Nina Massey

A group of high‑profile figures, including Prince Harry, Doreen Lawrence, Elton John, David Furnish, Simon Hughes, Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, are pursuing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited over alleged unlawful information gathering. The claims involve accusations of phone hacking, tapping, use of private investigators and intrusion into private lives. Several claimants have previously won damages from other publishers over similar practices. The High Court ruling in the current case is expected at 2pm.

Former Conservative health secretary Matt Hancock is challenging a High Court ruling that allowed former MP Andrew Bridgen’s libel claim to proceed to trial. The case concerns Hancock’s January 2023 post describing Bridgen’s comments about COVID-19 vaccines as “disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories.” Hancock’s legal team argues that the post expressed an honest opinion and warns that the claim could be used to undermine the COVID-19 vaccination programme, while Bridgen’s representative disputes the antisemitism characterization and argues that Hancock is trying to avoid a ruling on its meaning.

Matt Hancock is appealing a High Court decision allowing Andrew Bridgen’s libel claim over Hancock’s description of Bridgen’s COVID-19 vaccine-related statements as antisemitic, anti-vaccine and anti-scientific conspiracy theories. Hancock argues the post expressed honest opinion and constituted protected political speech, while Bridgen’s legal team says the wording was not antisemitic and that Hancock’s defence relies on incorrect interpretations. The Court of Appeal is considering whether the claim should proceed to trial.

The High Court ruled that Henry Thynn, the surrogate-born second son of Ceawlin and Emma Thynn, may potentially be added as a beneficiary to three family trusts connected to the Longleat estate. The trustees have not yet exercised that power because of possible US tax implications, but the decision removes uncertainty over Henry’s eligibility and aims to place him on an equal inheritance footing with his elder brother, John.

The High Court has approved trustees’ proposal to give the Marquess and Marchioness of Bath the power to add their son Henry, born through surrogacy in the United States, as a potential beneficiary of three family trusts linked to the Longleat estate. The ruling addresses uncertainty over whether his birth circumstances would otherwise exclude him. The power will not necessarily be exercised immediately because of potential US tax implications, but it could allow Henry to inherit after his elder brother and take priority over any later-born sibling.

Poundstretcher told the High Court that it will likely have to enter administration unless creditors approve a restructuring plan. The retailer faces funding shortfalls of £2.8 million in the week beginning June 28 and £9.7 million in the week beginning July 26. The plan seeks landlord rent reductions, a shift toward better-known brands and selective store expansion, while the company says it has no plans for store closures or redundancies. The court approved meetings with creditors on May 26, with a sanction hearing scheduled for June 4 if the plan receives sufficient support.

Unregulated sperm donor Robert Charles Albon, who claims to have fathered more than 180 children, lost his High Court application to be declared the legal father of a child conceived after a donation compensated with a £150 Amazon gift card. Sir Andrew McFarlane ruled that granting paternity would be manifestly contrary to public policy, citing evidence from an earlier case that Albon seeks to control others, lacks empathy and has donated sperm on an extreme scale. The child’s mother opposed legal recognition, and the judge concluded that Albon should not acquire parental rights or the ability to re-enter the family’s life.

Former Daily Mail showbusiness editor Nicole Lampert told the High Court that she relied on celebrity sources, freelance contacts and publicly available information for articles about Liz Hurley, Elton John, David Furnish and Sadie Frost. She acknowledged using private-investigation firm Express Locate International and said some inquiries may, in hindsight, have involved misleading people or failing to identify investigators, but denied requesting financial or medical information or phone hacking. Lawyers for the claimants argued that articles contained the fruits of unlawful information gathering, while Associated Newspapers strongly denies the allegations. The trial is expected to conclude in March, with judgment to follow.

Mitch Winehouse, administrator of Amy Winehouse’s estate, is suing her former friends Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay in the High Court over dozens of personal items sold at auctions in 2021 and 2023. His lawyers allege the women concealed their ownership claims and that Parry sold a dress from Winehouse’s final performance for $243,200. The defendants argue that most items were gifts, loans, or their own belongings, and say the sales reflected what Winehouse would have wanted. The 2021 auction raised about $1.4 million for the estate, with 30% going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, while the trial is expected to conclude later in the week.

