February - 2007 Articles
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Budget woes delay shuttle replacement to 2015
28 February 2007
If NASA's budget is not increased, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle will fly no earlier than 2015, says the agency's chief – adding a key dark matter experiment may be grounded forever
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Russia and South Korea plan home-grown launch pads
28 February 2007
Russia will no longer have to rely on its Baikonur base in Kazakhstan to launch crewed missions, while South Korea plans to build its first launch pad for satellites
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Expert panel supports US bird flu vaccine
28 February 2007
The first potential bird flu vaccine for humans to help prevent a widespread outbreak in the US has won support from experts advising the US Food and Drug Administration
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Hepatitis B drug boosts HIV-drug resistance
28 February 2007
An antiviral drug widely used to treat hepatitis B causes some people jointly infected with HIV to become rapidly resistant to their medication
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New report highlights threats to space station
28 February 2007
Space debris, sudden illness and even errant commands from mission control could jeopardise the International Space Station and its crew, says a new report
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Atom-thick carbon transistor could succeed silicon
28 February 2007
Unlike similar experimental devices, these easy-to-make nanoscale transistors can control the flow of individual electrons at room temperature
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Lead in bullets threatens recovery of condor
28 February 2007
Released Californian condors are being poisoned when they scavenge the carcasses of animals killed by human hunters
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Can vitamin supplements do more harm than good?
28 February 2007
Some vitamin supplements, rather than helping your health, may increase the likelihood of death, new research suggests
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Microscope discerns atoms of different elements
28 February 2007
It means that scientists can now look at a mixed material and distinguish between atoms of different elements on its surface – at room temperature
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Pluto probe snaps close-ups of Jupiter and its moons
28 February 2007
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captures the best ever image of a volcanic plume rising from the moon Io and a swirling storm on Jupiter
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United Nations' scientists join climate change chorus
28 February 2007
As of now, only coal power stations that incorporate facilities to capture and store their carbon dioxide emissions should be built, the group advises
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Electrical tweaking helps tadpole grow new tail
28 February 2007
Gene therapy altered the electrical properties of the tadpoles' cells, boosting tissue regeneration, with long-term implications for human healing
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Interview: Once more with feelings
28 February 2007
Marvin Minsky, the founder of the AI discipline, says we should make machines more emotional – feelings are simpler than thoughts
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Titan's largest lake rivals Earth's Caspian Sea
28 February 2007
On Sunday, the Cassini spacecraft spotted what appears to be the largest lake ever found on Saturn's moon Titan – it is about the size of Earth's biggest lake
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Tubs of ice cream help women make babies
28 February 2007
Women who are trying for a baby should indulge themselves a little by scoffing full-fat dairy products – they might just do the trick
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Damage from hailstorm delays shuttle launch
27 February 2007
The space shuttle Atlantis's planned launch in March has been postponed until late April due to damage caused by golf-ball-sized hail
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Cervical cancer virus is common in the US
27 February 2007
Around a quarter of all US women between the ages of 14 and 59 years carry a virus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer
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'Crush and zap' recycles circuit boards more cleanly
27 February 2007
The new technique recycles the valuable materials in old computer components without producing toxic fumes associated with conventional methods
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Hail damages space shuttle fuel tank
27 February 2007
Foam on the space shuttle Atlantis's fuel tank has been punctured in numerous places following a hail storm on Monday – the damage may delay the planned launch in March
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Rare cuckoo breaks its silence with a song
27 February 2007
The extremely rare Sumatran ground-cuckoo is recorded for the first time – the song will be crucial to mapping populations of the enigmatic bird
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Passing probe to study 'crop circles' on Europa
27 February 2007
When the Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft flies past Jupiter on Wednesday, it will scrutinise circular grooves dubbed 'crop circles' on the icy moon Europa
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Pulsars may shed light on mysterious dark matter
26 February 2007
Trillions of tiny clumps of dark matter are roving unseen through the Milky Way – they may reveal their true nature when they pass in front of pulsars
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Early Europeans unable to stomach milk
26 February 2007
The lack of the milk-tolerance gene among early Europeans may provide the first direct evidence for rapid natural selection among humans, researchers claim
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Ivory DNA test takes poachers to tusk
26 February 2007
A test designed to reveal where ivory has come from successfully pinpoints the geographic origins of hundreds of tusks seized in Singapore
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Tough GM salmon lose their nerve in the 'wild'
26 February 2007
Some aggressive genetically modified fish appear to undergo a personality change when they leave laboratory conditions for a more natural environment
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Invention: YouTube watermarks
26 February 2007
This week's batch include a way to identify copyrighted items on video-sharing websites, and earbuds that monitor a jogger's heart and emit encouragement
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Conservation group sees need for elephant cull
26 February 2007
South Africa needs to consider restarting elephant culls as growing numbers of the large animals threaten local habitats, WWF warns
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Compact lung-cancer breath test may be possible
26 February 2007
A new device correctly detects lung cancer in the majority of sufferers – even those in the early stages of the disease – US researchers report
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Iranian rocket test has 'little military significance'
26 February 2007
It may add to tension over Iran's nuclear ambitions, but does not represent a military breakthrough, according to a leading missile expert
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Life under Larsen revealed by Antarctic survey
26 February 2007
A voyage to explore the marine life beneath a vast sheet of Antarctic sea ice enjoys great success, uncovering new species from the "last marine frontier"
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Comet chaser Rosetta skims around Mars
26 February 2007
The 3-tonne probe performed its "swing-by" of the Red Planet early on Sunday, swooping within 155 miles of the surface
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The word: Terroir
26 February 2007
Literally, the French word means "soil", but for wine-makers, terroir is much more slippery and almost indefinable
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Turning point: The angel that flew to the Moon
26 February 2007
When a Japanese spacecraft became stranded, Ed Belbruno got the chance to redeem a career that seemed to have hit the rocks
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It pays to be well hung, if you're a rat
26 February 2007
Generously proportioned males may enjoy an evolutionary advantage over their less well-endowed competitors – in certain rodents, anyway
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New spacecraft fuel gauge may reduce space junk
26 February 2007
Measuring how much fuel a satellite has left is notoriously difficult in microgravity – putting a cone inside the fuel tank may help, and reduce space junk in the process
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Nano-coating makes for an awesome splash
25 February 2007
When apparently identical spheres are dropped into water, their plops and splashes can be worlds apart, and new research reveals why
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Down's syndrome brains aided by Ginkgo tree extract
25 February 2007
People with the syndrome may be able to improve their memory by taking the supplement, according to a promising new study in mice
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Genetic privacy protected by law
25 February 2007
A law that would protect people in the US from being denied jobs or insurance because of their genetic make-up looks set to be passed
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Dark matter may be the death of Milky Way
25 February 2007
Every galaxy is destined to slowly disintegrate as the dark matter that binds it together vanishes, new research suggests
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Genetic 'barcoding' reveals a slew of new species
25 February 2007
Six new bat species and 15 new bird species have been discovered in the trial run of an ambitious plan to barcode all life on Earth
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Fatal attraction of the US
24 February 2007
Heightened security on the US-Mexico border has led to the deaths of many would-be illegal immigrants
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Birds of prey are a pollution magnet
24 February 2007
China's birds of prey are carrying an unexpected cargo: record breaking amounts of flame retardant chemicals
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Memory sticks? Swabs, more like
24 February 2007
Imagine having a "living" data storage system that constantly renews itself, keeping the data safe for aeons
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Genetic road to super-immunity
24 February 2007
A little gene-tweaking could give our bodies the power to fight off the most devastating diseases, as New Scientist discovers
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Supersize, no surprise
24 February 2007
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Virtual outbreaks, real world ramifications
24 February 2007
The "Blood Plague" was supposed to be a bit of fun, before it escaped its caves and the virtual body count soared – what if it were a real epidemic?
