading-uk-science-facilities-funding-crisis Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian Ian Sample Science editor 2026-06-10T05:00:12Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/11/the-undruggable-became-druggable-a-breakthrough-cancer-treatment-podcast <p>A daily pill can double survival time in patients with the world’s deadliest cancer, according to the results of a clinical trial that experts are saying is a gamechanger and one of the biggest breakthroughs in decades. To find out more about how daraxonrasib works and how life-changing it could be for patients, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Prof Naureen Starling, consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden hospital</p><p>Support the Guardian: <a href="http://theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/11/the-undruggable-became-druggable-a-breakthrough-cancer-treatment-podcast">Continue reading...</a> Science Cancer research World news Medical research Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:29:09 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/11/the-undruggable-became-druggable-a-breakthrough-cancer-treatment-podcast Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Presented by Madeleine Finlay, produced by Ellie Sans, sound design by Ross Burns, the executive producer was Ellie Bury 2026-06-11T09:29:09Z https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/10/deepest-most-extensive-whale-graveyard-discovered-indian-ocean <p>Some remains found in Diamantina fracture zone date back more than 5m years and reveal species and ecosystems unknown to science</p><p>The oldest, deepest and most extensive whale graveyard yet discovered has been found in the south-eastern Indian Ocean, with fossils dating back more than 5m years.</p><p>Whale falls – the term for dead whales that sink to the ocean floor – are not uncommon, but most have been found at depths of less than 4km (2.5 miles). By contrast, the newly discovered necropolis reaches depths of more than 7km, and extends hundreds of miles across the sea floor.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/10/deepest-most-extensive-whale-graveyard-discovered-indian-ocean">Continue reading...</a> Whales Science Wildlife Marine life Research World news Oceans Cetaceans Environment Wed, 10 Jun 2026 15:00:50 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/10/deepest-most-extensive-whale-graveyard-discovered-indian-ocean Photograph: Gerard Soury/Getty Images Photograph: Gerard Soury/Getty Images Photograph: Gerard Soury/Getty Images Nicola Davis Science correspondent 2026-06-10T15:00:50Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/uk-stem-cell-transplant-system-not-fit-for-purpose-mp-group <p>System not fit for purpose due to poor infrastructure and planning, with minority groups particularly at risk, MPs say</p><p>The UK’s stem cell transplant system is potentially putting the lives of blood cancer patients at risk as a result of inadequate infrastructure and a lack of long-term planning, a parliamentary report has found.</p><p>A hematopoietic stem cell transplant, often referred to as a bone marrow transplant, is a medical procedure in which stem cells from a healthy donor are transplanted into a patient.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/uk-stem-cell-transplant-system-not-fit-for-purpose-mp-group">Continue reading...</a> Stem cells Cancer UK news Medical research NHS Race Science Society Inequality Health policy Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:01:18 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/uk-stem-cell-transplant-system-not-fit-for-purpose-mp-group Photograph: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images/Image Source Photograph: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images/Image Source Photograph: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images/Image Source Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent 2026-06-10T11:01:18Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/humans-prefer-to-walk-anticlockwise-scientists-find-reason-unclear <p>From Spain to Japan, experiments have repeatedly shown a left-turn bias, but exact mechanic ‘is still an open question’</p><p>“I’m not an ambi-turner,” laments Derek Zoolander in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2007/may/02/zoolanderisthefinestfilma">eponymous noughties satire</a> about the world’s hottest male model and his rare catwalk hangup. “It’s a problem I’ve had since I was a baby … I can’t turn left.”</p><p>Now research suggests that the fashionista’s career-threatening quirk was even more unusual than previously thought. Tests reveal that when people are ambling about, they have a natural tendency to turn to the left and walk in an anticlockwise direction.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/humans-prefer-to-walk-anticlockwise-scientists-find-reason-unclear">Continue reading...