June - 2004 Articles
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Speed of light may have changed recently
30 June 2004
The controversial finding is based on re-analysis of old data that has long been used to argue for exactly the opposite
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Hybrid nano-wires provide link to silicon
30 June 2004
Nanoscale components that could be plugged into conventional micro-electronics are developed for the first time
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Glimpse into cloned embryos reveals problems
30 June 2004
By probing how an adult cell nucleus is re-set during cloning, researchers cast further doubt on the safety of the technique
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Passive smoking danger was underestimated
30 June 2004
A new study examining the blood of non-smokers suggests the risk of coronary heart disease is much higher than thought
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Sneakiest primates have biggest brains
30 June 2004
Monkeys and apes who are good at deceiving their peers also have the biggest brains, backing the "Machiavellian intelligence" theory
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First pregnancy from frozen ovaries
29 June 2004
The woman became pregnant after having slices of her ovaries removed and frozen during cancer treatment, and then re-implanted
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Apple unveils faster searching tool
29 June 2004
Searching in the next version of Apple's operating system will be speeded by the use of classifying information called metadata
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Khat drug may improve male fertility
29 June 2004
The plant, banned as an illegal drug in some countries, both activates sperm and stops them peaking too early
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Atkins diet could lower female fertility
29 June 2004
Embryos implant and develop less often in mice fed high-protein diets - higher levels of a metabolic byproduct may be to blame
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Crucial moment approaches for Saturn probe
29 June 2004
On Thursday, one of the most sophisticated spacecraft ever built will reach probably the most beautiful planet in the Solar System
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Rice yields plunging due to balmy nights
29 June 2004
Global warming is cutting yields at twice the predicted rate, according to the first "real world" experiment on the impact of rising temperatures
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Cactus extract offers hangover help
28 June 2004
Popping a capsule of prickly pear cactus extract before boozing could offer drinkers some protection from hangover symptoms
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Second US cow tests positive for BSE
28 June 2004
US officials say it is "very likely" that further tests will show the cow is negative, but such results are rare in most countries
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Television watching may hasten puberty
28 June 2004
Children watching a lot of TV produce less melatonin, new research suggests – the "sleep hormone" has been linked to timing of puberty
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Blood vessel blockers treat womb disease
28 June 2004
Research raises the prospect of a therapy for endometriosis, a painful condition that affects millions of women and can cause infertility
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Double discovery on past Mars water
28 June 2004
Signs of a damp geological history on Mars just keep getting clearer, as both NASA rovers explore new terrains
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Wi-Fi finds the way when GPS can't
28 June 2004
If GPS lets you down in the depths of the urban jungle, new software enables you to use the wireless internet to find where you are
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Beach blob mystery solved at last
27 June 2004
Marine biologists definitively show that the "Chilean Blob" and other similar mysteries are simply the remains of whales
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Nuclear share of electricity predicted to fall
26 June 2004
The International Atomic Energy Agency argues it should increase for environmental and economic reasons, but others disagree
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Horn damage hints at Triceratops battles
26 June 2004
The three-horned dinosaur could apparently wrestle head-to-head with other members of its own species
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Click twice, we sue
26 June 2004
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Water claims
26 June 2004
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Sharing lightens the download
26 June 2004
The entertainment industry demonised Napster and its clones for the technology they used. But could file-sharing revolutionise the way we get our entertainment? Kieren McCarthy reports
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Feedback
26 June 2004
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Barcode me
26 June 2004
Wouldn't it be useful if we could identify any animal on earth simply by reading off a short stretch of its genetic code? Bob Holmes talks to the people who are making this dream a reality
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For the record
26 June 2004
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Mutant mitochondria
26 June 2004
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Dirigible-do
26 June 2004
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Venus pioneer
26 June 2004
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Decaf straight from the plant
26 June 2004
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Seed cuisine shows up in prehistoric leftovers
26 June 2004
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Laser op fails to cut snorers' decibels
26 June 2004
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Sleepy lemur is first of its kind
26 June 2004
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We're all ears
26 June 2004
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Close-up reveals comet's icy spires
26 June 2004
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Horn damage hints at battles among the mighty triceratops
26 June 2004
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Constants stay put for now
26 June 2004
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The original people-carrier designed in Africa
26 June 2004
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Lower libido
26 June 2004
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.....
26 June 2004
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The word infrasound
26 June 2004
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The stones, the stones
26 June 2004
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Wild inspiration
26 June 2004
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From sea to shining sea
26 June 2004
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Physics with swing
26 June 2004
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Where did all the locusts go?
26 June 2004
Graham Goldsworthy enjoys a scientific sleuth story
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Psychic birds (or what?)