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Review: An illusion of Harmony: Science and religion in Islam, by Taner Edis
24 February 2007
As modernity encroaches on Islamic culture, is the conflict between science and religion the same in the Islamic world as in the west, asks John Gray
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Repair liability
24 February 2007
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Garlic crush that's good for the heart
24 February 2007
To get the best health benefits from garlic, crush it and let it stand for 10 minutes, then eat it raw or cook it for less than 6 minutes
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Penicillin: Triumph and tragedy, by Robert Bud
24 February 2007
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The certainty of chance
24 February 2007
Review of Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the struggle for the soul of science by David Lindley
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Culturing Life: How cells became technologies, by Hannah Landecker
24 February 2007
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Conserving carbon
24 February 2007
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Personal trauma
24 February 2007
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Dichloroacetate and cancer
24 February 2007
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Cool running
24 February 2007
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Teens' substance abuse
24 February 2007
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Muscle power
24 February 2007
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Who says we're unique?
24 February 2007
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Brains aren't that simple
24 February 2007
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No time riots
24 February 2007
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Controlling hedgehogs
24 February 2007
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Wait for clinical trials
24 February 2007
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Fires, forests and climate
24 February 2007
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Feedback
24 February 2007
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Strings attached
24 February 2007
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Numbstruck
24 February 2007
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Insight: The grim aftermath of torture
24 February 2007
The lasting effects of torture are critically understudied, which is surprising since there are perhaps 500,000 torture survivors in the US alone
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This week 50 years ago
24 February 2007
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US mobilises for a biofuelled future
24 February 2007
In a lab originally created for the Manhattan Project, scientists are hunting for an environmentally friendly source of ethanol
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60 Seconds
24 February 2007
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Genetic "barcoding" reveals a slew of new species
24 February 2007
Six new bat species and 15 new bird species have been discovered in the trial run of an ambitious plan to barcode all life on Earth
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Satellites vs. space junk: evening the odds
24 February 2007
The threat to spacecraft from fast-moving space junk could be lessened thanks to a new way to measure how much fuel satellites have left in their tanks
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Gizmo
24 February 2007
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Memory sticks? Swabs, more like
24 February 2007
Imagine having a "living" data storage system that constantly renews itself, keeping the data safe for aeons
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One-stop shop for disaster advice
24 February 2007
When the next earthquake or flu pandemic strikes you might find yourself searching for help on the web
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Health checks for women, not shots
24 February 2007
Blanket vaccination against a sexually transmitted virus is the wrong way to protect women's health, says Ralph W. Moss
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Kill a cancer by filling it with holes
24 February 2007
Electrodes inserted into tumours for just 15 minutes could inflict a decisive blow on cancers and other diseases
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Back-up circulation kicks in after stroke
24 February 2007
A growing group of scientists believe that better understanding "collateral circulation" could unlock new stroke treatments
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Dark matter may be the death of Milky Way
24 February 2007
Every galaxy is destined to slowly disintegrate as the dark matter that binds it together vanishes, new research suggests
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Think hard
24 February 2007
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Editorial: The uncomfortable truth about sex crimes
24 February 2007
Most of these offences are committed by people we might count as friends
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Histories: The wave from nowhere
24 February 2007
In 1929 a huge earthquake shook Canada's eastern provinces, and two hours later 7-metres waves smashed the shore – only now do we know the cause
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Fatal attraction of the US
24 February 2007
Heightened security on the US-Mexico border has led to the deaths of many would-be illegal immigrants
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International climate angst is growing
24 February 2007
International momentum to combat climate change is growing, even in the gas-guzzling, notoriously sceptical US
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The scientist behind a revolutionary fuel cell
24 February 2007
With a smart bit of fuel-cell technology, Ceres Power is tipped by City analysts and the UK prime minister alike to change how we all power and heat our homes. Julia Pierce meets the man with the answers
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Genetic privacy protected by law
24 February 2007
A law that would protect people in the US from being denied jobs or insurance because of their genetic make-up looks set to be passed
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Will ID cards make everyone a suspect?
24 February 2007
Miscarriages of justice could arise from the UK's plan to use biometric ID card data to crack unsolved crimes
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No more gaps with home-grown teeth
24 February 2007
Here's something to smile about: replacement teeth have been grown from scratch and implanted into the mouths of adult mice
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IVF babies draw short straw on birth defects
24 February 2007
Babies conceived using assisted reproductive technologies really do seem to be at higher risk of birth defects – though doctors do not yet know why
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Birds of prey are a pollution magnet
24 February 2007
China's birds of prey are carrying an unexpected cargo: record breaking amounts of flame retardant chemicals
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Climate cause and effect
24 February 2007
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Rare crater may have been spotted on Titan
23 February 2007
The Cassini spacecraft has spied a suspiciously circular feature on Saturn's giant moon, whose surface is mysteriously unblemished by impact scars
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Robot swarms 'evolve' effective communication
23 February 2007
Experiments show that robots can develop simple communications mechanisms through simulated evolution, similar to living organisms
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Helping troops tell friend from foe
23 February 2007
The US and its allies have been trying hard to improve a dismal record of attacking their own soldiers
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River-borne chemicals may harm outer reef
23 February 2007
Agricultural chemicals and pesticides could be threatening the furthest limits of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, new satellite pictures reveal
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Erupting volcano crackles with low-energy lightning
23 February 2007
A new kind of lightning is discovered in the mouth of a volcano, charged up by the high-velocity chaos of an eruption
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Owl survey is a real hoot
23 February 2007
Volunteers taking part in a conservation project will soon exchange "hoots" with owls via mobile phones
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Radiation warning gains skull and crossbones
23 February 2007
You would not call it a subtle sign, especially combined with a picture of a man running away
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Australian astronomers expect Martian invasion
23 February 2007
Fewer than half of survey respondents said they trust NASA to protect Earth from organisms brought here in Martian soil
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Soap suds and cosmic secrets
23 February 2007
One of the most puzzling aspects of the universe could be explained by something as down-to-earth as soap bubbles
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Comet probe prepares for Mars flyby
23 February 2007
Europe's Rosetta spacecraft will swing around Mars on Sunday to gain speed for its rendezvous with a comet in 2014, losing its main power source for 24 minutes while in the planet's shadow
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Rocket explosion creates dangerous space junk
22 February 2007
A Russian rocket that launched in 2006 exploded on Monday, generating more than 1000 pieces of space debris
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Astronauts fix stuck antenna on spacewalk
22 February 2007
Two astronauts released a snagged antenna on a docked cargo ship during a six-hour spacewalk from the International Space Station on Thursday
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Medieval Islamic tiling reveals mathematical savvy
22 February 2007
Islamic designers used elaborate geometrical tiling patterns at least 500 years before Western mathematicians developed the concept
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Deadly stellar dance explains supernova shape
22 February 2007
A merger of two stars – and the deadly dance that preceded it – produced the distinctive triple ring system of supernova 1987A, new simulations suggest
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Modular robot's wriggles show greater flexibility
22 February 2007
Self-sufficient modules let "Superbot" roll like a wheel, crawl like an insect and walk like a humanoid
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Lizards stop blending in to bag a mate
22 February 2007
Male lizards visually "shout" to get noticed by the fairer sex when surrounded by a busy background of moving foliage
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NASA and Virgin Galactic may collaborate in space
22 February 2007
The space agency and the private venture may collaborate on projects ranging from hybrid rocket motors to hypersonic aircraft, according to a new agreement
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Spear-wielding chimps snack on skewered bushbabies
22 February 2007
The revelation destroys yet another cherished notion of human uniqueness - we are not the only creatures to see the point of spears
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Herpes drug helps control HIV
22 February 2007
Drugs designed to fight genital herpes can reduce levels of HIV in patients' blood by up to 70%, a small trial in Africa has revealed
