Emily Smith

Nerve surgery can restore some control to the arm and hand following spinal cord injuryVasyl Dolmatov/Getty By Ruby Prosser ScullySurgeons have reanimated the hands and arms of people who are paralysed by connecting up working nerves to the injured ones, giving people the ability to use their phones, apply make-up and feed themselves again. The…

Humans 5 July 2019 David Burton/Alamy Stock PhotoBy New Scientist Staff and Press Association Bodies could start to be buried alongside main transport routes in the UK, as graveyards and cemeteries are running out of room. The suggestions comes from former regional director of public health John Ashton, who says places to bury the dead could run…

Life 5 July 2019 Sharks and rays can become entangled in plastic debrisMartin Stelfox/PA Wire By New Scientist Staff and Press AssociationMore than a thousand sharks and rays have become entangled in plastic debris, a study has found, with a greater number of species likely to be affected. A team at the University of Exeter…

Environment 5 July 2019 Human-drive global warming is worse than we thoughtTim Robberts/Getty By Michael MarshallAn oversight in historical weather records means we have underestimated how much the climate warmed last century. The finding means we are 0.1°C closer to passing the internationally-agreed limit of 2°C than we thought. “Global warming has been stronger than we…

Life 5 July 2019 Beavers bring benefitsTroy Harrison/Getty By Sam WongA whole host of different mammals appear to benefit from having beavers in the area. In forests where beavers have been introduced in Finland, their presence is linked to increased activity of several species, including moose, otters, and weasels. Beavers are described as “ecosystem engineers”…

#FactsMatter |Claims about the health benefits of organic foods are often linked to their higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants. Is organic food really better for you? James Wong investigates Health | Comment 3 July 2019 Daisy-Daisy/Alamy Stock PhotoBy James Wong IT STARTED with a leaflet on my doormat. In big, bold letters, a vegetable…

From the speed of global warming to the likelihood of developing cancer, we must grasp uncertainty to understand the world. Here’s how to know your unknowns Mind | Comment 3 July 2019 Josie FordBy Anne Marthe van der Bles TAKE a look at the headlines, and it seems we are pretty certain about the state…

Shops that let you bring your own containers aim to tackle the plastic packaging scourge, but they may not be the perfect solution Environment 3 July 2019 Getting rid of food packaging risks increasing the amount of food we throw awayOzgur Coskun / Alamy Stock Photo By Leah CraneSUPERMARKETS are full of food, but they…

The decision by Japan to resume commercial whaling should be condemned – if not for its uncertain effect on whales, then for its contempt for international agreements Life | Leader 2 July 2019 Japan started hunting whales for cash again on 1 JulyEIAimage ALL pretence of being “scientific” has now been dropped. On 30 June, Japan formally…

Technology 2 July 2019 The jellyfish robotRen et al. By Donna LuA tiny jellyfish-like robot could one day swim through the body to deliver drugs to the right location. Metin Sitti and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany designed a robotic jellyfish that can swim, burrow and transport objects. It…