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Science

  • Electron microscope view of the human intestinal microbiome.

    Medical research
    Autism could be diagnosed with stool sample, scientists say

    Researchers found differences in the gut microbes of autistic people, raising hopes for faster diagnosis
  • Starwatch chart

    Starwatch
    Moon will obscure brightest star in Virgo

  • T Coronae Borealis star system

    Astronomy
    ‘Once-in-a-lifetime event’: rare chance to see explosion on dwarf star 3,000 light years away

  • Hands holding an intricate shoulder clasp.

    Archaeology
    Anglo-Saxons may have fought in northern Syrian wars, say experts

  • Professor Jacob Hanna, a specialist in molecular genetics at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, demonstrates his roller culture incubator used to grow synthetic mouse embryos in a lab in the Israeli central city of Rehovot on August 4, 2022

    Embryos
    Work on synthetic human embryos to get code of practice in UK

  • An artist's impression of an iron age farmstead enclosure on Attingham Estate in Shropshire.

    Archaeology
    Survey detects Roman villas and iron age farmsteads in Shropshire

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  • Embryo cells are extracted from Petri dish

    Fertility drug could lead to 7% increase in live births after IVF, trials show

  • Emissions rise from smokestacks at a coal power plant

    Air pollution can decrease odds of live birth after IVF by 38%, study finds

  • Woman browsing phone in bed

    ‘Frightening’ how easily women can get hold of testosterone, say doctors

  • Beyoncé performs onstage wearing a bright pink dress as her hair is blown into the air

    Melodies in chart-topping music have become less complex, study finds

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  • A galaxy (Photograph: ESO/M. Kornmesser/PA Wire)

    A black hole awakens and why some people avoid Covid: the week in science – podcast

  • An electron microscope image of coronaviruses.

    Covid immune response study could explain why some escape infection

  • Natacha Gray sitting in her wheelchair.

    ‘A 30-second walk would exhaust me beyond reason’: Natacha’s life with long Covid

  • A child under a duvet in pyjamas

    Concern over children with long Covid and theories on its cause

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  • Kenan Malik

    Biden, Putin, Xi, Modi: what is it that keeps old ideas, as well as old people, in power?

    Kenan Malik
  • Elle Hunt

    Scientists ignored ‘gay’ animals for years. When will we get over our human hang-ups about the natural world?

    Elle Hunt
  • TerraformMarspixie

    Earth is dying, you say? Whatever. Let’s build a Mars rocket!

  • Renée DiResta, former research manager of the Stanford Internet Observatory, testifies to the US Senate, 2018.

    Closing the Stanford Internet Observatory will edge the US towards the end of democracy

    John Naughton
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  • Caroline Lucas speaking in the House of Commons

    Caroline Lucas on climate, culture wars, and 14 years as the only Green MP - podcast

  • Insurrectionists with flags and red baseball hats, including QAnon conspiracist Jake Angeli, inside the US Capitol on 6 January 2021

    The surprising psychology behind extremism, and how politics is driving it – podcast

    A new study appears to show an unexpected link between ambivalence in our views and the likelihood that we’ll support extremist actions. Madeleine Finlay speaks to the study’s co-author Prof Richard Petty to find out what pushes people to take extreme actions and how it could be combated
  • Close up of a lock on a toilet door featuring the word 'pain'

    The infection that affects half of women and its link to antibiotic resistance – podcast

    Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Jennifer Rohn, head of the centre for urological biology at University College London, about what we now understand about how urinary tract infections take hold, and the complexity surrounding their treatment
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Key issues

  • Dr Joseph Cotter with the UK's first commercial quantum accelerometer for navigation.

    Physics
    ‘It’s the perfect place’: London Underground hosts tests for ‘quantum compass’ that could replace GPS

  • Electron microscope view of the human intestinal microbiome.

    Biology
    Autism could be diagnosed with stool sample, scientists say

    • Space
      Starwatch: moon will obscure brightest star in Virgo

    • Genetics
      ‘Weird and cool’: bilby genome sequence could help to save the species

    • Medical research
      Autism could be diagnosed with stool sample, scientists say

    • Psychology
      We often turn to loved ones for support but relationships can falter if our feelings are ignored

      Gaynor Parkin and Amanda Wallis
  • A proud mother duck leads her ducklings across a blue lake in Springtime.<br>P12NEY A proud mother duck leads her ducklings across a blue lake in Springtime.

    Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle
    Did you solve it? Simple puzzles almost everybody gets wrong

  • Posed by model Young handsome man over isolated background surprised with hand on head for mistake, remember error. Forgot, bad memory concept.

    Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle
    Can you solve it? Simple puzzles almost everybody gets wrong

  • Observer Tech Monthly OTM gift guide Christmas Xmas November 2015. Tetris lights.

    Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle
    Did you solve it? Try this triple Tetris teaser

  • Tetris 1984

    Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle
    Can you solve it? Try this triple Tetris teaser

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Multimedia

  • Boeing's Starliner spacecraft lifts off carrying two Nasa astronauts to ISS – video

  • Gliese 12b is the size of Earth, or slightly smaller, like Venus. And its surface temperature is estimated to be a balmy 42C

    Australian student helps discover potentially habitable planet the size of Earth – video

    Gliese 12b is the size of Earth, or slightly smaller, like Venus. And its surface temperature is estimated to be a balmy 42C
  • A swirling purple and green aurora above silhouetted trees

    Northern lights illuminate skies in US and Canada – in pictures

    Rare sightings of aurora borealis in North America as atmospheric phenomenon fills overnight skies from California to Ontario
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