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Green sky thinking: eight ways to a cleaner flying future
22 February 2007
Could maverick technologies turn aviation into an eco success story? Yes – but time is running out
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While you slumber, your brain puts the world in order
22 February 2007
As well as strengthening our memories, sleep may help us to extract themes and rules from the masses of information we soak up in the day
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NASA loosens leash on Mars rovers
22 February 2007
New software should allow Spirit and Opportunity to chart out their own paths for up to 50 metres at a time – until now, they could go no more than 2 metres without help from Earth
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Male turtle populations crashing in the heat
21 February 2007
Male loggerhead turtles could disappear entirely from the beaches of Florida – key nesting grounds in the US – if the temperature continues to climb
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Tangled nanowires morph water droplets
21 February 2007
Electronic control over the shape and movement of droplets could let chemists perform complex chemical reactions inside micro-fluidic devices
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Dusty clouds may conceal water on alien worlds
21 February 2007
The first spectra taken of planets beyond our solar system reveal a surprising lack of water – dusty clouds may be to blame
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Sex offenders: Throwing away the key
21 February 2007
Across the US thousands of ex-cons who have served jail time for sexual offences are kept incarcerated on questionable grounds
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Jays travel in time to be sure of breakfast
21 February 2007
Mental time travel is considered by many to be unique to humans, but now that idea has been challenged, by a bird
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Nanotubes smuggle anti-HIV molecules into cells
21 February 2007
The engineered molecules block the production of cell-surface proteins which HIV relies on to invade immune cells
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Big businesses call for government action on climate
21 February 2007
The Global Roundtable on Climate Change wants targets set for greenhouse gas emissions and prices placed on carbon emissions
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Pregnancy hormone reverses MS damage
21 February 2007
The hormone prolactin repaired nerve damage in mice – understanding the mechanism could lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis in humans
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Astronauts prepare for record-setting spacewalk
20 February 2007
On Thursday, two astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station to retract a stuck antenna – the foray will set a US spacewalking record
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World's most premature baby set to leave hospital
20 February 2007
A tiny baby born after just 22 weeks in the womb will be sent home following a four-month stay in intensive care
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Fastest spinning star may have exotic heart
20 February 2007
A neutron star has been found spinning nearly twice as fast as any other star, suggesting exotic 'soft' states of matter lie inside the dense stars
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Microscopic chain-mail could link wearable gadgets
20 February 2007
Interlocking rings created using techniques borrowed from the microchip industry could make fabrics with electronics built in
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EU agrees to cut greenhouse emissions by 20%
20 February 2007
The decision reflects Europe's determination to push through an international agreement to replace the Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2012
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Fathers of non-identical twins have better sperm
20 February 2007
Observation suggests twinning rates could provide a useful measure of male fertility in a given population
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Readers' Q & A with Wikipedia founder
20 February 2007
Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales answers the best questions sent in by our readers, and even Elvis gets a mention
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Sniffing out danger in the air
20 February 2007
A single device that could screen passengers and their baggage for anthrax, viruses, explosives and nerve gas would be an airport manager's dream
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No anti-HIV drugs in clubs
20 February 2007
In 2005, press reports suggest gay men across the US were turning to the drug as an unproven alternative to condoms – those fears may have been overblown
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Extendable fender could keep smart cars safe
20 February 2007
The sensor-laden fender could safely maintain a high-speed convoy when hi-tech wireless communications break down
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Lab-grown ligaments may help injured sports stars
19 February 2007
Athletes who suffer career-threatening knee injuries could one day benefit from bio-engineered replacement ligaments, new research reveals
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Top UK companies do not declare all carbon emissions
19 February 2007
A lack of mandatory standards regulating the way companies report their greenhouse gas emissions has led to massive underestimation, report claims
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Endangered languages encode plant and animal knowledge
19 February 2007
Saving indigenous languages from extinction is the only way to preserve centuries of traditional knowledge about plants and animals yet to be discovered by Western scientists
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Greenhouse gases hit new high
19 February 2007
Levels of CO2 have climbed to record highs in the atmosphere, according to an Arctic monitoring outpost
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Robot birdwatcher joins hunt for elusive woodpecker
19 February 2007
The device will watch for the ivory-billed woodpecker in an inhospitable, snake and mosquito-infested swamp, snapping every bird that flies overhead
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Invention: Hot lap prevention
19 February 2007
This week's patent applications include hot laptops that know when to chill out, tamper proof printing, and a simple yet cunning protection for cellphones
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Art of darkness is in the voids
19 February 2007
Cosmologists hoping to decipher dark matter need to read between the galactic lines
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Nomads tread lightly on the land
19 February 2007
No one is saying we should all be nomads, but the lifestyle has its advantages
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Bubble fusion, back with a pop
19 February 2007
Reports that the bubble had burst for a form of cheap nuclear fusion may have been premature
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When pastors swap the pulpit for the webcam
19 February 2007
Churches are embracing the internet to find new recruits and bring congregations together all over the world
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Lab-grown replacement teeth fill the gap
18 February 2007
Scientists claim a new, more efficient way of growing teeth to be implanted directly into the mouths of mice
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Satellite fleet blasts off to study auroras' triggers
18 February 2007
Five satellites called THEMIS have launched to study the magnetic 'substorms' that cause auroras
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Deep-sea trawling neither green nor profitable
17 February 2007
The practice should be ended on both environmental and economic grounds, say researchers – cutting government fuel subsidies would do so, they say
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Asteroid threat demands response, experts warn
17 February 2007
New calculations reveal where on Earth the asteroid Apophis might strike in 2036, as experts call for an international plan to deal with such disasters
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Persuading Big Pharma to make vaccines for the poor
17 February 2007
Poor people cannot afford to buy vaccines, but a new not-for-profit alliance may sway pharmaceutical companies
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Green light for carbon burial
17 February 2007
The idea of literally burying the carbon dioxide emissions problem got a double boost this week
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Review: Dreaming in Code, by Scott Rosenberg
17 February 2007
Silicon Valley's history is littered with failed attempts to build software that sets the world alight – why is it so difficult?
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Closing time
17 February 2007
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Editorial: Self defence over bird flu is no crime
17 February 2007
The country at the centre of the bird flu storm has stopped sending crucial virus samples to the WHO, but with good reason
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Dead in space
17 February 2007
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Collider costed – atom smashers don't come cheap
17 February 2007
It has taken 60 experts two years to calculate the price tag for the International Linear Collider, and it contains a lot of zeroes
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Feedback
17 February 2007
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Persuading Big Pharma to make vaccines for the poor
17 February 2007
Poor people cannot afford to buy vaccines, but a new not-for-profit alliance may sway pharmaceutical companies
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Anti-fat-pills may pose health risks of their own
17 February 2007
Is it wise to make a clinically proven weight-loss pill available over the counter?
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Editorial: Keep science fair, and keep it clean
17 February 2007
Aspiring scientists should expect to run the gauntlet of their peers, but they should not have to put up with abuse
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60 Seconds
17 February 2007
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First claim for CO2 prize
17 February 2007
Entrepreneur Richard Branson's offer of $25 million for a cost-effective technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has got people moving
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Stuffed and mounted: are polar bears finished in the Arctic?
17 February 2007
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Soundbites
17 February 2007
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Diver's dilemma
17 February 2007
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Thirsty jets
17 February 2007
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Eternal youth club
17 February 2007
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Terrestrial intelligence
17 February 2007
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Affluenza influence
17 February 2007
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When animals predict earthquakes
17 February 2007
Surely it is too much to believe that animals can predict earthquakes when we haven't cracked it ourselves? Matt Kaplan investigates
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Survival of the sickest
17 February 2007
What connects the Black Death to a bizarre medical condition that causes people to rust to death? Evolutionary biologist Sharon Moalem has a theory
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Interview: Is there a psychoanalyst in the house?
