July - 2005 Articles
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Shuttle almost declared safe for landing
31 July 2005
Discovery will also spend an extra day in space to transfer more supplies to the International Space Station, and astronauts complete the first spacewalk
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Calls to end US domination of the internet
31 July 2005
US control of the internet may be locking out poorer parts of the world and hindering the fight against cyber-crime
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Shuttle mission considers extra day
30 July 2005
The request comes from International Space Station managers who, with all other shuttles grounded, want to unload extra supplies from Discovery
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Tenth planet discovered in outer solar system
30 July 2005
The astonishing find is the third new world revealed in two days – it is larger than Pluto and 97 times farther from the Sun than the Earth is
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3D barcodes to identify stolen valuables
30 July 2005
Diamonds and valuable works of art could be protected against theft using microscopic, encrypted barcodes
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Gizmo
30 July 2005
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Do not ditch the stylus just yet
30 July 2005
IBM reveals a system that allows handheld-computer users to enter 80 words per minute into their device with a stylus and minimal training
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Cellphone accessory warns of illness
30 July 2005
People with the respiratory disease cystic fibrosis might soon be able to predict when they are about to develop debilitating infections
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Runway-sweeping radar seeks dangerous debris
30 July 2005
The radar to be installed at Vancouver International Airport will detect potentially dangerous objects shed onto its runways
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Equations for everyday living
30 July 2005
The public love those equations that explain the problems of everyday life. Len Fisher, who has written many of them, thinks he knows why
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How oil on troubled waters calms storms
30 July 2005
Sailors who used to dump barrels of oil to calm stormy waters may have been onto something – reducing sea spray may slow swirling air currents
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Smart fridges may ease burden on energy supply
30 July 2005
'Dynamic device control' could allow fridges and other appliances to reduce their energy use at peak hours, reducing a country's CO2 emissions
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Light night
30 July 2005
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Calls to end US domination of the internet
30 July 2005
US control of the internet may be locking out poorer parts of the world and hindering the fight against cyber-crime
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Hormone jab joins the obesity wars
30 July 2005
A hormone produced in the small intestine after a meal is found to naturally reduce appetite – test subjects lost several kilograms in four weeks
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Perhaps a tsunami sank Atlantis
30 July 2005
Plato wrote about the destruction of the legendary city – new evidence suggests he was writing about a devastating tsunami
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Gamma rays the likely cause of mass extinctions
30 July 2005
The controversial idea that a burst of gamma rays was responsible for a mass extinction 443 million years ago has received strong new support
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1918 flu pandemic may have hit New York early
30 July 2005
The US city may have been hit with a mini outbreak five months before it spread around the world and killed 40 million people
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Deer eats songbirds out of house and home
30 July 2005
There may be an innocent-looking culprit behind the widespread demise of songbirds in North America and Europe
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Life was unlikely on frozen Mars
30 July 2005
Mars has been bitterly cold for most of its 4.6-billion-year history, a new study reveals the chances of life ever having taken hold there
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The real reason cars and cellphones do not mix
30 July 2005
Poor cellphone signals may lessen sound quality during calls on the move, making the driver concentrate more on chat and less on the road
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3D barcodes to identify stolen valuables
30 July 2005
Diamonds and valuable works of art could be protected against theft using microscopic, encrypted barcodes
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George III's madness fuelled by arsenic
30 July 2005
The king famously suffered major bouts of mental derangement – new analysis of his hair reveals huge levels of the poison in his system
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Foot powder
30 July 2005
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Feedback
30 July 2005
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Acid oceans
30 July 2005
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Safe nuclear waste
30 July 2005
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Fantasy physics
30 July 2005
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Deception special: Our lying minds
30 July 2005
How good a liar are you? How easily are you fooled? Deception plays a crucial role in our daily lives, but don't take our word for it
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Supermarket smells
30 July 2005
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Patently secret
30 July 2005
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Music matching language
30 July 2005
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Myths about savants
30 July 2005
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For the record
30 July 2005
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'Sex' with 'animals'
30 July 2005
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Of little brain
30 July 2005
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Deception special: Tricks of the magical trade
30 July 2005
The techniques magicians use reveal just how easy it is to bamboozle the brain. Are you watching carefully?
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Deception special: The power of mediums
30 July 2005
What gives mediums their seemingly uncanny ability to read our minds? Cross our palms with silver and you may find out
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The shape of universes to come
30 July 2005
Must we abandon the aims of physics, or accept that space is curled up like a Pringle, asks Davide Castelvecchi
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Deception special: The truth about lies
30 July 2005
Lying has its uses and so do the people who can detect it. Psychologist Raj Persaud investigates
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Reviewed: The Evolution-Creation Struggle by Michael Ruse
30 July 2005
Why do we still debate whether science or religion best explains the origins of life? Karen Armstrong argues we have forgotten how to think mythically
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Deception special: The great pretender
30 July 2005
Derren Brown is a British illusionist who specialises in psychological techniques to give the appearance of mind reading and thought control
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Darwin and design
30 July 2005
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Soundbites
30 July 2005
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Batty behaviour
30 July 2005
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Interview: Zero tolerance for road slaughter
30 July 2005
A jumbo jet's worth of people die on European roads every three days. Claes Tingvall has made it his mission to make roads less lethal
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NASA launches space-glove design competition
30 July 2005
The $250,000 contest is part of the agency's Centennial Challenges programme, and aims to reduce astronauts' hand fatigue on spacewalks
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Radiation-scan patients may trip airport alarms
30 July 2005
For up to a month after undergoing a range of medical scans, patients may activate sensors that are actually searching for dirty bombs
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Overgrown mice eat chicks alive
30 July 2005
Giant rodents on Gough Island in the South Atlantic have acquired a sinister taste for fresh albatross, further endangering rare seabird populations
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60 Seconds
30 July 2005
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Infant deaths: Justice for the innocents
30 July 2005
New Scientist examines the growing crisis in how we investigate and deal with the deaths of the youngest members of society
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Glacier speed triples since the 80s
30 July 2005
One of Greenland's largest glaciers is crashing into the sea dramatically faster than before, reigniting fears over the ice sheet's stability
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Editorial: 'Shaken baby syndrome' needs more research
30 July 2005
The symptoms, it now seems, can appear in the absence of violent injury, but experts remain split – more injured children need examining
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Autism and ethics
30 July 2005
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Depleted uranium exposure should not increase cancer risk
30 July 2005
Soldiers and civilians exposed to depleted uranium from anti-tank munitions during the Gulf war can sleep a little easier, new research suggests
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Giant spy satellite ready to launch for Mars
30 July 2005
NASA's biggest spacecraft destined for the Red Planet, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is two storeys high and twice as wide
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Reports of superweed greatly exaggerated
30 July 2005
A freak event in south-west England has transformed a lowly weed into a "superweed" capable of fending off herbicide attacks. Or has it?
