November - 2008 Articles
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Space shuttle lands safely in California
30 November 2008
The shuttle Endeavour touched down in California after thunderstorms and high winds prevented a landing in Florida
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Which virus will birds give us next?
30 November 2008
One common form of cold virus turns out to have started in birds – and the discovery is helping to show how animal viruses spread to people
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Scanners avoid destructive tests on ancient manuscripts
29 November 2008
Near-infrared scanners can detect when ancient manuscripts need to be restored without damaging the documents
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Earth's crust was drifting 4 billion years ago
29 November 2008
New evidence suggests that plate tectonics, which is largely responsible for Earth's life-friendly conditions, was in place a billion years earlier than thought
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Did lack of comet impacts help life evolve?
28 November 2008
The debris left over by comet collisions across nearby solar systems shows that ours is the least battered, possibly explaining why life developed on Earth
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NASA may struggle to afford new space missions
28 November 2008
Plans for flagship scientific missions to be launched with the next generation of spacecraft may be unrealistic if the agency can't get a grip on its cash
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Whatever happened to the hydrogen economy?
28 November 2008
Will hydrogen ever transform the way we heat our homes and fuel our cars? David Strahan reports
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Mystery of iceberg 'birth' solved
28 November 2008
An analysis of many different ice shelves has produced a simple law governing how icebergs break off into the sea
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What the data miners are digging up about you
28 November 2008
A new book enters the world of the number crunchers sifting information to reveal, and even control, the way you think – New Scientist reveals what they know
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Invention: Secret message finder
28 November 2008
Secret messages hidden inside digital images could be easily rooted out with new software
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Perfect athlete's 100m sprint time calculated
28 November 2008
As scientific training brings athletes to the limits of the human body, it will become almost impossible to beat this landmark time, say researchers
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Faroe islanders told to stop eating 'toxic' whales
28 November 2008
The islands' chief medical officers say that pilot whales should no be considered longer fit for consumption, partly due to unhealthy levels of mercury
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Invasive ant ruins gecko's sweet relationship
28 November 2008
A gecko that feeds off a critically endangered flower and disperses its pollen in return is being put off by muddy ant "farms". Plus, see a gallery of images
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Hopes high for science-friendly approach in US politics
28 November 2008
Key appointments made in Congress and on Barack Obama's economic team look like good news for science and the environment
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Frog-killing fungus to be tackled in the wild
28 November 2008
Rather than merely putting amphibians in captivity to protect them, scientists now plan an ambitious scheme to reduce levels of chytrid fungus in the environment
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Photon force harnessed to do some light work
27 November 2008
The pressure exerted by a beam of light is enough to set a nanomachine vibrating – the principle could be used in electronics or light-based computer chips
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World's forests face climate-change crisis
27 November 2008
The world's forests, and the people who depend on them, are facing devastation from climate change unless we learn to adapt, says a report
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Did Neanderthal cells cook as the climate warmed?
27 November 2008
Neanderthals may have gone extinct because adaptations to an Ice Age climate meant their bodies couldn't cope as temperatures climbed
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Metamaterial marble would make perfect cat's eye
27 November 2008
Materials like those used to build invisibility cloaks could create a sphere that reflects all the light coming from any angle
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Dolphin power measured for the first time
27 November 2008
The muscle strength of dolphins has been measured using a high-speed video technique that visualises fast-moving water
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Indian Moon probe feels the heat
27 November 2008
Chandrayaan is taking it easy after being caught in a hot spot between Sun and Moon, but no damage is reported
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Would eating heavy atoms lengthen our lives?
27 November 2008
Radical changes to the make-up of food might keep us younger for longer. Graham Lawton investigates
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Dogs' amazing sense of smell down to a wet nose
27 November 2008
The complex grid of mucus-lined tubes in a dog's nasal passage helps it "pre-sort" elements of a complex odour
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Supersonic water jets shoot from Saturn moon
26 November 2008
High-speed jets of water vapour were found within a wider ice and gas plume spewing from Enceladus
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Down's symptoms may be treatable in the womb
26 November 2008
Fetal mouse pups with a Down's-like syndrome suffered fewer developmental delays when treated with nerve-protecting chemicals – similar treatments might help in humans
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Pig organs: Ready for humans at last?
26 November 2008
Problems associated with implanting animal organs in humans had seemed insurmountable, but new research could soon bring about the first clinical trials
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Solution to Enigma No. 1522
26 November 2008
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The dizzying diversity of human sexual strategies
26 November 2008
If our biology has designed us to procreate, why do people have such widely different attitudes to sex? Mairi Mcleod investigates
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Europe charts €10 billion course for space exploration
26 November 2008
The European Space Agency's 18 member nations have hammered out a plan for space missions over the next few years
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Has universal ageing mechanism been found?
26 November 2008
A protein that causes yeast to age seems to have a similar effect in mice too – the finding might lead to drugs to reverse age-related diseases
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Anti-fat pill could help keep the weight off
26 November 2008
A chemical produced when mice and rats eat fatty foods can stop them feeling hungry, but has yet to be tested in humans
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Climate change survey gives mandate for action
26 November 2008
World governments have the backing of the majority of their citizens to take action on climate change, according to a global survey
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Solving MRI mystery sets stage for portable scanners
26 November 2008
Physicists have only just cleared up why MRI scans seem to defy established physics, knowledge that could make the devices smaller
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Solving MRI mystery sets stage for portable scanner
26 November 2008
Physicists have only just worked out what really happens during an MRI scan - the discovery could lead to sharper scans and portable scanner
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Invention: Month-long aircraft flights
26 November 2008
An uncrewed plane powered by hydrogen could fly for weeks without landing, a new patent application claims
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Safer fetal test for genetic diseases on horizon
26 November 2008
Using just a drop of the mother's blood, scientists can now tell if the fetus has a disorder like cystic fibrosis – it could soon spell the end for invasive techniques
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Gallery: Living Africa
26 November 2008
See startling and beautiful photographs of life in Africa, including a hippo roaring, an ostrich crossing the desert, elephants fighting, and more
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Brain works better with neurological disease
26 November 2008
The surprising discovery that the deadly neurological disease Huntington's improves sufferers ability at some cognitive tests is aiding our understanding of the illness
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Some locust plagues don't like it hot
26 November 2008
Global warming could give welcome respite to farmers – in China, at least – by easing weather cycles
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Electric fish prefers sexual charge of its own species
26 November 2008
Male elephant nose fish lure females with signature electric jolts to stop other genetically similar species getting in on the act
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Driven to extremes
26 November 2008
Congratulations to Devin Powell for his interesting interview with "hypermiler" Jack Powell. It is a subject of which we will become more aware and which we will all have to learn and practice. However, the interview only went part of the way
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Review: The Numerati by Stephen Baker
26 November 2008
This book will send a shiver down your spine and leave you glancing over your shoulder, but it is no ghost story – you really are being watched, says Tom Simonite
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Review: Eating the Sun by Oliver Morton
26 November 2008
Photosynthesis could be our ticket out of climate chaos, says Morton in this fascinating and beautifully written book
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On the trail of Tahiti's elusive vanilla orchid
26 November 2008
The origins of the world's most luxurious vanilla have puzzled botanists for half a century – but a plant detective has now solved the mystery
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The hard truth about animal research
26 November 2008
As our knowledge about animals increases, so does our duty to safeguard their welfare, says A C Grayling
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Enigma No. 1522
26 November 2008
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Review: Outliers: The story of success by Malcolm Gladwell
26 November 2008
This entertaining analysis of success is entertaining, thought-provoking, and might even land you a job at Microsoft, but it won't change anyone's world view, says Andrew Robinson
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Engineering psychology
26 November 2008
As an engineer who values psychologies' tools, I was delighted to read Dorothy Rowes discussing whether psychology is science. I recall one psychologist being asked to find out whether vibration was a problem in helicopters...
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Market information tautology
26 November 2008
Mark Buchanan writes about how speculative information causes people to act in stock markets...
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Going with a bang
26 November 2008
Would it really be such a bad thing for space tourism to stall on the launch pad? It borders on the obscene that the world allows private space flight when everyone with an ounce of sense knows now is the time to cut back on unnecessary carbon dioxide production...
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Looks good on paper
26 November 2008
Holly Preston asks why New Scientist is not published solely online. Answer: it folds into my jacket pocket and goes absolutely everywhere with me until finished...
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Non-materialist mind
26 November 2008
Amanda Gefter's article on the "cultural war" over the brain significantly misrepresents non-materialist neuroscience and does a disservice to your readers...
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Thinking matter
26 November 2008
The day before I saw Amanda Gefter's article on the mind/body controversy, I presented a first-year general philosophy lecture covering the "thinking matter controversy" of the 17th and 18th centuries...
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Difference engineering
26 November 2008
The paper "Cross-cultural analysis of students with exceptional talent in mathematical problem solving" to which A C Grayling refers is a well-intended and thorough piece of research but, as always on this subject, it has its agenda...