26 June 2004
His elder brother was a big-game hunter, but bird-enthusiast Edmund Selous had a horror of killing. In the early years of the 20th century he made himself a pariah in the ornithological world through his tirades against shooting wild birds and collecting
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Washington diary
26 June 2004
Andreas Frew looks back at Reagan's scientific vision, and forward to robotic hopes for Hubble
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Saying no to Saddam
26 June 2004
For refusing to work on Saddam Hussein's weapons programme, Hussain Al-Shahristani spent 11 years as a prisoner in the infamous Abu Ghraib jail. As Iraq struggles to rebuild, he was recently put forward as a candidate to head the interim government
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Dream drug or demon brew?
26 June 2004
A mind-altering substance used in shamanistic rituals may hold clues to dreaming and a natural way of alleviating depression but could also trigger schizophrenic hallucinations
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Vital statistics
26 June 2004
Doctors do it. Engineers do it. Even educated schoolkids do it. Cutting-edge statistical analysis is used just about everywhere, yet physics and astronomy are still labouring with 19th-century maths. Bringing them up to date could answer the biggest quest
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Wrong number
26 June 2004
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Pharaohphonics
26 June 2004
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Negative calories
26 June 2004
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Was tile thule?
26 June 2004
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Poultry in Turkey
26 June 2004
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.....
26 June 2004
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The last word
26 June 2004
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Beach blob mystery is solved at last
26 June 2004
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Regrow your own…one day
26 June 2004
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Scrap over Iran's nuclear site
26 June 2004
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Tell us all
26 June 2004
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Fossils seized
26 June 2004
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Superbug threat
26 June 2004
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60 Seconds
26 June 2004
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Dawn of a new space age
26 June 2004
Fewer than 300 people have been to space. The first private flight opens the way for thousands to follow
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Cassini to get ringside view
26 June 2004
On 1 July, the Cassini spacecraft will reach Saturn, after a 3.5-billion kilometre journey from Earth
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Europe – a danger to kids
26 June 2004
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Doctor who?
26 June 2004
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Costly clean-up
26 June 2004
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One small flight…
26 June 2004
…or one giant symbolic leap for the fledgling private space industry?
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Wi-Fi finds the way
26 June 2004
If GPS lets you down in the depths of the urban jungle, the wireless internet will show you where you are
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Soundbites
26 June 2004
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Enigma or just noise?
26 June 2004
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A conflict of interest
26 June 2004
When scientists sign articles that appear in the press, we need to be told if they are not quite all they seem, says Rob Edwards
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Recycling emissions
26 June 2004
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Memories to rely on
26 June 2004
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Expanding software
26 June 2004
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Pirates get the blues
26 June 2004
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Steal it, but it won't work
26 June 2004
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PC spies report on your every move
26 June 2004
Spyware has downloaded itself onto computers everywhere and is broadcasting users' personal details
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Egg clock 'forecasts menopause onset'
26 June 2004
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The recipe for a satisfying sex life
26 June 2004
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Phone virus is harbinger of destruction to come
26 June 2004
The first computer worm designed to spread between cellphones has been demonstrated last week
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Cutting edge
26 June 2004
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The end of phones as we know them
26 June 2004
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Map of consumption turns up a few surprises
26 June 2004
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Infected websites exploit Microsoft browser flaws
25 June 2004
Users visiting compromised sites were re-directed to another site – now blocked – that automatically downloaded a malicious file
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Fundamental physics constants stay put
25 June 2004
A new study casts doubt on an earlier claim that the fine-structure constant varied as the Universe evolved
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Doubt cast on benefits of Alzheimer's drug
25 June 2004
The widely-used drug donepezil fails to improve the quality of life of patients, an independent study finds
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Plasma pockets could reduce aircraft noise
25 June 2004
Using electrodes in exhaust pipes can control the flow of the plume, experiments show, which should reduce noise
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Spacewalk aborted after oxygen leak
25 June 2004
A risky spacewalk outside the International Space Station ends after one spacesuit's oxygen tank apparently sprang a leak
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Honeybees' genes key to hive air conditioning
24 June 2004
Honeybees precisely regulate the temperature of their nest thanks to genetic variations in their individual thermostats
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Safety levels for eating oily fish released
24 June 2004
A major review concludes the health benefits of eating oily fish outweigh the risks if people consume only a few portions a week
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Tooth growing experiments bring smiles
24 June 2004
Remarkable progress is being made towards growing replacement teeth from stem cells, but major obstacles remain
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US and Europe to combine satellite navigation
24 June 2004
The two sides will mesh the EU's new Galileo network with the US's GPS, a move that will improve the accuracy of both systems
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Spaceprobe reveals mystery moon's secrets
24 June 2004
Cassini's fly-by of Saturn's moon Phoebe shows it is almost certainly a captured object from the Kuiper Belt
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"Mighty mouse" gene found in humans
23 June 2004
A gene that doubles muscle in mice shows similar effects in a strapping young boy, offering treatment hope for muscle wasting diseases
