2016 was the hottest year on record, setting a new high for the third year in a row, with scientists firmly putting the blame on human activities that drive climate change. The final data for 2016 was released on Wednesday by the three key agencies – the UK Met Office and Nasa and Noaa in the US – and showed …

Scientists have strapped down and shaved ants as part of their quest to find out how one species stays cool in the scorching Saharan desert. The Saharan silver ant manages to survive in midday temperatures of up to 50C, while other creatures take shelter. Because they are covered in tiny hairs, scientists thought that the thin downy layer was protecting …

Findings published as experts warn that paralysing illness could overwhelm intensive care wards of Latin America Doctor treats a patient with Guillain-Barré syndrome in Cúcuta, Colombia. Photograph: Ricardo Mazalan/AP Scientists have amassed the strongest evidence yet that the Zika virus can cause the serious neurological condition Guillain-Barré syndrome, and are warning that the potential number of cases of the paralysing …