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Limited probability
26 November 2008
Clive Semmens is right to criticise Tony Budd's calculation of the risk of a "once in 100 years" event occurring within 60 years...
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Widescreen dreaming
26 November 2008
If it is truly possible that after watching a lot of black-and-white TV programmes you can dream in black and white, will watching a widescreen TV make you dream in 16:9 aspect ratio, rather than old-fashioned 4:3?
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Sincerely yours
26 November 2008
Alex Pentland's work on "honest signals" is extremely interesting, but there is one important issue in the dialectic between them and the use of explicit reason, deliberation and forethought, that Mark Buchanan's review did not make clear...
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For the record
26 November 2008
In a moment of diffuse concentration, we wrote of "a draft law designed to diffuse conflict over water". The aim of the draft is of course to defuse, as is that of this...
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When the wind blows a bit
26 November 2008
T. Robertson rightly highlights our unreasonable focus on renewable power and neglect of renewable heat. But his proposed solution, running wind turbines for heat at very low wind speeds, will not help...
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Not knot
26 November 2008
Richard Elwes writes, "But what is it exactly about the conjurer's knot that means it can be pulled apart just like that, but the shoelace cannot?"...
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Nomenclature hellenensis
26 November 2008
Feedback refers to "proper terminology" in the naming of Bigfoot and goes on to refer to the name Anthropoidipes ameriborealis as being derived from Latin...
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Virtual carbon
26 November 2008
The concept of "virtual water" seems applicable to all resource use. China can't dig up enough coal, so it relies on "virtual coal"; France relies on "virtual uranium"; and the US on "virtual carbon"...
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Acid surprise
26 November 2008
Ocean acidity is rising at least 10 times faster than climate models predict, according to eight years of daily measurements off the Washington state coast
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Safer fetal test for genetic diseases on horizon
26 November 2008
Using just a drop of the mother's blood, scientists can now tell if the fetus has a disorder like cystic fibrosis – it could soon spell the end for invasive techniques
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Cholera epidemic hits crumbling Zimbabwe
26 November 2008
Zimbabwe is facing an "unprecedented" outbreak of cholera as a result of the deteriorating infrastructure in the country
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"A bunny-hugging mentality that is far removed from the realities of rural life."
26 November 2008
Tim Bonner of the UK's Countryside Alliance, on the British government's decision to repeal a law that farmers can compel neighbours to kill rabbits that cause crop damage
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Literate dogs and haemorrhoids for sale
26 November 2008
Why you can travel time by crossing the road in Paris, how trains can be in two places at once, and the ultimate get-out clause for manufacturers
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George Bush's parting swipe at the environment
26 November 2008
In the dying days of his administration, Bush is making late changes that may weaken protection for endangered species and hand concessions to oil companies
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Graffiti and litter lead to more street crime
26 November 2008
People become more disobedient in environments where people obviously flout rules or social norms – backing up the "broken window" theory of degenerating neighbourhoods
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Amoeba explains evolutionary mystery
26 November 2008
Fossil tracks on the seabed could be the handiwork of oversized amoebas that roamed the ocean 1.8 billion years ago, if their modern counterparts are anything to go by
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Martian ice found hiding from the Sun
26 November 2008
Vast swathes of ice have been discovered in the Martian mid-latitudes – far from the poles where it was expected
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Voice impersonators use brain to 'become' characters
26 November 2008
When doing a voice impression, professional impersonators use areas of the brain not normally activated during speech
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Overworked protein may trigger ageing across life
26 November 2008
A protein which triggers ageing in yeast when it abandons one of its functions may play a similar role in mice
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Time to run before the storm
26 November 2008
We should abandon the tradition of rebuilding after hurricanes and start moving to safer ground, says Jeff Hecht
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Robot uncovers secret of lizard press-ups
26 November 2008
A robotic reptile that mimics a lizard's competitive displays has revealed how they catch their rivals' attention with a bout of press-ups
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Planes, trains or automobiles? Climate villains revealed
26 November 2008
Cars and trucks have had the biggest warming effect on the planet in recent years, says an analysis of transport emissions
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Quotas slashed to save fast-food fish
26 November 2008
Stocks of the walleye pollack, the white fish ubiquitous in restaurants like McDonalds, are in danger of collapse
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Drinking to a long life
26 November 2008
A fascinating new approach to combat ageing, based on heavy isotopes, is now under test
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In the clink
26 November 2008
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Review: Sun in a Bottle by Charles Seife
26 November 2008
Despite 50 years of fusion research, we are still decades from harnessing the power of the sun as this eloquent, sobering tale reveals
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Hair-raising event
26 November 2008
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Thinking person's crumpet
26 November 2008
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Wotsisface?
26 November 2008
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Fat chance
26 November 2008
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Can't wait for stem cells? Have a pig's liver
26 November 2008
Concerns about rejection and new diseases made us too quick to write off animals as a source of organs
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New acceptance for Down's syndrome
26 November 2008
The impact of the brave new world of genetic testing might be more complex than we thought: more parents are opting to have Down's babies
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Gizmo
26 November 2008
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Europe tackles space ambitions amid financial crisis
25 November 2008
On Wednesday, science ministers from the European Space Agency's member nations will announce the agency's space plans
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Solar-powered probe to view unseen parts of Jupiter
25 November 2008
A spacecraft called Juno will be the first to orbit the giant planet's poles – it will launch in 2011
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Cholera epidemic hits crumbling Zimbabwe
25 November 2008
Zimbabwe is facing an "unprecedented" outbreak of cholera as a result of the deteriorating infrastructure in the country
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Space station urine recycler may be fixed
25 November 2008
NASA appears to have resolved problems with a new urine recycling system on the International Space Station
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Cyborg leaf makes working solar power plant
25 November 2008
Gold leaf doesn't grow on trees, but it can now harvest power from the Sun, thanks to a coat of photosynthesis proteins taken from spinach
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Electric production car just keeps on going
25 November 2008
Electric vehicles are all the rage, but few have pushed the design envelope as far as the Aptera Typ-1, which can travel 190 km on a single charge
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Last great US fishery in danger of collapse
25 November 2008
Walleye pollack stocks, which account for a third of the total US fish catch, are in trouble – but quota cuts might still save them
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The free lunch that made our universe
25 November 2008
Why is there something rather than nothing? Physics can provide the answer, says Lawrence Krauss
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Ancestral genes are not black or white
25 November 2008
Popular genetic tests that try to pinpoint ancestry might be interesting, but new guidelines say consumers shouldn't place too much value on the results
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Science could soar with world's most powerful rocket
25 November 2008
NASA's future Ares V rocket could send people to asteroids and launch telescopes that would dwarf Hubble, says a new report
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Macho robot helps explain lizards' odd behaviour
24 November 2008
By performing a variety of life-like male displays, a mechanical lizard has helped explain why some anoles perform four-legged push-ups
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Mars rover will not save soil for return to Earth
24 November 2008
A box to store samples for later return to Earth would not adequately protect them, says NASA – it will be left off the Mars Science Lab
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Nanotech clothing fabric 'never gets wet'
24 November 2008
The most water-repellent clothing fabric ever made could create low-drag swimsuits and garments that repel grime
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Solar-powered sea slug harnesses stolen plant genes
24 November 2008
A sea slug that gains the ability to turn sunlight into energy from the algae it eats is arguably the first functional plant-animal hybrid found in nature
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Astronauts repair space station inside and out
24 November 2008
A centrifuge needed to distill urine samples becomes unbalanced after spinning for a few hours
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Under construction: The fuel tank of the future
24 November 2008
A previously hypothetical material composed of atom-thick sheets of carbon that could provide safe storage for hydrogen is now being made in a Dutch lab
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Recipes for life: How genes evolve
24 November 2008
How did life concoct the blueprints for more than 10 billion different proteins, asks Michael Le Page
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Amoeba tracks prompt rethink over early life
24 November 2008
Ancient fossil tracks could be the handiwork of oversized amoebas that existed 1.8 billion years ago – not multicelled creatures as had been thought
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Invention: Microscopic bio-robot slaves
24 November 2008
Simplified bacteria could be created to perform microscopic building tasks, or even populate tiny games, a new patent application says
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Booze tax stops people drinking themselves to death
24 November 2008
For the first time, a rise in alcohol tax in a US state has been linked to a reduction in the number of deaths
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Will the next Einstein come from Africa?
24 November 2008
If physicist Neil Turok gets his wish, the answer will be a resounding yes
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Laser trick churns out secure random numbers
23 November 2008
Neither rolled dice nor software can generate random numbers fast or secure enough for crack-proof encryption, but laser feedback could keep our secrets safe
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Celebrity 'blindness' down to brain wiring
23 November 2008
People who can't remember faces of famous people or even loved ones lack connections in a key brain area, new research shows
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Cellphone clusters give traffic jams away
22 November 2008
Mapping GPS data from mobile phones carried by vehicle occupants can help road users avoid congested areas
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Remains of devoured planet discovered
22 November 2008
The dusty remains of a distant planet show what happens to a gas giant if it survives a red giant explosion
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Bush to go out with a green bang?