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Noisy secret of Mona Lisa's smile
23 June 2004
A new study suggests that the power of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece comes in part from random noise in our visual systems
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Languorous lemur hibernates through tropical winter
23 June 2004
The fat-tailed dwarf lemur is the first primate proven to hibernate through the winter, despite living in tropical Madagascar
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Naturally decaffeinated coffee plant discovered
23 June 2004
It could be tastier than existing decaf brews, which can lose flavour compounds when caffeine is extracted with solvents
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Claim of spyware on Beastie Boys CD denied
23 June 2004
Suspicions that the new CD automatically installs sinister software is denied by the music company that released it
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Warning of polio epidemic in Africa
23 June 2004
As the virus reaches troubled Sudan, experts are warning of an epidemic in west and central Africa
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Snorted virus dampens rats' cocaine high
22 June 2004
A modified virus that travels straight into rats' brains blocked the effects of the drug – it could one day offer a new treatment tool
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Smoking wipes 10 years off a life
22 June 2004
A 50-year update of the landmark 1954 paper that first linked smoking with lung cancer reveals fresh insights
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'Anomalies' in first private spaceflight revealed
22 June 2004
Though the flight was a great success – a number of glitches occurred during the flight, some potentially catastrophic
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Early hominid ears primed for speech
22 June 2004
The bone structure of five ancient skulls suggests that language could have evolved much earlier than modern humans
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Dogs can predict epileptic seizures
21 June 2004
These dogs can protect children from injuries, as well as helping kids deal with the daily struggle of their condition
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First private astronaut rockets into space
21 June 2004
"It was almost a religious experience," says the pilot, after stepping out of the sports-car sized craft in the Californian desert
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First private astronaut reaches space
21 June 2004
Test pilot Michael Melvill rockets into the history books, becoming the first person to reach space without any government-funded hardware
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Earth Simulator still supercomputer champion
21 June 2004
But a new suite of seven benchmarks could provide a more useful way of assessing performance in the future
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Pioneer spirit behind civilian space shot
21 June 2004
The designer of the craft that will attempt the first civilian space mission on Monday evokes the spirit of the Wright Brothers
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Iran satellite images raise nuclear questions
21 June 2004
Nuclear inspectors are expected to visit a site in Tehran, following evidence that its buildings have been razed and the ground scraped clean
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Cities will swelter on summer nights
20 June 2004
Summer nights will get stickier for city-dwellers as global warming is set to triple the "urban heat island" effect, warn meterologists
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Adding a chromosome may treat disease
19 June 2004
Giving people an extra chromosome may one day help conquer genetic diseases – as artificial chromosomes are used successfully in mice
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Conspiracy threat to anti-nuke treaty
19 June 2004
Secret swapping of nuclear know-how between the US and UK is undermining global stability
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The strain shows
19 June 2004
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Now prove it
19 June 2004
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Autism link?
19 June 2004
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Phoebe's portrait
19 June 2004
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New stars in the conservation show
19 June 2004
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Elephant tremors only good for intimate 'chats'
19 June 2004
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The attacks Bush forgot
19 June 2004
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A new role for stem cells
19 June 2004
Stem cells from human embryos with genetic defects are opening up a new way of studying inherited diseases
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60 Seconds
19 June 2004
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Climate blamed for upsurge in disease
19 June 2004
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The final straw for a fragile treaty?
19 June 2004
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Just add a chromosome…
19 June 2004
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Stellar death, exotic birth
19 June 2004
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Defending Darwin
19 June 2004
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Westminster diary
19 June 2004
Tam Dalyell on the roots of a seminal development, and border wrangles over engineered maize
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Reason to be cheerful
19 June 2004
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Scream of spring
19 June 2004
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Jacob's Ladder: The history of the human genome by Henry Gee
19 June 2004
Laurence Hurst on genomic false hopes and hype
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The last word
19 June 2004
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Northern highlights
19 June 2004
What it lacks in government research funding, the north of England gains in investment from other sources – and not just from the giants of its industrial past, says Duncan Graham-Rowe
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May the fittest car win the race
19 June 2004
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Leaping lemurs
19 June 2004
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Treespotting
19 June 2004
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Is this a shock tactic too far?
19 June 2004
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Don't try this at home
19 June 2004
Turning science into art is a risky business these days…
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Plans for NASA's future in disarray
19 June 2004
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Feedback
19 June 2004
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Cutting edge
19 June 2004
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Rod iron rides again
19 June 2004
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The cell that makes us human
19 June 2004
The discovery of a type of neuron unique to humans and our closest relatives is causing a stir
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Ghostly information
19 June 2004
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An exercise issue
19 June 2004
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Copy and save
19 June 2004
When endangered species just won't breed fast enough, can cloning save them instead?
