Genetically modified lung functioned for nine days, in latest development in xenotransplantation aimed at solving organ shortage crisis Surgeons have transplanted a lung from a genetically modified pig into a brain dead human recipient for the first time and found it functioned for nine days, researchers have revealed. The work is the latest development in a technique called xenotransplantation t

Exposure to high temperatures could result in long-lasting damage to health of billions of people, scientists warn Repeated exposure to heatwaves is accelerating ageing in people, according to a study. The impact is broadly comparable with the damage smoking, alcohol use, poor diet or limited exercise can have on health, the researchers said. Extreme temperatures are increasingly common owing to

With the number of very hot days rising as well as average temperatures, more and more animals are vulnerable. But while some species can adapt, others are seeing huge population declines The residents of Tecolutilla, Mexico, knew the heatwave was bad when they heard the thuds. One by one, the town’s howler monkeys, overcome with dehydration and exhaustion, were falling from the trees like apples

Since our early ancestors came down from the canopy, we may think we have learned how to live without trees. But our lives remain intertwined in incredible ways Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a tree. She had deep-set brown eyes and brown hair. She ate fruit – orange mangosteen and black juniper berries – crunched on nuts, sucked on sweet grasses and chewed juicy leaves, and dug up

The constellation contains no bright stars – but once seen seems to dominate its patch of night sky In August, track down the constellation of Hercules, the hero. It is well placed from the northern hemisphere at this time of year, but finding it requires a little bit of celestial sleuthing owing to the fact that the constellation contains no really bright stars. Once seen, however, it seems to d

Elon Musk’s ambitious timetable for reaching the moon and conquering Mars left hanging in the balance The launch of Elon Musk’s gargantuan Starship space rocket was scrubbed late on Sunday afternoon, with the billionaire entrepreneur’s ambitious timetable for reaching the moon and conquering Mars left hanging in the balance. SpaceX said it was standing down from the launch to “allow time to troub

Social media is helping drive trade in skulls, bones and skin products as UK legal void risks new era of ‘body snatching’ “When it comes to human stuff, I’ll take anything, pretty much,” says Henry Scragg. “As long as it’s been ethically sourced, may I add.” Speaking from his macabre curiosities shop in Essex in a recent YouTube interview, Scragg wears a shabby bowler hat, has tribal-style face t

The organisation that manages the Square Kilometre Array Observatory has denied whistleblower allegations of financial mismanagement Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast It is hailed as a global endeavour to explore the hidden universe – a powerful telescope comprising more than 130,000 antennae being built in outback Western Australia . Along with a sister telescope in So

Istiorachis macarthurae, named after sailor Ellen MacArthur, had a pronounced sail along its back that may have been used to attract mates Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur with an “eye-catching sail” along its back and tail that may have been used to attract mates. The iguanodontian dinosaur, whose fossils were found on the Isle of Wight, was identified by Dr Jeremy Lockwood,

Satellite mega-constellation missions behind threefold increase in emissions of climate-altering soot and CO 2 Scientists are calling for a new global regime to address air pollution caused by the space industry. Prof Eloise Marais’s team at University College London (UCL) began tracking space activities in 2020. Their latest figures reveal 259 rocket launches in 2024, and 223 launches in 2023. T

Researchers ‘shocked’ to discover some species settling down for sleep 50 minutes later than rural counterparts Urban birds stay up significantly later than their rural counterparts, according to research that highlights the impact of light pollution on wildlife. The study, based on recordings submitted by bird enthusiasts to a popular species identification and mapping website, showed that light

South Lake Tahoe resident was probably bitten by infected flea while camping in the area, local health authorities say A resident of South Lake Tahoe in California has tested positive for the plague, local authorities announced this week. A statement released on Tuesday by health officials in El Dorado county said they were notified of the situation by the California department of public health (

My friend Michael Waldman, who has died aged 83, was a palaeontologist and an inspiring teacher of geology. He discovered one of the most productive and important fossil sites in Scotland, and named several new species of extinct animals. Mike discovered the fossil site in 1971, during a Duke of Edinburgh school trip that he was co-leading to Skye. There, near the village of Elgol, he found the f

