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LATEST HEADLINES

Ulysses solar spacecraft freezing to death

In a twist of cosmic irony, the Sun-studying probe is freezing to death – the 17-year-old spacecraft may have only weeks to live
19:59 22 February 2008

Hope dims that Earth will survive Sun's death

The most detailed model to date of the Sun's transition to a red giant reveals the Earth will be dragged to a fiery death in 7 billion years
19:09 22 February 2008

Flying 'paddleboat' may finally take off

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Could a bizarre-looking aircraft design dating from the late 19th century be the ideal way for small, agile flying robots to get around?
16:46 22 February 2008

Australia urged to take lead on climate change

Australia is more vulnerable economically to climate change than most wealthy nations, but could benefit from global efforts to alleviate the problem
13:02 22 February 2008

Bird poo camouflage for caterpillars unravelled

Varying the level of a hormone determines whether young Asian swallowtail caterpillars turn into leaf-like green larvae or remain like bird droppings
10:43 22 February 2008

Black hole defends its heavyweight title

The heaviest black hole formed from a star's collapse weighs 33 Suns – double the previous record, new measurements confirm
07:03 22 February 2008

Giant ropes of dark matter found in new sky survey

Huge dark matter filaments – nearly 3000 times as long as the Milky Way – are warping our view of distant galaxies
19:38 21 February 2008

Big Brother bird watching boosts ecology

Sensors and tags will report the movements of individual seabirds and even weigh them in their own burrows
18:14 21 February 2008

Spysat's fuel tank likely destroyed by US missile

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The Pentagon is almost certain it successfully ruptured the hydrazine fuel tank of a broken spy satellite
18:10 21 February 2008

US urged to stop using 'dirty bomb' ingredients

The US government should stop the use of radioactive caesium chloride in medical and research equipment as it can be used to make "dirty bombs"
15:32 21 February 2008

Are catnaps as beneficial as actual sleep?Premium

Power naps of just 5 minutes boosted memory recall in volunteers, suggesting that it is the process of falling asleep that is most important
15:23 21 February 2008

Organ transplants without lifelong immunosuppressantsPremium

A blood test could soon help to determine which organ-transplant recipients are ready to come off their immunosuppressant drugs
12:17 21 February 2008

Martian crater records aftermath of Amazon-like flood

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At least on one place on Mars, surface water flowed briefly and violently, flowing for less than a century like the Amazon River
19:40 20 February 2008

Ultrasound nails location of the elusive G spot

Gynaecological scans have for the first time revealed clear anatomical differences between women who claim to experience vaginal orgasm and those who don't
18:00 20 February 2008

More people mean more disease

A new analysis suggests that human population density is the best predictor of where new diseases will emerge from
00:00 20 February 2008

Smart rubber promises self-mending products

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A new type of rubber binds back together after being snapped or punctured - it could pave the way for self-healing shoes, gloves and other products
18:00 20 February 2008

Airport security prize announced

Half a million dollars is on offer to anyone who can demonstrate technologies for processing airline passengers more quickly and painlessly
17:41 20 February 2008

Tweaking taps for a constantly warm shower

A mathematical model shows that hostel showers can be made more stable by coordinating tap adjustments, but they'll always be prone to fluctuations
14:32 20 February 2008

Big brains payrolled by Big TobaccoPremium

Public files reveal a network of economists, academics and philosophers paid by cigarette companies to question grounds for smoking restrictions
12:09 20 February 2008

Animals are smart, but not savants

Intriguing as the idea is, it seems animals do not think like autistic savants, despite the "savant-like" behaviour many show
01:00 20 February 2008

Moon set for last total eclipse until 2010

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The Moon will turn red as it passes through Earth's shadow overnight on Wednesday in the last total lunar eclipse until December 2010
21:07 19 February 2008

UV cleaning promises a more accurate kilogram

A process for cleaning semiconductor wafers could offer a more reliable way to clean the standard kilogram
18:33 19 February 2008

'Gecko foot' band-aids could promote healing

Bandages inspired by geckos' feet would dissolve harmlessly within the body and so could be used to replace stitches and sutures
16:20 19 February 2008

Tuna fisheries facing a cod-like collapse

Tuna populations worldwide are falling dramatically, researchers warn, although creating 'highways' for juvenile fish could help avert disaster
12:22 19 February 2008

Solar cell speeds hydrogen production

Cars could be fuelled by a device that mimics photosynthesis to split water into oxygen and hydrogen
17:55 18 February 2008

Prehistoric 'frog from hell' hints at ancient land link

Beezlebufo, a beach ball-sized frog that lived in Madagascar 80 million years ago, may have munched on young dinosaurs
22:00 18 February 2008

Paper cargo surfs chemical waves

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Oscillating chemical waves can propel small objects, providing a new way to transport micromachines or deliver drugs
16:21 18 February 2008

Many Earth-like planets may exist in Milky Way

As many as 60% of our galaxy's Sun-like stars may harbour rocky planets, suggesting habitable worlds might be more common than thought
17:44 18 February 2008

Shark populations hit by demand for fin soup

Many populations have fallen by 95% or more since the 1970s, although efforts to track the predators could help
17:23 18 February 2008

New Mississippi delta would limit hurricane damage

Diverting parts of the river would create up to 1000 square kilometres of new wetlands to act as a storm surge buffer against future hurricanes
13:20 18 February 2008
TOP STORY
Music special: Are animals naturally musical?
Music special: Are animals naturally musical?Premium
Many researchers believe that humans are the only species that truly appreciates music. Can that really be the case?
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