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Build it big
19 June 2004
It's bigger than the average family house, holds impossible loads of dirt, coal, copper or gold ore, and has a top speed of over 60 kilometres per hour. The T 282B truck is the giant baby of Francis Bartley, head of research and development at Lieb
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Bestsellers - Portland,Oregon
19 June 2004
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The metal that marks out a true champagne
19 June 2004
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ChatNannies' AI credentials still on hold
19 June 2004
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Algae use sex to beat stress
19 June 2004
Primitive pond-dwelling algae are helping to answer one of biology's ultimate questions – why did sex evolve?
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.....
19 June 2004
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.....
19 June 2004
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For the record
19 June 2004
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No reactor risk
19 June 2004
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.....
19 June 2004
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Please don't help me!
19 June 2004
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Four wings first
19 June 2004
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"Safe" medicines
19 June 2004
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Cod Latin
19 June 2004
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It's been done
19 June 2004
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Firing at the Moon
19 June 2004
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Green granny
19 June 2004
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.....
19 June 2004
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Flying saucers
19 June 2004
For most of us frisbees are just a bit of fun, so why is planetary scientist Ralph Lorenz taking them so seriously?
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Atoms trapped when shown their reflection
19 June 2004
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Mars marbles found on Earth
19 June 2004
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Liposuction leaves you no healthier
19 June 2004
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Juggling languages keeps brain sharper in old age
19 June 2004
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These jaws were made for biting
19 June 2004
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Soundbites
19 June 2004
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Power savers pack a punch
19 June 2004
Ferroelectricity could make a comeback in low-power memory chips for a raft of hand-held gadgets
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Green fuel earns its stripes in 24-hour endurance test
19 June 2004
With the hydrogen economy still decades away, the options for making more eco-friendly cars are limited
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The great flood myth
19 June 2004
Cutting down trees contributes to local flooding and soil erosion. But the claim that deforestation leads to big floods is bad science, and it is ruining the lives of poor farmers, says David Kaimowitz
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Fine-evading drivers have more accidents
19 June 2004
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Dye method of sperm sorting appears safe
19 June 2004
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Cities will swelter on summer nights
19 June 2004
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The vac factor
19 June 2004
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'Lab on a chip' for stem cells
19 June 2004
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Word-wise collie reveals secrets of language skills
19 June 2004
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Give it some gas
19 June 2004
Take an internal combustion engine, shrink it to the size of a penny and it becomes the perfect portable power source.
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Stun weapons to target crowds
19 June 2004
A frightening new breed of electric stun gun is designed to hit groups of people over long distances
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Spam-free phones
19 June 2004
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Pronto printing
19 June 2004
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Going, going, click
19 June 2004
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GPS cellphones blank out during 911 calls
18 June 2004
The glitch is in the way the phones divide their processor time between GPS-location calculations and voice transmission
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Fast cars could be tuned by evolution
18 June 2004
Formula One teams could shave seconds off their best time by "breeding" the fittest performance features, suggest scientists
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Civilian craft ready to make space history
18 June 2004
On Monday, a century after the Wright Brothers' first flight, the pilot of an exotic spacecraft will attempt to become the first true civilian astronaut
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Superbugs resist "last resort" antibiotics
18 June 2004
All over the world, strains of the hospital superbug MRSA are evolving resistance to the last weapon against them
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New test marks out a true champagne
18 June 2004
Trace metals from the soil where grapes were grown can be used to tell real champagne from cheap plonk
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Donkey domestication began in Africa
17 June 2004
Genetic fingerprints indicate they are descended from wild African asses, making them the only major domestic animal from the continent
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Third of Europe's child deaths environment-related
17 June 2004
The world's first "audit" of such deaths reveals 100,000 young lives are lost each year to pollution and unsafe living conditions
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Test to predict menopause revealed
17 June 2004
Scientists may soon be able to predict how many fertile years a woman has left using her age and a simple scan of her ovaries
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Conspiracy threat to anti-nuke treaty
17 June 2004
Secret swapping of nuclear know-how between the US and UK is undermining global stability, says a nuclear think-tank
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Sweeping stun guns to target crowds
16 June 2004
A frightening new breed of electric stun gun is designed to hit groups of people over long distances, appalling human rights groups
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ChatNannies' AI credentials still on hold
16 June 2004
The controversial software agent which poses as a human to hunt chatroom paedophiles remains unproven despite tests