</a> Science Human biology Biology Spain Japan UK news World news Wed, 10 Jun 2026 09:40:38 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/10/humans-prefer-to-walk-anticlockwise-scientists-find-reason-unclear Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images Ian Sample Science editor 2026-06-10T09:40:38Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/09/artemis-iii-crew-nasa-moon <p>Luca Parmitano to pilot all-male crew of four paving way for planned first human landing of Artemis IV in 2028</p><p>Jared Isaacman, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/nasa">Nasa</a> administrator, hailed the creation of “Earth’s first starfleet” on Tuesday as he revealed the Artemis III crew and details of the next stages of the space agency’s project to return humans to the moon.</p><p>An Italian astronaut, Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (ESA), will be the pilot of the planned two-week mission to lower Earth orbit next year that will test lunar landers from private companies <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/26/nasa-jeff-bezos-blue-origin">Blue Origin</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex">SpaceX</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/09/artemis-iii-crew-nasa-moon">Continue reading...</a> Nasa Space The moon US news Europe Science World news SpaceX Blue Origin Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:07:04 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/09/artemis-iii-crew-nasa-moon Photograph: Bill Stafford/NASA/AP Photograph: Bill Stafford/NASA/AP Photograph: Bill Stafford/NASA/AP Richard Luscombe 2026-06-09T17:07:04Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/muscle-growth-drug-lean-body-mass-slimming-jabs <p>Trial suggests monoclonal antibody can help retain lean body mass when losing weight with GLP-1 medicines</p><p>A drug that promotes muscle growth could significantly reduce the loss of lean body mass when using slimming jabs, research suggests.</p><p>While GLP-1 based jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/may/17/weight-loss-drugs-altering-views-how-body-brain-work">proved highly effective</a> at helping people who are overweight or obese, experts <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/jun/04/ive-lost-my-butt-how-rapid-weight-loss-can-leave-you-with-less-muscle-and-more-fat">have warned</a> it is not only fat that is lost. Studies suggest 25-40% of total weight loss is down to a reduction in lean body mass – non-fat components of the body, including muscle.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/muscle-growth-drug-lean-body-mass-slimming-jabs">Continue reading...</a> Weight-loss drugs Medical research Health Obesity Fitness Science Diabetes Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:00:30 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/muscle-growth-drug-lean-body-mass-slimming-jabs Photograph: ljubaphoto/Getty Images Photograph: ljubaphoto/Getty Images Photograph: ljubaphoto/Getty Images Nicola Davis Science Correspondent 2026-06-08T15:00:30Z https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/11/millions-homes-london-essex-and-kent-sinking-climate-crisis-subsidence <p>Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations down</p><p>Millions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according to an analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).</p><p>As <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/20/britain-must-think-like-a-hot-country-otherwise-inequalities-will-only-grow">hotter, drier summers</a> driven by global heating become more frequent, the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property’s foundations. The most vulnerable areas include London, Essex, Kent and a tranche of land from Oxford up to the Wash on England’s east coast, according to scientists, who say mitigation measures will be needed.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/11/millions-homes-london-essex-and-kent-sinking-climate-crisis-subsidence">Continue reading...</a> Environment Climate crisis Property Science Money London Essex Kent Oxford UK weather UK news Thu, 11 Jun 2026 05:00:07 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/11/millions-homes-london-essex-and-kent-sinking-climate-crisis-subsidence Photograph: Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy Photograph: Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy Photograph: Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy Hannah Devlin Science correspondent 2026-06-11T05:00:07Z https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/10/weight-loss-drugs-grocery-bills-glp-1s <p>Research suggests households that include a GLP-1 user collectively spent £780m less on grocery bills</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/jun/10/asian-stocks-fall-us-iran-exchange-fire-middle-east-strait-of-hormuz-oil-prices-latest-news-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Weight-loss drugs are saving users’ households more than £400 a year on grocery bills, according to a survey, which found use of GLP-1s has nearly tripled in the past two years to 1.9 million adults.</p><p>More than 6.3% of households in Great Britain now include at least one GLP-1 user, according to the research by Worldpanel by Numerator. This marks a sharp rise from 4.1% of households in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/10/weight-loss-drugs-grocery-bills-glp-1s">Continue reading...