Naturist Neil Cox’s legal challenge against his public order conviction will be heard at Manchester Civil Justice Centre after Mrs Justice Hill rejected his request to transfer the case to London. Cox’s lawyers argued that London would be quicker and less vulnerable to conscious or unconscious bias against naturism, while the judge found no proper basis for believing Manchester judges would be less impartial. Cox was convicted over an incident in Macclesfield, Cheshire, in August 2023.

Private investigator Gavin Burrows told the High Court that his signature on an August 2021 witness statement was forged and that much of its content was untrue. The earlier statement allegedly described extensive unlawful information gathering for the Mail on Sunday, while Burrows now denies ever being commissioned by the Daily Mail or its Sunday edition to conduct illegal activities. Associated Newspapers Limited denies the allegations. The court is considering whether Burrows should be called as a witness, with a further pre-trial hearing expected before the end of the year.

Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA and Formula One Management have asked the High Court to dismiss Felipe Massa’s £64 million claim challenging the outcome of the 2008 Formula One championship. Massa argues that officials failed to investigate Renault’s deliberate Singapore Grand Prix crash and that, had the race result been corrected, he would have won the title from Lewis Hamilton. The defendants say the claim is too late, improperly asks the court to revisit a sporting result, and ignores Massa’s and Ferrari’s subsequent racing errors. Massa’s lawyers argue that the case has a real prospect of success and should proceed to a full trial. The hearing is due to conclude on Friday, with a ruling expected later.

The High Court dismissed Credit Suisse’s $440 million claim against SoftBank Group over a restructuring involving Greensill Capital and construction company Katerra. Lord Justice Miles found that SoftBank did not know or suspect the agreements were intended to prejudice Credit Suisse, acted in good faith to support Greensill and recapitalize Katerra, and did not orchestrate an improper transaction. UBS, which acquired Credit Suisse, is reviewing the judgment and possible recovery steps, while SoftBank said the ruling vindicated its conduct.

Around 1.6 million motorists are pursuing claims against more than a dozen car manufacturers, alleging that diesel vehicles sold from 2009 onward used prohibited defeat devices to pass emissions tests while producing excessive nitrogen oxides in real-world driving. At a London High Court trial involving sample vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Nissan, Ford, and Peugeot and Citroen, motorists’ lawyers argue that the industry prioritized vehicle performance and sales over pollution controls. The manufacturers deny using unlawful devices and say the claims misunderstand legitimate emissions-control technology; Renault and Ford have described the case as fundamentally flawed. The three-month trial is expected to finish in December, with a ruling anticipated the following summer and compensation proceedings potentially later.

The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court injunction that would have prevented asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping beyond 12 September. Somani Hotels and the Home Office successfully argued against the injunction, which the appeal judges described as seriously flawed in principle. The timeline traces the hotel’s use for asylum accommodation, the council’s objections, the arrival of asylum seekers in spring 2025, subsequent protests and criminal allegations, and EFDC’s unsuccessful legal challenge.

The UK Supreme Court quashed the convictions of former traders Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo for manipulating Libor and Euribor, ruling that legally inaccurate and unfair directions had been given to the juries. Although the court said there was ample evidence on which properly directed juries could have convicted them, it could not conclude that guilty verdicts would have been inevitable. The Serious Fraud Office will not seek retrials, citing the public interest, ending prosecutions that produced nine senior banker convictions alongside several acquittals and guilty pleas.

The UK Supreme Court is due to rule on appeals by former traders Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, who were convicted and jailed for conspiring to manipulate Libor and Euribor submissions. Their lawyers argue that trial judges improperly directed juries and confused the central questions of dishonesty and benchmark-rate submissions. The Serious Fraud Office disputes those arguments, saying the convictions addressed the correct legal issues and that dishonesty was properly left to the jury.