22 November 2008
One of George W Bush's final acts as US president could be to create the largest marine conservation area in the world
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Space station's new urine recycler has glitches
21 November 2008
NASA is having problems with a new $250 million machine that recycles urine into drinking water
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Planet imaged closer to star than ever before?
21 November 2008
A planet may have been imaged closer to its star than any photographed previously
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Invention: Personal life mapper
21 November 2008
A new patent application wants to have software reduce your life to easy-to-digest diagrams in 3D space
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Light opens up a world of sound for the deaf
21 November 2008
Infrared light can stimulate neurons in the inner ear as precisely as sound waves, a discovery that could lead to better cochlear implants
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Conservationists plan 'doomsday vault' for frog sperm
21 November 2008
Freezing the genetic material of amphibians, along with assisted reproduction measures, could help species avoid looming extinctions
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Hairspray link to genital birth defects
21 November 2008
Pregnant hairdressers may be exposing their unborn children to harmful chemicals that can lead to health problems in boys, a study suggests
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Material slicker than Teflon discovered by accident
21 November 2008
Coating moving parts with a novel material that is almost as tough as diamond and more slippery than Teflon could save energy and reduce wear
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Second spacewalk ends on station's 10th birthday
21 November 2008
Shuttle Endeavour astronauts worked outside the station on Thursday - the 10th anniversary of the launch of its first module
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China's disappearing land puts food supplies at risk
21 November 2008
Over a third of the nation's land area is being scoured by erosion that threatens food resources and could make conflict more likely
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Bush takes aim at the environment with late rule changes
21 November 2008
The US president looks set to weaken protection for endangered species and relax gun laws in national parks before leaving office
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Computer chips give new spin on saving energy
21 November 2008
An exotic processor that handles information in the form of waves rather than current could lead to ultra-low-power processors
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New species of Ebola found in Uganda
21 November 2008
The virus resembles no other previously discovered strains – a feature that might complicate ongoing efforts to develop a universal vaccine
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Film review: Einstein and Eddington
21 November 2008
A new film dramatises the relationship between a young Einstein and English astrophysicist Arthur Eddington, at a time of war and great scientific change
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Electron strobe turns atoms into movie stars
21 November 2008
A microscope equipped with a strobe-like electron source can capture the movement of atoms with unprecedented clarity
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New dolphin species revealed by genetic test
21 November 2008
A third species of bottlenose has been discovered in the waters off southern Australia – it is only the second new dolphin in 50 years
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Graffiti and litter lead to more street crime
21 November 2008
People become more disobedient in environments where people obviously flout rules or social norms – backing up the "broken window" theory of degenerating neighbourhoods
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Galactic recluse has friends after all
21 November 2008
A revised distance for a galaxy thought to be a loner shows it actually has neighbours – a fact that explains its stellar baby boom
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Vast stores of water ice surround Martian equator
20 November 2008
Underground glaciers around the planet's midsection contain the largest deposits of ice outside the polar regions
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It's confirmed: Matter is merely vacuum fluctuations
20 November 2008
The apparently solid stuff is no more than fluctuations in the quantum vacuum, fiendishly complex calculations confirm
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Dictators lay down the law in baboon troupes
20 November 2008
Junior baboons follow their leaders blindly, even though they are often denied food as a result
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Planes, trains or automobiles? Climate villains revealed
20 November 2008
A study that takes into account the different nature of all transportation emissions, says cars and trucks have the biggest warming effect on the planet
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Gallery: Ape artists raise funds for conservation
20 November 2008
See colourful works of art painted by bonobos and orangutans for an exhibition called Apes Helping Apes aiming to raise money to preserve wild apes
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Cybercrime toll threatens new financial crisis
20 November 2008
Internet crime costs $100 bn annually and international regulation is needed to prevent a catastrophe "equivalent to the current financial crisis", say experts
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Were Neanderthals stoned to death by modern humans?
20 November 2008
Changes in bone shape left by a life of overhand throwing hint that Stone Age humans regularly threw heavy objects, while Neanderthals did not
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New project aims to unite science and Hollywood
20 November 2008
The US National Academy of Sciences is sponsoring a programme to improve scientific accuracy in the entertainment industry
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Water recycler and beds installed on space station
19 November 2008
The work will pave the way for the station's crew size to double to six next year
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Will genes play a part in the next US elections?
19 November 2008
Presidential candidates' genetic quirks could be open to exploitation in the 2012 race, say experts
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DNA dirty tricks loom in future elections
19 November 2008
Take a covert saliva sample, run a whole-genome scan and a candidate's genetic quirks could come under unfair and misleading scrutiny
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'Interplanetary internet' passes first test
19 November 2008
Images were sent between a NASA probe and Earth in the first test of an internet-like data transmission system for space
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Mysterious electrons may be sign of dark matter
19 November 2008
A balloon-borne experiment in Antarctica detected a high number of energetic electrons from space that may be the signature of dark matter
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The population paradox
19 November 2008
We are facing a population explosion. But the idea that people should be coerced into having fewer babies misses the point, says Debora MacKenzie
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Safer sex in a pill
19 November 2008
It's a risky strategy, but with an AIDS vaccine further off than ever, a pill that could stop people catching the virus has to be worth a try. Clare Wilson investigates
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Why the universe may be teeming with aliens
19 November 2008
Hunting for a planet that can support life? There's more to it than looking for Earth's distant twin, says David Shiga
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Monkey gossip hints at social origins of language
19 November 2008
The discovery that female macaques are far chattier than males helps bolster the theory that human language evolved to forge social bonds
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Frozen hair gives up first mammoth genome
19 November 2008
A rough draft of the extinct elephant's genome is the most successful attempt to sequence the DNA of an extinct ancient animal to date
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Plumbing the oceans could bring limitless clean energy
19 November 2008
A trick that exploits the difference in temperature between seawater near the surface and deep down could supply the world with cheap green power
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Solution to Enigma No. 1521
19 November 2008
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Brain flip helps to relieve pre-menstrual stress
19 November 2008
During menstruation, women's brain activity caused by stress switches sides to mitigate the effect of hormonal changes
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New levitation technique floats water with noise
19 November 2008
Crime labs could benefit from a technique to suspend tiny droplets in air without contamination
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Glowing anemone yields 'light switch' protein
19 November 2008
An anemone that only glows under certain wavelengths could reveal living cells in unprecedented detail – plus see a gallery of fluorescent sea creatures
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Invention: Diamond dialysis implant
19 November 2008
Combining physical filters with electric fields to prevent clogging makes for an artificial kidney small enough to implant in the body, a patent application says
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Real-life 'gremlin' rediscovered in the wild
19 November 2008
The pygmy tarsier, a tiny primate that has not been seen alive since 1921 and was thought extinct, has been found alive on a mountaintop in Indonesia
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Personalised cancer treatment on the way
19 November 2008
A genetic signature that predicts whether a variety of cancers will respond to the most common treatments could guide doctors to the best therapy
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Why Europe should build its own crewed space vehicle
19 November 2008
How can the International Space Station live up to its name if a major contributor doesn't have the means to get there, asks Piers Bizony
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Antioxidant could lead to safer thalidomide
19 November 2008
The discovery of a compound that protects mouse embryos from thalidomide's harmful effects could lead to less damaging versions of the anti-cancer agent
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Woman receives windpipe built from her stem cells
19 November 2008
A Colombian woman has become the world's first recipient of a section of windpipe constructed from donated tissue coated with her own cells
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Cavorting cavities
19 November 2008
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Quackers
19 November 2008
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A well full of stars
19 November 2008
Physicist Robert Wood summoned up the stars with a spinning bowl of mercury at the bottom of an old well
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Splendors and Miseries of the Brain by Semir Zeki
19 November 2008
What can art tell us about the brain, and vice versa? Andrew Robinson is unimpressed by a leading neuroscientist's attempts to marry two very different fields of expertise
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Enigma No. 1521
19 November 2008
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Bad news for the accident-prone
19 November 2008
Feedback reveals the forgotten scholarly works of Enid Blyton, an easier way to fall over in the shower, and the dangers of stray hydrogen atoms near boats
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Fooled in Blackpool
19 November 2008
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What makes the universe tick?
19 November 2008
If you want to understand the universe be prepared to get your moments in a muddle, advises Michael Brooks
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Into the unknown at CERN
19 November 2008
Valerie Jamieson ignored one significant source of concern about the experiments to be conducted at the Large Hadron Collider, though she did allude to it when referring to "the cultural illiteracy of scientists"...
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Testosterone screening
19 November 2008
Contrary to what your report says, I am satisfied with the latest guidelines on who to screen for testosterone deficiency and how to treat it...
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Unreliable ritual
19 November 2008
Mark Buchanan's discussion of spurious causality reminds me of an observation I repeatedly make when advising on risk analysis: that the attention given to a countermeasure or procedure is often inversely related to its effectiveness, especially when no clear measure of its effectiveness is available...
