Health
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Cometh the hour, cometh the British boffin
Should we put the boffins in charge? As the emergency spreads, brainboxes such as Chris Whitty, the medical voice of calm, and Rishi Sunak, the Star Wars-loving chancellor, are on the rise.
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Let us spray: a nation goes into quarantine
Is Italy a grim warning to the world? There is anxiety and confusion on the ground as the country implements its most restrictive measures since World War Two, in its battle against Covid-19.
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Say hello to your new best friend: yourself
Could self-isolation be a blessing in disguise? In the coming days, we face sweeping new rules confining us to our homes. But across the ages, many people have found solitude beneficial.
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Darth Vader needs therapy, psychiatrists say
Does Darth Vader have borderline personality disorder? An academic paper by psychiatric researchers argues that he shows clear symptoms. And that we could all learn a lot by studying them.
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UK launches battle plan to fight Covid-19
Is personal freedom as important as public health? The UK has outlined sweeping emergency powers to stop Covid-19 – but should a democratic government use force to keep people healthy?
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Exposed: how toxic air reduces intelligence
How can we solve the air pollution crisis? Humans are losing almost three years of life on average because of outdoor air pollution – as well as huge reductions in cognitive ability.
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Eureka! Great novels really ARE good for us
Is literature better for you than self-help? New research suggests that traveling into the mind of another person is more helpful than studiously trying to understand our own thinking.
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No, a street lamp won’t give you the virus
Should conspiracy theories be banned? As the world continues to grapple with the threat of a coronavirus pandemic, troubling fake news about Covid-19 is spreading across the internet.
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Coronavirus: the maths behind the panic
How worried should we be? The headlines shout: “killer virus”, “crisis”, and “confusion”. Italy accuses misleading media of creating an “infodemic”. But what do the numbers say?
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Western life expectancy slows in ‘lost decade’
Has Western society stopped improving? A shocking new report shows that babies born in England will no longer live longer than their parents. Life expectancy in America peaked in 2014.
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Fury’s triumph ‘the greatest comeback in sport’
Can boxing be a force for good? One man has shrugged off his demons to become champion of the world. But the sport can lead to death and causes an alarming incidence of chronic brain injury.
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‘My whole world was swept from under my feet’
Should there be a “Caroline’s law”? After the reality TV presenter tragically took her own life, friends and politicians are calling on new media regulation to prevent merciless bullying.
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China, Covid-19 and the future of communism
Could Covid-19 be the death of communism? Demands for freedom of speech and anger at the government’s handling of the epidemic are plunging China into its biggest crisis in 30 years.
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China shuts down as new virus goes global
Can the coronavirus be contained? As the number of infected rises, the world is racing to isolate the disease and prevent a global pandemic. But some experts believe it is already too late.
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Personalised medicine is coming for your DNA
Is precision medicine always a good idea? Personalised treatments could represent the beginning of a golden new age of healthcare. But this might come at a cost to individual privacy.