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Editorial: Earth needs its temperature taken
30 July 2005
A heat wave is burning all over the northern hemisphere, but how hot is the planet, really? NASA's "global thermometer" satellite could find out
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New animal evolved in an instant
30 July 2005
A new species of insect may have arisen in an evolutionary instant as a result of cross-species mating, rather than a gradual split from an existing lineage
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Unravelling the secrets of ageing
30 July 2005
A crucial detail of the ageing mechanism may have been revealed by a study of telomeres, the DNA caps on the ends of chromosomes
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Stripped Amazon gets a lot wetter
30 July 2005
Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is creating more clouds and rainfall in the areas stripped of trees
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Discovery takes a long hard look at itself
29 July 2005
NASA and the shuttle crew examine six areas of potential damage on the orbiter's belly, wing-edges and nose landing gear
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Discovery takes a long hard look at itself
29 July 2005
NASA and the shuttle crew examine six areas of potential damage on the orbiter's belly, wing-edges and nose landing gear
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Discovery takes a long hard look at itself
29 July 2005
NASA and the shuttle crew examine six areas of potential damage on the orbiter's belly, wing-edges and nose landing gear
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New solar system world has a moon
29 July 2005
Newly disclosed observations of the giant world revealed on Friday to orbit in the outer solar system also pin down its size to 70% the diameter of Pluto
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Gruesome habits of the giant squid
29 July 2005
Enshrined in myth as ferocious beasts that overturn boats to munch on sailors, giant squid, it appears, also indulge in cannibalism
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Frozen lake shines bright in Martian crater
29 July 2005
The vivid patch of water ice sits serenely in a crater near the Martian north pole – the stunning image was taken by the Mars Express probe
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Life's ingredients found in early universe
29 July 2005
Observations of complex organic molecules by the Spitzer Space Telescope bolster the case for extraterrestrial life
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Space tourism company to fly in 2008
29 July 2005
Virgin Galactic announces its schedule for ferrying wealthy customers to the edge of space – but online gamers could also win a ticket to ride
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New world found in outer solar system
29 July 2005
Astronomical detectives make a stunning discovery – hiding in plain view, the object may be the biggest orbiting in the outer solar system
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Female genital mutilation can cause infertility
29 July 2005
Children undergoing the procedure risk infertility due to recurrent infections – researchers hope the evidence will encourage a ban on the practice
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Discovery may have been hit by debris
29 July 2005
A foam chunk from the space shuttle's external tank may have struck the orbiter's right wing, NASA says, but there is no evidence of damage
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Planting trees may create deserts
29 July 2005
New trees, rather than increasing moisture and boosting rivers, may lower water tables and drain waterways, a controversial new report claims
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Early dinosaurs crawled before they ran
28 July 2005
The oldest embryos ever discovered reveal that some early dinosaurs crawled on four legs before learning to walk on two
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Discovery docks with space station
28 July 2005
The station now has nine aboard – the most since 2002. Images of the shuttle's tile damage, taken just before docking, suggest it is superficial
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Earth life could invade Mars on contaminated craft
28 July 2005
An expert panel says NASA must clean up its act – and its spacecraft – to prevent terrestrial microbes from setting up house on the Red Planet
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US-led emissions pact seen as Kyoto rival
28 July 2005
The world's largest coal producers will share technology for limiting emissions of greenhouse gases, but agree no legally binding targets
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Falling foam chunks ground shuttle fleet
28 July 2005
Despite huge efforts to solve the problem that doomed Columbia, foam still fell during Discovery's launch on Tuesday – but that shuttle was not hit by the debris
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Commercial whaling suited killer whales
28 July 2005
The end of commercial whaling may have forced scavenging killer whales to turn on smaller prey, such as otters and seals, new research suggests
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New animal species evolved in an instant
27 July 2005
A brand new insect may have arisen in an evolutionary eye-blink as a result of cross-species mating – usually the preserve of plant species
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Discovery's astronauts survey shuttle for damage
27 July 2005
On the first full day of the mission, astronauts began scanning the shuttle's heat shield for damage using a new extension of the craft's robot arm
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First measurements of Earth's core radioactivity
27 July 2005
Huge numbers of antineutrinos are discovered streaming from the planet's centre, helping to reveal what is keeping Earth's furnace stoked
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Mysterious disease outbreak in China baffles WHO
27 July 2005
The death toll from a hitherto rare disease from pigs has risen to 24 in southwest China, with more than 117 people feared infected
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Galaxy's vast hidden arms revealed
27 July 2005
A UV telescope stuns astronomers by revealing star-studded spiral arms around a faint galaxy – it may resemble those in the very early Milky Way
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Mars radar experiment returns cryptic data
27 July 2005
The MARSIS antenna, designed to probe beneath the Red Planet's surface, is sending back its first signals – but scientists cannot yet decode them
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'Worthless' gifts get the good girls
27 July 2005
Men who spend big money on wining and dining their dates are not frittering away their hard-earned cash – far from it, a new study suggests
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NASA investigates shuttle debris incidents
27 July 2005
The agency is analysing images of events that could have left the space shuttle Discovery damaged, following its launch on Tuesday
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Invention: From old tyres to printer ink
26 July 2005
This week's inventions include a greener way to make printer ink, self-mending switches, and a chip to help PCs keep up with the latest 3D graphics
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Japan plans mind-boggling number-cruncher
26 July 2005
The staggeringly powerful 10-petaflop supercomputer is expected to be a hybrid design, featuring several distinct types of processor
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HIV epidemic sweeps along the heroin highways
26 July 2005
Intravenous drug use fuels infection along the drug-trafficking routes from Afghanistan to Eastern Europe – a boom may follow, an expert warns
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Shuttle Discovery: The mission ahead
26 July 2005
The orbiter, its crew and the NASA team back on Earth will face unprecedented challenges over the next 12 days – read all about the mission in our exclusive series of articles
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Space shuttle roars back into orbit
26 July 2005
Discovery soared into space on Tuesday, 29 months after the Columbia disaster – a complex and challenging mission now begins
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Claims of GM-field superweed' are dismissed
26 July 2005
Scientists deny the herbicide-resistant weed found in a field used for the UK's farm-scale evaluations of GM plants inherited its resistance from the crop
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Shuttle crew are strapped in, ready to go
26 July 2005
After enjoying a traditional pre-flight cake, Discovery's seven astronauts are in the shuttle with the hatch closed behind them
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Shuttle fuelled and ready for launch
26 July 2005
The weather at Cape Canaveral is fine, there are no technical problems, and the shuttle has a full tank of fuel – today's lift-off looks all set
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Oil on troubled waters may stop hurricanes
25 July 2005
The traditional sailors' practice of dumping oil overboard during a storm may lower wind speeds by reducing ocean spray, a new study suggests
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Early warnings of Niger famine disregarded
25 July 2005
UN researchers predicted the food crisis months ago but only now, as images of dying children hit TV screens, is the international community reacting
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BBC lets public borrow' its web content
25 July 2005
Following the example of Google and Amazon, the BBC releases software tools which allow programmers to use and remix its content for free
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Killer mice ambush endangered seabirds' chicks
25 July 2005
Thousands of overgrown house mice are feasting on the fledglings as they sit helplessly in their nests – a conservation catastrophe looms
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Space shuttle gets go-ahead for launch
25 July 2005
The ultimate cause of glitch that delayed Discovery's previous launch attempt remains unknown, but NASA says the shuttle can still blast off
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Why cats prefer meats to sweets
25 July 2005
An examination of feline genetics reveals that cats are simply unable to taste sweet things – and that goes for the big cats too
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NASA throws down the gauntlet to glove designers
25 July 2005
The space agency offers a prize of $250,000 to the team that designs and creates the best next-generation space glove
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Hormone jab naturally reduces appetite
25 July 2005
The jabs may offer the obese a way of reducing their appetites, like the turn of a dial, by boosting the stomach's natural "full" signal
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How to beat spammers at their own game
24 July 2005
A new technique to reduce spam emails is to imagine that you are playing a game against the spammers, with cash at stake
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Has Huygens found life on Titan?