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Testing
16 June 2004
Testing
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Utah rocks help explain Martian "blueberries"
16 June 2004
Marble-sized rocks in the Utah desert may shed light on how the odd spheres found by NASA's Opportunity may have formed
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Major website blackout blamed on massive attack
16 June 2004
Some of the world's most popular internet sites were knocked out after a co-ordinated and distributed attack
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Mars rover spies pot of gold
16 June 2004
Spirit sends a wealth of tantalising images from the base of a Martian hill range, as Opportunity descends its crater
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Power implant aims to run on body heat
16 June 2004
The project hopes to tackle a big drawback of life-saving implants like pacemakers – their batteries running out
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Statins are not "wonder drugs" for all
15 June 2004
The cholesterol-beating drugs are not as effective in people with certain genetic variations, reveals a study
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First cell phone worm emerges
15 June 2004
A harmless virus which can jump between cell phones using Bluetooth has been created, stoking fears of more dangerous worms
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Bioterror grand jury trial begins for professor
15 June 2004
A trial which could indict an art professor who uses bacterial strains in his work starts amid a "tightened alert status" in the US
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Science book prize won by travel writer
15 June 2004
A book which journeys through the origins of life and the Universe scoops the Aventis Science Book Prize
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Spinal cord injury treatment raises hope
15 June 2004
Experts say the results look promising, but caution that with just 16 people treated so far, it is too early to draw any conclusions
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Google considers instant delivery service
14 June 2004
The search giant weighs up RSS, a rival to its current Atom format – both allow the instant delivery of headlines and content
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Saturn's moon reveals violent past
14 June 2004
The mystery moon Phoebe may have been a comet ensnared by Saturn, suggest the first clear images from Cassini
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Mars rovers arrive at long-awaited sites
14 June 2004
As Opportunity takes a dip into the Endurance crater, Spirit eyes up the hills
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Memory fails you after severe stress
14 June 2004
The finding casts serious doubt on the reliability of victim testimonies in cases involving psychological trauma
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Fertility clinics turn to embryo gene testing
13 June 2004
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is being sold as a way of boosting IVF success rates – but does it work?
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Universe started with hiss, not bang
12 June 2004
In the beginning, a low moan built to a roar that then gave way to a deafening hiss – and those sounds gave birth to the first stars
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Not just a pretty face
12 June 2004
They learn quickly, use tools, have sophisticated social structures and impressive long-term memories. So why does everyone think fish are plain stupid, asks Culum Brown
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Can you guess what I'm thinking?
12 June 2004
Reading the minds of others comes as naturally to us as breathing, and we know some animals can do it too. The big question, says Robin Dunbar, is just how accomplished they are
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.....
12 June 2004
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Trait spotting
12 June 2004
Does your pet have a personality? 'How can you even ask?' snap the doting owners. Others scoff at the idea. After years among hyenas, dogs and humans, Sam Gosling tells Liz Else what all the fuss is all about
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The last word
12 June 2004
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Feedback
12 June 2004
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Here's looking at ewe
12 June 2004
There is more to sheep than meets the eye. Not only are they skilled at recognising faces, they also know which ones they find attractive. And they can form special bonds with people. Keith Kendrick has found out first hand
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It's good to bark
12 June 2004
Wild canids hardly ever use barking to communicate, while domestic dogs have a range of barks for different situations. After thousands of years of living with humans, have dogs learned how to speak to us? Kate Douglas investigates
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Don't call me bird-brain
12 June 2004
Betty the New Caledonian crow achieved worldwide fame in 2002 when she fashioned a piece of wire into a tool. Alun Anderson watched her show off her skills at the lab in Oxford where she lives. He talks to Alex Kacelnik about her uncanny abi
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Animal minds
12 June 2004
Do animals have minds of their own, and if they do, what might they be like?
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Go on, spoil their fun
12 June 2004
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Incinerators linked to twin births
12 June 2004
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That double click will cost you
12 June 2004
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Fighting the tide of dangerous fakes
12 June 2004
Can a growing array of technical fixes combat the economic and health threats from counterfeit products?
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O jellyfish, where is thy sting?
12 June 2004
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Vigilantes on the net
12 June 2004
When laws fail and enforcement won't work, desperate citizens may be tempted to take matters into their own hands.
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Hard lessons, sound sleep
12 June 2004
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Missile defence misses
12 June 2004
Zapping missiles with a laser beam looks easy in a video game, says Jeff Hecht, but the Pentagon's effort to do the real thing is struggling to get off the ground
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Stars conceived out of thin air
12 June 2004
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Liquid crystals spill beans on anthrax
12 June 2004
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Pterosaurs went for the soft shell
12 June 2004
Spectacular fossil hints that the flying reptiles laid soft eggs rather than hard ones
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Can implants run on body heat?