</a> Supermarkets Retail industry Business Weight-loss drugs Science UK news Diets and dieting Food & drink industry Life and style Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:29:38 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/10/weight-loss-drugs-grocery-bills-glp-1s Photograph: Ashok Saxena/Alamy Photograph: Ashok Saxena/Alamy Photograph: Ashok Saxena/Alamy Joanna Partridge 2026-06-10T13:29:38Z https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/09/christian-leaders-alarmed-by-climate-crisis-raise-questions-over-gb-news-owners-28m-church-donations <p>Exclusive: Sir Paul Marshall’s climate views and those broadcast on GB News said to be ‘in direct opposition’ to those of Church of England</p><p>The co-owner of GB News, a British TV channel accused of broadcasting climate change denial, has donated £28m to influential Church of England institutions that support climate action.</p><p>This raises “serious questions”, say Christian leaders, given that Sir Paul Marshall’s views on the climate crisis and those frequently broadcast on the TV channel are “in direct opposition” to the Church of England, which <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/church-england-environment-programme">believes that</a> “responding to the climate crisis is an essential part of our responsibility to safeguard God’s creation and achieve a just world”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/09/christian-leaders-alarmed-by-climate-crisis-raise-questions-over-gb-news-owners-28m-church-donations">Continue reading...</a> Climate science scepticism and denial GB News Climate crisis Anglicanism Christianity Media Religion Science Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:00:46 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/09/christian-leaders-alarmed-by-climate-crisis-raise-questions-over-gb-news-owners-28m-church-donations Photograph: CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Photograph: CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Photograph: CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images Damian Carrington Environment editor 2026-06-09T06:00:46Z https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/monday-briefing-are-we-any-closer-to-a-cure-for-cancer <p>In today’s newsletter: ​Researchers are giving us new insights into early detection and treatments, but with access to life-saving care remaining uneven patients still have a long road ahead</p><p></p><p>Good morning. Israel has returned fire on Iran following a wave of missile strikes, the first attacks between the two countries since April’s ceasefire, despite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/08/trump-briefing-israel-iran-missile-attack-peace-deal">Donald Trump reportedly urging</a> Benjamin Netanyahu not to retaliate. The escalation threatens to drag the Middle East back into a regional war and raises fears that peace talks between Washington and Tehran could be derailed. But today we are looking at another – and possibly more hopeful – topic.</p><p>News of cancer, whenever it arrives, is never welcome. For most of human history, a diagnosis has been a death sentence. But increasingly, better drugs, better care and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/07/nhs-hospitals-adopt-faster-accurate-bladder-cancer-test">better testing</a> mean that this is no longer true for many. Survival chances have radically improved for several cancers in recent decades. More than 50 million people are alive today after a cancer diagnosis in the last 5 years, according to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/01-02-2024-global-cancer-burden-growing--amidst-mounting-need-for-services">World Health Organization</a>. Cancer mortality rates have <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/all-cancers-combined/mortality">decreased by almost a quarter</a> (23%) in the UK since the early 1970s.</p><p><em><strong>Middle East </strong></em>| Israel launched<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/israel-netanyahu-airstrikes-iran-retaliation-defies-trump"> airstrikes on central and western Iran</a> on Monday in apparent defiance of Donald Trump after he urged restraint over a reprisal attack by Tehran.</p><p><em><strong>UK news </strong></em>| Vulnerable families including women fleeing abuse are being <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/07/vulnerable-families-illegally-dumped-hundreds-miles-away-london-councils">illegally “dumped”</a> hundreds of miles away by London councils in a practice “ripping at the social fabric” of deprived towns.</p><p><em><strong>Ukraine </strong></em>| Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of the UK, France and Germany discussed “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/07/zelenskyy-starmer-macron-merz-ukraine-talks-london">the urgent need to scale up</a>” Ukraine’s air defences and deep-strike capabilities, after Russia fired hypersonic weapons at Ukraine.