17 February 2007
Psychoanalyst Darian Leader and philosopher of science David Corfield explain why doctors could treat people better if they opened up to psychoanalytic ideas
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Stop meditating, start interacting
17 February 2007
Though Buddhism holds worthwhile insights for neuroscience, can it really help us understand how the brain creates our mental world, asks Chris Frith
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From Clockwork to Crapshoot, by Roger Newton
17 February 2007
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A Beginner's Guide to Immortality, by Clifford Pickover
17 February 2007
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The word: Hominin
17 February 2007
As out understanding of evolution evolves, so does the terms we used to describe the relationships between species
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Review: Dreaming in Code, by Scott Rosenberg
17 February 2007
Silicon Valley's history is littered with failed attempts to build software that sets the world alight – why is it so difficult?
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Policy paucity
17 February 2007
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What to expect from life as a postgrad
17 February 2007
You make more than just scientific findings as a postgrad, says Matthew Killeya
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Race to beat killer drug-resistant TB
17 February 2007
Concern is mounting over a new strain of extra-deadly TB that arose in South Africa and may already be spreading elsewhere
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Green light for carbon burial
17 February 2007
The idea of literally burying the carbon dioxide emissions problem got a double boost this week
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Robo-air rescue comes to Everest
17 February 2007
Climbers who get into difficulty on Mount Everest could be rescued by an uncrewed air ambulance
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Forecast set fair
17 February 2007
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Save our spring!
17 February 2007
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Graph grief
17 February 2007
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Nutrition à la carte
17 February 2007
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Intelligent collaboration
17 February 2007
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Sarcastic design
17 February 2007
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Ever-expanding unit
17 February 2007
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Precognitive cameras
17 February 2007
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Speaker sense
17 February 2007
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For the record
17 February 2007
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Immaculate illustration
17 February 2007
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Unfree will
17 February 2007
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Nanotubes galore from Etna's lava
17 February 2007
Using cooled lava collected from the volcano, researchers were able to speed up the synthesis of nanotubes and fibres
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Is whole-ovary transplant a cure or risky gamble?
17 February 2007
In a transplant operation never before performed in the west, a woman has received a new ovary donated by her sister
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This week 50 years ago
17 February 2007
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Quantum rebel wins over doubters
17 February 2007
It rocked quantum theory when it was first proposed in 2004, but now the controversial experiment is published
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New improved cassava recipe removes deadly ingredient
17 February 2007
Millions of people in Africa depend on cassava for food despite an unfortunate bitter ingredient: cyanide
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We are not guilty of Neanderthalicide
17 February 2007
Were they hunted to extinction, or just unable to adapt to climate change? The last refuge of our Neanderthal cousins seems to have the answer
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Male cells more prone to cloning
17 February 2007
Memo to cloners: to boost your success rates, try using male cells
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Moons reveal their makeover secret
17 February 2007
Sandblasting is the key to a sparkling complexion – at least for Saturn's moons
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Stone age chimps were handy with a hammer
17 February 2007
Some 4000 years ago, chimpanzees were using stone tools to smash nuts in the west African rainforest – did they share a common ancestor with humans?
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We are closer to Armageddon
17 February 2007
While many fear that Iran and North Korea are edging the world towards nuclear war, a greater threat lies closer to home, warns Lawrence Krauss
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The hills are alive with methane
17 February 2007
The mysterious origins of undersea hills may have been explained – it's all down to trapped wind
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What if rogue proteins aren't to blame for vCJD...
17 February 2007
Viruses, not prions, may be at the root of diseases such as scrapie, BSE and vCJD, according to new research
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Gizmo
17 February 2007
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Infinite improbability
17 February 2007
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Maternal diabetes linked to infant memory problems
16 February 2007
Pregnant women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to have a child with memory problems – and the effects may be long lasting
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Leg spines make robots better scramblers
16 February 2007
Nature's solution to crossing gap-ridden surfaces has been adapted by US researchers to give robots similar skills
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Beagle 2 Mars lander still lost after all
16 February 2007
High-resolution images show no trace of the probe where it was thought to lie, leaving its cause of death a mystery
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Winds postpone launch of aurora mission
16 February 2007
Weather delays the planned launch of the THEMIS mission for the second day in a row – it will study the magnetic 'substorms' that cause auroras
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When sociable computing meets autism
16 February 2007
In a room surrounded by machines at MIT, a group of students and professors is sharing a deeply human moment
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Invisibility cloaks: Now you see them
16 February 2007
What is the truth behind reports of an invisibility cloak? New Scientist investigates
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Poor countries hold out for bird vaccine
16 February 2007
Indonesia has launched a high-stakes bid to ensure it gets a vaccine against pandemic flu
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Better 'bionic eye' offers new hope of restored vision
16 February 2007
Trials of the new retinal prosthesis will begin shortly, following the success of a prototype that enabled six blind people to see again
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Leading nations find agreement on climate change
16 February 2007
A post-Kyoto climate treaty must include, they say, a ceiling on atmospheric CO2, emissions targets for all, a global carbon market, and adaptation measures
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Biggest carbon-burial test will hunt for leaks
16 February 2007
The world's largest CO2 sequestration experiment is underway, with the start of drilling for a 2100-metre well in Australia
-
Want to fly with NASA? Don't admit your problems
16 February 2007
We can never know how much Lisa Nowak's job or her flight about the shuttle Discovery last July affected her state of mind
-
Dark energy: Seeking the heart of darkness
16 February 2007
What is behind the mysterious force we call dark energy? One way or another, it will overturn our idea about how the universe works
-
Inkless printer to be built into digital cameras
16 February 2007
A revolutionary way to print pictures without ink will be used to make pocket-sized printers for digital cameras and camera-phones
-
Breaking fish advice during pregnancy may benefit babies
16 February 2007
Current US government recommendations on seafood during pregnancy might be hampering, not helping, children, a new study suggests
-
Reservoirs of water found beneath Antarctic ice streams
15 February 2007
It is the first time subglacial water has been seen under fast-moving ice streams and could have implications for rates of glacial melting
-
Gravitational wave observatories to join forces
15 February 2007
Detecting ripples in space-time will take a step closer to reality in a few months, when the world's most sensitive observatories pool their data
-
Underground pipes channelled water on Mars
15 February 2007
Straight, pipe-like fractures have been identified all over the Red Planet – subsurface water appears to have flowed through them millions of years ago
-
Brain cell regeneration sniffed out in adult humans
15 February 2007
A newly discovered "superhighway" in the brain allows new cells to travel to the area of the brain which processes smells – the olfactory centre
-
MySpace-style websites perfect for disaster survival
15 February 2007
Dialling emergency services when a major disaster strikes is a typical first response, and now US computer scientists are recommending a useful follow-up
-
Earth's hum linked to coastal waves
15 February 2007
The ever-present rumble in the ground is made by waves thumping the seafloor and not by atmospheric turbulence, new research shows
-
Japanese whaling ship on fire off Antarctica
15 February 2007
The incident sparks fears of an environmental disaster if the ship's thousand tonnes of fuel oil and chemicals leak
-
Humans take control of evolution
15 February 2007
First we changed the climate, now we are forcing organisms to evolve in ways never seen before
-
Mothers get heart risk off their chest
15 February 2007
Breastfeeding is well known to boost an infant's health, and now it seems it may be good for the mother as well
-
Flawed stem cell data withdrawn
15 February 2007
Some data within one of the best-known stem cell papers of the past five years is being questioned
-
Motion-sensitive spacesuits could generate power
14 February 2007
A protein from the human ear could use the movement of astronauts or the Martian wind to generate electricity
-
Galactic bullies create universe's darkest galaxies
14 February 2007
Large galaxies such as the Milky Way strip stars and gas from smaller neighbours, leaving mostly dark matter behind – the dim dwarfs may be the 'missing' satellites astronomers puzzle over
-
Organic electronics have power-hunger slashed
14 February 2007
A manufacturing method that cuts the voltage required for plastic circuits to just 10% of normal requirements could open the door to a flexible alternative to silicon
-
Tiny plasma particle accelerator smashes record
14 February 2007
The metre-long accelerator uses plasma to boost electrons' energy to the same degree as a conventional machine 3-kilometre-long
-
Teenage drinkers face alcohol test
14 February 2007
Determined to stop their students consuming alcohol at weekends, staff in a US school are using a controversial screening method
-
IVF increases the risk of birth defects
14 February 2007
Babies conceived with assisted reproductive technologies suffer more problems, a huge new study finds, but the reasons remain unclear
-
China to promise cuts in greenhouse gases
14 February 2007
Climate is rising to the top of the agenda, with plans on emissions cuts, pollution control and carbon trading – but past targets have not been met
-
Mystery illness devastates honeybee colonies
14 February 2007
Beekeepers in at least 22 states across the US are finding their hives empty – the vanishing of the insects could disrupt the pollination of food crops
-
Why are girls growing up so fast?