Three long-standing Royal Albert Hall seat holders—Arthur George, William Stockler and Alexander Stockler—are suing the venue’s corporation in the High Court for more than £500,000. They allege that the corporation unlawfully excluded them from performances beyond the limits set by its rules and are seeking a declaration that the practice is unlawful, an injunction and an interim payment. The corporation disputes the application, says the case should go to trial, and argues that the claimants accepted or acquiesced in additional exclusive hires and that their complaints relate partly to financial matters.

Three long-standing Royal Albert Hall seat holders—Arthur George, William Stockler and Alexander Stockler—are seeking more than £500,000 in damages, arguing that the venue unlawfully excluded them from performances beyond the limits set by the Royal Albert Hall Act 1966. They also want an injunction preventing further restrictions and a ruling without a full trial. The corporation accepts that it has granted more exclusive lets than permitted but relies on member-approved guidelines and argues that the claimants consented to or acquiesced in the practice and suffered no compensable loss. The High Court hearing before Sir Anthony Mann is due to conclude on Friday.

Lucy Connolly’s appeal against her 31-month sentence for inciting racial hatred through an X post made on the day of the Southport attacks has been dismissed. The offence was classified as category 1A because it involved high culpability and widespread dissemination in a particularly sensitive social climate; the post was viewed about 310,000 times. The sentencing judge imposed 42 months before reducing the term by a quarter for her early guilty plea. The Court of Appeal held that the offence was correctly categorised and that the sentence was not manifestly excessive, rejecting arguments that Connolly’s mitigating circumstances outweighed the aggravating factors. Her husband and the Free Speech Union criticised the decision as unfair and disproportionate.

Lucy Connolly told the Court of Appeal that her online call to set fire to hotels housing migrants, posted after the Southport child killings, was written in distress and was never intended to incite violence. She said she deleted the post after calming down and later apologised. Prosecutors argued that it reflected anti-immigrant views and was intended to stir racial hatred and incite serious violence. Connolly, who pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred and received a 31-month sentence, is seeking to overturn or reduce her punishment. The court reserved its judgment.

The Court of Appeal rejected Louis De Zoysa’s bids to challenge his murder conviction and whole-life sentence for fatally shooting Metropolitan Police sergeant Matt Ratana in a Croydon custody cell in September 2020. De Zoysa argued that he had been wrongly deemed fit to plead and stand trial and that a whole-life order was inappropriate. The court dismissed both applications, with written reasons to follow. An inquest had previously found that officers failed to conduct a safe and systematic search, allowing De Zoysa to retain a gun despite bullets being found in his pocket.

Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants told the High Court that Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail, operated a widespread and systematic “web of illegal acts,” allegedly involving private investigators, phone tapping, obtaining private records and burglaries. Their barrister, David Sherborne, argued that excessive redactions prevented a full understanding of the alleged wrongdoing and sought wider disclosure. ANL’s counsel, Antony White KC, denied the claims, defended the redactions as protecting irrelevant material, legal privilege and confidential journalistic sources, and accused the claimants of attempting to expand their case without properly particularising the alleged acts. The preliminary hearing is examining disclosure issues rather than deciding the underlying allegations.

The Financial Conduct Authority told the Upper Tribunal that former Barclays chief executive Jes Staley knowingly took the risk of misleading regulators about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The FCA argues that Staley’s statements portraying Epstein as neither a close associate nor a recent contact were factually inaccurate and intended to distance him from Epstein’s misconduct. Staley’s lawyers contend that Barclays accurately answered the regulator’s actual question about whether he knew of or participated in Epstein’s offending, and deny that he downplayed their professionally close relationship. Staley is challenging a 2023 FCA decision that fined him more than £1.8 million and banned him from senior financial-sector roles; the tribunal hearing is concluding, with a ruling expected later.

A study of 666 adults in the United States found that greater consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with more fat stored within the thigh muscles, regardless of calorie intake, BMI, socioeconomic factors or physical activity. Researchers also reported effects on muscle quality and suggested that increased thigh-muscle fat could raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis. The findings, presented at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting, support healthy diets, exercise and obesity prevention as potentially modifiable factors in osteoarthritis management.

