Health
-
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?
-
DNA could be the key to your perfect diet
Should we match our diet to our genes? A new multi-million-pound industry is promising people the perfect meal, all based on the results of a DNA test. Some scientists remain unconvinced.
-
Paving the way for the world’s master race
Is the human race splitting into two species? An evolutionary scientist predicts that we may one day have a ruling elite which is genetically different from the rest of humanity.
-
Star-gazing prophet sparks astrology row
Is astrology just harmless fun? Supporters think that it can comfort people who are afraid of the future, but sceptics fear that it encourages the gullible to choose fantasy over reality.
-
Tensions rise in great global vaccine race
Is liberal democracy going to be the biggest Covid victim? Russia and China have shunned safety to surge ahead in the search for a vaccine, reigniting old battles between East and West.
-
Boris battles the boffins over lockdown
Should we follow the science? As British politicians clash over whether to impose a corrective two-week lockdown, the role science plays in our decision-making has come under the spotlight.
-
Chaos, confusion, contradiction and karma
Is it right to say that Donald Trump’s Covid infection is “karma”? Did the truth-defying, science-mocking leader of the free world get what he deserves? Or is this just shallow moralising?
-
1m deaths and a debate tearing society apart
Is freedom more important than health? As fears of a second wave of the pandemic grow, a great chasm is developing between those who demand stronger measures and those who reject them.