12 June 2004
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Cutting edge
12 June 2004
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Twisting the light away
12 June 2004
A novel trick with light has got physicists in a spin. Pitch your photon like a corkscrewing curveball and you can push bandwidth through the roof, flummox eavesdroppers and perhaps even talk to aliens.
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Pepperami percentages
12 June 2004
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.....
12 June 2004
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.....
12 June 2004
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For the record
12 June 2004
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Mutants, one and all
12 June 2004
One way to understand human development is to look at the grotesque forms that arise when things go wrong. Developmental biologist Armand Marie Leroi explains
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Incoherent
12 June 2004
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Bellamy blast
12 June 2004
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Save with pleasure
12 June 2004
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Accentuate the negative
12 June 2004
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Big bang monopoly
12 June 2004
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Javan ash rises from flightless bird
12 June 2004
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Eco-blockade
12 June 2004
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The rush to pick a perfect embryo
12 June 2004
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is being sold as a way of boosting IVF success rates. Does it work?
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60 Seconds
12 June 2004
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Crisis in Sudan
12 June 2004
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Black holes drive speedy particles to new highs
12 June 2004
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Memory fails you after severe stress
12 June 2004
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DNA in action coming soon to a screen near you
12 June 2004
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Aerosols form in a cocktail of smoke and fumes
12 June 2004
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Naked approach to gene therapy
12 June 2004
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Higgs hunt gets heavy
12 June 2004
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Flame retardant shows up in Arctic
12 June 2004
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U-turn on goo
12 June 2004
The futurist who dreamed up the vision of self-replicating nanomachines spreading across the planet has publicly renounced his idea
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Civilian space shot scheduled
12 June 2004
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Glaxo lawsuit
12 June 2004
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Digital pollution
12 June 2004
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Boy or girl? Best leave it to chance
12 June 2004
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They seek Higgs here…
12 June 2004
It would help if physicists were looking for the particle in the right place
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Soundbites
12 June 2004
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And the forecast for AD 17,004 is…
12 June 2004
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Mars rovers set to scale heights
12 June 2004
Robotic rovers have trundled across the surface of Mars. Now they could be heading for the hills
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Blockbuster challenge
12 June 2004
A drought of new medicines is forcing the world's largest drug companies into a tight corner. Can they bounce back with a new crop of multibillion-dollar earners, or are the days of the "blockbuster" drug numbered? Andy Coghlan investigates
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Spinal trial raises hopes
12 June 2004
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Complexity first
12 June 2004
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First stars born to the tune of a deafening hiss
12 June 2004
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US to slash nuclear arsenal
12 June 2004
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Mathematicians sceptical over claimed breakthrough
11 June 2004
One claims to have solved one of the greatest outstanding challenges in mathematics – but other experts are not so sure
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Mutant human stem cell lines created
11 June 2004
Immortal cell lines are made from genetically flawed human embryos -scientists hope they will help develop new therapies
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Super-thin crystals promise fast memory
11 June 2004
Crystalline sheets just six ions thick still exhibit the ferro-electric effect – fast, low power memory devices could follow
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Genome of Sudden Oak Death bug cracked
11 June 2004
The genetic code of the fungal pathogen that is plaguing Californian trees is revealed, offering hope of tests and treatments
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Spiral ring reveals ancient complex machines
10 June 2004
Distinctive patterns carved into a small jade ring show China was using compound machines more than 2500 years ago
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Dog's verbal tricks probe origin of language
10 June 2004
A collie that is a wizard with words reveals the comprehension needed for language, even though he cannot speak
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Freak bumps scupper speed record attempt
10 June 2004
The team hoping to set a world speed record for electric cars abandons its bid after the salt-flat racetrack suddenly turned lumpy
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Saturn probe to buzz loneliest moon
10 June 2004
Cassini is set to fly by Phoebe – the data returned should reveal the true nature of this mysterious object
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Big jump in giant panda numbers revealed
10 June 2004
A four-year census in China finds 45 per cent more animals – but better counting, as well as better conservation, is a factor
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Sex more likely during women's fertile phase
10 June 2004
The research suggests that having unprotected sex once is more likely to result in pregnancy than previously thought
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Robotic rock-climber takes its first steps
09 June 2004
The spider-like robot could one day climb cliffs on Mars and or help rescue earthquake victims on Earth
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Quark experiment predicts heavier Higgs
09 June 2004
The search for the elusive Higgs particle has maddened physicists since its existence was proposed in the 1960s – now they know why
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Record ice core gives fair forecast
09 June 2004
Data from the oldest ice core ever drilled suggests the Earth's next ice age is not as close as previously thought
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Gene may predict killer prostate cancers
09 June 2004
Over-expression of the gene in aggressive tumours may help doctors sort the harmless "pussycat" cancers from the "tigers"