</p><p><em><strong>Technology </strong></em>| Silicon Valley companies including Meta have decided to embrace Maga politics, some for “rather more self-interested” reasons, the former UK deputy prime minister <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/08/silicon-valley-meta-maga-politics-nick-clegg">Nick Clegg has said</a>.</p><p><em><strong>UK politics </strong></em>| David Lammy has said he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/07/david-lammy-jd-vance-wrong-henry-nowak-murder">told the US vice-president</a>, JD Vance, he was “wrong” to blame the murder of the British teenager Henry Nowak on mass migration.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/monday-briefing-are-we-any-closer-to-a-cure-for-cancer">Continue reading...</a> Cancer Cancer research Health Science Medical research Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:46:34 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/08/monday-briefing-are-we-any-closer-to-a-cure-for-cancer Photograph: Phanie/Sipa Press/Alamy Photograph: Phanie/Sipa Press/Alamy Photograph: Phanie/Sipa Press/Alamy Patrick Greenfield 2026-06-08T05:46:34Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/08/someone-lying-courts-jurors-truth-body-language <p>We are in dangerous territory as courts encourage jurors to discern untruth from body language. In fact, the words are far more revealing</p><p>Imagine you are a juror on a murder trial. A married couple have been found shot dead. The defendant, a man known to them, denies the charge. You’ve heard the prosecution’s evidence and you’ve heard his testimony. But you and your fellow jurors are unsure if you should believe his protestations of innocence. At the hotel in the evening, another juror makes a novel suggestion: contact the spirits of the dead couple to find out if the defendant is lying. In agreement, you all sit around a crudely constructed <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/30/ouija-board-mystery-history">Ouija board</a> and call upon the spirits of the dead couple to ask: “Who killed you?” The board spells out the name of the defendant. The next day, you return a guilty verdict to the court.</p><p>Sounds too absurd to be true? Well, in 1994 an English jury <em>did</em> <a href="https://stacklaw.com.au/news/criminal-law/ouija-board-used-by-uk-jury-to-determine-verdict-in-murder-trial">consult a Ouija board</a> (a retrial was ordered, and the defendant was found guilty again). But it is no more absurd than a jury being directed by the courts to use an assessment of body language to make a judgment. Judicial directions in Scotland <a href="https://judiciary.scot/docs/librariesprovider3/judiciarydocuments/jury-manual/20240903-jury-manual.pdf?sfvrsn=8bbad1fe_1">advise jurors</a> that they can “look at the content of witnesses’ evidence, [and] their body language in giving it”. Similarly, in England and Wales, jurors are instructed <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/crown-court-compendium-october-2025/">not to take so many notes</a> during a trial that they are “unable to observe the manner/demeanour of the witnesses as they give their evidence”. It appears that the UK’s judicial system is no different from most of the population in assuming there is a clear association between body language or demeanour and deception – while being ignorant of the fact that looking at these to determine an individual’s honesty is not trustworthy.</p><p>Kirsty King is a lecturer in communication at UCL. She is the author of The Language of Lies</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/08/someone-lying-courts-jurors-truth-body-language">Continue reading...</a> Psychology Science Law UK news Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:00:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/08/someone-lying-courts-jurors-truth-body-language Composite: Wragg/Alex Mellon for the Guardian : Getty Images Composite: Wragg/Alex Mellon for the Guardian : Getty Images Composite: Wragg/Alex Mellon for the Guardian : Getty Images Kirsty King 2026-06-08T07:00:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/07/the-guardian-view-on-cancer-treatments-new-hope-for-patients-now-and-in-the-future <p>A drug for pancreatic cancer shows immense promise, but we shouldn’t forget research in the field is a story of small victories</p><p>It is unlikely that we will ever declare a final victory over cancer. Governments have often promised it: from&nbsp;Nixon’s 1971 “war on cancer” to the 2016 Obama‑Biden plan to fight and cure it “once and for all”&nbsp;and Sajid&nbsp;Javid’s 2022 “war on cancer” initiative&nbsp;in&nbsp;the UK. But framing it this way can obscure&nbsp;how real progress is made: not in stunning routs, but in stalling&nbsp;and turning&nbsp;back the advance of this terrible condition – often in simply giving people more time to live.