14 February 2007
If you don't want your little princess to grow up too quickly, she had better be a daddy's girl, New Scientist discovers
-
Rats isolate their whiskers to feel their way
14 February 2007
New high-speed video footage reveals the extraordinary dexterity with which rats use their whiskers to navigate
-
On the origin of the Etruscan civilisation
14 February 2007
One of anthropology's most enduring mysteries – where the ancient Etruscans started out – may finally have been solved, using a cattle trail
-
Native American populations share gene signature
14 February 2007
A distinctive, repeating sequence of DNA found in people living at the eastern edge of Russia is also widespread among 18 Native American populations
-
Flirty deep-sea squid is fast, aggressive hunter
14 February 2007
The first video of the Dana octopus squid shows that far from being sluggish, passive animals, the bioluminescent creatures are quick to the kill
-
Hayabusa probe to attempt return journey
13 February 2007
The asteroid-probing spacecraft is set to begin a three-year trip back to Earth in late March – but its success is far from assured
-
Atom smasher may give birth to 'Black Saturns'
13 February 2007
Tiny, ringed black holes resembling Saturn might be produced at the Large Hadron Collider, set to open later this year
-
Haptic glove to touch on virtual fabrics
13 February 2007
An exoskeleton glove with tactile arrays under finger and thumb, combined with extensively modelled cyber-fabrics, may mean a better virtual experience
-
Hurricane history is written in stalagmites
13 February 2007
A new technique gives us a new way of measuring hurricanes going back thousands of years, instead of the 60 years with meteorological records
-
Developing nations to test new $150 laptops
13 February 2007
As the first laptops are distributed to poorer nations, some experts question the wisdom of the scheme
-
Oceanic 'internet' to track global marine life
13 February 2007
A plan to reveal more about the lives of fish to help reduce overfishing, as well as monitoring climate change in the oceans, gets a big funding boost
-
Inner ear implant may bring balance back
13 February 2007
People who have lost their sense of balance could one day be fitted with an inner ear implant modelled on the body's own balance organs
-
Satellite could see shadow of extra dimensions
12 February 2007
If our 3D universe is floating in a higher dimensional space, the shape of those extra dimensions might be detectable by Europe's Planck satellite, set to launch in 2008
-
Did prehistoric chimps use stone tools too?
12 February 2007
New discoveries could represent the earliest known use of technology by chimps, and suggests we may share a common tool-wielding ancestor
-
Males more prone to cloning
12 February 2007
Mouse embryos created from male adult cells were more than three times as likely to develop to term as those created from female adult cells
-
Virus in the frame for prion diseases
12 February 2007
It may be that viruses, and not mutant prions, are at the root of diseases such as scrapie, BSE and vCJD, according to new research
-
CO2 being pushed deep into the oceans
12 February 2007
The good news is that this might absorb more emissions of the greenhouse gas – the bad news is that it may harm marine organisms
-
Afternoon naps may boost heart health
12 February 2007
Taking a few half-hour siestas every week may cut the risk of death from heart disease by nearly 40%
-
World's only space dust detector binned
12 February 2007
The only experiment designed to survey space debris too tiny to be tracked by radar has been cancelled – ironically, just after an anti-satellite weapons test that generated a record amount of space junk
-
Japan starts using satellite disaster-alert system
12 February 2007
One of the world's most seismically active nations begins using a system that automatically transmits warnings of natural disasters, such as tsunamis
-
UK bird flu outbreak – who dunnit?
12 February 2007
The H5N1 bird flu was found in a turkey production plant with active biosecurity measures – how did it get in and where did it come from?
-
Remote-controlled copter to rescue Everest climbers
12 February 2007
The uncrewed vehicle functions at altitudes far above normal helicopters – it will also be used to help locals in the remote region of the Himalayas
-
Burial at sea for CO2 given seal of approval
12 February 2007
International rules governing the dumping of waste at sea are updated, but the cost of carbon burial is high and critics worry about the risks of leaks
-
Invention: Edible RFID
12 February 2007
This week's patent applications include digestible radio tags, a trick that means GPS works underground, and Disney's latest "walking" robot
-
Sensitivity to hormones linked to miscarriage
12 February 2007
Women with recurrent miscarriage show a hypersensitivity to oestrogen and progesterone in skin tests, a small study finds
-
How not to save wildlife
12 February 2007
Good science is essential when deciding what to do with populations of pest animals, but it's not the only thing that matters, says Hugh Warwick
-
Stressed cows rally with a sports drink
12 February 2007
While there are no plans to stage cow races, electrolyte sports drinks appear to lessen the animals' suffering during long sea journeys
-
Improving the search for intelligence
12 February 2007
A new generation of search engines is making criminal investigations faster and more likely to be successful
-
What's your poison?
12 February 2007
Could the damage wreaked by alcohol, tobacco, pollution, and a bad diet all be caused by the same little molecule?
-
Sleep well before learning something new
11 February 2007
A good night's rest before studying something new has a significant impact on your ability to remember the information, new research shows
-
How green is my country?
11 February 2007
A new technique enables governments to keep track of how fast each industry is developing low-carbon technology, and how consumers react to it
-
Salamander trumps toad as Mr Universe
11 February 2007
The giant palm salamander's tongue explodes outward with more instantaneous power than any other known vertebrate muscle
-
Climate change predictions go from bad to worse
10 February 2007
The latest official report on global warming took three years to write and contains six years' worth of research – but where does it leave the planet?
-
Christian faith in the other good book
10 February 2007
Flocks of Christians in the US are to hold special services celebrating Charles Darwin's theory of evolution
-
Lasers best for flood predictions
10 February 2007
Airborne laser systems should be used to more accurately assess the risk of flooding, by firing pulses from low-flying aircraft
-
Criminal justice: are you ready for the science bit?
10 February 2007
The UK criminal justice system is struggling with overflowing prisons. Washington state in the US is using scientific principles to try to avoid a similar crisis
-
Climate change predictions go from bad to worse
10 February 2007
The latest official report on global warming took three years to write and contains six years' worth of research - but where does it leave the planet?
-
Three's a crowd
10 February 2007
-
Christian faith in the other good book
10 February 2007
Flocks of Christians in the US are to hold special services celebrating Charles Darwin's theory of evolution
-
New rules for stem cell research
10 February 2007
The International Society for Stem Cell Research joins the controversial fray by publishing the first international guidelines
-
Soundbites
10 February 2007
-
60 Seconds
10 February 2007
-
Burning bushes
10 February 2007
-
Earth's magnetic core revealed in the lab
10 February 2007
Secrets locked in the belly of our planet may soon be revealed by a model that recreates its magnetic field
-
Lasers best for flood predictions
10 February 2007
Airborne laser systems should be used to more accurately assess the risk of flooding, by firing pulses from low-flying aircraft
-
Boost to US federal DNA-collecting powers
10 February 2007
The Department of Justice is finalising rules to allow DNA to be collected from anyone arrested or detained by federal authorities
-
Prosthetics arms, now with real feelings
10 February 2007
People with the devices could be made to "feel" their fingers, thanks to a novel surgical technique called targeted muscle reinnervation
-
Gizmo
10 February 2007
-
Pig cell rejection overcome with seaweed
10 February 2007
Seaweed and pigs could provide an alternative to human cell transplants for treating diabetes
-
Salamander trumps toad as Mr Universe
10 February 2007
The giant palm salamander's tongue explodes outward with more instantaneous power than any other known vertebrate muscle
-
Keep Earth cool with Moon dust
10 February 2007
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so why not tackle global warming with a giant dust cloud positioned in space to block out the sun
-
This week 50 years ago
10 February 2007
-
Can a brain scan prove you're telling the truth?