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Renewable energy
19 November 2008
Your discussion of renewable energy was heavily focused on its large-scale applications. These are an option, but we can think far more progressively and make the change to renewables concurrent with a change towards a decentralised power supply...
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Computer says go
19 November 2008
I appreciate your concern that the use of brain scans in evidence could result in wrongful convictions. But a more useful question is: might fMRI scans prevent or overturn some wrongful convictions?
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A dog in time
19 November 2008
I am struck once again that scientists researching animal cognition - in this case, thinking backwards and forwards in time - assume that other animals are fundamentally different from us unless proved otherwise...
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Marvel at mind mystery
19 November 2008
A C Grayling muses on why it is so difficult for the brain to understand itself. Is this because it's too marvellous, or because it is not marvellous enough?...
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For the record
19 November 2008
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Long and windy path for turbines
19 November 2008
Practical considerations will limit most wind turbine projects and installations to the 2.5 to 3-megawatt size range...
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Cash for questions, automated
19 November 2008
I was excited to read that a computer program had fooled a quarter of the judges into thinking it was human in a 5-minute text-based conversation, thereby winning this year's Loebner prize...
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Waste not, want not
19 November 2008
You report the high environmental cost of meat. Vast numbers of animals are killed worldwide as pests, or culled on environmental grounds. I admit that the "Multiple McLocust" may not be a marketing dream...
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Battery bonus
19 November 2008
Owen Clarke expressed concern about "peak lithium" and the limits it might place on the production of electric-car batteries...
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Sustainable economics
19 November 2008
In his critique of sustainable economics, Thomas Hogg ignores the fundamental argument in its favour: that unrestrained growth will eventually bankrupt the planet...
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A tough pill to swallow?
19 November 2008
Once again, a new strategy to curb the Aids epidemic looks likely to spark controversy
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Artificial diamonds - now available in extra large
19 November 2008
Cheap, mass-produced, perfect diamonds may soon hit the market thanks to a new technique for removing impurities from synthetic crystals
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'It does seem weird, being excited about seeing whale shark poo'
19 November 2008
Mark Meekan reflects on the lengths he has had to go to in order to glean clues into the life of the little-understood ocean giants
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Woolly mammoth genome back from the dead
19 November 2008
DNA from frozen mammoths that died up to 60,000 years ago could offer insights into why they became extinct
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What has the Phoenix mission taught us about Mars?
19 November 2008
Now that the lander has died, scientists are beginning to adapt their ideas about Mars to the findings of its five-month survey
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Earth's 'mineral kingdom' evolved hand in hand with life
19 November 2008
Around two thirds of minerals, the building blocks of rocks, are down to life – a finding that could change our picture of Earth's geology
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'Flintstones' bones are earliest known nuclear family
19 November 2008
DNA evidence from the Stone Age suggests that the concept of a nuclear family goes back thousands of years
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Has dark matter signal been found in Antarctica's skies?
19 November 2008
An excess of high-energy electrons recorded by a cosmic ray detector flying over the southern pole could come from colliding dark matter particles
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Hidden floods beneath Antarctica send glaciers speeding
19 November 2008
The flow of water between a network of lakes beneath the ice of east Antarctica directly controls the flow of the Byrd glacier into the sea
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Rare fossil find shows how women drove human evolution
19 November 2008
The pelvis of a near-complete Homo erectus skeleton shows adaptations for a broad birth canal to accommodate large-brained babies
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Gizmo
19 November 2008
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Stress-free lifestyle helps fight cancer
19 November 2008
A small group women recovering from breast cancer surgery did better after psychological intervention to reduce stress and promote a healthy lifestyle
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How religious people see the world differently
19 November 2008
Neo-Calvinists are quicker than atheists to focus in on an image's details, perhaps reflecting an approach to life centered on their faith
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Ants' practice doesn't make them perfect
19 November 2008
Specialising in a task doesn't make rock ants any more efficient at it, suggesting they aren't as organised as thought
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So this is what other planets look like
19 November 2008
Images taken with the Keck and Gemini telescopes in Hawaii are the first direct photographic evidence of a multiple planet system
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Add daylight, save energy
19 November 2008
Extending the daylight-saving period by four weeks last year saved the US enough energy to power 100,000 households for a year
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Forecast of economic collapse backed by data
19 November 2008
An analysis of 30 years of real-world data suggests controversial predictions made in 1972 that we will reach a limit of economic growth in the 21st century are on track
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Cancer screening
19 November 2008
I am concerned that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is often written off as having little if any value, as you do. Since I owe my life to the test, I believe it does have real value...
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Green policies may flush water down the drain
19 November 2008
Irrigation techniques aimed at saving stretched water resources might waste more than they save
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World ahead of Kyoto emissions targets
19 November 2008
The latest UN data shows the world is on track to meet the Kyoto protocol target in 2012, but emissions are on the rise
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Save America's green cars
19 November 2008
Even if the Detroit dinosaurs go extinct, their upcoming hybrid and electric cars deserve to survive
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Gulf war syndrome is real, says US report
19 November 2008
A committee of scientists set up by the Department of Veterans Affairs has concluded that the syndrome is not all in the mind
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Enzyme takes us a step closer to eternal youth
19 November 2008
At last there are signs that we may be able to keep our cells young without producing intolerable side effects
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New report lists NASA's biggest challenges
18 November 2008
NASA's independent oversight office lists the agency's five top challenges - what to do about the shuttle tops the list
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China denies attempting to get US space data
18 November 2008
The denial comes a day after a physicist in the US pleaded guilty to illegally exporting data for space launch vehicles to China
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Remote-control soap mixes oil and water on demand
18 November 2008
A new chemical lets scientists decide when they want oil and water to mingle, and can round up costly nanoparticles when their job is done
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A sting a day keeps the allergy away
18 November 2008
Beekeepers who receives high doses of bee venom early in the year have a muted immune response for the rest of the year, a study finds
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A colourful journey into the rainforest
18 November 2008
A book out this month takes readers on a mosquito-free tour through the tropical rainforest
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Gulf war syndrome is real, says US report
18 November 2008
A committee of scientists set up by the Department of Veterans Affairs has concluded that the syndrome is not a psychological disorder
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Six ways to build robots that do humans no harm
18 November 2008
Can we teach robots right from wrong? In this special feature, two experts give New Scientist their tips on how to make smart technologies safe
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Division of labour may not be key to ant success
18 November 2008
Ants given a specific job to do are not necessarily the best at it – suggesting that social insects are not as organised as thought
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Drug protects mice from heart failure
18 November 2008
A new drug could help millions of people avoid some of the long-term consequences of a heart attack
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Tunnelling nanotubes: Life's secret network
18 November 2008
A recently discovered system that directly connects the interiors of distant cells could be the key to life – and death. Anil Ananthaswamy investigates
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US gives go-ahead for super Wi-Fi
18 November 2008
The "white space" frequencies to be freed up by the switch-over to digital TV can be used by wireless devices, US government says
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More evidence points to past oceans on Mars
18 November 2008
Chemical fingerprints in the soil suggest Mars may have had a succession of relatively short-lived oceans
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Shuttle astronauts deliver space station's new gear
17 November 2008
Tonnes of custom upgrades were delivered to the orbital outpost by shuttle astronauts on Monday
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Could fertilising trees save the climate?
