Scientists have discovered a new part of the immune system, a development that they say “opens a new frontier” for personalised treatments against infections.  

The discovery was made while scientists trawled through the “cellular waste disposal system” known as the proteasome, which plays a central role in protein degradation and recycling. It’s present in every cell in our body. 

After a “dumpster dive” through proteasomes, scientists found “a huge untapped reservoir of natural antimicrobial agents”, the production of which ramps up during infection. 

In a study, published in Nature, these agents – or peptides – were shown to be effective at tackling harmful bacteria when tested on human cells and mice. The discovery offers a promising new avenue of medical research amid concerns about growing resistance to antibiotics.  

“This peptide database opens a new frontier for developing personalised treatments against infections and other medical conditions,” said lead researcher Prof Yifat Merbl (main picture, black jumper) of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

Image: Drew Hays

Scientists believe that they have worked out how aspirin stops some cancers from spreading. 

Studies of people with cancer have previously observed that those taking daily aspirin have a reduction in metastases – the spread – of some cancers, such as breast, bowel, and prostate cancers. 

Until now, it wasn’t known how aspirin is able to prevent metastases. But a study by the University of Cambridge, England, suggests that, as cancer starts spreading, there is “a unique therapeutic window of opportunity when cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to immune attack”. Aspirin can help the body launch that immune attack.   

The discovery could lead to the targeted use of aspirin to prevent the spread of certain cancers, and to the development of more effective drugs to prevent metastasis. However, scientists cautioned that aspirin can cause serious side-effects for some, and that people should consult their doctor before starting to take it.

Image: Thirdman

Wealthy nations have agreed to mobilise at least $200bn (£155bn) per year by 2030 to help developing countries conserve biodiversity. 

The commitment was hammered out in Rome, Italy, at the resumed Cop16 talks, which broke down in Colombia last November. Agreed by the 196 states that signed up to the Convention on Biological Diversity (including Russia, but excluding the US), the deal was hailed a win for multilateralism in uncertain times.

“Negotiators from all countries … put their differences aside to forge a common path forward,” said Lin Li, senior director for global policy at WWF International. “What’s left now is an urgent need to mobilise funding … to ensure we reach the $200bn a year committed by 2030.”

An Lambrechts, head of Greenpeace’s Cop16 delegation, agreed. “It is now crucial that global north countries honour their commitments and translate today’s decisions into real funding to protect biodiversity.” 

Despite the progress, many countries wanted to see greater ambition to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 – a target that looks likely to be missed.

Image: Carmel Arquelau

Amid a growing global pushback against phone use in early years, Denmark is to become the latest country to ban the devices from schools and after-school clubs.

Mattias Tesfaye, Denmark’s minister for education, announced the ban this week following recommendations from a youth wellbeing commission, which advocated restricting smartphones to those aged 13 and older.

Denmark is far from alone in its mission to reclaim childhood from digital devices. The Netherlands has already banned phones in schools, while France started trialling its own ban last year. No-phones policies have also been introduced at schools in England and Ireland.

Image: Ron Lach

For the first time, beavers have been legally released into the wild in England, a milestone that ecologists said marked “a new era for nature recovery” in the country. 

Two pairs of Eurasian beavers were released on the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, on Wednesday – less than a week after the UK government approved the reintroduction of beavers to England. 

Hunted to extinction in the UK around 400 years ago, beavers have been reintroduced to fenced sites across England, but nationwide approval had become bogged down in politics until last week. 

Gen Crisford, beaver project officer at the National Trust, which led the release with the help of the Beaver Trust, said the return of the animals was a “watershed moment in the history of the species in England”. 

“Beavers can sometimes cause conflict when they colonise areas where they aren’t wanted,” he added. “But by working with all the local landowners in advance to plan for their arrival and put measures in place where needed, we are confident that in Purbeck we will be able to demonstrate how beavers can work for everyone.”