10 February 2007
The apparent emergence of an fMRI truth-telling industry in the US has come as something of a surprise
-
Vaginal gel fails HIV test
10 February 2007
It was meant to make sex safer by blocking HIV infection in the vagina, but it appears to have increased HIV infection rates instead
-
No more needles into the womb?
10 February 2007
A blood test could identify fetal genetic disorders without invasive tests that raise the risk of miscarriage
-
How green is my country?
10 February 2007
A new technique enables governments to keep track of how fast each industry is developing low-carbon technology, and how consumers react to it
-
A-list space probe unveiled at Cannes
10 February 2007
Experiments that measure the cosmic background – the afterglow of the big bang – are the big stars of cosmology, and ESA's Planck is no exception
-
Waste not, want jobs
10 February 2007
-
Free will
10 February 2007
-
Simulation software
10 February 2007
-
Problematic pool
10 February 2007
-
The word: Astroturfing
10 February 2007
Classic astroturfing is the practice of disguising an orchestrated campaign as a spontaneous upwelling of grass-roots public opinion
-
Feedback
10 February 2007
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The Cult of Pharmacology, by Richard DeGrandpre
10 February 2007
-
The Never-Ending Days of Being Dead, by Marcus Chown
10 February 2007
-
Histories: When men were gods
10 February 2007
In 427 BC, the Greek city-state of Athens crushed a revolt on the Aegean island of Lesbos – what followed was a superhuman display of rowing prowess
-
Review: The Writing on the Wall: China and the West in the 21st Century, by Will Hutton
10 February 2007
The idea that if China is to become technology-based superpower, it must embrace the values of the west's Enlightenment needs more evidence to back it up, says Richard P. Suttmeier
-
Carbon cut will mean cleaner cars
10 February 2007
European cars will have to be cleaner after 2012 under stringent new carbon dioxide emission standards
-
Drink to me with thine ¬s
10 February 2007
-
Wild resources
10 February 2007
-
Road charge cards
10 February 2007
-
Space-junk-trapping satellite scrapped
10 February 2007
The only experiment designed to study dangerous space debris too tiny to be tracked by radar is cancelled by the US Department of Defense
-
Twice half a point
10 February 2007
-
Dancing cows
10 February 2007
-
For the record
10 February 2007
-
The war on error
10 February 2007
-
Gorillas are vegetarians
10 February 2007
-
Not here, we don't
10 February 2007
-
Free will
10 February 2007
-
Clone concern
10 February 2007
-
Interview: Nobody's children
10 February 2007
Psychiatrist Bruce Perry first saw "the boy who was raised like a dog" as a shrieking 6-year-old, locked in a cage throwing faeces – but there was still time to save him
-
Milky Way's black hole the ultimate particle accelerator
09 February 2007
Protons shooting along a magnetic luge from our galaxy's black hole can reach energies 100 times higher than the best atom smashers on Earth – they may be the source of mysterious gamma rays from the galactic centre
-
Walkers take artificial ankle in their stride
09 February 2007
Study suggests that humans adapt quickly to having an artificial joint amplify the power of their normal muscles
-
Kyoto Protocol 'loophole' has cost $6 billion
09 February 2007
The powerful greenhouse gas HFC 23, which can be cheaply destroyed, will no longer be included in the Protocol's carbon credits scheme
-
Keep Earth cool with Moon dust
09 February 2007
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so why not tackle global warming with a giant dust cloud positioned in space to block out the Sun
-
Editorial: Climate consensus is not enough
09 February 2007
The IPCC climate change report is very welcome, but what happens next will matter more
-
Gravity: Ultimate free fall
09 February 2007
If you drop two atoms, which falls fastest? The answer could lead us to the definitive theory of gravity
-
Mini helicopter masters insect navigation trick
09 February 2007
Maintaining a constant "optical flow" may help insects maintain a safe speed and height – aircraft could soon make use of the technique
-
Astronauts set records on third spacewalk
09 February 2007
After their third trip outside the International Space Station in recent days, astronauts Sunita Williams and Michael Lopez-Alegria set spacewalking records
-
$25 million prize for greenhouse gas removal
09 February 2007
Come up with a system for removing a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and you could win the biggest prize in history
-
Brain scans reveal intentions of calculating minds
09 February 2007
The ability to read people's secret intentions even before they act has been demonstrated by researchers using brain scanning techniques
-
Climate change: What the IPCC didn't tell us
09 February 2007
If the official verdict on climate change seems bad enough, the real story looks far worse
-
Nice talking to you, machine
09 February 2007
Ever taken pleasure in talking to a man-made device? One day you just might
-
Saturn moon 'sandblasts' its neighbours white
08 February 2007
Ice particles spewed from Saturn's moon Enceladus churn up the surfaces of neighbouring moons, leaving them sparklingly bright – they may also be a conduit for life
-
Bubble-powered 'computer' may improve chemical testing
08 February 2007
The "microfluidic" chip performs calculations by squeezing bubbles through tiny channels – using the same principles as conventional electronics
-
What are the major obstacles for sustainable energy?
08 February 2007
Inadequate ways of storing solar energy, burying carbon dioxide and converting sugars into fuel are some of the answers given by scientists
-
Autism-spectrum disorder reversed in mice
08 February 2007
It might one day be possible to cure Rett syndrome – a genetic disease that causes mental retardation and physical disability
-
Software patch could improve car engine efficiency
08 February 2007
Many modern cars could reduce fuel consumption, and carbon emissions, by simply uploading new software, scientist claims
-
New universes will be born from ours
08 February 2007
A new model suggests our universe could ultimately shatter into billions of pieces, with each shard growing into a whole new universe
-
Fat-fighting pill gains approval in US
08 February 2007
The first over-the-counter weight-loss pill wins approval from the FDA, despite health concerns from consumer groups
-
Mars's top camera suffers worrying glitch
08 February 2007
The most powerful camera ever sent to the Red Planet has developed problems with noise, along with another instrument on its mothership
-
Green crimes deserve minimum jail terms, says Europe
08 February 2007
The European Commission is seeking minimum sentences for offences ranging from dumping toxic waste to harming protected species
-
Endangered primates harbour fewer parasites
08 February 2007
Primates threatened with extinction carry fewer uninvited guests than their non-threatened counterparts, which could leave them vulnerable to disease
-
Here's a more cerebral reason to lower your cholesterol
08 February 2007
An unhealthy western diet could harm more than just your waistline – it may also increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease
-
Robot Asimo learns how to jaywalk
08 February 2007
New software that tells the humanoid robots where to plant their feet takes inspiration from the classic arcade game, Frogger
-
Six steps to a stress-free career
08 February 2007
New Scientist reveals how to keep your hair and ditch your high blood pressure without emigrating to a Pacific island
-
Space station's hull to heave with spare parts
08 February 2007
NASA plans to stash as much spare equipment on pallets outside the International Space Station as it can before the shuttles retire in 2010
-
NASA reviews its astronaut screening process
07 February 2007
The space agency is reviewing its psychological screening process for astronauts following astronaut Lisa Nowak's arrest for allegedly trying to kill a romantic rival
-
Report slams NASA's neglect of small missions
07 February 2007
NASA is facing a four-year-long 'launch desert' with no new astronomy missions because it puts too much money into big projects, says a top-level panel
-
Major attack hits internet's 'root' servers
07 February 2007
The blitz used infected "zombie" computers to bombard some of the central domain name system servers that keep internet traffic flowing
-
Slowed-down light stores data for longer
07 February 2007
Scientists dream of using "slow light" to beat problems in everything from image processing to quantum computing. The dream just moved closer
-
Europe must get to grips with bird flu
07 February 2007
A year after deadly H5N1 arrived in Europe, the UK is dealing with its first outbreak on a farm. Yet the continent's efforts to track the virus are in disarray
-
Atoms function as light-trappers and transporters
07 February 2007
A pulse of light is stopped, transported, and restarted using a cloud of super-cold atoms in the first demonstration of a key element of quantum mechanics
-
Volcanoes could churn out carbon nanotubes
07 February 2007
Lava is a surprisingly efficient chemical trigger for synthesising nanostructures, and may be a cheap, abundant catalyst for large-scale nanotube production
-
Limits on vehicle emissions proposed by Europe
07 February 2007
The legislation would force new cars to produce an average of 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre by 2012, compared to 163 g/km now
-
Sleep more to weigh less, kids told
07 February 2007
Children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be overweight, according to a new study, but the exact reasons remain unclear
-
Genes may be underestimated cause of bullying
07 February 2007
Rather than fights between parents, children may be at a genetic risk of developing behavioural problems such as bullying
-
Did huge career pressures aid astronaut's undoing?
