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It's time to give the pedometer a break and embrace lifting weights

The incredible benefits of strength training are only just becoming apparent. That's good timing, when working out indoors is beneficial to everyone's health




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Can breathing exercises really help protect you from covid-19?

Taking deep breaths and forcing a cough can help clear mucus, but these techniques are unlikely to prevent or treat coronavirus infections – here’s why




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Toddlers born with Zika virus seem to be affected in multiple ways

Thousands of babies were born with severe brain damage after the 2015 Zika outbreak. New findings could tell us which therapies could help them most




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An unequal society means covid-19 is hitting ethnic minorities harder

People from an ethnic minority are disproportionately affected by covid-19. Researchers say the reasons are rooted in existing social and healthcare inequalities




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Some babies who were born prematurely have weaker hearts as adults

People born prematurely may have weaker hearts that recover less well after exercise, potentially explaining their increased risk of heart disease




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How to protect your mental health in the time of coronavirus

From social isolation to working on the front line, the mental health challenges of the pandemic are wide reaching. We ask experts how to protect ourselves




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Not getting enough sleep may make you misread emotions on Zoom calls

Getting less sleep for five nights in a row can make you view other people’s expressions more negatively, including facial reactions seen over video calls




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7 mental health expert tips on how to cope with the covid-19 pandemic

Whether you are at home alone or juggling work and family, those working in mental health share their advice on how to cope with the covid-19 pandemic




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Waste water tests could monitor 2 billion people for the coronavirus

We need to scale up testing efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, and looking for signs of virus RNA in our sewage could provide a shortcut




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BCG vaccine being trialled as potential protection against covid-19

A long-standing hypothesis suggests the BCG vaccine also serves to generally enhance the immune system, meaning it could protect against covid-19, and trials are under way to find out




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What the first coronavirus antibody testing surveys can tell us

We need to be very cautious about preliminary studies estimating how many people have already been infected by the coronavirus




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Pet food can contain drug-resistant bacteria that may pass to humans

Some dogs and cats may be passing gut microbes to their owners that withstand last-resort antibiotics, which can be needed to fight off pneumonia from a coronavirus infection




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What is it like to be a covid-19 contact tracer and what do they do?

Covid-19 contact tracers are part healthcare worker, part detective and part call centre operative. But what is the job really like? New Scientist spoke to one in Ireland to find out




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Research volunteers won't be told of their coronavirus genetic risk

Half a million people taking part in the UK Biobank, which gathers genetic information for researchers to study, won't be told if they turn out to be genetically vulnerable to the coronavirus




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Names of UK's coronavirus science advisers to be revealed

The membership of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has so far been kept secret, but a list of names will soon be published, the UK's chief scientific adviser has said




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Electrical devices implanted in the brain may help treat anorexia

In a small trial, implanting electrodes into the brain helped women with severe anorexia gain weight and feel less anxious and depressed




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The past can help us deal with the pandemic’s mental health fallout

Lessons learned from natural disasters and the military can help guide our responses to help people's mental health during the covid-19 pandemic




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Drinking coffee appears to cause epigenetic changes to your DNA

Coffee has been linked to changes on our DNA that affect how active certain genes are. The finding may help explain some of coffee's touted health benefits




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UK sets new target to recruit 18,000 contact tracers by mid-May

The UK government has set a new target of recruiting an army of 18,000 coronavirus contact tracers by the middle of May, to be in place for the launch of the NHS contact tracing app




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Why it’ll still be a long time before we get a coronavirus vaccine

Trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines are already under way, but it’s still likely to be years before one is ready and vaccination may not even be possible




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Rotten fish smell could detect awareness in people with brain injuries

It can be difficult for doctors to assess the level of consciousness in people who have had serious brain injuries, but observing their reaction to strong odours may help




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How many people have really died from covid-19 so far?

Looking at how many more people are dying than usual gives an idea of the coronavirus pandemic’s true effect – and suggests a far higher death toll in many countries




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We must act quickly to avoid a pandemic-related mental health crisis

We are already seeing the pandemic's effects on mental health, and we need to act urgently to avoid a full-blown crisis, says Sam Howells  




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Coronavirus: What does evidence say about schools reopening?

Many studies suggest coronavirus has low transmission rates among children, but there are still risks to reopening schools that were closed due to social distancing policies




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Are you more likely to die of covid-19 if you live in a polluted area?