European Space Agency astronaut Rosemary Coogan says experiments conducted on the International Space Station have direct benefits for life on Earth. She highlights research into microgravity’s effects on bone and muscle loss, protein crystal growth, medical treatments and other biological sciences. Coogan is training at NASA for potential future missions and hopes to visit the station by 2030. ESA plans to send all five astronauts from its 2022 class to the station by 2030, while Sophie Adenot and Raphael Liegeois are scheduled for long-duration missions in 2026. Reserve astronauts John McFall and Meganne Christian are also beginning training to support future exploration and research.

Research involving around 600,000 European cases and 8,000 East Asian cases found genetic evidence suggesting depression may increase the risk of menstrual pain rather than the reverse. The study also linked sleep disturbances with more severe period pain, leading researchers to recommend a holistic approach that includes mental-health screening and attention to sleep. They stress that further research is needed to clarify the relationship.

A study involving genetic data from roughly 600,000 European cases and 8,000 East Asian cases found preliminary evidence that depression may increase the risk of menstrual pain, rather than menstrual pain causing depression. Researchers identified genes that may mediate the relationship and found that sleep disturbances could worsen period pain. They recommend a more integrated approach to mental and reproductive health, including mental-health screening for people with severe menstrual pain, while stressing that further research is needed.

A small University of Birmingham study found that consuming high-flavanol cocoa with a fatty meal prevented the decline in blood-vessel function observed when participants consumed a low-flavanol drink during mental stress. The study involved 23 healthy adults who completed a timed mental-arithmetic task after eating a high-fat breakfast. Researchers said the vascular effects of fatty food and stress persisted for up to 90 minutes, while minimally processed cocoa, green tea, black tea and berries may provide flavanols that help mitigate them.

An analysis of 11 large clinical trials involving 85,373 people found that GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide, dulaglutide and liraglutide, reduced the combined risk of kidney failure, worsening kidney function and kidney-disease death by 19%. The drugs reduced kidney-failure risk by 16%, worsening kidney function by 22%, cardiovascular events by 14% and death from any cause by 13%, compared with placebo treatments. Researchers said the findings applied to people with and without diabetes and could influence chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease guidelines, although further work is needed to improve clinical implementation and access.

An analysis of 11 clinical trials involving 85,373 people found that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduced the combined risk of kidney failure, worsening kidney function and kidney-disease-related death by 19%. The drugs reduced kidney failure by 16%, kidney-function deterioration by 22%, major cardiovascular outcomes by 14% and deaths from any cause by 13%, with benefits seen in people both with and without diabetes. Researchers say the findings could influence chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease guidelines, although further work is needed to apply the results in clinical practice and improve access.

Researchers led by University College London have created spaghetti-like starch nanofibers measuring 372 nanometres across—about 200 times thinner than a human hair and far thinner than traditional su filindeu pasta. Made from flour and formic acid using an electrically charged electrospinning technique, the material is not intended for eating but could be used in wound dressings, tissue-regeneration scaffolds and drug delivery. The approach may be more environmentally friendly than conventional starch-nanofiber production, although it still requires careful preparation and would overcook almost instantly.

The Human Cell Atlas consortium has published more than 40 studies representing a major advance in mapping the types and properties of human cells. Researchers profiled over 100 million cells from more than 10,000 people, producing insights into tissues including blood vessels, the skeleton, placenta, brain and lungs. A blood-vessel study identified far more distinct vessel cell types than previously known, potentially enabling drugs targeted to specific organs and reducing side effects. A separate study mapped early skeletal development, offering new ways to investigate arthritis, bone-growth disorders and possible drug effects during pregnancy. Researchers aim to produce a first draft of the Human Cell Atlas by 2026.

Scientists at the University of Copenhagen identified activation of the Neurokinin 2 Receptor as a potential new approach to treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. In studies involving mice and obese, diabetic nonhuman primates, the drug candidate reduced appetite and body weight, increased energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity, and lowered blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol without causing nausea or muscle loss. Researchers say the findings could help overcome major limitations of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, although further research is needed before the treatment can be tested in humans.

The Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak from the night of November 17 into the early hours of November 18, with up to 10 meteors visible per hour. The meteors are debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle entering Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 70 kilometres per second. Stargazers should seek dark locations away from artificial light; no specialist equipment is needed, and the shower may remain visible for several days after its peak.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a method that combines synthetic peptide molecules with a patient’s own blood to create regenerative materials resembling and enhancing the natural blood clot involved in healing. The material can be manipulated and 3D-printed, and successfully repaired bone in animal models using the animals’ own blood. The approach could eventually support personalized implants and regenerative treatments, although further research is needed before clinical use.

Scientists from National Geographic’s Pristine Seas team have discovered a standalone Pavona clavus coral colony in the Solomon Islands measuring about 32 metres long and 34 metres wide. Estimated to be roughly 300 years old and composed of nearly one billion polyps, it is the largest coral colony known and provides habitat and breeding grounds for numerous marine species. Researchers describe it as a significant scientific discovery and a potential source of information about long-term climate adaptation, while warning that ocean warming and other human threats could endanger it. Its health contrasts with nearby shallow reefs that have been degraded by warmer seas.

Chinese researchers identified two genes, SlCDPK27 and SlCDPK26, that regulate sugar accumulation in tomatoes. Disabling them with CRISPR increased glucose and fructose levels by up to 30% without reducing fruit weight or plant yield, although the edited plants produced fewer and lighter seeds with only minimal effects on seed health and germination. The findings could help breeders develop sweeter, large-fruited commercial tomatoes and may have applications in other crops.

A study of 40 teenagers aged 16–19 found that several hours of isolation increased threat responses by an average of 70%, even when participants could use smartphones and social media. Researchers Emily Towner and Livia Tomova suggest that heightened threat vigilance may help explain how loneliness could increase adolescents’ vulnerability to anxiety, while noting that digital interaction may not meet the need for in-person social connection. The findings were published in Royal Society Open Science.

Researchers found that mice lacking the sucrase-isomaltase (SI) gene rapidly reduced their sugar intake and preference. Analysis of population studies involving 6,000 people in Greenland and 134,766 UK Biobank participants indicated that complete or partial SI dysfunction was associated with consuming or liking fewer sucrose-rich foods. The findings suggest that genetic variation in sugar digestion may influence dietary behaviour and could eventually support treatments aimed at reducing sugar intake, although SI defects are also associated with digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Trace Neuroscience has secured $101 million, worth more than £78 million, to develop a potential treatment for motor neurone disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The company is targeting the loss of the UNC13A protein, which researchers say contributes to disease in nearly all ALS cases and is linked to 97% of MND cases. The approach aims to restore communication between nerves and muscles and potentially slow disease progression. The funding, led by Third Rock Ventures, supports work originating at University College London, but researchers stress that the programme remains at an early stage and has not yet entered clinical trials.

A study of 2,062 children aged nine to 10 found that those with asthma performed worse on episodic-memory tasks than children without the condition. Among 473 children followed for two years, earlier asthma onset was associated with slower memory development. Researchers suggest prolonged inflammation or repeated oxygen disruption during asthma attacks could contribute, but the study did not establish the underlying mechanism or prove that childhood asthma causes dementia. The findings add to previous research linking asthma with dementia and Alzheimer’s risk in older adults and animals.

A study of children found that those with asthma performed worse on memory tasks than children without the condition. Among 473 children followed for two years, earlier asthma onset and longer disease duration were associated with slower memory development. Researchers suggest that chronic inflammation or repeated reductions in oxygen during asthma attacks could contribute, but the study did not establish a mechanism or prove that asthma causes future dementia. The findings were based on data from the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study and published in JAMA Network Open.

An early-stage study involving eight patients found that a genetically engineered adenovirus treatment was safe and showed promise against glioblastoma, including complete remission in one patient. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Capital Medical University engineered the virus to deliver immune-boosting proteins around the tumour while limiting toxic effects elsewhere in the body. The team plans to test the treatment in larger phase 2 clinical trials.