07 February 2007
After passing stringent psychological screening to become an astronaut, questions are raised over how Lisa Nowak could have snapped like this
-
Action computer games can sharpen eyesight
07 February 2007
Fast and furious computer gaming may help train a player's visual system, researchers say
-
Are female songbirds evolution's unsung heroines?
07 February 2007
Males do the singing and the females do the listening, right? This has been the cherished view, but some ornithologists are changing their tune
-
Keeping the high-energy dream alive
07 February 2007
The impending opening of the Large Hadron Collider confirms that the dynamic heart of particle physics no longer beats in the US
-
Astronaut accused of attempted murder released on bail
07 February 2007
US astronaut Lisa Nowak, charged with trying to kidnap and kill a rival for the affections of a fellow astronaut, was released from jail after posting $25,500 bail
-
US astronaut Lisa Nowak: a short biography
07 February 2007
Nowak, charged with trying to kill a woman she considered a rival for the affection of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein, spent 10 days with Oefelein in an intense survival training exercise in 2004
-
Much of UK suitable for nuclear waste burial
07 February 2007
A new report concludes that deep burial of the waste is the best solution – and scientists say up to two-thirds of the country may be geologically suitable
-
Three new types of object found in Milky Way
06 February 2007
High-energy radiation is spewing from three newly discovered kinds of object in our galaxy – all involve dead or dying stars
-
Rampant illegal logging slashes orang-utan forests
06 February 2007
Without urgent action, 98% of the remaining forestation on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo could be gone by 2022, says a UN report
-
Can a brain scan prove you're telling the truth?
06 February 2007
Insurance companies are helping to popularise a new "truth-telling" industry based on fMRI scanning, but not to everyone's delight
-
Secret compound for better chips
06 February 2007
Computer engines are about to get a lot more efficient, says chip maker Intel
-
Astronaut held in jail for attempted murder
06 February 2007
Married astronaut Lisa Nowak has been charged with planning to murder a woman she considered a rival for the attentions of a fellow astronaut
-
Sleep medication linked to bizarre behaviour
06 February 2007
UK and Australian health agencies report over a hundred cases of odd behaviour among patients taking the sleep medication zolpidem, also known as Ambien
-
Narcolepsy hints at drug for insomniacs
06 February 2007
Those that have trouble sleeping can take heart from a new drug that makes the brain enter a state similar to narcolepsy
-
Liquid transistor connects fluids with electronics
06 February 2007
The device works thanks to an "electrowetting" effect – it could find applications in biotechnology and flat panel displays
-
A sporting chance of beating the bookies
06 February 2007
Can a computer really predict sports results well enough to bamboozle the bookmakers? New Scientist decided there was only one way to find out
-
Science funding stays flat in NASA budget
06 February 2007
Astronomers say NASA's proposed 2008 science budget is 'better than a poke in the eye' – but not by much
-
Budget cuts may delay shuttle replacement
05 February 2007
NASA may not be able to launch the space shuttle's replacement by 2014 as promised, forcing the agency to depend on other countries and private firms to service the International Space Station
-
Male-killer makes female butterflies promiscuous
05 February 2007
Female butterflies become four times more sexually active in the presence of Wolbachia bacteria, which leaves colonies with precious few males
-
Invention: Covert iris scanner
05 February 2007
This week's patent applications include a device that scans irises without anyone realising, and lasers that paint warnings on the road ahead
-
Surveillance failure as bird flu hits UK farm?
05 February 2007
It is the first outbreak to hit UK poultry, causing the cull of 160,000 birds, as surveillance again apparently fails to detect virus in wild birds
-
Health fears as floods wash over Java
05 February 2007
More than 50,000 residents have sought treatment for conditions ranging from coughs to diarrhoea after days of devastating floods
-
Astronauts hook up new space station cooling system
05 February 2007
On the second of three planned spacewalks, two astronauts set up a new cooling system that will pave the way for new modules on the International Space Station
-
Bats in flight may provide military inspiration
05 February 2007
Engineers designing miniature flying machines for the military could get some bright ideas from the super-flexible wings of bats
-
New brain cells love to learn
05 February 2007
When mature mice learn a new task, their recently generated brain cells are three times more active than their old ones
-
When co-operation is the key to survival
05 February 2007
Mother Nature may be much kinder and gentler than most people give her credit for
-
Vaccine zaps allergy in record time
04 February 2007
Allergy sufferers could bid farewell to their sneezes with a new generation of vaccines that take effect within weeks
-
Seeking the Excalibur of all algorithms
04 February 2007
Cryptographers get ready: the race is on to find the next gold-standard security algorithm
-
US rethinks cooperation with China in space
03 February 2007
Tenuous plans for the two nations to jointly explore space have been put on hold following China's anti-satellite weapons test
-
H5N1 bird flu outbreak confirmed on English farm
03 February 2007
An outbreak on a farm run by Europe's biggest turkey manufacturer is the highly pathogenic version of the virus which can kill humans
-
Yaws makes a comeback
03 February 2007
You've probably never heard of it, but yaws – a crippling disease that largely disappeared with the arrival of antibiotics – is spreading again
-
Virtual voucher masks online users' identity
03 February 2007
A security system developed by IBM will allow people to access services or make online purchases without disclosing their identity
-
Why fat is a fertility issue
03 February 2007
Improving fertility in obese women may be a case of mind over matter
-
Self-appointed science censors exposed
03 February 2007
Suppressing science that doesn't toe the White House line is standard procedure at US federal agencies, a new report finds
-
Hubble's glory dims for now
03 February 2007
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has once again closed its amazing eye. This time, though, it may never open fully again
-
60 Seconds
03 February 2007
-
Feedback
03 February 2007
-
The word: Robo-tripping
03 February 2007
Every trend in recreational dug use generates its own lexicon, and the latest craze among US teens is no exception
-
Four examples of a new breed of engineer discuss their work
03 February 2007
Engineering has a new face. Julia Pierce talks to four young and successful engineers who embody the spirit of their discipline in the 21st century
-
Hints of Higgs in the blogosphere
03 February 2007
Blogs are rarely momentous enough to make the news, except when they are by physicists hunting for the Higgs boson
-
Yaws makes a comeback
03 February 2007
You've probably never heard of it, but yaws – a crippling disease that largely disappeared with the arrival of antibiotics – is spreading again
-
Vaccine zaps allergy in record time
03 February 2007
Allergy sufferers could bid farewell to their sneezes with a new generation of vaccines that take effect within weeks
-
California leading the way on curbing emissions
03 February 2007
The Golden State has banned its three largest utility companies from buying "dirty" power
-
Editorial: Suppressing the science of climate change
03 February 2007
A new report accuses US officials of suppressing or manipulating climate science to suit their own agenda and the list of examples is long
-
Fog warning
03 February 2007
-
Like falling off
03 February 2007
-
Alarming microwave
03 February 2007
-
Soundbites
03 February 2007
-
The Kiwi's Egg: Charles Darwin and natural selection, by David Quammen
03 February 2007
-
The Fabulous Fibonacci Numbers, by Alfred Posamentier
03 February 2007
-
Review: The Last Human, by Esteban Sarmiento et al
03 February 2007
Humans dominate the planet because of our evolutionary ancestors' darker sides. Adrian Barnett confronts a formidable cast of characters
-
No wonder drug
03 February 2007
-
Free will...