17 November 2008
Nitrogen could be a switch for determining how much of the Sun's energy is bounced back into space by forests
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Ancient grave reveals 'Flintstone' nuclear family
17 November 2008
A Stone Age massacre has provided evidence of the earliest known nuclear family – something that was missing until now
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Eastern Bloc collapse boosts climate outlook
17 November 2008
A huge drop in emissions in Eastern Europe has put the world on track to meet Kyoto protocol targets, but a concerted effort is needed to maintain the trend
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Cash prizes offered for patent-busting evidence
17 November 2008
A million dollars in prizes is offered to people that can find "prior art" to show some of the world's most valuable patents are not original
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Prophesy of economic collapse 'coming true'
17 November 2008
Controversial doomsday predictions published in a 1972 book are in line with real-world patterns, suggests an analysis of 30 years of data
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Secret start to Japan's whaling season
17 November 2008
The Nisshin Maru, the main ship in Japan's whaling fleet, has left port under tight security and without fanfare, says Greenpeace
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Finches keep the beat with a mental metronome
17 November 2008
An area in the brains of zebra finches controls the speed at which the birds sing - a similar mechanism may help to control the speed of human speech
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Invention: Healing accelerator
17 November 2008
A sucker that periodically pushes and pulls on a wound using air pressure can speed up the healing process, says a new patent application
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Sun shines on future Mars colonies
17 November 2008
Despite problems with NASA's Phoenix lander, the Sun's rays could match nuclear power for powering a human base on Mars, say energy specialists
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Quantum effects bring no solace for physicists
17 November 2008
Quantum uncertainties in space-time will make it impossible to ever know for sure that all of nature's forces were once unified
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Broken nerves can be fixed in a flash
17 November 2008
A miniature light source implanted near the spine might one day help people with damage nerves to function properly again
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Concealed floods drive flow of Antarctic ice
16 November 2008
A hidden network of glacial lakes far below the surface of the ice sheet seems to regulate the motion of the continent's ice rivers
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Shuttle blasts off to upgrade space station
15 November 2008
The shuttle Endeavour soared off its seaside launch pad on a mission to upgrade the space station for an expanded six-person crew
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NASA chief says US must stick to Moon plan
14 November 2008
If Barack Obama wants to abandon NASA's road map to the Moon, the space agency's chief says he wants no part of it
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Digital images contain their maker's mark
14 November 2008
If you thought your photos could not be traced back to you, think again - digital cameras leave a telltale "fingerprint" every shot
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Spirit rover recuperating after dust storm
14 November 2008
The rover is regaining strength after a dust storm caused its power levels to dip dangerously low
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Photos with shifting shadows come to life
14 November 2008
Time no longer stands still with a new kind of photo display that lets dark and light in a photograph vary realistically as the Sun moves
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Video news roundup
14 November 2008
See a new technique to make photos come to life, why one-night stands aren't all fun and games if you're a spider, and the world's largest interactive video installation
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Planet wobbles could reveal Earth 2.0
14 November 2008
Hidden alien moons that could harbour life can be revealed by the wobbles of their planets, says an astronomer
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Australian river fails the acid test
14 November 2008
Tracts of wetland at the mouth of Australia's Murray-Darling river system have become as corrosive as battery acid thanks to falling water levels
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Religion alters visual perception
14 November 2008
Dutch Calvinists notice embedded visual patterns quicker than culturally similar atheists, finds a study
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Invention: Bespoke spinal splints
14 November 2008
Producing personalised scaffolds for slipped discs could reduce the use of controversial surgery, says a new patent application
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Dumb eco-questions you were afraid to ask
14 November 2008
New Scientist offers the definitive guide to everything you wanted to know about being green
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Purified urine to be astronauts' drinking water
14 November 2008
The shuttle Endeavour is set to launch to the space station with a water-recycling device that will process the crew's urine
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Indian probe lands on Moon's surface
14 November 2008
After being released from the Chandrayaan spacecraft, the TV-sized Moon Impact Probe struck the lunar surface as planned
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Life caused explosion in our planet's mineral wealth
14 November 2008
The realisation that most of Earth's minerals owe their existence to living processes could aid the search for alien life
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US net neutrality law could outlaw 'throttling'
14 November 2008
A bill that would make it illegal for ISPs to filter content or restrict bandwidth for their own profit will be introduced in the New Year
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European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008
14 November 2008
See stunning and surprising photographs of the face of a colobus monkey being burnt on a fire, a mountain hare caught in a snow drift, and elephants in the twilight
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How fast can Obama fix US environment policy?
14 November 2008
With just 12 months to go until the world decides on a new Kyoto protocol, the president-elect has little time to bring the US into line
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'Invisible' transplant organs now in sight
14 November 2008
Organs that aren't seen by the immune system, and therefore won't be rejected, could be ready in a decade, thanks to a faster way of genetically engineering pigs
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For tastier food, just add bacteria
14 November 2008
The next time you savour a glass of wine, remember that the bacteria in your mouth are partly responsible for the flavour
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Moon takes a backseat in new space plan
13 November 2008
The Planetary Society, a space advocacy group, says NASA should focus on getting astronauts to Mars and near-Earth asteroids
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First images captured of alien solar system
13 November 2008
Two new planetary systems have been imaged in the Milky Way - one boasts three planets
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Rare fossil find sheds light on evolution of women
13 November 2008
Pelvis of Homo erectus shows adaptations for a large birth canal to accommodate large-brained babies
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Artificial diamonds - now available in extra large
13 November 2008
A team in the US has brought the world one step closer to cheap, mass-produced, perfect diamonds - with no theoretical size limit
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Voice recognition software reads your brain waves
13 November 2008
Just by monitoring brain activity, a new program can work out who is speaking to you and what they are saying
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'Elixir of youth' drug could fight HIV and ageing
13 November 2008
A way to rejuvenate immune cells enhances their ability to fight viruses, and could potentially slow the symptoms of ageing
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HIV 'cure' won't save sick millions
13 November 2008
A German doctor who claims to have "functionally cured" a patient with AIDS has produced great science, but the technique isn't scalable
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Why we love to hate the spider
13 November 2008
The humble spider inspires fear and loathing quite unlike that of other creepy-crawlies - but it isn't just because they can be poisonous
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Obama's win was an historic day for forecasters too
13 November 2008
For all the inherent uncertainties in electoral outcomes, the 2008 contest may be the one that established election forecasting as a powerful predictive science
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Poker bots raise the stakes for human players
13 November 2008
Having beaten humans at chess and checkers, computer software engineers now have an even tougher challenge in their sights
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Growing waistline poses weighty risk to health
12 November 2008
A major study confirms that a large waistline is strongly linked to an increased risk of premature death
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Top US court rules for Navy in whale-sonar case
12 November 2008
The Supreme Court says the Navy can conduct sonar training exercises without restrictions designed to protect marine mammals
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Science fiction special: The future of a genre
12 November 2008
In this special issue, we look at how sci-fi has changed and where it could go next. Plus, vote for your favourite sci-fi books and films, and win the best ones!
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Speed daters go for crowd-pleasing looks
12 November 2008
In big groups, people judge by appearances so much that the less stunning might as well forget their clever chat-up lines
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How warfare shaped human evolution
12 November 2008
Not only is war as old as humanity itself, it may even be the driver behind cooperative behaviour
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Solution to Enigma No. 1520
12 November 2008
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Sci-fi special: More book reviews
12 November 2008
There are loads of great sci-fi books coming out (or recently published). Here is a selection of some of the best
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Feedback Competition 2008: Glad Timings We Bring
12 November 2008
If the Large Hadron Collider brings visitors from the future, what gifts might they bring us?
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Humans may have prevented super ice age
12 November 2008
The ice age-interglacial cycle might have given way to a big freeze lasting millions of years, had humans not intervened
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Shuttle set to bring second toilet to space station
12 November 2008
The shuttle Endeavour is set to lift off on Friday - it will carry a new toilet, two sleeping berths and a water recycling system to the station
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DNA strands become fibre optic cables
12 November 2008
Future computers that use light, not electricity, could be wired with modified DNA
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Female spiders make a meal out of lazy lovers
12 November 2008
It isn't only men that can get in trouble for not being romantic enough - male redback spiders pay the ultimate price for neglecting courtship
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Mysterious world
12 November 2008
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Invention: Excrement antibiotic
12 November 2008
A compound found in muskrat faeces can effectively kill food-poisoning bacteria, claims a new patent application
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Is nanotechnology a health timebomb?
12 November 2008
New nanomaterials need to undergo urgent testing to assess their effects on health and the environment, says an environmental commission - New Scientist looks at the risks involved
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Thar she blows: Snot offers clues to whale health
12 November 2008
Large cetaceans are too bulky to take blood samples, so an enterprising team has taken to chasing whales for the bugs that they blow out
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TV-sized probe to strike Moon's surface
12 November 2008
On Friday, India's Chandrayaan orbiter will release a probe that will hit the Moon, making observations during its descent
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Why fertile women hate a pretty face
12 November 2008
Women of childbearing age rate other attractive women consistently lower than menopausal women - sexual competition may be the cause
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'Multilingual' birds learn foreign alarm calls
12 November 2008
Recognising alarm calls - even ones from other species - can now be added to the growing repertoire of things birds can learn
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Sustainable economy
12 November 2008
Planners always use growth curves, just like the ones you show, and they are always wrong...
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Sci-fi special: Is science fiction dying?
12 November 2008
Will the furious pace of scientific discovery and the morphing of sci-fi themes into mainstream literature cause science fiction to die out?
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Incandescence by Greg Egan
12 November 2008
Six years after his last novel, Egan returns with an extraordinary work of ultra-hard sci-fi - a breathtaking, if sometimes knotty, thought experiment.
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Sci-fi special: William Gibson
12 November 2008
The Future of Science Fiction? We're living in it. Those "Future History" charts in the back of every Robert A Heinlein paperback, when I was about 14, had the early 21st century tagged as the "Crazy Years"...
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Sci-fi special: Ursula K Le Guin
12 November 2008
It's daunting to try and talk about "the future of" any kind of fiction, even the future of books themselves, when publishing is in such a tumult of technological change...
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Sci-fi special: Kim Stanley Robinson
12 November 2008
Science fiction is now simply realism, the definition of our time. You could imagine the genre therefore melting into everything else and disappearing. But stories will always be set in the future...
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Sci-fi special: Nick Sagan
12 November 2008
For a genre that's about looking to the future, science fiction has sure been looking backwards lately...
