Editor's note

Humiliating defeats on a scale not seen for 40 years were inflicted on the British government last night. Ministers were found in contempt of parliament for failing to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit withdrawal agreement. The advice is now due to be published today. Christopher Kirkland explains the rules surrounding contempt of parliament and why the defeat has wider significance for Brexit.

Researchers from the University of Queensland have found that all cancers share a specific structure in their cell DNA. And if put in water, it forms a pattern that is attracted to gold particles. The researchers, Abu Sina, Laura Carrascosa and Matt Trau, write that isolating cancerous DNA and seeing its affinity to gold can detect any cancer in less than ten minutes.

Once the most threatened bird in the world, the pink pigeon of Mauritius finally has something to chirp about. From only ten individuals in 1990, a recent survey found that there are 400 today. While conservationists celebrate, Mike Jeffries wonders if we should look again at the familiar feral pigeon – a biological marvel with its own charming history.

The universe is famously almost entirely made up of invisible, mysterious substances dubbed dark matter and dark energy. But we don’t really know what they are. Now new research suggests they may both be part of the same strange concept – a “dark fluid” of negative masses. Jamie Farnes explains how his model has the potential to solve some big mysteries in physics.

Gemma Ware

Society Editor

Top stories

Parliament’s Brexit clock is ticking. bryan.../flickr

Ministers found in contempt of parliament over legal advice – why it matters for Brexit

Christopher Kirkland, York St John University

Ministers were found in contempt of parliament on December 4 for not publishing the full legal advice on the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

All cancers have a similar DNA pattern that differs from that of non-cancer cells. from shutterstock.com

One test to diagnose them all: researchers exploit cancers’ unique DNA signature

Abu Sina, The University of Queensland; Laura G. Carrascosa, The University of Queensland; Matt Trau, The University of Queensland

Our research has found that cancer DNA forms a unique structure when placed in water. We used this finding to develop a test that can detect cancerous DNA in less than ten minutes.

A pink pigeon in the wild of Mauritius. Arcalexx/Flickr

We’ve saved pink pigeons from extinction – now let’s be kinder to their grey cousins

Mike Jeffries, Northumbria University, Newcastle

Pink pigeons may make more charismatic subjects for our adoration, but their feral relatives who keep us company in towns and cities are just as deserving.

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