There has been a massive increase in UK Google searches for ‘home workouts’, ‘fish and chips deliveries’ and ‘baking recipes’ during the coronavirus lockdown. However, the use of search terms like ‘get a divorce’, ‘condoms’, ‘botox’ and ‘prom dress’ have all fallen radically since people began staying at home. The findings highlight how lockdown and social … Read more
A controversial scientific study claims there is a link between how much a young child watches screens and the likelihood of developing autism-like symptoms. It found that one-year-old children who spend large portions of time looking at screens were more likely to show autism-like symptoms at two years of age. Researchers from Drexel University in … Read more
SpaceX’s Starlink project has made a very visible appearance above much of western Europe, startling sky-gazers. A string of bright lights appeared to march uniformly across the sky last night, with photographers capturing the event and sharing footage on Twitter. Prominent comedian, science communicator and physicist Dara O’Briain took to Twitter to bemoan the man-made … Read more
Up to two billion smartphone users around the world won’t be able to use the coronavirus contact tracing app currently being developed by Apple and Google. Hundreds of millions of older smartphones still in active use don’t have the required software and Bluetooth to run the new app, which could be released next month. The … Read more
NASA and the European Space Agency are teaming up on a multi-billion project to bring a piece of Mars back to Earth. The agencies outlined the ambitious plan in a virtual meeting this week that involves sending up three different spacecraft – two of which will rendezvous in Mars orbit. The first step in July … Read more
Lyrid meteor shower 2020 coincides with a new moon on Tuesday giving stargazers especially dark skies to watch the celestial spectacle – with up to 15 shooting stars visible per hour The Lyrid meteor shower comes to skies in the Northern Hemisphere this month Experts say the peak will be between April 21-22 at the … Read more
ACLU warns contact tracing apps designed to monitor spread of COVID-19 could have ‘significant’ privacy risks if they do not have proper safeguards The ACLU says contact tracing apps will have to be made with privacy in mind It said that apps could have significant privacy risks if not designed properly Among other things the … Read more
NASA and SpaceX set to launch the first manned mission from US soil in 10 years by sending astronauts to the ISS on May 27 NASA and SpaceX will launch two astronauts aboard an American rocket May 27 This will be the first mission to leave from US to the ISS since 2011 The crew … Read more
One in five of the world’s large marine animals could go extinct in the next 100 years, according to a new study. Marine megafauna are most at-risk from climate change and 18 per cent could be lost forever by the year 2120, UK scientists say. This could rise to 40 per cent beyond this timeframe … Read more
Hong Kong dodged a major coronavirus outbreak — without resorting to a complete lockdown — by using a combination of targeted isolation and social distancing. As of March 31, the region had only 715 confirmed cases of COVID-19 — including 94 asymptomatic cases — and four deaths among the population of 7.5 million. Experts from from … Read more