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Sci-fi special: Stephen Baxter
12 November 2008
It's true that many of the old dreams of science fiction have been fulfilled, or bypassed. And it does feel as if we're living through a time of accelerating change. But science fiction has - rarely - been about the prediction of a definite future...
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Sci-fi special: Margaret Atwood
12 November 2008
Is science fiction going out of date? No point asking me - I'm too old - so I had a talk with Randy-at-the-bank, who looks to me to be about 25. The first part of our conversation was about the meaning of the term science fiction...
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Is Earth at the heart of a giant cosmic void?
12 November 2008
We assume that there is nothing particularly special about our little corner of space, but if there is it might solve one of cosmology's most pressing problems
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Steam car safety
12 November 2008
I read with interest Roger Waller's ideas for steam powered cars. However, given that he is talking about tanks holding steam at a temperature of 400°C and 120 atmospheres pressure, I am surprised he made no mention of safety issues...
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Placebo advantage
12 November 2008
Feedback revisits the placebo effect that you discussed earlier. Doctors used to visit patients in their homes: the request to call on a very sick toddler was common enough. Not infrequently one was greeted by a lively toddler and a very relieved if somewhat apologetic mum...
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Fears for food
12 November 2008
Paul Collins, reviewing Bee Wilson's excellent book Swindled, concludes that "our Accums will always be busy". As a public analyst I could lay claim to being a present-day Friedrich Accum: my job is to direct the chemical analysis of food to see whether it is safe...
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Nobel endeavour
12 November 2008
I was stunned by your recent article announcing that 61 Nobel laureates endorsed Barack Obama for president...
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Fly-by anomalies
12 November 2008
Eric Solomon asks whether the anomalies described in Marcus Chown's article might be explained by approximation errors in iterative calculations. Not only is approximation error unlikely to be the explanation for a discrepancy so consistent that it can now be predicted in advance with a degree of optimism but...
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Sacred sound spaces
12 November 2008
It was intriguing to read Michael Brooks's interpretation of how people may have been affected by visiting a temple in pre-Columbian South America...
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Monkey see…
12 November 2008
If tools maketh the monkey, by extending the self and thus creating an awareness of self, then surely by extension the same would be true of clothing and self-adornment, another crucial phase in human development...
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For the record
12 November 2008
We mistakenly reported that all 59 people who received a new treatment for their inoperable brain cancer had died). We are pleased to report that several patients in the trial by Transmolecular of Cambridge, Massachusetts, are still alive...
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Sustainable economy
12 November 2008
Many thanks for your refreshingly candid review of the madnesses of the current economic system. I am left, however, asking whether the necessary transition can ever be made under a representational democracy...
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A festival of brain-evolving drivel
12 November 2008
Feedback presents a competition for wannabe time-travellers, really small water, and some very paranormal phishing emails
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Something eats wasps
12 November 2008
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Plastic not so fantastic in the lab
12 November 2008
Researchers beware, plastic test tubes and pipettes leach compounds on contact with water that may alter your findings
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Harmless virus harnessed to attack tumours
12 November 2008
Injections of reovirus, a common bug that rarely causes symptoms, appears to boost the action of cancer drugs.
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Humans may have prevented super ice age
12 November 2008
Without anthropogenic carbon emissions, the Earth may have entered an ice age lasting tens of millions of years
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Harnessing the power of the beating heart
12 November 2008
A device that generates electricity as the heart pumps blood around the body could provide power to pacemakers
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Liquid mirror could filter out stars' twinkles
12 November 2008
A liquid telescope mirror that changes shape when a magnetic field is applied could compensate for atmospheric distortions that blur images
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Gizmo
12 November 2008
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Sci-fi special: Your all-time favourite science fiction
12 November 2008
Find out which science fiction books and films New Scientist readers voted top in our online poll
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Anathem by Neal Stephenson
12 November 2008
Stephenson's latest novel is a smorgasbord of high adventure, quantum physics and musings on the nature of consciousness
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The Last Theorem by Arthur C Clarke and Frederik Pohl
12 November 2008
Arthur C Clarke's last novel proves to be a disappointing mishmash, but given how it was written perhaps that's no surprise
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City at the End of Time by Greg Bear
12 November 2008
"Fate-shifters" able to perceive and select which "fate lines" to travel and a city besieged by encroaching "Chaos" - this gripping tale starts promisingly but then loses focus
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Saturn's Children by Charles Stross
12 November 2008
Let Stross take you on a mind-expanding adventure as robots inherit our world, and then expand beyond it
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Sci-fi special: Ones to watch
12 November 2008
Who are the hot new sci-fi writers we should watch out for in the future?
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Why a speeding shark is like a golf ball
12 November 2008
Sharks race through the water by bristling the scales on their skin, which cuts the amount of drag slowing them down
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Obama moves swiftly to repair stem cell damage
12 November 2008
US biomedical researchers are looking forward to a quick end to the restrictions put in place by Bush to appease conservatives
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'Maybe it's just a good place to pick up girl sharks'
12 November 2008
Great white sharks travel huge distances to visit an isolated spot between California and Hawaii, but why they do it is a mystery
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Lean times ahead for non-US stem-cell research
12 November 2008
Lifting the Bush administration's restrictions on stem-cell research could ramp up the competition faced by rival teams abroad
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Science can imagine it for you wholesale
12 November 2008
We still need science fiction more than ever
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Jump start
12 November 2008
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Reverse charge
12 November 2008
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Calculating the cost of the 'eco-crunch'
12 November 2008
After what may be the worst financial crisis of our times, environmental groups pointed out that an "eco-crunch" would hit even harder - but just how hard?
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Google to help medics plan flu response
12 November 2008
When the next US flu outbreak begins, the first alert may come, not from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but from the internet search giant
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Track challenge
12 November 2008
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Enigma No. 1520
12 November 2008
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NASA bids farewell to Phoenix lander
12 November 2008
The Mars lander has been out of contact for a week, and NASA has declared an end to the Phoenix mission
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Controversial animal lab opens for business
12 November 2008
After years of often violent protest, the University of Oxford's Biomedical Sciences Building opened this week
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60 Seconds
12 November 2008
Billionaire Bill Gates has said he will help pay for injectable polio vaccines in India
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Obama needs to put his faith in rationality
12 November 2008
There's much that can be done to reassure scientists that policy is being driven by reason in a post-Bush America
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Mars rover's power dips to all-time low
11 November 2008
A dust storm has blanketed Spirit's solar panels, providing the rover with just 10% of the energy it had when it landed
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When the world catches flu, Google sneezes
11 November 2008
A new service from the web giant warns of flu outbreaks as related searches increase in frequency - it could one day warn of new infectious diseases
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Solar cells need to be more dull to power up
11 November 2008
Making solar panels less shiny is key to improving their efficiency, say several competing research teams
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'Mars on Earth' mission one step closer to launch
11 November 2008
Eight candidates have been chosen from a group of 5600 to spend three months in a simulated space station
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Zero-gravity day trips to fund space research
11 November 2008
The European Space Agency announces that the public will soon be able to buy tickets on a "vomit comet" flight to experience weightlessness
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Gene hunt finds cancer culprits
11 November 2008
Eight genes are now implicated in a deadly form of leukaemia, thanks to a rise in the speed and a drop in the cost of whole-genome sequencing
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Brain sees fine line between speech and song
11 November 2008
The tendency of a spoken phrase to morph into a song when repeated is shedding light on how humans perceive voices
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NASA bids farewell to Phoenix lander
11 November 2008
The Mars lander has been out of contact for a week, and NASA is declaring an end to mission operations
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Corn-fed animals are fuelling America
10 November 2008
Almost all of the fast food consumed by Americans is indirectly made from corn, much of it unsustainably farmed
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Dirt won't stick to omniphobic material
10 November 2008
Unlike any natural material, it forces both watery and oily liquids into tight, marble-like drops that can't cling on
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Mysterious changes seen on distant dwarf planet
10 November 2008
The dwarf planet Eris's surface appears to have changed in the last few years, but it's not clear why
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Obama plans to sweep Bush stem-cell restrictions aside
10 November 2008
Barely a week since his momentous victory, US president-elect Barack Obama is bringing joy to long-suffering stem-cell researchers
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Soccer stars at increased risk of fatal brain disease
10 November 2008
Italian football players seem to have an increased susceptibility to a motor neurone disorder - and people from other sports may be at risk
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Earliest known shaman reveals tool of the trade
10 November 2008
Artefacts, such as tortoise shells and a human foot, buried in a 12,000-year-old grave suggest the owner mediated with the spirit world
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Rechargable pacemaker tops up with every heartbeat
10 November 2008
Replacing the battery on a pacemaker requires an operation, so deriving power from the heart itself would be a real boon for patients
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Primate welfare law could rule out some research
10 November 2008
Revisions to European rules on primate experiments could affect fundamental research, such as brain studies
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New species from out of the blue
10 November 2008
Giant oysters, spaceship-like jellyfish and the common ancestor of deep-sea octopuses are some of the new species discovered by the Census Marine Life
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Invention: Cancer nanobomb
10 November 2008
Water-filled carbon nanotubes that explode when heated could provide a new way to target inoperable tumours, says a new patent application
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Robot helicopter takes flight navigation to a new low
10 November 2008
While other uncrewed planes fly high to stay safe, this autonomous chopper can plan its way around obstacles close to the ground
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Pimped-up T-cells seek out and destroy HIV
09 November 2008
Researchers have used evolution to create immune cells able to destroy HIV far more effectively than the regular cells our body produces
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The odd drink in pregnancy won't harm baby
09 November 2008
Lots of expecting mums now say they avoid even light drinking, but the latest study indicates that this may be an unnecessary precaution
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Chinese and Nigerian men join elite genome club
09 November 2008
Racial barriers have toppled as two anonymous men have become the first non-white, non-celebrities to have their full genomes sequenced
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Conservationists may be overestimating wildlife habitat
08 November 2008
The amount of land available for future animal and plant sanctuaries may be less than thought because the scale of existing models is too large
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Space tourists to get limited protection
08 November 2008
The European Aviation Safety Agency is developing safety rules for civilian space flight – but they will only apply while craft are in Earth's atmosphere
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The online doctor will see you now
08 November 2008
Therapy over the internet offers a cheap and accessible way to treat people with a range of mental health disorders
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In search of the missing Stone Age tribes
08 November 2008
Little evidence has been unearthed of those who lived in Europe during the last big bout of climate change. Have we been looking in the wrong place, asks Laura Spinney
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Can legislation stop the wells running dry?