23 July 2005
The chemical signature of microbial life could be hidden in readings taken by the Huygens probe on Saturn's giant moon, researchers suggest
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Bell's non-paradox
23 July 2005
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Empty promises
23 July 2005
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Washable gadgets
23 July 2005
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Unique climate proposition
23 July 2005
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For the record
23 July 2005
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Red alert: The war on tainted donated blood
23 July 2005
The battle to keep donated blood safe has reached crisis point. What doctors need now is a new kind of weapon
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Interview: Company of wolves
23 July 2005
For three decades, Luigi Boitani has studied wolf ecology, hoping to find a way that wolves and humans might peacefully co-exist
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NASA regroups under new boss Griffin
23 July 2005
Michael Griffin's first 100 days at NASA have produced bold choices and a clearer vision for the future
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New pope questioned over evolution
23 July 2005
Three prominent US scientists have asked Pope Benedict XVI to clarify the Roman Catholic church's view on Darwinism
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Creepy crawlies to explore other worlds
23 July 2005
Designers of planetary exploration robots are turning to the creatures around them for inspiration
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No end to invention
23 July 2005
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IQ and TV
23 July 2005
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No Ashkenazi gene
23 July 2005
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Editorial: UK found wanting on energy efficiency
23 July 2005
One of the UK's prized ways to cut carbon emissions – energy efficiency – may not work because research and policy are so muddled
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Far-away maser to throw light on dark energy
23 July 2005
The most distant and powerful cosmic maser – the microwave equivalent of a laser – yet found is discovered in a bright, active galaxy
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Unintelligent design
23 July 2005
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Half-human condition
23 July 2005
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Geocaching rules
23 July 2005
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Far-out worlds, just waiting to be found
23 July 2005
Bigger than Mars, colder than Pluto, New Scientist hunts the horde of planets that no one thought to look for
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Green generation
23 July 2005
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Moon dust
23 July 2005
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Dangerous defence
23 July 2005
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Free the mice
23 July 2005
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US to share nuclear technology with India
23 July 2005
The US agrees to share civil nuclear technology, despite India's refusal to sign up to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
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Predicting the Weather, by Katharine Anderson
23 July 2005
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Has Huygens found life on Titan?
23 July 2005
The chemical signature of microbial life could be hidden in readings taken by the Huygens probe on Saturn's giant moon, researchers suggest
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Moving whales across the world
23 July 2005
Plans for the most ambitious programme of species reintroduction ever attempted are unveiled – transporting whales from Californian to UK waters
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Love is a fight between the eyes and the nose
23 July 2005
Our eyes and ears appear to disagree over who makes a perfect mate – it seems we like our partners to be a little different, but not that different
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Meteoroid impacts give facelifts to asteroids
23 July 2005
The cosmic impacts can knock hundreds of millions of years from the apparent age of some asteroids, new research suggests
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Monkeys reflect a degree of empathy
23 July 2005
Monkeys do not have the self-awareness of apes and humans, but neither do they treat their reflection like that of a stranger
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Why would a hamster need a horn?
23 July 2005
Imagine a hamster with horns on its nose and you have the extinct horned gopher, the only rodent and the smallest mammal to boast such spikes
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Mass extinction theory on the rocks
23 July 2005
A mysterious pattern of apparent mass extinctions in the marine fossil record are in fact nothing of the kind, new research suggests
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Turning ordinary people into suicide bombers
23 July 2005
How do you persuade well-adjusted, well-educated, well-off people to carry out a suicide attack? It's easier than you think, says Michael Bond
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Paralysis anomaly sheds light on consciousness
23 July 2005
People who are paralysed but do not know it may help us understand the mystery of consciousness
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Clear lenses
23 July 2005
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Bubble shapes
23 July 2005
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The God Particle: A novel by Richard Cox
23 July 2005
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Ripe for investment
23 July 2005
Does the life sciences industry in the Los Angeles region have what it takes to copy the success of its neighbours, asks Stacy Lawrence
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Feedback
23 July 2005
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Hanging on
23 July 2005
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Hot in the sack
23 July 2005
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Soundbites
23 July 2005
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With friends like these, who needs nuke treaties?
23 July 2005
This week's accord between the US President and the Indian Prime Minister could shake global nuclear control agreements to their roots
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Histories: The girl from the Seine
23 July 2005
In 19th-century Paris, many unknown bodies were fished from the river, but the serene face of one such girl is still known to first-aiders everywhere
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Sunblock
23 July 2005
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Profligacy may be parasites' undoing
23 July 2005
DNA analysis of three disease-causing parasites reveals their unique and wasteful protein production process – it could be targeted to kill them
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One screen, two different views
23 July 2005
An LCD display that lets you watch TV while someone else surfs the internet using the same screen has been developed – viewing angles are the key
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Atom-hopping electrons have journey timed
23 July 2005
Electrons can hop between atoms in a mere 320 quintillionths of a second, as demonstrated by a very swift-moving experiment
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Norwegian fjords join list of World Heritage Sites
23 July 2005
Two of Norway's finest fjords have been elevated to the 160-strong list, along with seven other natural sites from around the world
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Nerve stimulation prevents gut inflammation
23 July 2005
The discovery that gut inflammation can be blocked in mice by stimulating a nerve may lead to a new way of treating inflammatory diseases
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Prayer fails to help heart surgery patients
23 July 2005
Praying for those undergoing heart surgery does not help to save them, according to a study of 700 patients
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Paying through the mouth
23 July 2005
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Blurred images fail to reveal comet crater
23 July 2005
A faulty camera on the Deep Impact probe, combined with a dust plume created as the impactor hit Comet Tempel 1, means the crater may never be seen
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Ear recognition may beat face biometrics
23 July 2005
An ear-shape analysis, which represents the ear in code, may be more accurate than face recognition – and ears change less over time
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'Bullet-time' effect seen in real-time games
23 July 2005
The multiplayer-game effect mixes slow motion with dynamic camera movement to allow one character's environment to be slowed while others play on
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Seabird guano creates toxic hotspots in Arctic
23 July 2005
While wind and ocean currents ferry toxic chemicals to the poles – bird colonies seem to create concentrated levels around their roosts
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How to beat spammers at their own game
23 July 2005
A new technique to reduce spam emails is to imagine that you are playing a game against the spammers, with cash at stake
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Congo park may lose World Heritage Site status
23 July 2005
Garamba National Park could become the first to lose such status if it fails to protect the last northern white rhinos – only 10 remain in the wild
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60 Seconds
23 July 2005
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The perils of kids on speed
23 July 2005
Doctors are doling out amphetamines to children as well as adults, but how much to we know about the risks?
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Soft cash in, hard cash out
23 July 2005
Smart cards and electronic currencies are putting notes and coins out of business. Could this change the meaning of money?
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The word: Mouth feel
23 July 2005
The brittleness of butterscotch, the elasticity of jelly and the crunchiness of carrots – you have entered the complex world of mouth feel
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A Californian coming of age
23 July 2005
Sun, sea and science? Definitely. Southern California's "Biotech Beach" is finally living up to its name, as researchers flock to San Diego and Los Angeles and the start-ups begin to grow up. New Scientist grabbed its bucket and spade and
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Thriving ecosystem discovered under Antarctic ice
23 July 2005
Scientists filming glacial features beneath a collapsed ice shelf chanced upon an ecosystem hidden from sunlight for 12,000 years
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Antidepressants barely better than placebos
23 July 2005
According to new research, antidepressants bring scarce benefits and prevent people tackling the root cause of their depression
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Retracing spam steps could halt mass emails
22 July 2005
An algorithm that learns to identify the route taken by unwanted emails could curtail the ongoing spam avalanche, researchers say
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Mars laser-communication mission cancelled
22 July 2005
A spacecraft designed to test the first, superfast interplanetary-communication laser has been cancelled by NASA for budgetary reasons
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Failed London bombings may provide vital forensics
22 July 2005
Four failed bombs attacks – on three underground trains and one bus – could provide vital clues for investigators tackling the terrorist threat facing London
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Wealth does not always predict health
22 July 2005
Children from wealthier, better-educated families are not necessarily healthier than their poorer contemporaries, according to a European study
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Supernova's record X-rays still glowing strong
22 July 2005
Twenty-six years after the star exploded, it still glows brightly in X-rays – a dense shroud of gas it spun around itself before dying may be to blame
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Huge spy satellite set to launch to Mars
22 July 2005
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will study the Red Planet in unprecedented detail, picking out landing sites for future human missions
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Details of US microwave-weapon tests revealed
22 July 2005
The crowd-control weapon causes pain in a few seconds and becomes intolerable within 5 – so what happens if the recipient cannot move aside?