</p><p>Several such breakthroughs, and a bigger one that could transform the treatment of multiple kinds of cancer over the next decade, emerged at last week’s American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago. As the Guardian revealed, there is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/cancer-jab-can-eradicate-entire-tumours-in-patients-trial-shows">new jab</a> effective against head and neck cancers in some patients, and a new immunotherapy that could <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/02/drug-bladder-cancer-life-changing-surgery-durvalumab">spare bladder cancer patients</a> invasive and life-changing surgery. Most significantly, there is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/31/daily-pill-daraxonrasib-double-survival-time-pancreatic-pancreas-cancer-clinical-trial">new drug called daraxonrasib</a>, which doubled survival time for pancreatic cancer patients in a recent clinical trial.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/07/the-guardian-view-on-cancer-treatments-new-hope-for-patients-now-and-in-the-future">Continue reading...</a> Cancer research Cancer Society Health Drugs Science Pancreas cancer Pharmaceuticals industry US news Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:25:02 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/07/the-guardian-view-on-cancer-treatments-new-hope-for-patients-now-and-in-the-future Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Editorial 2026-06-07T16:25:02Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/01/cancer-good-bad-ugly-breakthroughs-optimism <p>It’s natural to focus on breakthroughs, but there are many challenges in Britain and around the world. There is no magic bullet, but there’s room for optimism</p><p>Cancer causes nearly <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer">one in six deaths worldwide every year</a>, some 10 million all told. That is a stunning number, but it also masks the reality that some cancers are more deadly than others. We have become remarkably good at detecting and treating <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/melanoma-skin-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates-for-melanoma-skin-cancer-by-stage.html">melanoma</a> and <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html">prostate cancer</a>, for example, and today five-year survival rates for those cancers are well over 90% in most rich countries. Others, such as pancreatic cancer, are more difficult. In the UK, just <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/pancreatic-cancer/survival">over one in 20 people</a> with pancreatic cancer are still alive five years after diagnosis.</p><p>That is why a new drug for pancreatic cancer, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/31/daily-pill-daraxonrasib-double-survival-time-pancreatic-pancreas-cancer-clinical-trial">called daraxonrasib</a> and announced at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (Asco) annual meeting in Chicago at the weekend, has been met with such jubilation. The drug – taken as a pill once a day – doubled the survival time of those enrolled in a 500-person trial, with fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. The drug works by shutting down a protein, Kras, that causes cancer cells to grow and divide. One longtime cancer researcher reported that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/31/daily-pill-daraxonrasib-double-survival-time-pancreatic-pancreas-cancer-clinical-trial">she cried reading</a> the results. With so few effective treatments for this cancer available, the drug is likely to be a real game-changer.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/01/cancer-good-bad-ugly-breakthroughs-optimism">Continue reading...</a> Cancer Cancer research Health Medical research Society Science UK news Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:19:30 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/01/cancer-good-bad-ugly-breakthroughs-optimism Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Illustration: Guardian Design Devi Sridhar 2026-06-01T17:19:30Z https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/24/hill-i-will-die-on-hollywood-blockbusters-science <p>Project Hail Mary, Jurassic Park: from dino-mosquitoes to a spaceship’s roar, pointless mistakes on the scientific details make me wince</p><p>On the advice of my teenage son, I recently went to the cinema to see <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/10/project-hail-mary-review-ryan-goslings-charm-carries-unserious-last-ditch-space-mission">Project Hail Mary</a>. The film has science in it. I am a science writer and so he was convinced I would like it.</p><p>Imagine my surprise partway through, however, when I found myself seething so hard I thought I would combust. Ryland Grace – the main character and a molecular biologist who <em>should</em> have known better – had just put two plastic tubes into a centrifuge NEXT to each other!</p><p>Helen Pilcher is a science writer and author of <a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/life-changing-9781472956729/">Life Changing: How Humans are Altering Life on Earth</a> and <a href="https://guardianbookshop.com/this-book-may-cause-side-effects-9781805461432/">This Book May Cause Side Effects</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/24/hill-i-will-die-on-hollywood-blockbusters-science">Continue reading...