A study of 335 two- and three-year-old children found that toddlers can distinguish between improbable and impossible events. Children who received a pink toy from a machine containing only purple toys learned its invented name significantly better than children who experienced merely unlikely but possible outcomes, suggesting that impossible events prompt children to seek explanations and revise their understanding of the world even before they have language for these concepts.

A cross-country study of more than 100,000 people found that unmarried participants had a 79% higher risk of depressive symptoms than married participants; the risk was 99% higher among divorced or separated people and 64% higher among widowed people. The association was stronger among men, more highly educated participants, and people in Western countries. Researchers suggest that social support and greater economic resources may help explain the findings, while noting that the data relied on self-reported symptoms rather than clinical diagnoses and included only heterosexual couples.

A cross-country study of more than 100,000 people found that unmarried individuals had a 79% higher risk of depressive symptoms than married people, with even higher risks among those who were divorced, separated or widowed. The association was stronger in men, people with more education and participants in Western countries. Researchers suggest that social support, economic resources and mutual influence within marriage may help explain the difference, while cautioning that the findings relied on self-reported symptoms rather than clinical diagnoses and included only heterosexual couples.

Analysis of 12 male skeletons from the Tudor warship Mary Rose suggests that age-related changes in bone chemistry were more pronounced in the right collarbone than the left. Researchers propose that the difference may reflect the predominantly right-handed crew placing greater physical stress on their right sides during shipboard duties, though further research is needed. The study used non-destructive Raman spectroscopy and may improve understanding of bone ageing and mineralisation in modern humans.

A 283-million-pixel image from the European Southern Observatory’s VLT Survey Telescope reveals the Dark Wolf Nebula, a dense cloud of cold dust in the Scorpius constellation about 5,300 light-years from Earth. The nebula appears as a wolf-like silhouette against red, star-forming clouds within the larger Gum 55 nebula. The image also illustrates how dark nebulae absorb visible light while allowing longer-wavelength radiation to pass through, and highlights their importance for studying the formation of new stars. The report also notes the recent visibility of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), which has been dubbed the “comet of the century.”

Astronomers have released a 283-million-pixel image of the Dark Wolf Nebula, a dense cloud of gas and dust in the Scorpius constellation about 5,300 light-years from Earth. The nebula appears as a wolf-like silhouette against red, glowing star-forming clouds within the larger Gum 55 nebula. Captured by the VLT Survey Telescope at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile, the composite image uses multiple color filters to reveal the cloud’s structure and the effects of ultraviolet radiation from newborn stars.

Research by Cambridge historian Eamonn O’Keeffe challenges the belief that British brass bands originated primarily among coal miners and other industrial communities in northern England and Wales. Evidence indicates that military musicians developed all-brass bands in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, with regiments and local defence units forming bands from the 1810s onward. Veterans later established civilian bands across Britain, while retained or auctioned military instruments made affordable equipment available to amateur musicians. The findings position military music and demobilised veterans as major influences on the development of Britain’s brass-band tradition.

Researchers identified Lomankus edgecombei, a 450-million-year-old megacheiran arthropod preserved in three dimensions by iron pyrite, or fool’s gold, at New York’s Beecher’s Trilobite Bed. Its flexible, whip-like frontal appendages, apparent lack of eyes and association with the mouth suggest that it sensed and searched for food in a dark, low-oxygen environment rather than using the appendages primarily to capture prey. The fossils provide new evidence about how the head appendages of ancient arthropods evolved into structures such as insect antennae and the pincers and fangs of spiders and scorpions.

Gradually introducing a new puppy to an existing cat can significantly improve their chances of forming a calm relationship, according to Dogs Trust’s Generation Pup research. Puppies introduced over more than a day, particularly those younger than 12 weeks, were more likely to behave calmly and remain relaxed. Owners are advised to give cats safe escape spaces and keep puppies controlled, distracted and calm during initial encounters. The study found that most puppies initially displayed undesirable behavior such as aggression, chasing or unwanted play, while fewer than 10% remained calm.