Researchers also suggest system could resolve problems with irregular and weather-dependent Earth-based supply Solar panels in space could cut Europe’s terrestrial renewable energy needs by 80% by 2050, a study has found. Using a detailed computer model of the continent’s future power grid, the researchers found that a system of space-based panels designed by Nasa could reduce the cost of the who

Charity says it is ‘outrageous’ tooth stem cell procedures are being advertised with claims about ‘treating’ autism Companies are making thousands of pounds by misleading parents with claims that collecting stem cells from their children’s teeth can be a treatment for diabetes and autism, an investigation has found. Tooth stem cell banking, also known as dental pulp cell banking, involves parents

‘Baby brain’ is often referenced jokingly and dismissively when discussing pregnancy and forgetfulness. But a new brain scan study reveals something more profound: pregnancy does not weaken the brain, it rewires it. Neelam Tailor explores what this means for neuroscience and caregiving, and how little we still understand about women’s health Continue reading…

Jveuxdusoleil (‘I want sun’) taps into a key part of Parisian culture: drinks on the terrasse, as many fear the extinction of the bistro In August, Paris is uncharacteristically quiet as hordes of residents scatter to the country’s beaches and coasts for a yearly month of vacation. Businesses close and the city nearly grinds to a halt. Among those who remain, there is an eternal, quintessentially

Scientists have found the first robust evidence that people’s genes affect their chances of developing myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a mysterious and debilitating illness that has been neglected and dismissed for decades by many in the medical community. To find out more, Madeleine Finlay speaks to science editor Ian Sample and to Nicky Proctor, who has ME and to

Entrepreneur who overcame the odds to realise his vision of a spaceport in the Shetland Islands The serial entrepreneur Frank Strang, who has died aged 67 of oesophageal cancer , seized an unpremeditated opportunity to deliver the first licensed spaceport for vertical launches in western Europe, overcoming multiple barriers along the way. Having acquired a disused RAF radar station at the most no

Isotopes shows animal began life in Wales, adding weight to theory cattle used in hauling stones across country A cow’s tooth from a jawbone deliberately placed beside the entrance to Stonehenge at the Neolithic monument’s very beginning in 2995 to 2900BC could offer tantalising new evidence about how the stones were transported about 125 miles from Wales to Salisbury Plain. Analysis of the third

Analysis of blood samples finds women with the disease have 20% lower levels, a pattern not seen in men Women should ensure they are getting enough omega fatty acids in their diets according to researchers, who found unusually low levels of the compounds in female patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The advice follows an analysis of blood samples from Alzheimer’s patients and healthy individuals,

Flash of light visible for hundreds of miles was an exceptionally bright meteor, say experts A huge fireball dashed across the skies of western Japan, shocking residents and dazzling stargazers, though experts said it was a natural phenomenon and not an alien invasion. Videos and photos emerged online of the extremely bright ball of light visible for hundreds of miles shortly after 11.00pm local

Why evolutionary theory should be applied to peacocks, politics, iPhones and quite a lot in between Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition, but then again no one could have predicted the giraffe, the iPhone or JD Vance. The laws of physics don’t demand them; they all just evolved, expressions of how (for better or worse) things happened to turn out. Ecologist Mark Vellend’s thesis is that to und

Triggerplants in particular live up to their name with a rapid response when touch-sensitive stamen are nudged Flowers are surprisingly touchy, especially their male parts, the stamens, with hundreds of plant species performing touch-sensitive stamen movements that can be endlessly repeated. Insects visiting Berberis and Mahonia flowers to feed on nectar get slapped by stamens that bend over and

American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children as young as six months and up to 23 months get the shot The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is urging that children as young as six months and up to 23 months receive the Covid-19 vaccine – a position that diverges from the current federal guidance given by the Trump administration ’s health agencies. The AAP released its updated childhood i

Deaths from short-term exposure to fine particulates spewed by forest fires underestimated by 93% Choking smoke spewed by wildfires is far more dangerous than previously thought, a new study has found, with death tolls from short-term exposure to fine particulates underestimated by 93%. Researchers found that 535 people in Europe died on average each year between 2004 and 2022 as a result of brea

The solutions to today’s teasers Earlier today I set you three puzzles from Tasty Japanese Morsels in Recreational Mathematics. Here they are again with solutions. 1. Squid game Continue reading…