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Tiny caterpillars assail unsuspecting snails
21 July 2005
They sneak up on their prey, tie them down and devour them alive – the gruesome technique is unprecedented among caterpillars
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Meteorites reveal extended deep-freeze on Mars
21 July 2005
The first detailed study of the Red Planet's thermal history reveals a forbidding, frozen world where life may never have taken hold
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Robot camel-jockeys take to the track
21 July 2005
Camels equipped with robot riders have been raced in the United Arab Emirates, marking the start of a curious new sporting event
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NASA may have isolated shuttle glitch
21 July 2005
The fuel sensor problem has been linked to electromagnetic interference from a heater on the external tank – a new launch date is pencilled for 26 July
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Hiroshima bomb may have carried hidden agenda
21 July 2005
The US dropped A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to kick-start the Cold War rather than end the Second World War, claim two nuclear historians
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Robotic modelling reveals ancient hominid stride
21 July 2005
The human ancestor, thought to have shuffled across Africa, actually walked upright much like modern man, reveals a study utilising virtual evolution
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Chronic fatigue is not all in the mind
21 July 2005
Differences in gene expression are found in the immune cells of those affected, which could lead to blood tests for the disorder, and perhaps treatments
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Matrix-style bullet-time' in multiplayer gaming
20 July 2005
Researchers have developed a way to achieve the slow-motion effect of the movie The Matrix in real-time networked games
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Google launches interactive Moon map
20 July 2005
The search engine celebrates the 36th anniversary of the first lunar landing with a clickable map – but look out for cheesy jokes
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Electron timed hopping between atoms
20 July 2005
The subatomic particle zipped between atoms in under 320 quintillionths of a second, offering insights into the foundations of all chemical reactions
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Cosmic Botox' bashes asteroid wrinkles away
20 July 2005
Collisions with large space rocks could shake up and fill in the craters on asteroids – our only means of dating the objects
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Shuttle could launch with faulty fuel sensor
20 July 2005
Discovery may blast off even if NASA cannot fix its ongoing sensor problem – a leading ex-NASA official says previous rules would have allowed it
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Cocaine use prevents adaptive behaviour
20 July 2005
The drug kept rats from learning appropriate new behaviour by disrupting connections between key brain regions, a new study suggests
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Micro-menaces blown up for image awards
20 July 2005
Barbed-headed tapeworms, psychedelic kidney stones and funky-eyed fruit flies feature in this year's Wellcome Trust Biomedical Image Awards
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Augmented reality brings maps to life
19 July 2005
Conventional maps can be augmented with real-time data, photography and video footage, providing key information for emergency workers
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New Antarctic base will ski to safety
19 July 2005
The British Antarctic Survey's new base will be built on skis so it can be moved around and escape the engulfed fate of its predecessors
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Oldest dust disc challenges planet theories
19 July 2005
Astronomers have spotted a dusty disc over twice as old as previous finds – defying theories that planets should have formed long ago
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Invention: Eye-tracking displays
19 July 2005
This week's inventions include screens that reconfigure themselves to give you the best view, explosives that incorporate satellite positioning technology, and a video disc technology that could store huge amounts of data using tiny fluorescent dots.
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Bizarre boulders litter Saturn moon's icy surface
19 July 2005
The Cassini probe has made its closest flyby yet, revealing giant boulders on the snow-white moon Enceladus – but how they got there is a mystery
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Shuttle fuelling test may become new launch date
19 July 2005
NASA has a lead on the fuel sensor glitch that scuppered Discovery's launch attempt, but may yet decide to fly with one sensor offline
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New test detects pathogens in minutes
18 July 2005
The technique for detecting dangerous bacteria, viruses and fungi could lead to faster and cheaper diagnosis of disease and prevent food poisoning
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Forest fire threatens Arizona observatory
18 July 2005
The blaze, sparked by lightning on July 7, may destroy the Whipple Observatory and the historic MMT telescope it houses on Mount Hopkins
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Deep Impact may never glimpse comet crater
18 July 2005
NASA hopes image-processing techniques can correct the comet-smasher's blurry photos, but the impact's dust plume may scupper their chances
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Do cosmic rays ever exceed the limit?
18 July 2005
The world's most sensitive cosmic-ray detector has failed to find the ultra-high energy cosmic rays spotted by a smaller Japanese detector
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Faulty gene linked to obesity and diabetes
18 July 2005
A gene that causes insulin resistance may be a causative factor in nearly half of all families with obesity, a new study suggests
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Hurricane Emily whirls into Mexico
18 July 2005
The second dangerous Category 4 Atlantic hurricane of 2005 ripped into Mexico's Yucatan coast as thousands of tourists fled its path
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Spacecraft to travel interplanetary superhighway'
18 July 2005
A small probe could set off in 2008 for a point around the Moon that could one day be used as a gateway for trips to Mars
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New pig vaccine kills brain invaders
17 July 2005
A vaccine for pigs could help 50,000 people per year in poor countries killed by a parasite carried by the animal – trials suggest it is nearly 100% effective
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Shuttle launch date slips further
16 July 2005
NASA says it will lift off no sooner than the end of next week – but it still has to find and fix a fuel sensor glitch
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The power to follow your every move
16 July 2005
Will the new positioning system intrude on your privacy or become as indispensable as a cellphone
-
Soundbites
16 July 2005
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Europe says no to software patents
16 July 2005
After years of fierce lobbying, politicking and legislative battles, one of the most acrimonious disputes in the EU has finally been resolved
-
Roaches get a robot buddy
16 July 2005
A group of cockroaches have found a friend in a matchbox-sized robot called Insbot, which has learned how to mimic their behaviour
-
Why big beasts vanished when Australians arrived
16 July 2005
By burning the landscape, hunter-gatherers were probably responsible for wiping out most of Australia's large animals 50,000 years ago
-
Nanowires may provide innards for quantum computers
16 July 2005
Semiconducting nanowires could one day store and process data in quantum computers, a new experiment suggests
-
New drug improves attention and reactions
16 July 2005
A drug aimed at one of the same brain receptors as nicotine boosts memory and attention in the elderly, even after leaving the body
-
New pig vaccine kills brain invaders
16 July 2005
A vaccine for pigs could help 50,000 people per year in poor countries killed by a parasite carried by the animal – trials suggest it is nearly 100% effective
-
Healing London after terror attacks
16 July 2005
How do people cope after terrorist atrocities? With remarkable resilience, says psychiatrist Arieh Y Shalev, who lives and works in Jerusalem
-
Deep-sea fish lured by red-light district
16 July 2005
A voracious relative of the jellyfish, which uses fluorescent red tentacles to entice its prey, has been discovered deep in the ocean
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The power to follow your every move
16 July 2005
Will the new positioning system intrude on your privacy or become as indispensable as a cellphone
-
Gizmo
16 July 2005
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Seeing the light
16 July 2005
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G8 deal good for Africa, falls short on climate
16 July 2005
While the G8 leaders deal on African aid and debt relief was broadly welcomed, their position on climate change was generally dismissed as a fudge
-
Perspectives: Moved by the music
16 July 2005
We sing to it, move to it, listen to it and play it. The question is, why? Steven Mithen looks to our early evolutionary history for clues
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Fading star
16 July 2005
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Not early to rise
16 July 2005
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Switching off TV transmitters, ready or not
16 July 2005
A decision to switch off analogue TV transmitters before most people have digital sets may cost US consumers at least $3.5 billion
-
Sperm reveal hidden teamwork talents
16 July 2005
Sea urchin sperm put on an impressive synchronised swimming display when placed on a flat surface, though the reasons for it are unclear
-
Superbugs' power lies in their colour
16 July 2005
The secret of a dangerous bacterium that is evolving into superbug strains like MRSA may be locked inside its golden yellow pigment
-
'Oestrogen soup' linked to cancer
16 July 2005
Long-term exposure to oestrogen-like chemicals might increase the risk of breast cancer in genetically-predisposed women
-
Blood-pressure drugs could help fight flu
16 July 2005
Common drugs might help protect humans against a flu pandemic by preventing the development of a lethal lung condition
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Look on the bright side
16 July 2005
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After him, the deluge
16 July 2005
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Leprosy: The plague that will not die
16 July 2005
It is hard to catch, easy to cure and ought to be on its way into the history books by now, so why is leprosy still blighting millions of lives?
