Health
-
A grim toll and a question of responsibility
Should Boris Johnson resign? As the UK passed a terrible milestone, the Prime Minister faced hard questions about the government’s response to the pandemic, and how it measures up.
-
EU threatens to cut off vaccine supplies
Are coronavirus jabs the new currency of power? In the past, empires rose and fell on the back of salt, gold and oil. Now some argue it will be vaccines that reshape global politics.
-
Scientists on the brink of ‘ageing cure’
Would you want to live forever? In a new book, one scientist argues that we need to find a “cure” for the ageing process – but some think it would be a mistake to meddle with nature.
-
Virus brings a return of the Dunkirk spirit
Is it a good comparison? With tens of thousands of people volunteering to help with Britain’s vaccination programme, some see a parallel with the greatest rescue operation of World War Two.
-
Found! Light at the end of the tunnel
Could next week be a positive turning point for the world? As the vaccine rollout expands and Donald Trump leaves the White House, many believe it marks the start of a brighter chapter.
-
Learning to love our lives under lockdown
Can occasional lockdowns be good for us? Being confined to our homes by the pandemic has been a frustrating experience for many – but it has also produced some unexpected benefits.
-
Joy and anxiety as vaccine jabs start today
Are we all ready to go back to social life? As the world gears up for mass vaccination programmes, a return to normality is in sight. But some are in two minds about the prospect.
-
Elliot Page: I am transgender, says Juno star
Could this be a turning point for the film industry? A Hollywood icon has embraced his gender identity. Some say it is a landmark not only for him, but for the trans actors of tomorrow.
-
‘Hi, honey – your dinner’s in the test tube’
Should we welcome laboratory-grown meat? Its advocates say it will help the environment and save animals from needless suffering. But first, producers have to overcome the “yuck factor”.
-
Lockdown could be destroying your memory
Is memory a muscle? Lockdown could be causing forgetfulness, but humans have developed a number of ingenious methods to counter it, from memory palaces to mystical theatres to “chunking”.
-
Oxford creates a vaccine to cure the world
Is this going to be the universal vaccine – not just for the wealthy? The Oxford team has created a Covid-19 jab which seems to be highly effective, easy to use and widely affordable.
-
‘A breathtaking, beautiful day for science’
Was it pure science that saved us? Some are eagerly taking that as the lesson of yesterday’s new vaccine announcement – but it is worth asking whether there are other heroes in this story.
-
Lockdown loneliness reaches record levels
Is it the leprosy of our times? The latest statistics show that loneliness is soaring to unprecedented levels. To make matters worse there is a powerful taboo around admitting it in public.
-
Genes, vaccines, God – and a great debate
Is genetic modification wrong? Some people may refuse to take two new vaccines against Covid-19 because they are genetically engineered – but scientists assure us that the jabs are safe.
-
The miracle that promises a return to normal
Will life ever return to normal? After a breakthrough in the hunt for a vaccine to Covid-19, many newspapers predict the world will go “back to normal” – but what will “normal” look like?