Nicola Davis

London, United States

Presenter and Host at Science Weekly

Science Correspondent for the Guardian. Book lover, archer and stitcher. Shortlisted for British Science Journalist of the Year 2021.

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Articles

Aqua lungs: how Rod Stewart’s underwater swimming may help his singing

6 days ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

Frank Sinatra did it his way, taking to the pool to boost his vocal prowess, and it seems Rod Stewart is singing from the same songsheet. Now scientists say the approach might not be somethin’ stupid. Stewart, 80, is still entertaining fans with his raspy vocals and energetic stage performances and earlier this month he revealed that as well as running and playing some football, swimming also played a key part in his campaign to stay forever young.
Social climbing isn’t about who you know after all, study finds

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

When it comes to social climbing, it’s not who you know, or how many people you know, it’s about knowing who knows whom, research suggests. Experts studying social connections made by first year university students say those who ended up with the most influence were not necessarily the most popular, but those who had a good idea, early on, about who belonged to which clique or community.
Female baboons with strong relationship to fathers found to live longer

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

If male baboons were subject to the same kind of cultural commentary as humans, the phrase “deadbeat dads” might be called for, such is the primate’s relatively limited involvement in raising their young. But a study suggests that even their little effort might go a long way, with female baboons who experience a stronger relationship with their fathers when young tending to live longer as adults.
Weight loss jabs may achieve less drastic results outside trials, study suggests

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

People using weight loss jabs shed far fewer pounds in the real world than in clinical trials, researchers have found. Jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, which contain the drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide respectively, have transformed the treatment of obesity, with studies suggesting the former can help people lose up to 20% of their body weight after 72 weeks of treatment. However, a new study suggests the drugs, known as GLP-1 RAs, may not produce such drastic weight loss in everyday settings.
Fossils found in 1970s are most recent ancestor of tyrannosaurs, scientists say

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

Tyrannosaurs might evoke images of serrated teeth, massive bodies and powerful tails, but their most recent ancestor yet discovered was a slender, fleet-footed beast of rather more modest size. Experts say the new species – identified from two partial skeletons – helps fill a gap in the fossil record between the small, early ancestors of tyrannosaurs and the huge predators that evolved later.
Teenage girls’ TikTok skincare regimes offer little to no benefit, research shows

2 weeks ago | irishexaminer.com | Nicola Davis

Skincare regimes demonstrated by young influencers on TikTok offer little to no benefit, researchers have found, adding that on the contrary they raise the risk of skin irritations and lifelong allergies in children. The team behind the study say there has been a rise in young girls sharing videos of complex skincare routines with moisturisers, toners, acne treatments and anti-ageing products.
Teenage girls’ TikTok skincare regimes offer little to no benefit, research shows

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

Skincare regimes demonstrated by young influencers on TikTok offer little to no benefit, researchers have found, adding that on the contrary they raise the risk of skin irritations and lifelong allergies in children. The team behind the study say there has been a rise in young girls sharing videos of complex skincare routines with moisturisers, toners, acne treatments and anti-ageing products.
Many of Dead Sea scrolls may be older than thought, experts say

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

Many of the Dead Sea scrolls could be older than previously thought, with some biblical texts dating from the time of their original authors, researchers say. The first of the ancient scrolls were discovered in the caves of Qumran in the Judean desert by Bedouin shepherds in the mid-20th century. The manuscripts range from legal documents to parts of the Hebrew Bible, and are thought to date from around the third century BCE to the second century CE.
Younger generations less likely to have dementia, study suggests

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

People born more recently are less likely to have dementia at any given age than earlier generations, research suggests, with the trend more pronounced in women. According to the World Health Organization, in 2021 there were 57 million people worldwide living with dementia, with women disproportionately affected. However, while dementia risk increases with age, experts have long stressed it is not an inevitability of getting older.
Magnetic 3D-printed pen could help diagnose people with Parkinson’s

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Nicola Davis

It won’t be much good for taking down notes, but a 3D-printed pen filled with magnetic ink could help identify people with Parkinson’s disease, a small pilot study suggests. More than 10 million people worldwide are thought to be living with Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms including tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement and mobility difficulties. While there is no cure, early diagnosis can help those affected access support and treatments earlier.