-
Interview: The darkest seduction
16 July 2005
Peter Kramer wants to know what our world would be like without depression, and rages against those that would withhold its treatment
-
Brain-chilling chip to switch off seizures
16 July 2005
Pumping heat out of the brain could stop crippling epileptic seizures in the seconds before they strike. New Scientist investigates
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A graphologist writes...
16 July 2005
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Nowt new under the sea
16 July 2005
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Unsound fizz
16 July 2005
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Compassion and consistency
16 July 2005
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Conserving endangered species in a war zone
16 July 2005
Protecting species as battles rage all around is an unusual job for a botanist. For Corneille Ewango, it was nearly his last
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Thick as slime mould
16 July 2005
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Mind without thought
16 July 2005
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iPod back-ups
16 July 2005
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On being a bird
16 July 2005
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They told you so
16 July 2005
-
Terrifying discovery
16 July 2005
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First tool tale?
16 July 2005
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Scientists have spoken
16 July 2005
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Histories: Now you see it, now you don't
16 July 2005
In 1879, US environmental icon John Muir entered an unexpected Alaskan bay in his canoe – it had been covered by a glacier just 100 years before
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Fur not flying
16 July 2005
-
Kiwis reach for higher fruit
16 July 2005
It was a threat that struck fear into a nation. In May, New Zealand's prime minister was sent a letter warning that foot and mouth disease had been deliberately released on Waiheke Island, near Auckland. It turned out to be a hoax, but the threat underlin
-
European court bans 'megadose' supplements
16 July 2005
Dieticians and consumer groups have welcomed the decision to uphold a law blocking the sale of megadose vitamins and minerals
-
Cutting edge technology could reveal bombers
16 July 2005
The explosives used in the attack on London could have been detected before detonating, had the city's transport system been fitted with specialised scanners
-
60 Seconds
16 July 2005
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Editorial: G8 missed chance on climate change
16 July 2005
The G8 communiqué on climate change from Gleneagles last week was a disgrace – politicians must engage with curbing emissions
-
X-ray spex for whom?
16 July 2005
-
China denies bird flu research findings
16 July 2005
The country is attempting to discredit research published in Nature, which concluded that bird flu was spreading within its borders
-
Shuttle crew to test puncture repair kits
16 July 2005
Astronauts aboard the shuttle Discovery will be testing five different repair techniques, aimed at preventing a similar disaster to that which befell Columbia
-
9000-year-old man released
16 July 2005
"Kennewick Man", an almost complete human skeleton, is finally released after being the centre of a legal tug of war for nine years
-
Hands-free kits do not reduce crash risk
16 July 2005
People who chat on their cellphones while driving are four times more likely to have an accident, even if they are using a hands-free kit
-
Time to go it alone?
16 July 2005
Like an exotic plant or a rare bird, no one knows exactly how many there are. But as Rachel Nowak discovered, independent research scientists flourish in New Zealand
-
Big pharmaceuticals buy more influence than ever
16 July 2005
Big drug companies have spent $800 million since 1998 buying influence in the US, most of which was spent on the direct lobbying of Congress
-
Enigmatic fossils shed light on early evolution
16 July 2005
One of the most puzzling phases in the evolution of life – the Ediacaran period – is giving up its secrets, thanks to two strange fossil types
-
Long stormy summer to come in US
16 July 2005
Floridians take cover – the hurricane season is off to an early start, and experts warn there is a lot more stormy weather to come
-
Editorial: No winners in a nuclear arms race
16 July 2005
The global nuclear arms race remains a real and present danger, and more countries than ever are joining in. We must stop it before it is too late
-
The A-bomb: 60 years on, is the world any safer?
16 July 2005
The first nuclear bomb test was in New Mexico in 1945. Now there are nine nuclear nations, 27,000 bombs and 1855 tonnes of plutonium out there
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Feedback
16 July 2005
-
Round Up
16 July 2005
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Top paediatrician guilty of professional misconduct
15 July 2005
Roy Meadow, paediatrician and expert witness, is judged to have given "misleading" evidence at the trial of Sally Clark, who was accused of killing her two babies
-
Explosives linked to London bombings identified
15 July 2005
Traces of explosives found at a house linked to the suicide bombers are the same type as those used by British "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid
-
Top 5 cosmic threats to life on Earth
15 July 2005
With killer supernovae, giant clouds of choking dust and magnetic neutron stars all out to get us, Earth's white-knuckle ride is far from over
-
Petrol workers accident prone on drive home
15 July 2005
Petrol station workers are more than twice as likely to have an accident while driving home than on their way to work – fumes may be to blame
-
Intelligence is irrelevant to a happy old age
15 July 2005
Being intelligent may lead to a better paid job and quality of life but, in old age, it does not affect happiness, according to new Scottish research
-
Shuttle grounded as troubleshooting continues
15 July 2005
Lift-off could take place in just a few days if a problematic fuel sensor is fixed – but even NASA says a swift turnaround is unlikely
-
Parasites' genomes may reveal common weak spot
14 July 2005
The newly-sequenced genomes may yield triple-whammy drugs against three diseases – sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis
-
Arctic seabirds create pollution hotspots
14 July 2005
Contaminated faeces from Arctic seabirds may explain mysterious and dangerous levels of pollutants in northern coastal ecosystems
-
Most distant maser may solve cosmic conundrums
14 July 2005
Clouds of heated gas 6.5 billion light years away produce laser-like emissions that may reveal the curvature of the universe and the nature of dark energy
-
NASA hunts cause of shuttle glitch
14 July 2005
Workers drain the external tank after the cancelled launch and try to find why a fuel sensor failed – the next launch date hinges on fixing it
-
Simulated society may generate virtual culture
14 July 2005
A population of virtual characters able to learn and chat in their own language may help scientists understand how human societies evolve
-
Ear biometrics may beat face recognition
14 July 2005
A new type of ear-shape analysis may be an order of magnitude more accurate than face recognition, its developers claim
-
Novel warhead may bust the deepest bunkers
14 July 2005
The US Pentagon is pressing ahead with the development of technologies designed to destroy WMDs buried deep in the ground
-
Recurring fuel sensor glitch delays shuttle launch
13 July 2005
One of four fuel gauges on Discovery's external tank failed to provide a signal – it is not clear when the problem will be fixed
-
Star Wars world' found in triple star system
13 July 2005
The planet, similar to the fictional Tatooine, must witness dazzling multiple sunrises – but how did it form in such a hostile environment?