</a> Science fiction and fantasy films Science Star Wars Jurassic Park Film Physics Culture UK news Sun, 24 May 2026 10:30:54 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/24/hill-i-will-die-on-hollywood-blockbusters-science Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images Helen Pilcher 2026-05-24T10:30:54Z https://www.theguardian.com/environment/audio/2026/jun/09/the-dinosaurs-who-survived-the-asteroid-podcast <p>While many dinosaurs were wiped out when a colossal asteroid struck Earth 66m years ago, one group survived: birds. Prof Steve Brusatte, a palaeontologist at the University of Edinburgh, has written a new book, The Story of Birds, tracing the evolution of our feathered friends from their dinosaur origins. He joins science correspondent Nicola Davis to discuss how scales first became feathers, how winged dinosaurs survived the impact of the asteroid and why their extreme adaptability offers hope that birds might also make it through the current environmental crisis</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/audio/2026/jun/09/the-dinosaurs-who-survived-the-asteroid-podcast">Continue reading...</a> Birds Science Dinosaurs Evolution Fossils Biology Animals Environment Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:45 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/environment/audio/2026/jun/09/the-dinosaurs-who-survived-the-asteroid-podcast Photograph: Pascal Goetgheluck/ESRF/PA Photograph: Pascal Goetgheluck/ESRF/PA Photograph: Pascal Goetgheluck/ESRF/PA Presented by Nicola Davis; produced by Madeleine Finlay; sound design by Ross Burns; executive producer Ellie Bury 2026-06-09T04:00:45Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/04/heatstroke-sports-washing-and-var-psychology-the-science-of-the-world-cup-podcast <p>It’s just a week until the first whistle of the 2026 World Cup. To mark the occasion, Madeleine Finlay talks to Ian Sample about the science behind the tournament. It’s likely to be one of the hottest ever World Cups, and scientists have written to Fifa asking it to reconsider its heat mitigations for players and referees. Dr Oliver Gibson of Brunel University outlines their concerns. Also on the agenda is the huge fossil-fuel impact of the tournament, and the effect of VAR on the psychology of referees and fans</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/footballweekly">Subscribe to Football Weekly for coverage of all the World Cup games</a></strong></p><p>Support the Guardian: <a href="http://theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/04/heatstroke-sports-washing-and-var-psychology-the-science-of-the-world-cup-podcast">Continue reading...</a> World Cup 2026 Science Fifa Football World Cup Sport World news Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:00:26 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/04/heatstroke-sports-washing-and-var-psychology-the-science-of-the-world-cup-podcast Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters Presented and produced by Madeleine Finlay, with Ian Sample; sound design by Ross Burns; executive producer Ellie Bury 2026-06-04T04:00:26Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/02/the-incredible-science-of-the-sleeping-brain-podcast <p>Humans have been wondering why we sleep for thousands of years. Is sleep’s purpose rest and relaxation, memory consolidation or maybe cognitive processing? In the last 15 years, scientists have discovered another possible explanation – waste disposal. In 2012 neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard’s lab discovered that the brain has its own cleaning process, the glymphatic system, which clears away unhelpful proteins and metabolic byproducts, and only switches on at night. Since that groundbreaking discovery we’ve learned more about what drives this system and, importantly, how it could be impacting dementia. To understand more, Ian Sample talks to Prof Nedergaard about how she made the original discovery and how subsequent work is building a picture of sleep as anything but a quiet and inactive state</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/mar/13/the-battle-to-boost-our-deep-sleep-and-help-stop-dementia">The battle to boost our deep sleep – and help stop dementia</a></strong></p><p>Support the Guardian: <a href="http://theguardian.com/sciencepod">theguardian.com/sciencepod</a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/02/the-incredible-science-of-the-sleeping-brain-podcast">Continue reading...</a> Science Sleep Health & wellbeing Neuroscience Tue, 02 Jun 2026 04:00:36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2026/jun/02/the-incredible-science-of-the-sleeping-brain-podcast Photograph: Jana Ilic Stankovic/Getty Images Photograph: Jana Ilic Stankovic/Getty Images Photograph: Jana Ilic Stankovic/Getty Images Presented by Ian Sample, produced by Ellie Sans, the sound design was by Ross Burns, the executive producer was Ellie Bury 2026-06-02T04:00:36Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/jun/09/nasa-unveils-astronaut-crew-for-artemis-iii-mission-video <p>Nasa revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission in Houston on Tuesday, the next step in the US space agency’s plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon. The announcement came two months after Artemis II’s record-breaking trip around the moon that surpassed the maximum distance achieved by Apollo 13. Nasa’s Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas and the European Space Agency’s Luca Parmitano will orbit Earth while practising docking their Orion capsule with two lunar landers</p><p></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/09/artemis-iii-crew-nasa-moon">‘Earth’s first starfleet’: Nasa reveals Artemis III crew and project’s next steps</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/jun/09/nasa-unveils-astronaut-crew-for-artemis-iii-mission-video">Continue reading...