‘When can I reopen my shop?’ Small retailers questions answered

As some large retailers begin reopening stores ahead of a moderate relaxation of lockdown rules, it’s fair to say things are looking a bit brighter for businesses. But small retailers and independent stores lack the big budgets, sizeable staff and space that giant chains have and many are wondering how they can prepare to reopen … Read more

Sunflowers can help save Britain’s dwindling bumblebee population

Plants such as sunflowers and thyme could help save Britain’s dwindling bumblebee population, a new study suggests. Scientists have found that planting rows of pollinator-friendly plants – known as flowering strips – increases bee reproduction and population numbers. While these plants harbour the harmful parasite Crithidia bombi, associated with reduced bee foraging and mortality, reproduction benefits … Read more

Nearly EVERYONE who recovers from coronavirus develops antibodies to it, study finds

Nearly EVERYONE who recovers from coronavirus develops antibodies to it: 95% of patients had the immune cells within 3 weeks, Chinese study finds Chinese researchers studied blood from 285 coronavirus patients  Within the first week after diagnosis, 40% developed short-term antibodies, and 95% had them within two weeks  All of the patients developed longer term antibodies … Read more

Modern humans ‘co-existed with Neanderthals in Europe for 8,000 years’

Archaeologists working in a Bulgarian cave have unearthed the earliest direct evidence of modern humans ever found in Europe.  The landmark finding reveals that human migration reached Europe around 45,000 years ago, proving the first ever Europeans overlapped with Neanderthals for much longer than previously thought.  ‘Now we see there is a period of about … Read more

Etihad resumes flights between Melbourne and London from this week with strict hygiene protocols

Etihad announces that flights between Melbourne and London will resume this week – but passengers will have to follow strict hygiene rules Etihad Airways has announced flights between Melbourne and London to start The airline will begin flights from Melbourne to London from Friday, May 15 From May 21 flights from London to Melbourne will … Read more

Elderly in care face ‘postcode lottery’ on deferred payment agreements

Take-up of a scheme allowing people to delay selling their houses to pay care home fees exposes a ‘postcode lottery’, according to research by a law firm. A selective survey of 10 local authorities reveals that the rate of deferred payment agreements among self-funded care home residents ‘varies wildly’ from 0.9 per cent in East … Read more

NASA uses Nevada to test the Perseverance rover’s navigation technology ahead of Mars launch

NASA scientists travel to Nevada to test the Perseverance rover’s sensors and navigation technology in preparation for its 2021 arrival on Mars A team of NASA scientist traveled to Nevada to test the next Mars rover  Instead of bringing the full rover, they brought just its sensors and onboard tools Another team of 150 remote … Read more

Does taking medication encourage an unhealthy lifestyle?

As a nation, we take a lot of pills. One in four people in England take at least three different types of medication daily, according to NHS Digital. The two most commonly prescribed medicines are blood pressure pills and cholesterol-lowering statins — for which there are seven million prescriptions alone every year in the UK. … Read more