-
CCTV footage shows London suicide bombers
13 July 2005
Surveillance cameras provide a vital breakthrough in the hunt for those responsible for the four blasts that killed at least 52 people in London
-
Beauty is in the nose of the beholder
13 July 2005
Your eyes and your nose disagree over who would be your perfect mate, according to a new study in human attraction
-
Shuttle tank takes on fuel for launch
13 July 2005
NASA has started pumping fuel into Discovery's external tank after a slight delay on Wednesday morning – the setback should not affect blast-off
-
No escape for the oil slick cheats
13 July 2005
Finding the tanker responsible for an oil spill can be surprisingly difficult, but new software could soon make the task easier
-
Shuttle to launch despite last-minute mishap
13 July 2005
On the eve of today's launch, engineers replaced a panel damaged by a falling cockpit-window cover – but the launch may be rained-off yet
-
Invention: Thought-controlled voice synthesizer
12 July 2005
This week's inventions include a brain-activated voice synthesizer, magnetic crash sensors and a method for delivering data through electrified rail lines
-
Shuttle return to flight: Walking in space
12 July 2005
In our fifth special preview of the imminent space shuttle flight, New Scientist examines the jam-packed itineraries of the mission's three spacewalks
-
Email forwarding amounts to ritual gift exchange
12 July 2005
Sending an amusing link or video attachment to friends and colleagues might seem innocent enough, but it may have significant social implications
-
Saturn moon resembles fluffy snowball
12 July 2005
The Cassini spacecraft has taken the best-ever images of the lumpy moon Hyperion, which has been battered by impacts
-
NASA race to tie up shuttle loose ends
12 July 2005
The space agency declares Discovery on schedule to fly on Wednesday, despite technical issues that still need to be resolved before launch
-
Gorilla deaths show tourists should keep their distance
12 July 2005
This article reports on an African study into the deaths of mountain gorillas – plus a letter from one of the study's authors
-
Shuttle return to flight: Launch countdown timeline
12 July 2005
In our fourth special preview of the upcoming space shuttle flight, New Scientist counts down the hours and seconds until blast off
-
Hands-free cellphones carry car crash risk too
12 July 2005
People who chat on cellphones while driving are four times more likely to crash – and that includes those using hands-free devices
-
Sperm-free sex keeps hens happily faithful
11 July 2005
Possessive cockerels use fake sex to keep their hens eyes from wandering, while keeping the best of their semen for the new bird on the block
-
Shuttle return to flight: Testing puncture repair kits
11 July 2005
In our third special preview of the upcoming space shuttle flight, New Scientist examines how astronauts will test techniques to repair the orbiter's heat shield in space
-
Details of London terror blasts emerge
11 July 2005
A clearer picture is emerging of events surrounding the bomb blasts that hit London last week, as technology is used to piece together the clues
-
Sea urchin sperm are synchronised swimmers
11 July 2005
Put them on a flat surface and they organise themselves into spinning wheels of 10 cells, with each wheel taking its place in a broader performance
-
Shuttle return to flight: 'Safe haven' carries risks
11 July 2005
In our second special preview of this week's space shuttle flight, New Scientist examines how astronauts could abandon ship in an emergency and take shelter on the space station
-
Astronauts arrive as shuttle countdown begins
11 July 2005
The countdown for the space shuttle's return to flight begins – in spite of the threat of Hurricane Dennis
-
Instant Expert: Evolution
11 July 2005
-
Hurricane Dennis tracks Ivan's path of destruction
11 July 2005
The cyclone ploughed through the Caribbean, killing an estimated 20 people, before hitting the US Gulf Coast on Sunday afternoon
-
Why computers are like the weather
11 July 2005
The complex microchips that drive modern computers are inherently unpredictable and chaotic, researchers claim
-
String, mud and bamboo make a quake-proof house
10 July 2005
Traditional adobe houses, which shelter about one-third of the world's population, could be reinforced with a simple new technique
-
Creationism special: A battle for science's soul
09 July 2005
Eighty years after the Scopes trial drew battle lines over evolution and creationism, Darwin's theory is under renewed attack, this time from "intelligent design"
-
Patents gagged in the name of national security
09 July 2005
Each year, governments suppress a handful of inventions. But it is all in the national interest, of course
-
Supercomputing enigma
09 July 2005
-
Why High-Definition TV will be transmitted in bits
09 July 2005
The BBC has come up with a novel way of transmitting HDTV, despite having no channels allocated for the service
-
Technology cannot stop suicide bombers
09 July 2005
Technology is no better than old fashioned detective work at preventing suicide-bomb attacks, a new analysis concludes
-
God's intelligence
09 July 2005
-
Webcrawling program completes crossword puzzles
09 July 2005
The software can complete crossword puzzles better then many people – and in any language – but it does need web access to do it
-
Nuclear disarray
09 July 2005
-
Evolution: Blink and you'll miss it
09 July 2005
If you thought evolution was slow and gradual, think again. Humans may even be helping it along, as our activities force species to adapt or die
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Wind and weather
09 July 2005
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For the record
09 July 2005
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Incompatible units
09 July 2005
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String, mud and bamboo make a quake-proof house
09 July 2005
Traditional adobe houses, which shelter about one-third of the world's population, could be reinforced with a simple new technique
-
Sea life in peril as oceans turn acid
09 July 2005
Oceans are soaking up excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and becoming more acidic – the marine food chain could be in jeopardy
-
Deep Impact strikes home
09 July 2005
It was a celestial fireworks display that left even NASA speechless as its Deep Impact probe successfully smashed into Comet Tempel 1
-
Creationism special: Survival of the slickest
09 July 2005
Scientists must use different tactics to argue against intelligent design, as their opponents willingly distort the truth, says Lawrence Krauss
-
Patent singles out Ashkenazi Jewish women
09 July 2005
Women in Europe who happen to be of Ashkenazi Jewish descent may want to keep it from their doctor when being tested for breast cancer
-
New dolphin species officially recognised
09 July 2005
Say hello to the Australian snubfin – or Orcaella heinsohni – the world's newest dolphin species
-
Anti-inflammatory drug may be ulcer free
09 July 2005
The first human trials of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, claimed to be as potent as existing drugs but with fewer side effects, are set to start
-
Shrinking lotus cut down in its prime
09 July 2005
The Himalayan snow lotus has followed an ever-shrinking evolutionary path because people pick the larger flowers for herbal remedies and souvenirs
-
Leishmaniasis vaccine successful in dogs
09 July 2005
The parasite kills 200,000 people per year, but the new vaccine not only prevents the disease in dogs – which carry the disease – it can cure them too
-
Effective Parkinson's treatment halted over safety fears
09 July 2005
But the abandoned experimental treatment for Parkinson's actually encouraged growth of the nerve cells that the disease destroys
-
China's captive pandas in trouble
09 July 2005
They are in a bad health and urgently need better veterinary care according to a study of the creatures in the country's zoos
-
Space gas beats a maser rhythm
09 July 2005
A giant cloud in space is acting like a maser – the microwave version of a laser – and flashing in synch with a distant pulsar
-
Stop withholding tried and tested treatments
09 July 2005
Tens of thousands of people have been subjected to unnecessary drug trials. Robert Matthews says the outrage cannot go in
-
America colonised 40,000 years ago
09 July 2005
Human footprints discovered beside an ancient Mexican lake have been dated to 40,000 years ago – 30,000 years earlier than we thought humans arrived
-
Creationism special: A sceptic's guide to intelligent design
09 July 2005
Advocates of intelligent design argue it is a rigorous scientific alternative to natural selection. But just what is it, and is it science at all?
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Changing the past
09 July 2005
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Autistic strengths
09 July 2005
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Water wheels
09 July 2005
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Repulsive vegetables
09 July 2005
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Floating feeling
09 July 2005
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Feedback
09 July 2005
-
On the trail of the ivory-billed woodpecker
09 July 2005
The Grail Bird tells of the ivory-billed woodpecker's brush with extinction – but do not forget the thousands of species dying out all around us, says Gail Vines
-
Creationism against Darwinism? No contest
09 July 2005
It is an unhappy time to be a Darwinist in the US, but it will take more than the thinly-disguised creationism, "intelligent design", to defeat evolutionary biology
-
Has NASA struck oil on Titan?
09 July 2005
As the agency dithers over whether liquid hydrocarbons exist on the surface of Saturn's largest moon, new pictures may show a lake of the stuff
-
Too much TV is not that smart
09 July 2005
Three studies suggest that watching TV dulls childrens' minds, judging by school grades and test scores
-
Creationism special: A battle for science's soul
09 July 2005
Eighty years after the Scopes trial drew battle lines over evolution and creationism, Darwin's theory is under renewed attack, this time from "intelligent design"
-
Colossal catfish caught and eaten in the Mekong river
09 July 2005
WWF scientists have been searching the depths of the river for the endangered behemoth, but one had just become a monster snack
-
'Operational complacency' led to missed nuclear leak
09 July 2005
Plant operators at Sellafield in the UK took an astounding eight months to spot a massive leak of highly radioactive material, a board of inquiry reports
-
Pain control
09 July 2005
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Race-specific drugs
09 July 2005
-
Gooooooogle search
09 July 2005
-
Blame the brain
09 July 2005
-
Two moons in June?
