Covid-19: Why we can't count on herd immunity for protection
13 August 2021
The threshold for eliminating covid-19 in the UK through herd immunity is out of reach, so it’s time to think about how to live with covid-19 as a seasonal disease
-
Subject
-
Section
-
Type
-
Topics
-
Author
-
Issue
-
Premium
Using microwave beams could let quantum computers be small but mighty
13 August 2021
A decades-old theory to simplify silicon quantum processors has been shown to work, potentially paving the way for vastly more powerful quantum devices
Ancient dog faeces show how our canine friends became omnivores
13 August 2021
Gut microbes helped ancient dogs eat starch-rich food when farming led to a change in diet for people and their animals, an analysis of 3500-year-old dog faeces reveals
Snake-like robot could explore Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus
13 August 2021
A snake-like robot made of giant screws and flexible joints that can travel across hard or loose surfaces and worm into tiny spaces such as tubes and tunnels may be key to exploring the interior of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus
Howler monkeys navigate using adaptable mental maps, just like humans
12 August 2021
Black howler monkeys move through their environment using mental maps that the primates modify and adapt as the landscape changes – a skill previously seen only in humans
Handheld railgun as powerful as an air rifle to go on sale in the US
12 August 2021
An electromagnetic rifle, a device that uses electromagnetic coils to push a steel projectile down its barrel, is now being offered for pre-order in the US
Mercury has almost no boulders on its surface and we're not sure why
12 August 2021
Researchers examined about 3000 of the best images we have of the planet Mercury, and only 14 of them contained boulders – far fewer big rocks than expected
What is a metaverse and why is everyone talking about it?
11 August 2021
Huge virtual events including Ariana Grande concerts held inside the video game Fortnite are the latest example of Silicon Valley's new favourite buzzword: a metaverse
3D-printed chain mail alternates between flexibility and rigidity
11 August 2021
A form of 3D-printed chain mail can alternate between being flexible and rigid as needed, meaning it could be used for more comfortable medical supports, strong but flexible military armour or even temporary bridges
Insect-killing plant found by Australian highway is new to science
10 August 2021
A newly described species of wild tobacco that scientists found growing next to a truck stop in Western Australia is covered in sticky glands that trap and kill small insects