Image: Beaver Trust

Up to 1.3 million low-income workers will be eligible for sick pay for the first time under changes announced this week by the UK government. 

Workers earning less than £123 a week are currently not eligible for sick pay. But under new plans, employers will be obliged to pay them 80% of their usual salary from the first day of illness. The changes, expected to come into force next year, will mean all workers are eligible for sick pay from day one of them being ill.

“For too long, sick workers have had to decide between staying at home and losing a day’s pay or soldiering on at their own risk just to make ends meet,” said Liz Kendall, secretary of state for work and pensions. “No one should ever have to choose between their health and earning a living.”

The change is part of the Labour government’s landmark employment rights bills. While it has been welcomed by unions, employers said it would pile more costs on businesses at a time when many are feeling the pinch. 

Image: Polina Tankilevitch

Campaigners have welcomed new sentencing guidelines that will spare pregnant offenders jail time in England and Wales unless it’s “unavoidable”. 

The new sentencing guidelines – due to come into effect in April – follow research showing that women in prison are seven times more likely to have a stillbirth than those in the general population.

Supporters of the new guidelines, which include the Royal College of Midwives, say that unborn babies are put at unnecessary risk in prison and shouldn’t be punished for their mother’s crimes. Critics argue that pregnancy shouldn’t be used as an excuse to dodge jail.

Eleven countries, including Brazil, Italy and Portugal have laws against sending pregnant women to prison. Such countries use house arrest, electronic monitoring, or probation supervision to monitor offenders.

Women account for just 16% of offenders serving time for violent crime in England and Wales, according to government data from 2019. 

Image: Josh Willink

A record number of UK cities have been awarded Tree Cities of the World status for their leading work in urban forestry. 

Edinburgh (pictured), Belfast, and Cardiff were among the 27 towns and cities recognised for protecting their urban tree canopy. To qualify, cities must meet five criteria: have clear responsibility for tree care, set official tree management rules, update an inventory of local trees, have a dedicated tree planting budget, and hold an annual tree celebration event with the community. 

“Trees offer immense benefits for our health and wellbeing, and are one of our best nature-based solutions [for] adapting our cities to climate change,” said Kate Sheldon, CEO at the Trees for Cities charity. “Trees – and their champions – deserve to be celebrated.” 

Tree Cities of the World was co-founded in 2019 by The Arbor Day Foundation – a non-profit dedicated to planting trees – and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

Image: Kate Bielinski

A new literature festival for female writers over 50 has launched to dispel stereotypes around older women. 

England’s Forthwrite festival will take place in Brighton and Crawley later this month. Author Kit de Waal (pictured), who started writing in her mid-40s, is set to headline. 

“People assume we are grandmothers, we are helping out with grandchildren, we are winding down, we are gardening, we are going to tea dances and wearing elasticated trousers,” de Waal told New Writing South. “We might be all of those things … but we are also fighters, powerful, assertive, active. We are single and happily childless, we are blissfully unattached and having great sex … we are claiming back some of the power we gave away in our younger years. And all of these things are what we are writing about, and our stories are having more resonance than ever before.”

The festival comes amid a growing recognition of late-blooming writers. The Bridport Prize’s new Never Too Late Award launched recently to “unlock the hidden talent of older writers” and is open to scribes – male and female – around the world.

Image: Justin David

“I’d have to cure cancer on the moon to be known for something else besides this case. But with the people who matter to me, that is not the defining thing that I am.” 

Amanda Knox is arguably the world’s most famous exoneree, having been wrongly convicted of murdering her friend Meredith Kercher in Italy in 2009. She spent four years in prison before being definitively acquitted – and believes that her high-profile experience holds lessons for us all. 

“Prison really hones down what it is that you ultimately have control over – which is your own mind, your own ability to interpret your experience, and the immediate, present moment,” said Knox, now a mother of two.

Read our interview with her here.

Image: Meron Menghistab for Positive News
Main image: Weizmann Institute of Science