Drake’s island

The sex of human and other mammal babies is decided by a male-determining gene on the Y chromosome. But the human Y chromosome is degenerating and may disappear in a few million years, leading to our extinction unless we evolve a new sex gene. The good news is two branches of rodents have already lost...

Education

Health

To avoid premarital sex and other ‘intimate behaviors’, play Badminton, Hong Kong Tells Teenagers

A 15-year-old girl and her boyfriend are studying alone together on a hot summer day when she removes her jacket and clings to his shoulder. What should he do? In Hong Kong, the authorities advise the young man to continue studying or to seek a diversion, including badminton, to avoid premarital sex and other “intimate...

Fitness

Health

NHS referrals for anxiety in children more than double pre-Covid levels

More than 500 children a day in England are being referred to NHS mental health services for anxiety, more than double the rate of before the pandemic began, the Guardian can reveal. In 2023-24 there were 204,526 new referrals of patients aged 17 or under where the primary cause was anxiety, official figures show. In 2019-20, the...