A number of studies have found a link between air pollution and increased covid-19 deaths, but it isn't clear why. Both attack the lungs, but it could just be that more people live in polluted areas




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UK government won't say how many covid-19 contact tracers it has hired

The UK government has refused to say how many covid-19 contact tracers it has employed, with less than three weeks to go until its target of recruiting 18,000 of them by mid-May




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Transatlantic slavery introduced infectious diseases to the Americas

The remains of three slaves found in Mexico contain the earliest signs of the hepatitis B virus and yaws bacteria in the Americas, suggesting transatlantic slavery introduced these diseases




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People put on ventilators for covid-19 may need lengthy rehabilitation

Healthcare systems need to prepare for the extensive physiotherapy and mental rehabilitation that people put on ventilators for covid-19 will need as they recover




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Australia sees huge decrease in flu cases due to coronavirus measures

Australia recorded just 229 flu cases this April, compared with 18,705 last April, probably due to lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus




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Men are worse than women at estimating their height and weight

We tend to overestimate our height and underestimate our weight to fit society’s ideals, or because we think we're still the same as our younger selves




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What four coronaviruses from history can tell us about covid-19

Four coronaviruses cause around a quarter of all common colds, but each was probably deadly when it first made the leap to humans. We can learn a lot from what happened next




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Red light could be used to precisely target rheumatoid arthritis drugs

People with rheumatoid arthritis often take medicines that can have damaging side-effects, but a system that uses red light to deliver drugs exactly where they are needed could help




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Why is coronavirus deadly for some, but harmless in others?

To figure out what makes some people more vulnerable to severe cases of covid-19, we need to rethink what we know about infection




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Covid-19 shows why an infodemic of bad science must never happen again

Once the coronavirus pandemic is over, we must work out how to stop the spread of poor information that has helped make a bad situation that much worse




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Why countries should start weekly covid-19 testing for key workers

Many countries are focusing coronavirus testing on people who have covid-19 symptoms. But regularly testing all essential workers would have more of an impact




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How the covid-19 pandemic has led to a flood of misleading science

Amid the global coronavirus outbreak, a second epidemic of preliminary, unverified and misinterpreted research has broken out. Can it be fixed?




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Common herpes virus causes signs of Alzheimer's disease in brain cells

A study of brain cells in a dish adds to growing evidence that Alzheimer’s disease can be caused by herpes viruses, but antiviral treatment may help stop it




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BCG vaccine helps fight infections by boosting immune cell production

The BCG tuberculosis vaccine boosts the production of immune cells and this may explain how it protects newborns from dying of sepsis




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Brain cells reach out to each other through miniature cages

Mouse neurons trapped inside cages grow long appendages to connect to each other. Trapping the cells allows us to precisely control their growth




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Black people in England and Wales twice as likely to die with covid-19

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic




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New Zealand is close to wiping out covid-19 - can it return to normal?

New Zealand is on track to eliminate covid-19 altogether, but keeping the virus out for good will be a challenge, and the economic impacts are likely to hurt




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64 laser pointer attacks on aircraft recorded in Sask. since 2013

Laser pointer attacks on aircraft have become increasingly rare over the years in Saskatchewan, as figures from Transport Canada show.




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'The need to do more': Province unveils Saskatchewan suicide prevention plan

Pillars For Life: The Saskatchewan Suicide Prevention Plan, released Friday, "will guide activities specific to suicide prevention based on Saskatchewan’s context," Rural and Remote Health Minister Warren Kaeding said in a statement.




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Celebrating Mother's Day during COVID-19 pandemic

On a Mother's Day unlike previous ones, here are a few ideas to help you celebrate, whether your mom is near, far, or socially isolating.




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Mayor: La Loche grocery store to reopen after cleaning

"Right now it is a concern, but they're taking measures ... we'll be up and running again shortly."




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SHA considering First Nations, Métis data-sharing for COVID-19 cases

"If we don't have all the information in front of us to help us make decisions, then how do we flatten the curve and stop the spread?"




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Municipalities of Sask. president calls for amalgamation

"I think people are seeing that there is a problem. It's whether they are prepared to take that political risk to actually do something about it."




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'Honour their legacy': Sask. premier, lieutenant-governor mark 75th anniversary of VE Day

Canadian forces were involved in "six long years of fighting," Lt-Gov. Russ Mirasty said, urging people to take a moment to "remember them and to honour their legacy of peace."




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The Helpers: Sask. venture capital firm helps seniors connect with loved ones

Just over 300 iPads, with fully paid data plans, will be going out to Saskatchewan Health Authority long term care homes to help residents stay in touch with their families.