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Rising damp delays speed record attempt
09 June 2004
Bumps on Tunisian salt flats, caused by rising groundwater, postpone an attempt to break the land speed record for electric vehicles
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Locust swarms may spiral into plague
08 June 2004
A population boom in locusts in north Africa may lead to a plague, warns the UN, as Spain sends planes to spray the pests
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Greedy hackers can hog Wi-Fi bandwidth
08 June 2004
Linux users can tweak their computers to increase their share of bandwidth, computer scientists warn
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Aura satellite to scan Earth's atmosphere
08 June 2004
The data are sorely needed to improve computer climate simulations – these now operate on scales smaller than any measurements
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Mass measles immunisation launches in Sudan
08 June 2004
The campaign to vaccinate malnourished and displaced children could save 50,000 lives in the conflict-riven region
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Venus watchers soak up the atmosphere
08 June 2004
As skywatchers enjoy Venus's rare transit across the Sun, astronomers are gathering data on the planet's gases
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Higher status leads to a longer life
08 June 2004
Being at the top of the social ladder improves human health and longevity – but it depends where you live
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Virtual fences to herd Wi-Fi cattle
07 June 2004
A farmer could control multiple herds from a single server at home, as if he were playing a video game
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Electric land speed record attempt all set
07 June 2004
A needle-shaped vehicle, powered by 52 ordinary car batteries, aims to beat the 245 mph record in Tunisia on Wednesday
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Mars rover to take the plunge
07 June 2004
The rover Opportunity will enter a deep crater in search of new rocks to study – but it could be a one-way trip
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Extrasolar planet hunters eye Venus transit
06 June 2004
Astronomers will use the passing of Venus in front of the Sun as a test run for future searches for planets orbiting other stars
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Passwords can sit on hard disks for years
05 June 2004
Supposedly ephemeral data can hang around, warn researchers who have found a way to track data through computer memory
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Blocking HIV
05 June 2004
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Cutting edge
05 June 2004
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Programs that put your personal details at risk
05 June 2004
Supposedly ephemeral data can hang around as easy pickings for hackers
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Gas pressure blamed for Italian quakes
05 June 2004
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How birds that banish bugs raise more chicks
05 June 2004
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Baby food could trigger meningitis
05 June 2004
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Wrong numbers
05 June 2004
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Life still goes on without 'vital' DNA
05 June 2004
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Space or bust
05 June 2004
There is no telling what science will fall by the wayside in George Bush's big push to get moon and Mars' missions off the ground, laments David L. Chandler
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Dancing lasers levitate tomorrow's electronics
05 June 2004
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Why cool flames are a hot prospect
05 June 2004
Fires do not have to be blazing infernos. There is a gentler flame that can reduce pollution and change the way we burn fuel. Combustion expert John Griffiths explains
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Ball with a view
05 June 2004
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Abstract granny
05 June 2004
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Isle be there
05 June 2004
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The real Dr Strangelove
05 June 2004
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Get in the groove to save old sounds
05 June 2004
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The pendant projector
05 June 2004
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Burn the bomb
05 June 2004
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Slow cooker
05 June 2004
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Hack out the useless extras
05 June 2004
Bloated software is swamping hard-won advances in computing power, says Nicholas Negroponte of MIT
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Speedier light could pump up chip power
05 June 2004
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Hidden cost of boosting biodiversity
05 June 2004
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Dinosaurs were broiled alive
05 June 2004
Following an asteroid impact 65 million years ago, the sky would have burned red for hours as debris rained into the atmosphere
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Roving season draws to close
05 June 2004
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Tobacco tactics
05 June 2004
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No BSE-free cow
05 June 2004
Reports that the first cow genetically engineered to be immune to BSE will soon be born have turned out to be misleading
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New in the world of rodents
05 June 2004
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Asteroids tamed
05 June 2004
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Sex-crime lie tests
05 June 2004
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Cost in space
05 June 2004
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60 Seconds
05 June 2004
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Sudden death
05 June 2004
The rush to fill our gardens with exotic plants carries a hidden danger
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Earthshine whips up climate storm
05 June 2004
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World gears up to stop smuggling
05 June 2004
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Wind warns of big waves in record time
05 June 2004
Dark patches on the ocean surface could help warn coastal communities of the approach of a menacing wave
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Light work for crystals
05 June 2004
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Celestial record-breakers
05 June 2004
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How luminescent squid could make your salad safer
05 June 2004
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Soundbites
05 June 2004
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Asthma linked to use of antibiotics
05 June 2004
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No limit to tobacco's harm
05 June 2004
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Alarm raised over aircraft materials
05 June 2004
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Only a matter of time?