09 July 2005
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Dying differently
09 July 2005
-
Communication speed nears terminal velocity
09 July 2005
Communication is about to hit its maximum speed limit, says Dana Mackenzie, so prepare to turn on your turbo boost
-
Stark differences in African elephants' fates
09 July 2005
While elephants in some parts of the continent are still beleaguered by ivory poachers, elsewhere they are multiplying rapidly
-
Why stars go out in a blaze of glory
09 July 2005
Stars at the very end of their lives produce the most spectacular sights in the galaxy. But how? New Scientist discovers an explosive answer
-
Music: The international language?
09 July 2005
Not if you really listen, it seems. The music of different nationalities may simply be an extension of their distinct style of speech
-
Interview: Water, water everywhere
09 July 2005
Ian Thorpe's mission is drinking water for Africa. Reviving an ancient pumping technology could give a child clean water for life – all for the price of a Perrier
-
The word: Psychrophile
09 July 2005
Microbes known as psychrophiles – literally, lovers of ice – can survive freezing conditions for hundreds of thousands of years before waking
-
Histories: Napoleon's crazy navy
09 July 2005
During the Napoleonic war, rumours flew that the French had built a gigantic raft, able to bring 60,000 men and 600 cannon towards British shores
-
The Drug Trial by Miriam Shuchman
09 July 2005
-
Climate Change in Prehistory by William J Burroughs
09 July 2005
-
60 Seconds
09 July 2005
-
Medical teams praised for reaction to bombings
08 July 2005
London's emergency services coped extremely well during the terrorist attacks on the city, undoubtedly saving many lives, say experts
-
Massive investigation operation follows London attack
08 July 2005
Forensics and intelligence evidence will underpin efforts to find those responsible for London's worst ever terrorist attack
-
G8 leaders agree global warming is urgent problem
08 July 2005
Climate change is a "serious long-term challenge" requiring "resolve and urgency", the group agreed, but made no specific commitments to act
-
Deep sea predator creates red light zone
08 July 2005
A voracious relative of the jellyfish uses fluorescent red tentacles to entice its prey, yet red light was thought to be invisible to life at these depths
-
Tropical depression could threaten shuttle launch
08 July 2005
If the space shuttle launch set for Wednesday is postponed for any reason, the new cyclone could cause even more delays
-
Columbia's final launch left lingering sky glow
08 July 2005
Exhaust from the doomed shuttle's launch formed glowing clouds high above Antarctica, suggesting the clouds do not always signify global warming
-
London rush hour blasts kill 50
08 July 2005
At least 50 people are now confirmed dead in the explosions that tore through three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus on Thursday
-
New NASA launchers based on shuttle booster
08 July 2005
NASA's next spaceships will use the shuttle's launch hardware but in a safer, more versatile configuration, say space industry insiders
-
Many killed in terrorist blasts in London
07 July 2005
A series of explosions rocked London during its Thursday morning rush hour, killing at least 33 people and injuring over 345 others
-
Tasmanian devil's bite is the kiss of death
06 July 2005
The facial tumour disease that has wiped out nearly one-third of the creatures since the mid-1990s may be spreading through physical contact
-
Mars rovers reveal a complex history of water
06 July 2005
After 18 months on the Red Planet, mission scientists review the scientific highlights – and grade themselves on their pre-launch forecasts
-
Bird flu may soon land in Europe and Australia
06 July 2005
Huge numbers of wild birds in northwest China are infected by a bird flu virus closely related to the killer strain – they may carry it far and wide
-
European parliament rejects software patent law
06 July 2005
The proposed law pitted big technology companies against small firms and open source programmers who claimed it would stifle innovation
-
Shuttle return to flight: The most closely watched in history
06 July 2005
In our first special preview of the imminent space shuttle flight, New Scientist examines how this mission will be monitored for damage by more than 100 official cameras
-
Adult weight is prime risk factor for diabetes
06 July 2005
The results counter ideas that prenatal and early childhood experiences are key to raised risk of diabetes in later life
-
Black holes cannot escape the phantom menace
06 July 2005
The big rip – the potential violent death of the universe in which all matter is torn apart – could dissolve black holes like aspirins in a glass of water
-
Invention: Dead pixel camouflage
05 July 2005
This week's inventions include a bomb-quenching building material, camouflage for faulty pixels and a wing mirror that thinks it's a PDA
-
Coldest ever space instrument set to fly
05 July 2005
The X-ray spectrometer boasts a 10-fold improvement in resolution, and has to be kept so cold it requires triple insulation from the 'warmth' of space
-
Climate scientists fear fudge at G8 meeting
05 July 2005
A scientific meeting set up by G8 chair Tony Blair concluded that climate change was a "clear and present danger" – but have the politicians heard the message?
-
Cars develop killer heat, even on cooler days
05 July 2005
Sunlight can heat car interiors to lethal temperatures in just 30 minutes, even if the weather is relatively mild, a new US study finds
-
Robot hand performs remote breast checks
05 July 2005
Life-saving breast examinations could be performed by a robotic hand that combines ultrasound with an artificial sense of touch
-
Comet's crater hidden, but plume tells story
05 July 2005
Seeing the crater produced by Deep Impact's violent encounter with Comet Tempel 1 may now be impossible, but analysis of the blast will reveal much
-
Footprints rewrite history of first Americans
05 July 2005
Fossilised human footprints found in Mexico are dated as 40,000 years old – 30,000 years before people were thought to have arrived
-
NASA to develop 'multilingual' spacecraft
05 July 2005
Craft that reconfigure themselves to talk to any base station or satellite network are under development at the agency
-
Suicide bombers not easily foiled by technology
04 July 2005
When it comes to preventing pedestrian suicide-bombers, technology cannot beat traditional intelligence gathering, a new analysis suggests
-
Watching TV harms kids' academic success
04 July 2005
Too much viewing reduces kids' learning abilities, cutting their chance of graduating from university, new studies find
-
Laser pulses could power quantum logic gate
04 July 2005
Exotic computers capable of immensely complex calculations using individual particles of light are a step closer to realisation, say researchers
-
Plasma experiment recreates astrophysical jets
04 July 2005
A scaled-down version of the jets that spew from giant black holes and some stars reveals the key to what keeps them so thin
-
Deep Impact smashes all expectations
04 July 2005
The comet-crunching probe hurtled into Comet Tempel 1 exactly as planned, capturing some startlingly explosive images in the process
-
Fifth subspecies of chimpanzee revealed
03 July 2005
The species has been lurking under primatologists' noses for decades, according to a new study of chimp skulls
-
Comet impactor released to await its fate
03 July 2005
The Deep Impact spacecraft successfully ejects its 372-kilogram mass of copper – and moves to a safe distance, ready to watch sparks fly
-
Entering a dark age of innovation
02 July 2005
It may seem like we are living in a technological nirvana, but the rate of technological innovation has been falling for 100 years, a new study reveals
-
Feedback
02 July 2005
-
Primeval life reflected in present-day pools
02 July 2005
Remarkable oases in Mexico echo the primitive conditions on Earth half a billion years ago, when life took its greatest leap forward
-
Small wonders, sculpted by laser
02 July 2005
What does it take to create intricate sculptures far smaller than a grain of sand? New Scientist meets the micro-Michelangelos
-
Second sight: A whole new world
02 July 2005
Imagine opening your eyes underwater and finding your vision is even better than on land – the Moken children of the Surin Islands have this ability
-
Interview: Are the kids alright after all?