</a> Nasa Space The moon Science European Space Agency Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:21:07 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/jun/09/nasa-unveils-astronaut-crew-for-artemis-iii-mission-video Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Photograph: AFP/Getty Images 2026-06-09T18:21:07Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/there-is-no-way-to-stop-this-biotech-barbie-cathy-tie-on-her-mission-to-genetically-modify-babies <p>The Canadian entrepreneur has always pushed the boundaries of gene editing, once attempting to turn horses into unicorns. Now she is set on modifying human embryos – something her controversial ex-husband was jailed for doing</p><p>On a Friday evening in late April, Cathy Tie, the Canadian serial entrepreneur and self-styled “Biotech Barbie”, is centre stage at New York City’s famous Carnegie Hall, performing Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No 2 on a gleaming Steinway grand piano, accompanied by an orchestra. Her floor-length pink tulle gown shimmers with gold sequins; her dark hair cascades in waves over her caped shoulders. The music is passionate, but Tie’s expression is impassive. Her eyes dart between the piano keys and the sheet music in a flurry of concentration, but the rest of her face is totally still. She isn’t lost in the music; she’s focused on the job.</p><p>After the last notes ring out, Tie stands up and breaks into a tight smile and a brief bow before walking off stage, only to immediately return to receive the slightly awkward Happy Birthday sung by everyone in the orchestra and auditorium. This is Tie’s 30th birthday party. She has hired Carnegie Hall to mark the occasion. And, as I discover at the cocktail afterparty, most of the people invited to this performance – including me – have either only just met Tie or don’t know her at all.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/there-is-no-way-to-stop-this-biotech-barbie-cathy-tie-on-her-mission-to-genetically-modify-babies">Continue reading...</a> Gene editing Biotechnology industry Genetics Biology Science Sat, 30 May 2026 05:00:11 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/30/there-is-no-way-to-stop-this-biotech-barbie-cathy-tie-on-her-mission-to-genetically-modify-babies Photograph: Caroll Taveras/The Guardian Photograph: Caroll Taveras/The Guardian Photograph: Caroll Taveras/The Guardian Jenny Kleeman 2026-05-30T05:00:11Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/did-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers <p>The answer to today’s puzzle</p><p>Earlier today I set this elegant number puzzle. Here it is again with a solution.</p><p><strong>Nose to tail </strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/did-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers">Continue reading...</a> Mathematics Mathematics Education Science Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:00:29 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/did-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers Photograph: Kiszon Pascal/Getty Images Photograph: Kiszon Pascal/Getty Images Photograph: Kiszon Pascal/Getty Images Alex Bellos 2026-06-08T16:00:29Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/can-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers <p>This game is end to end!</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/did-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers">UPDATE: Solution is here</a></p><p>Today’s offering is for fans of the number 4. It’s a cute puzzle that offers up its solution in an elegant way.</p><p><strong>Nose to tail</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/can-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers">Continue reading...</a> Mathematics Mathematics Education Science Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:10:18 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/08/can-you-solve-it-do-you-have-a-snout-for-numbers Photograph: Dunca Daniel Mihai/Alamy Photograph: Dunca Daniel Mihai/Alamy Photograph: Dunca Daniel Mihai/Alamy Alex Bellos 2026-06-08T06:10:18Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/did-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles <p>The answers to today’s problems.</p><p>Earlier today I set these four chess puzzles. Here they are again with solutions.</p><p><strong>1. Oddities</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/did-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles">Continue reading...