08 November 2008
When underground water sources straddle national boundaries the poor risk losing out to the powerful, but international laws could help
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Does rainfall vary with sunspot activity?
08 November 2008
While the Sun doesn't cause global warming, solar activity seems to influence the flow of rivers and thus the rain that feeds them
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Baby stars and cosmic votes: The week in space
07 November 2008
This week's gallery includes images of stellar baby booms in a nearby galaxy and US astronauts who cast their votes from space
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Video news round-up
07 November 2008
See a robotic helicopter that can dodge buildings, speakers made from a clear film and a type of slush that can preserve organs
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Why a speeding shark is like a golf ball
07 November 2008
Some sharks can swim at up to 50 miles per hour, but how? A trick that helps makes them more slippery in the water might help
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Plucky Mars rovers on the move again
07 November 2008
With the dawn of spring in Mars's southern hemisphere, both Spirit and Opportunity are heading to new targets
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Morphing mirror could clear the skies for astronomers
07 November 2008
A cheap liquid-based magnetic mirror could remove atmospheric distortion from telescopes and help diagnose eye disease
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Virus accomplice helps drugs fight cancer
07 November 2008
A virus that harmlessly infects most people at some time in their lives appears to help anti-cancer drugs destroy, or at least control, tumours
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China tells rich nations to pay up on climate change
07 November 2008
Wealthy nations should divert as much as 1% of their GDP to help developing nations tackle climate change, say Chinese officials
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Northern Lights captured in 3D for the first time
07 November 2008
Watch exclusive footage from the first 3D film of the aurora borealis and find out more about the expedition to capture the phenomenon
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Cellphone app will get air guitarists wailing
07 November 2008
Intelligent software turns cellphones into a range of playable musical instruments and allows owners to "jam" with their friends
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X-rays unmask deadly replica guns
07 November 2008
A new technique detects the high-quality barrels of blank-firing firearms that can be converted into weapons that kill
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Flu shots save fewer lives than thought
07 November 2008
Flawed statistics have led to researchers believing impossible claims for the flu vaccine, says health analyst Robert Taylor
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Space shuttle is key issue for Obama, agency says
06 November 2008
A US government watchdog agency says the new president will need to decide soon whether to retire the shuttles in 2010
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Plastic not so fantastic for lab experiments
06 November 2008
Ingredients in plastic test tubes used by labs around the world seem to block some biological reactions, possibly leading to bogus conclusions
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Energy Agency warns of 6 °C rise in temperatures
06 November 2008
The International Energy Agency says that our rate of oil consumption could result in temperature rises that are more than the environment can cope with
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Putting a price on the 'eco-crunch'
06 November 2008
If we are to be hit by extreme environmental crises in the near future, knowing how much they would cost could help avert catastrophe
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Gig-goers guide to the art of queue jumping
06 November 2008
If you have any chance of grabbing Bono's sweaty towel, then you need to get to the front of the queue - but look out for the hard-core fans
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Gallery: The submarine pioneer who shaped spaceflight
06 November 2008
Jacques Piccard, who died this weekend, was one of only two humans to reach the deepest spot on the planet and his pioneering submersibles influenced NASA's manned space expeditions
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Book review: Decoding the Heavens by Jo Marchant
06 November 2008
We all know about the ancient Greeks' abilities in art and philosophy, but, as this enlightening book tells us, they also made the world's first computer
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Dark matter may be shining a light
06 November 2008
Mysterious dark matter could be emanating "dark radiation" that, while we can't detect it, may affect the growth of galaxies
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GM cotton in the clear over farmer suicides
06 November 2008
A cotton modified to produce its own pesticide has been falsely blamed for triggering the deaths of poor farmers, says an independent report
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Why hair bleach is a murderer's best friend
06 November 2008
Budding crime-scene investigators take note: a common household bleach can render the forensic techniques for detecting blood useless
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Ants have a simple solution to traffic congestion
06 November 2008
The social insects have cracked a problem humans haven't – while our cars get clogged in jams, ants help each other to move around their colony
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How to launch a mission to the Moon
06 November 2008
India's first lunar mission succeeded against the odds, says Madhavan Nair, the man in charge of India's space agency
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Dying Mars lander to enter 'Groundhog Day' state
05 November 2008
NASA's Phoenix lander may spend its dying days performing the same sequence of weather measurements over and over again
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Where will new Fermi telescope find dark matter?
05 November 2008
Astronomers are divided over where NASA's new gamma-ray telescope will find its first hint of dark matter
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Get involved in distributed computing
05 November 2008
Forget Tetris or Solitaire, join one of these science projects and put your free time to good use
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Get involved in distributed computing
05 November 2008
Forget Tetris or Solitaire, join one of these science projects and put your free time to good use
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Climate change sends lemming numbers plunging
05 November 2008
Though best known for their supposed suicidal tendencies, lemmings are now at threat from our warming climate
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Solution to Enigma No. 1519
05 November 2008
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Rock guitarists' amp becomes a trap for atoms
05 November 2008
A tiny trap that can hold atoms still while they are zapped with an electron beam has been built using a piece of music kit
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Obama on science, in his own words
05 November 2008
Barack Obama's victory heralds a new era in science and here, in his own words, is how the President-elect sees the future
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Is mirror neuron activity just a mirage?
05 November 2008
Past speculation about the specialised brain cells may have been confused by activity in other nearby neurons
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Invention: Self-diagnosing aircraft
05 November 2008
Safety checks after rough landings waste valuable time, says a patent application that explains how aircraft could cut unnecessary inspections
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Obama promises new era of scientific innovation
05 November 2008
The president-elect has pledged a sea change in US policy on the biggest issues of our time - so what will this mean for science?
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California votes against green power initiatives
05 November 2008
President-elect Barack Obama may have promised to green the US, but two measures to boost alternative energy look certain to fail
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In chaotic computing, anarchy rules OK
05 November 2008
Push a microchip to the limits and it performs in ways unimaginable with ordinary silicon, says Duncan Graham-Rowe
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Einstein's errors
05 November 2008
I find Andrew Robinson's list of Einstein's scientific "errors" in his critique of Hans C. Ohanian's book on the subject rather odd, to say the least...
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Fantasy banking
05 November 2008
Your questioning of the predictive ability of some financial models is too cautious. Financial systems are complex and highly non-linear (though probably not truly chaotic)...
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Sustainable economy
05 November 2008
Tremendous! Your special issue on the root cause of our problems – the pursuit of unrestricted economic growth – brings together information and insight superbly...
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How online games are solving uncomputable problems
05 November 2008
Addictive games that tap your brainpower without you noticing can crack problems that have defeated the most powerful computers, says Lewis Dartnell
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Gallery: Painting the life within
05 November 2008
From endosymbiosis to malaria and HIV, paintings by artist and geneticist Hunter O'Reilly explore biological processes and issues we face today
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Review: Alex and Me by Irene Pepperberg
05 November 2008
This impish, intelligent African grey parrot was an admirable bird, says Deborah Blum - sadly the same cannot be said for the book
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Error in error message, part 97
05 November 2008
Grassroots politics is coordinated from above, why you need disk space to delete files, and scientific names for unreal animals
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In Search of Time by Dan Falk
05 November 2008
What is the true nature of time? The author turns to philosophy and physics to find out
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Beware the destructive nature of greed
05 November 2008
Unless it is regulated, the search for profits could destroy the planet as well as the market
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A fresh start in the Alps
05 November 2008
Aside from great chocolate, alpine views and world-class transportation system, what else can Switzerland offer scientists, asks Katherine McAlpine
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Living with Enza by Mark Honigsbaum
05 November 2008
The 1918 flu pandemic is the subject of several books, but this is the first from the British perspective
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Debate over Indonesian mud volcano gets messy
05 November 2008
At a meeting in South Africa this week, a majority of geologists said the disastrous mud volcano Lusi was caused by drilling
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Brain scams
05 November 2008
Doubts about the use of polygraphs have been around for much longer than you report...
