Author: Andrew Rogers

Researchers in the US have successfully created human eggs from skin cells, opening the door to a potential revolution in fertility treatments. The early-stage work, led by Prof Shoukhrat Mitalipov at Oregon Health and Science University, could one day allow women who have lost their eggs due to age, illness, or chemotherapy to have genetically related children. The same process could also be adapted for same-sex male couples. The technique builds on cloning methods first developed in the 1990s with Dolly the sheep. Scientists removed the nucleus from female skin cells and transferred it into donor eggs that had their…

New Zealand’s fastest bird, the threatened kārearea falcon, has soared to victory in the country’s beloved Bird of the Year competition. Capable of reaching speeds of 200km/h as it dives for prey, the kārearea is New Zealand’s only endemic falcon and has now joined an exclusive club of double winners, having also taken the crown in 2012. Small, tawny and armed with powerful talons, the kārearea hunts other birds, lizards and even small mammals. With just 5,000 to 8,000 left in the wild, the species faces ongoing threats from introduced predators such as stoats, cats and hedgehogs that target their…

Wandering the supermarket aisles of 2025, you’ve likely stumbled across colourful cans promising “calm” or “focus.” Known as functional beverages, these drinks are infused with ingredients such as ashwagandha, lion’s mane mushrooms, L-theanine and magnesium – compounds marketed as natural boosters of mental wellbeing. The sector has exploded, with the global functional drinks market forecast to hit €212bn by 2030. A generational shift away from alcohol is fuelling growth, with 44% of Britons aged 18–24 now preferring low- or non-alcoholic alternatives, according to YouGov. “These products fit perfectly into today’s wellness culture, where people are more aware of their mental…

Jennifer Lawrence received the Premio Donostia 2025 Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival, becoming the youngest actor to earn the honor. The 35-year-old star, known for The Hunger Games and Don’t Look Up, used her platform to warn about threats to free expression in the US. “Our freedom of speech is under attack in America, including in the world of film,” she told reporters. Lawrence presented her new film Kill Me Love, also her first as a producer, and encouraged young filmmakers to persist in chasing their dreams. Reflecting on women’s place in Hollywood, she praised figures like Greta…

Early findings from a Cambridge-led trial suggest a promising new approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers found that combining a common diabetes drug, metformin, with the antihistamine clemastine may help repair myelin, the protective coating around nerves that is damaged in MS. The CCMR Two trial, funded by the MS Society, recruited 70 patients with relapsing MS. Over six months, those given the drug combination showed small but measurable improvements in nerve signal transmission compared with those on a placebo. Although the improvement – 1.3 milliseconds faster electrical signals between the eyes and brain – was too subtle for…

Women who miss their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease, according to new research. A study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, published in the British Medical Journal, tracked about 500,000 women who received their first screening invitation between 1991 and 2020. They were monitored for up to 25 years. The findings show that almost one in three women (32%) did not attend their first mammogram. Those who skipped it were less likely to attend later screenings, more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, and had higher death rates from breast cancer…

The world’s oceans have failed a crucial planetary health check for the first time, with acidity now beyond safe limits for marine life. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research reported that ocean acidity has crossed a critical threshold, making it the seventh of nine planetary boundaries now transgressed. The cause is primarily the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide that forms carbonic acid when absorbed by seawater. Ocean surface pH has dropped by about 0.1 units since the industrial era, representing a 30–40% increase in acidity. This change threatens corals, shellfish, and many organisms that rely on…

Amazon will close all 19 of its Fresh grocery stores in the UK, just four years after launching the till-free concept. Five locations will be converted into Whole Foods Market outlets, the organic grocery chain Amazon acquired in 2017. The first Fresh store opened in Ealing in 2021, using cameras and sensors to charge customers automatically as they left. But the concept faltered after the pandemic, with demand for contactless shopping falling and competition from Tesco and Sainsbury’s proving too strong. Amazon has not confirmed how many staff will be affected but said workers would be offered roles elsewhere in…

Vodafone franchisees warned the telecoms group as early as 2020 that commission cuts were having a “massive impact” on their mental health, years before 62 store owners launched a £120m high court claim against the company. The claimants, who represent nearly 40% of Vodafone’s total franchisees, allege that the company “unjustly enriched” itself by slashing commissions, leaving small business owners struggling financially and emotionally. A franchisee-led survey from September 2020, conducted weeks after Vodafone cut fees during the Covid pandemic, revealed deep dissatisfaction. Respondents gave Vodafone scores of just 1.75 out of 5 for trust and 1.67 for feeling valued.…

European leaders are exploring plans to build a “drone wall” along the EU’s eastern flank, following calls from Baltic states for stronger defence against Russian threats. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen endorsed the idea in her September 10 State of the Union address, calling it “the bedrock of credible defence.” The initiative—already being tested by Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland—relies on Eirshield, a multilayered system developed by Estonian firm DefSecIntel and Latvia’s Origin Robotics. Using radars, cameras, and AI-driven detection, Eirshield can automatically jam, block or intercept hostile drones, including fast-flying strike drones carrying warheads. The system has…