</a> Mathematics Mathematics Chess Education Science Mon, 25 May 2026 15:42:01 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/did-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles Photograph: 18percentgrey/Alamy Photograph: 18percentgrey/Alamy Photograph: 18percentgrey/Alamy Alex Bellos 2026-05-25T15:42:01Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/can-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles <p>Check it out</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/did-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles">UPDATE: Read the answers here</a></p><p>Today’s four puzzles are inspired by chess. (If you haven’t yet watched the recent documentaries on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/06/queen-of-chess-review-netflix-documentary-judit-polgar-garry-kasparov">Judit Polgár</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/07/untold-chess-mates-review-hans-niemann-magnus-carlsen-netflix">Hans Niemann</a>, I recommend them.)</p><p><strong>1. Oddities</strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/can-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles">Continue reading...</a> Mathematics Mathematics Chess Education Science Mon, 25 May 2026 06:10:17 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/25/can-you-solve-it-are-you-on-board-with-these-quirky-chess-puzzles Photograph: Tetra Images/Alamy Photograph: Tetra Images/Alamy Photograph: Tetra Images/Alamy Alex Bellos 2026-05-25T06:10:17Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/may/23/spacex-rocket-bursts-into-flames-during-indian-ocean-landing-video <p>SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight on Friday. It was an upgraded version of the spacecraft Nasa is counting on to land astronauts on the moon. It blasted off from the southern tip of Texas, carrying 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the hour-long flight that stretched halfway around the world. Despite some engine trouble, the spacecraft reached its final destination in the Indian Ocean where it erupted into flames on impact. The fire was not unexpected, according to SpaceX</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/22/spacex-launch-texas-test-flight">SpaceX launches its biggest rocket yet in test flight from Texas</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/may/23/spacex-rocket-bursts-into-flames-during-indian-ocean-landing-video">Continue reading...</a> SpaceX Elon Musk Texas Nasa Space US news Sat, 23 May 2026 10:20:03 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/may/23/spacex-rocket-bursts-into-flames-during-indian-ocean-landing-video Photograph: AP / SpaceX Photograph: AP / SpaceX Photograph: AP / SpaceX 2026-05-23T10:20:03Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/apr/11/astronauts-back-on-earth-artemis-ii-crew-splashes-down-after-record-breaking-moon-flyby-video <p>The Artemis II, and the four astronauts aboard the Orion space capsule, splashed down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday night, with all four astronauts in good health. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch of Nasa, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen, have just become the first humans to travel to the moon, and return to Earth safely, since the crew of Apollo 17 in December 1972</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/10/artemis-ii-landing-return-moon-mission">‘Just the beginning’: Artemis II crew splashes down after record-breaking moon flyby</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2026/apr/11/artemis-ii-splashdown-in-pictures">Artemis II splashdown! – in pictures</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/apr/11/astronauts-back-on-earth-artemis-ii-crew-splashes-down-after-record-breaking-moon-flyby-video">Continue reading...</a> Artemis II Space US news World news The moon Nasa Science Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:14:07 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2026/apr/11/astronauts-back-on-earth-artemis-ii-crew-splashes-down-after-record-breaking-moon-flyby-video Photograph: Bill Ingalls/Reuters Photograph: Bill Ingalls/Reuters Photograph: Bill Ingalls/Reuters 2026-04-11T08:14:07Z https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2026/apr/11/artemis-ii-splashdown-in-pictures <p>The world watches on as astronauts on the 10-day Artemis II mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off California on Friday</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/10/artemis-ii-landing-return-moon-mission">‘Just the beginning’: Artemis II crew splashes down after record-breaking moon flyby</a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2026/apr/11/artemis-ii-splashdown-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a> Artemis II The moon Space Nasa Science World news Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:46:34 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2026/apr/11/artemis-ii-splashdown-in-pictures Photograph: Apu Gomes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Apu Gomes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Apu Gomes/AFP/Getty Images Guardian Staff 2026-04-11T02:46:34Z