03 February 2007
-
...and machines
03 February 2007
-
...and complexity...
03 February 2007
-
Belief or not
03 February 2007
-
Wrong kind of kiss
03 February 2007
-
Battery of possibilities
03 February 2007
-
Diminishing deities
03 February 2007
-
Gas garbler
03 February 2007
-
Gamuts of colours
03 February 2007
-
Manipulating placebos
03 February 2007
-
Free will and evolution
03 February 2007
-
For the record
03 February 2007
-
When words fail us
03 February 2007
You've been through hell. That doesn't mean you need counselling, New Scientist discovers
-
Review: The Rosetta Stone and the Rebirth of Ancient Egypt, by John Ray
03 February 2007
The Stone's hieroglyphics were translated nearly two centuries ago, yet it has lost none of its mystique. Andrew Robinson looks for reasons why
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Design needs rules
03 February 2007
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Egg screening doubles IVF success
03 February 2007
A new way of screening out bad eggs could boost IVF pregnancy rates and give extra hope to older women that want to have a baby
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Virtual voucher masks online users' identity
03 February 2007
A security system developed by IBM will allow people to access services or make online purchases without disclosing their identity
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Lasers spot fake drugs in the packet
03 February 2007
Counterfeit drugs can now be detected while still in the packaging, making them much easier to intercept
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Toad diet makes snakes bold
03 February 2007
Toxic toads on the Japanese island of Ishima are losing their evolutionary battle with snakes
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What lurks beneath Antarctic ice sheet
03 February 2007
A drumlin has been spotted in the process of forming for the first time under Antarctic ice
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Bell Labs: Over and out
03 February 2007
The decline of this powerhouse of innovation is a huge loss to world-class technology. Jeff Hecht looks at what made it so successful for so long
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This week 50 years ago
03 February 2007
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Biofuel wars loom as Bush reveals agribusiness plans
03 February 2007
President Bush is creeping towards strategy for combating climate change dressed up as a scheme for reducing dependence on foreign oil
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Gizmo
03 February 2007
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Why fat is a fertility issue
03 February 2007
Improving fertility in obese women may be a case of mind over matter
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When women are in the mood to make a baby
03 February 2007
It might seem unlikely, but the mood swings many women experience every month may serve an evolutionary purpose – to get them pregnant
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Seeking the Excalibur of all algorithms
03 February 2007
Cryptographers get ready: the race is on to find the next gold-standard security algorithm
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Raptor's opposable fingers pincered prey
03 February 2007
Chalk up another evolutionary first for dinosaurs – the Bambiraptor evolved its cunning claw formation 75 million years ago
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Sun-seeking immune cells rise up to fight skin cancer
03 February 2007
A blast of sunshine doesn't just ward off depression – it could also attract immune cells to the skin surface
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'Oceans' of water may hide on Mars
03 February 2007
What if Mars hasn't lost its water and atmosphere, but is just hiding them beneath the surface?
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First maps made of nighttime clouds on Mars
02 February 2007
Nighttime clouds hang over the planet's equator like fog during summertime in the northern hemisphere, then dissipate during the day
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Non-invasive Down's syndrome test shows promise
02 February 2007
A new way of analysing the fetal DNA circulating in pregnant women could lead to improved prenatal screening for genetic disorders
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Key climate report sparks global call to action
02 February 2007
Governments and environmental groups greet the new UN report on the science of climate change with words of praise – and determination
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Eight months on and Lusi still spews mud
02 February 2007
Indonesia's eruption of millions of litres of slurry is dividing geologists and posing an environmental crisis
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The mind chip
02 February 2007
It may not be alive, but it's deep in thought, and it works like the brain in your head. New Scientist reports
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Prehistoric mammals: Big, bad and furry
02 February 2007
When dinosaurs ruled the world, mammals were tiny shrew-like creatures cowering in the shadows, right? Nothing could be further from the truth
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Diamond loses its stiffness crown to new material
02 February 2007
Mixing the right particles of mineral and tin creates a composite super-resistant to bending
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Woman with bionic arm regains sense of touch
02 February 2007
A prosthetic arm that moves intuitively and feels like the real thing is a step closer thanks to a new surgical technique
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'Fold up' zoom lens could fit slim gadgets
02 February 2007
The lens sends light on a zigzagging path through its core to mimic a much longer conventional lens – it could benefit super-thin camera phones
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Bingeing cited as biggest eating disorder in US
02 February 2007
A national survey finds that out-of-control binge-eating is more prevalent than anorexia or bulimia combined, contributing to the rise in obesity
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Blame for global warming placed firmly on humankind
02 February 2007
The most authoritative scientific report on climate change says temperatures are most likely to rise by 1.8 to 4.0°C by 2100 - and we are making it happen
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The impacts of rising global temperatures
02 February 2007
Predicted rises in temperatures due to climate change will cause increased flooding, shrinking glaciers and more exposure to malaria, say scientists
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Modelling the future climate: the baseline scenarios
02 February 2007
Modellers are faced with a problem – what happens in the future depends on how society evolves. So the IPCC uses 40 scenarios depicting very different worlds
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Mars probe snaps dramatic new images of gullies
01 February 2007
The rich, textured images of gullies and streambeds by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter bolster evidence that water once gushed across the Martian surface
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New particle accelerator could rule out string theory
01 February 2007
The Large Hadron Collider could provide a crucial test of string theory when it starts operating at the end of the year, new research suggests
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Pandemic flu may be only two mutations away
01 February 2007
Scientists find what made the 1918 flu pandemic so easy to catch – and it was not what they thought
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Sea level rise outpacing key predictions
01 February 2007
A comparison of real measurements with predictions made in the 2001 IPCC report shows some hits and some misses - new predictions are released on Friday
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New international guidelines for stem cell science
01 February 2007
The guidelines for human embryonic stem cell research call for a ban on human reproductive cloning, but soften the stance on payments to egg donors
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'Superlens' has its reach extended
01 February 2007
A component capable of imaging beyond the limits of conventional optics has been dramatically improved
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Breathing life into artificial organs
01 February 2007
Skin and bladders are easy to grow in the lab, but how do you keep a heart or liver supplied with oxygen?
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Experimental anti-HIV gel increased infection rates
01 February 2007
Trials of a gel designed to help women protect themselves from the AIDS virus were halted after women using it became infected at a higher rate
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How long is a split-second? It's all relative
01 February 2007
The mind appears to rely on external cues to measure milliseconds, rather than an internal clock, new research suggests
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Global Cool Foundation wants carbon credits
01 February 2007
The charity aims to hold onto the credits, pushing up their value to encourage energy firms to develop greener power
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Lighter skin makes for heavier pay packets
01 February 2007
That is according to a survey of 2000 recent immigrants to the US
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First of three spacewalks ends successfully
01 February 2007
Two astronauts hooked up a new cooling system on the International Space Station during a nearly 8-hour spacewalk on Wednesday