05 June 2004
A terrorist attack with a "dirty bomb" looks increasingly likely as the world struggles to control the rise in trafficking of the raw materials for such a weapon
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Melanesian Vikings
05 June 2004
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The last word
05 June 2004
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Utopia postponed
05 June 2004
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Westminster diary
05 June 2004
Tam Dalyell on legal problems with using human tissue in research, and waking up to sleep apnoea
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Everything to play for
05 June 2004
Secret summits, billion-dollar cash boosts from government – and fledgling companies desperate to spread their wings. It is make-or-break time for biotech in Australia, writes Emma Young
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Scarlet singer
05 June 2004
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Big smell, big bang
05 June 2004
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We liked these
05 June 2004
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Real jaw-breakers
05 June 2004
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The Bacon diet
05 June 2004
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Children's champion
05 June 2004
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Feedback
05 June 2004
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The Earth Machine by Edmond A. Mathez and James D. Webster
05 June 2004
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For the love of Venus
05 June 2004
As the world goes Venus-mad this week, spare a thought for the plucky astronomers sent to observe the transits of 6 June 1761 and 3 June 1769. Only two people had watched the previous transit in 1639 – the first ever observed – and astronomy h
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To the moon and back
05 June 2004
Moon-walking astronaut David Scott on the space race
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Spiral growth
05 June 2004
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That's the limit
05 June 2004
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Unhappy heydays
05 June 2004
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Nature's poisons
05 June 2004
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Meaning of life
05 June 2004
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No floods, no famine
05 June 2004
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Leaky Bellamy
05 June 2004
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When nerves break down
05 June 2004
For a long time multiple sclerosis has been seen as a disease where immune cells attack the nervous system. But a new theory suggests there may be a hidden side to MS, says neurologist Howard Weiner
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Felled by fungus
05 June 2004
Our passion for exotic plants is creating nasty diseases that have the power to alter natural landscapes forever. Stephanie Pain reports from the front line in the fight against these killers
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Shedding a Kylie
05 June 2004
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Second rock from the Sun
05 June 2004
As millions prepare to watch the transit of Venus, Hazel Muir explores the planet's best-kept secrets
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First quantum cryptography network unveiled
04 June 2004
The network consists of six servers and runs via optic cables over 10 kilometres – its creators say it offers much greater data security
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US pledges to halve its nuclear stockpile
04 June 2004
However, the true impact of the cut is hard to gauge and the US is pushing forward on other nuclear initiatives
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May saw peak of sinister computer viruses
04 June 2004
More viruses were released than for several years – worse, the prevalence of highly destructive viruses is rising
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Dancing lasers levitate carbon nanotubes
04 June 2004
The trick may offer engineers who want to build microchips from nanotube components a way to move the tiny devices into place
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Tiny fossils reveal key step in animal evolution
03 June 2004
The microscopic fossils, found in ancient rocks from China, show that internal complexity came before large size
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Microsoft gains double-clicking patent
03 June 2004
The patent covers using different click patterns to launch alternative applications – it is "beyond parody", say some observers
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Life goes on without 'vital' DNA
03 June 2004
Deleting huge chunks of the mouse genome makes no discernable difference to the animals – researchers are astonished
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Mars rover sets eyes on long-sought hills
03 June 2004
Spirit is now within a few hundred metres and images suggest there may be outcrops of layered rock, as well as many large boulders
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Baby food could trigger meningitis
03 June 2004
An extensive survey of baby foods finds they contain worrying levels of disease-causing microbes
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Risk of radioactive "dirty bomb" growing
02 June 2004
Such an attack looks increasingly likely, as the world struggles to control the trafficking of raw materials for such a weapon
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Date set for first private spaceflight
02 June 2004
The first independent attempt to rocket a civilian into space will take place in the Californian desert on 21 June
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Gene therapy to treat deadly cancer
02 June 2004
The world's first gene therapy trial for pancreatic cancer launches, the drug acts as a toxic "Trojan horse"
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NASA optimistic on robotic Hubble repair
02 June 2004
The agency's chief issued the first formal request for robotic rescue missions on Tuesday, delighting astronomers
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Massive black holes common in early Universe
02 June 2004
Astronomers reveal hundreds of hidden giants – most are buried in dust and were only found by combining data from several telescopes
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Cows immune to BSE near reality
01 June 2004
A major advance towards producing prion-free cows is made by researchers aiming to produce human antibodies in milk
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Pumped-up dummy does the ironing
01 June 2004
A human-shaped dummy that fills itself with hot air is the first machine designed for the home that can press shirts
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7-million digit prime number discovered
01 June 2004
The prime is the largest yet found, and was revealed by a mathematics enthusiast using his desktop computer
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Genetically-modified virus explodes cancer cells
01 June 2004
The GM virus selectively sweeps through cancer cells and kills them, while leaving normal tissue unharmed