A randomized trial involving 345 people found that avatar therapy—guided conversations with a computer-generated representation of a distressing voice—reduced voice-related distress, severity, and improved empowerment, mood, and wellbeing compared with usual support. The extended 12-session version also reduced the frequency of distressing voices, with one participant reporting a reduction from 30–40 voices a day to four or five. Researchers are seeking to introduce the therapy into routine NHS settings while collecting further evidence over three years.

A randomized trial involving 345 people with psychosis found that avatar therapy, in which patients converse with a digital representation of a distressing voice, reduced voice-related distress and improved empowerment, mood and wellbeing compared with usual support. The 12-session Avatar Extended version also reduced how frequently participants heard distressing voices. The therapy was developed by researchers at King’s College London and partner universities, with funding from Wellcome. NICE has recommended an Early Value Assessment, and researchers plan to implement the treatment in NHS settings while collecting further evidence over three years.

Researchers led by the University of Cambridge are developing robots modeled on ancient fish skeletons and modern walking fish such as mudskippers to investigate how vertebrate fins evolved to support movement on land around 390 million years ago. The robots will replicate mechanical joints, muscles and ligaments, allowing scientists to test the energy demands and efficiency of different walking patterns and assess theories that fossil evidence alone cannot resolve. Funded by the Human Frontier Science Program and published in Science Robotics, the project is expected to produce results within a year.

Research led by New York University linguistics and psychology professor Liina Pylkkanen found that the brain can distinguish the structure of a simple three-word sentence from an unstructured list of words within roughly 130–150 milliseconds of seeing it. The findings suggest that language comprehension may operate more rapidly and similarly to visual-scene perception than previously thought, with implications for how people process short digital messages, notifications and text displayed on screens.

Cancer Research UK and Australia’s Minderoo Foundation are jointly funding a £3.36 million UK trial to test multiple treatments for glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with limited effective therapies. The 5G platform trial will use each patient’s whole-genome sequencing results to select drugs or drug combinations in real time, including treatments originally developed for other cancers. Sponsored by The Institute of Cancer Research and conducted with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, the trial aims to accelerate drug development and provide more precise treatment for patients, while potentially informing future NHS care.

Research suggests that a meteorite 37–58 kilometres wide, which struck Earth about 3.26 billion years ago, may have helped early life flourish rather than simply causing destruction. The impact generated a massive tsunami, boiled the upper ocean, heated the atmosphere and spread dust, but also brought iron and phosphorus into shallow waters. Bacterial life reportedly recovered quickly, with iron- and phosphorus-feeding single-celled organisms subsequently thriving. Evidence for the event is preserved in South Africa’s Barberton Greenstone Belt.

A clinical trial involving 174 people with moderate to severe depression found that the Flow Neuroscience headset, which delivers non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation at home, improved symptoms in 64.2% of participants and eliminated symptoms in 57.5% after 10 weeks. Remission rose to 67.1% when the device was combined with antidepressants. Experts affiliated with King’s College London described the treatment as well tolerated and potentially significant, while no serious side effects were reported.

The Orionid meteor shower, created by debris from Halley’s Comet, is expected to peak overnight from Monday into Tuesday, producing up to 25 fast meteors per hour. The shower can be viewed without special equipment under dark, clear skies, although the waning gibbous Moon may reduce visibility. Activity will continue into the first week of November.

Researchers at the University of Manchester are testing whether existing drugs can be repurposed to prevent or slow dementia. Methazolamide, a glaucoma treatment that crosses the blood-brain barrier, is being studied in human stem cells and mouse models for its potential to activate the ACE2 enzyme and protect neurons in Alzheimer’s disease. Separately, researchers are using England and Wales primary-care data to assess whether thiazolidinediones, a class of diabetes drugs with possible anti-inflammatory effects, reduce or delay vascular dementia. Both studies are funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK, and promising findings could lead to clinical trials.

Research suggests that duplications of the AMY1 salivary amylase gene may have begun more than 800,000 years ago, before farming and possibly before the split between humans and Neanderthals. The gene helps people digest starch in the mouth, and ancient genomes show that hunter-gatherers, Neanderthals and Denisovans already carried multiple copies. European farmers experienced a later increase in AMY1 copy numbers, likely linked to starch-rich diets, illustrating how genetic variation helped humans adapt to changing food practices.

Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Newcastle University created a prenatal human skin atlas that maps how skin and hair follicles develop before birth. They also developed a skin organoid in the laboratory that can grow hair and demonstrated that immune cells contribute to scarless skin repair. The findings could support new treatments for preventing surgical scars, improving wound healing, and developing skin or hair transplants for burn victims and people with scarring alopecia.

A Danish study of nearly 160,000 women found that those aged 15 to 49 who used a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system for five years had 14 additional breast cancer cases per 10,000 women compared with non-users. Experts described the association as unexpected because hormonal exposure from an IUS is lower than with oral contraception, but said the overall benefits of hormonal contraception generally outweigh this small risk. Women approaching their 30s and 40s may wish to discuss non-hormonal options such as a copper IUD with a healthcare professional.

Our Future Health has enrolled more than one million people and aims to recruit five million across the UK, making it the world’s largest health research programme of its kind. Researchers will combine blood samples, genetic information, lifestyle data and medical records to study diseases including cancer, dementia, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Scientists say samples collected years before diagnosis could help identify cancer earlier, potentially improving survival rates, while the programme’s diverse participant base could support research into diseases affecting under-represented groups. The UK Government, NHS, charities and industry are supporting the initiative.

NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft has launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral on a six-year, 1.8-billion-mile journey to Jupiter. Arriving in April 2030, it will conduct 49 close flybys of Europa to investigate its icy shell, subsurface ocean, composition and geology, and assess whether the moon could support life. The mission will operate in Europa’s intense radiation environment and work alongside the European Space Agency’s JUICE mission, which is due to reach Jupiter in 2031.

Dogs Trust research suggests that introducing a puppy to a household cat gradually, particularly over more than one day, increases the likelihood of calm and friendly behaviour. Puppies younger than 12 weeks were also more likely to remain relaxed around cats. Most puppies initially displayed undesirable behaviour such as aggression, chasing or unwanted play, while fewer than 10% stayed calm. Dr Rachel Casey recommends giving the cat an escape route, keeping introductions quiet and controlled, placing the puppy on a lead, and rewarding calm behaviour. The findings come from the Generation Pup study, which includes more than 9,500 puppies and examines how genetics, early experiences and environment shape behaviour.

Geneticist Turi King says DNA is an important part of a person’s identity and health but is not generally their destiny. Genetic outcomes usually reflect complex interactions between genes, upbringing, diet, living conditions and personal choices, with only a small number of diseases being strongly determined by specific genetic variants. King discussed these issues alongside the forensic, historical, genealogical and archaeological uses of genetics.

The European Space Agency’s Hera planetary-defence mission launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral to investigate the Dimorphos asteroid after NASA’s 2022 DART spacecraft intentionally struck it. Hera will study the resulting crater and any changes to Dimorphos’s shape, reaching the Didymos asteroid system in 2026 after a two-year cruise and a Mars flyby. Its findings, alongside the ESA’s planned Ramses mission to Apophis in 2029, are intended to improve humanity’s ability to detect and deflect asteroids that could threaten Earth.

A study published in Nature Aging finds that gains in life expectancy have slowed substantially among the world’s longest-living populations, increasing by only about six and a half years since 1990 and declining notably in the United States. Researchers argue that further increases through disease reduction are likely to produce diminishing returns and could extend unhealthy years. They recommend prioritizing efforts to slow biological ageing and increase healthspan, concluding that widespread human lifespans beyond 100 are unlikely this century without major advances in ageing biology.

Research indicates that gains in human life expectancy have slowed substantially in the world’s longest-living populations, with the United States also experiencing a notable decline. The study, based on data from 1990 to 2019, argues that further dramatic increases in lifespan are unlikely without slowing biological ageing. Researchers recommend prioritising healthspan—years lived in good health—over simply extending life, warning that longer lives without improved health could increase the burden of age-related disease.