02 July 2005
Many fear that popular culture and video games are becoming ever-more depraved – but Steven Johnson suggests they are actually making us smarter
-
Review: A cure for the war epidemic
02 July 2005
Do wars spread like diseases, a new book asks? If so, perhaps politicians could learn to keep the peace with some tips from epidemiologists
-
A nice little earner
02 July 2005
The UK government has spent millions on driving public sector research to market. Has it worked, asks Gaia Vince
-
Ain't simplifyin'
02 July 2005
-
Face your public
02 July 2005
-
Hot, hot, hot
02 July 2005
-
The word: White holes
02 July 2005
White holes, which may be lurking in Einstein's equations, live on the other side of black holes but, unlike black holes, nothing can enter them
-
Jelly fish
02 July 2005
-
Yo ho ho...
02 July 2005
-
Tainted tint
02 July 2005
-
Vulcanised eggs
02 July 2005
-
Nostalgic nasturtiums?
02 July 2005
-
Editorial: Big bang doubts fuel cosmology boom
02 July 2005
News that the big bang is coming under fire from a growing number of directions is not bad news for cosmology – quite the opposite, in fact
-
Why the pharaohs never smiled
02 July 2005
Life in ancient Egypt was very civilised – until you needed a dentist. New Scientist gets to the root of the matter
-
In this vein...
02 July 2005
-
Animals and us
02 July 2005
-
Mozzie mortality
02 July 2005
-
Animal tools
02 July 2005
-
Plane facts please
02 July 2005
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Vanadium conundrum
02 July 2005
-
Recreational grass
02 July 2005
-
Refraction detection
02 July 2005
-
Delicious whalemeat
02 July 2005
-
Did the big bang really happen?
02 July 2005
Is it time to admit that the idea of a big bang just does not stack up? Marcus Chown meets the doubters thinking the unthinkable
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Striking planes
02 July 2005
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Fat fact
02 July 2005
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For the record
02 July 2005
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Hunting dinosaurs
02 July 2005
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Retired, not fired
02 July 2005
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Archive deserved better
02 July 2005
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Waste proposal
02 July 2005
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Autistic pride
02 July 2005
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Rising seas could destroy nuclear dump
02 July 2005
A coastal UK dump could be breached and destroyed in as little 500 years as the sea erodes the coastline
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Ballooning US waistlines swell healthcare costs
02 July 2005
Part of the phenomenal rise in what Americans spend on healthcare is due to rising obesity, a new study reports
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Cosmos 1: A noble effort
02 July 2005
The Planetary Society's attempt to send a solar sail into space may have crashed on lift-off, but it is still a cause for celebration, says Justin Mullins
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Sweat makes men's magazines more appealing
02 July 2005
Men exposed to a pheromone found in male underarm sweat were more likely to say they would buy Men's Health magazine when shown a copy
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Chickadee has many calls for alarm
02 July 2005
The black-capped chickadee has one of the animal kingdom's most intricate alarm calls, a new study reveals
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Vitamin C left out in the cold
02 July 2005
The popular vitamin is not the cold-buster it is cracked up to be, according to a major review of existing research – but it seems to help the ultra-active
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Black holes cannot escape the phantom menace
02 July 2005
The big rip – the potential violent death of the universe in which all matter is torn apart – could dissolve black holes like aspirins in a glass of water
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No shut-eye for baby whales
02 July 2005
The offspring of dolphins and killer whales are awake continuously for the first month of their lives, so their mothers need to stay up too
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Wearable camera restores lost memories
02 July 2005
The device snaps thousands of photos of the people you meet and the places you go – it is proving very useful for those with impaired memory
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Entering a dark age of innovation
02 July 2005
It may seem like we are living in a technological nirvana, but the rate of technological innovation has been falling for 100 years, a new study reveals
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Gizmo
02 July 2005
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You know where you are with Wi-Fi
02 July 2005
Lost in a strange city with no GPS? Don't worry, since Wi-Fi hotspots can now tell you where you are
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Hollywood wins file-sharing case
02 July 2005
The developers of technologies that allow people to copy music or movies can now be held liable for any copyright infringement these users commit
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New search engine trawls through podcasts
02 July 2005
The engine finds podcasts on the web and turns them into text using speech recognition software, before summarising the contents
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Bizarre stand-off in battle of the sexes
02 July 2005
Queen and male fire ants reproduce separately by making genetically identical copies of themselves – the first reported case in the animal kingdom
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Searing times ahead as the air gets cleaner
02 July 2005
Scientists have underestimated the "cooling" effect of pollutant particles produced by humans – as the air clears, warming may speed up alarmingly
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Lasting legacy of low birthweight
02 July 2005
One of the most common causes of infertility, polycystic ovaries, may be caused by developmental problems in the womb
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Whaling ban stays in place
02 July 2005
The annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission closed with no real change to the status quo, though Japan plans to increase its "scientific" catches
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Editorial: Cancelling Africa's debt will only go so far
02 July 2005
The G8 summit should provide many Africans with a crucial cash boost – but the chance to trade their way out of poverty is the key to Africa's future
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New UK nuclear plants could prove costly
02 July 2005
Much of the bill to replace the country's 12 ageing nuclear plants may have to come out of the public purse, and cost three times industry predictions
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Shark fin soup dropped from Disney's menu
02 July 2005
The Walt Disney Company has finally bowed to pressure and pulled shark fin soup from the menu at Hong Kong Disneyland
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Africa focus: Foundations for a prosperous future
02 July 2005
To transform itself, Africa recognises that it needs to harness the power of knowledge and innovation
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60 Seconds
02 July 2005
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Sugar subsidies to melt away
02 July 2005
The European Union is at last proposing to cut its sugar subsidies, which the World Trade Organization ruled illegal in May 2005
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France to build world's largest fusion reactor
02 July 2005
After two years of acrimonious arguments, the debate over where to build ITER has finally been settled
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Genetically altered cells made immune to HIV
02 July 2005
The cells that give rise to the human immune system have been genetically altered to make them resistant to the most common strain of HIV
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Zap goes a chunk of our cosmic past
02 July 2005
The inexplicably high temperature of the hydrogen gas floating between galaxies may be due to cosmic rays zipping through space
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How to turn your skin into bone
02 July 2005
The prospect of performing reconstructive surgery using bone, muscle and fat tissue grown from a patient's own cells has moved closer to reality
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Tree tricked into nursing young wasps
02 July 2005
The tiny wasps lay their eggs into the cones of Douglas fir trees, tricking them into acting as if fertilised and pumping in nutrients
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Lighter babies face future depression risk
01 July 2005
Babies with low birthweights when born at full-term are more likely to be depressed in later life – it may also have a genetic link to heart disease
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Parkinson's drug prompts brain cell growth
01 July 2005
A drug that relieves symptoms – but was controversially withdrawn over toxicity fears – is shown to stimulate growth of the damaged nerve fibres
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Exoplanet's hard core is largest yet detected
01 July 2005
The scorchingly hot planet has a solid core 70 times more massive than the Earth, sending astronomers back to the drawing board
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Most distant Einstein ring is revealed
01 July 2005
A distant gravitational lens brings the most far-flung Einstein ring ever seen into focus, offering insights into the early days of the universe
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Comet-smashing mission on final approach
01 July 2005
What will happen when Deep Impact's battering ram hits a mountain-sized comet at 23,000 miles per hour? Watch this space
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Earth trembles as big winds move in
01 July 2005
Hurricanes can trigger swarms of weak earthquakes and even set the Earth vibrating, according to the first study of such effects
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NASA sets shuttle launch for 13 July
01 July 2005
After a 30-month gap following the Columbia shuttle disaster, the agency declares the shuttle fit for lift-off
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Mitts fingered over baseball catchers' pain
01 July 2005
Despite burly padding and high-performance designs, modern baseball gloves fail to protect the battered hands of baseball catchers