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Albatross again
05 November 2008
Katsufumi Sato's observations of albatrosses lead him to conclude that the maximum weight of a soaring bird is 40 kilograms, casting doubt upon the abilities of a 250-kg pterosaur...
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Where do science supermachines go when they die?
05 November 2008
Plenty of people would love to get their hands on a piece of old atom smasher, as Kaspar Mossman finds out
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Enigma No. 1519
05 November 2008
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For the record
05 November 2008
We unaccountably passed through a misspelling of the classic heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne...
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Blind markspersonship
05 November 2008
I was intrigued by Helen Phillips's description of "athletic minds". After I retired from the British army I started a business developing optical sights – which involved thinking about aiming...
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Paper or plastic?
05 November 2008
Feedback deplores a misleading argument in favour of plastic bags, in the claim that burying them in landfill is carbon sequestration. The issue is not as simple as Feedback makes it out to be...
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Fantasy banking
05 November 2008
Rob Jameson looks at how investment bankers, hedge funds, pension fund managers and their fellow institutional travellers employ a "value at risk" number to try to make a profit using the vehicle of derivatives...
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Sustainable economy
05 November 2008
While I agree wholeheartedly that we are on the wrong path with regard to what we wish to bequeath to our descendants, you need to address responsibility and risk...
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For the record
05 November 2008
Several readers expressed surprise at our report of meteorologists at the University of Reading detecting gravity waves in the jet stream...
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They'll never allow it
05 November 2008
Thanks to David Burman for pointing out the dangers inherent in the use of lithium-ion cells in electric cars. Thank goodness we do not have many vehicles using flammable, potentially explosive energy-storage systems on our roads today...
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All lads together
05 November 2008
I have just noticed that Lawrence Krauss's great programme on origins at Arizona State University, and the big public event to be held in Phoenix next April, have only chaps listed as speakers...
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The secret life of the brain
05 November 2008
Weird and wonderful things start to happen when you put your brain in neutral, finds Douglas Fox
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Has new physics been found at the ageing Tevatron?
05 November 2008
An unexplained event at the Tevatron particle accelerator at Fermilab has excited particle physicists – it might even be a signature of dark matter
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Women's hands boast more bugs
05 November 2008
A sensitive sampling of the DNA on human skin has revealed that while women's hands get washed more often, they teem with more species of bacteria
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'Concertina' scaffold could help mend broken hearts
05 November 2008
A biodegradable tissue scaffold with a concertina-shaped honeycomb structure could be used to regrow damaged heart tissue
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Finding the facts about genetic modification
05 November 2008
Independent auditing of GM technology is needed to sift the facts from the tidal wave of propaganda from both sides
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Rank and Dank
05 November 2008
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Rip off
05 November 2008
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On the tube
05 November 2008
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Chicken genome plucked bare by inbreeding
05 November 2008
Up to 90% of the genetic diversity chickens evolved with has been bred out of the modern chicken, suggests a DNA analysis
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60 Seconds
05 November 2008
A long-awaited paper has strengthened suspicions that the PAMELA satellite has spotted telltale signs of dark matter
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Rock'n'roll cellphones – social glue or plain annoying?
05 November 2008
Software that turns groups of cellphone owners into go-anywhere rock bands could drive us all bonkers
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Hubble is living on borrowed time
05 November 2008
Hardware problems have delayed the final servicing mission to the space telescope, leaving it at risk of unrecoverable breakdown
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Japanese quake made the earth bounce
05 November 2008
A big earthquake that hit Japan in June sent the ground speeding skywards – now designs for quake-proof buildings may need a rethink
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Amoeba inspires simple memory circuit
05 November 2008
A simple electronic circuit that stores rudimentary memories like an amoeba could help us understand primitive intelligence
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'I'm not terribly fast at my times tables'
05 November 2008
Marcus du Sautoy, professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford, makes a confession
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Rare species could be frozen for future cloning
05 November 2008
Healthy mice have been cloned from the dead brain cells of animals frozen years ago – raising hopes of an endangered species "bank"
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Gizmo
05 November 2008
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How curing boredom can boost research
05 November 2008
A new generation of distributed computer projects disguised as online games are exploiting the best processor of all - the human mind
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Comment: When not to write about autism
04 November 2008
The reporting of a recent study linking autism to high rainfall highlights that the media needs to know when not to publish a science story
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Hairy subs could feel their way through turbulence
04 November 2008
Artificial versions of the tiny sensor hairs in the lateral lines of fish could make underwater vehicles more sensitive to ocean currents
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Chicken genome plucked bare by inbreeding
04 November 2008
Up to 90% of the genetic diversity chickens evolved with has been bred out of the modern chicken, suggests a DNA analysis
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New ad technology could turn piracy into profits
04 November 2008
Attempts to find and remove all online pirated video content are struggling, but placing adverts onto footage could turn the situation on its head
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Video games don't train your brain
04 November 2008
Does playing computer games boost your brainpower? Not necessarily, seems to be the answer
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Snake bite is a 'neglected tropical disease'
04 November 2008
Venomous snakes may kill more people than dengue fever or skin cancer – see our interactive map of the areas affected
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Can animals escape the present?
04 November 2008
Do animals ponder the past and contemplate the future, or are they eternally stuck in the moment, asks Henry Nicholls
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Taurid meteors may produce dazzling 'fireballs'
04 November 2008
The shower may be especially good this year because Earth will pass through a dense knot of meteoroids in a stream of cometary debris
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Fungal diesel could revolutionise fuel production
04 November 2008
A fungus found in Patagonia can produce diesel vapour from cellulose
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The feminine touch carries more germs
03 November 2008
Women's hands have more diverse bacteria than men's, even though women wash more often
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Cloning 'resurrects' long-dead mice
03 November 2008
Clones produced using genetic material taken from frozen animals offers conservation hope
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Has new physics been found at the ageing Tevatron?
03 November 2008
An unexplained event at the Tevatron particle accelerator at Fermilab just might be the signature of a new type of long-lived particle
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Cassini might hold secrets to life on Saturn moon
03 November 2008
Signs of life on Enceladus could be found by studying the relative abundances of organic molecules in the moon's icy plume
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Space tourism flies into a legal black hole
03 November 2008
With sub-orbital spaceflights for tourists just around the corner, do we need tougher regulations to ensure the safety of spacecraft?
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Left-handed people are more inhibited
03 November 2008
A behavioural test suggests that left-handed people are more prone to anxiety and inhibition than right-handers
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Invention: Self-replicating materials
03 November 2008
DNA-coated particles can build themselves into complex objects that can 'reproduce', with potential applications to manufacturing
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Scanner 'reads minds' to spot early signs of dementia
03 November 2008
A new system compares the brains of healthy individuals and dementia sufferers to help spot the characteristic features of the condition
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Gallery: When genetics meets art
03 November 2008
From human cloning and malaria resistance to living with HIV, these unusual paintings explore various biological processes and issues we face today
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Bush rushes through 'harmful' environment laws
03 November 2008
The Bush administration is sprinting to enact environmental policy changes before leaving power
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The five oldest acts of environmental destruction
03 November 2008
People have been mining, quarrying and tapping water sources – and scarring the environment – for thousands of years
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'Cultured' robots make sweet music together
03 November 2008
Two robots that evolve a repertoire of melodies they can both sing could compose music beyond that of humans
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Hunger hotspots of the future revealed
03 November 2008
A new study combines climate models with population and economic predictions to warn where food security will be worst in Africa in 2030
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Honeycomb to mend a broken heart
02 November 2008
A stem-cell scaffold mesh has solved the problem of how to grow heart cells that all beat in the same direction
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Silver-screen audio trick could smooth jerky video
02 November 2008
An audio illusion used since the early days of cinema could make cellphone video transmitted at low frame-rates appear more smooth
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Why sex gets cocks crowing
01 November 2008
A dawn cacophony is a cockerel's attempt to safeguard its unborn offspring at the time of day when predators are about
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Habitable worlds may hide in gas giants' wake
01 November 2008
Computer simulations show that rocky planets may be lurking in the wake of Jupiter-like planets as they orbit distant stars
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The yo-yo world of diet drugs
01 November 2008
Sales of anti-obesity drug rimonabant are suspended over suicide fears, while a new fat pill promises to help dieters lose twice as much as any previous drug