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What is it about getting into a car that turns a decent, upright citizen into a raving maniac? ... [more]
Memory problems, fatigue and other mysterious ailments afflicting thousands of Gulf War veterans may be linked to chemical damage to certain parts of their brains (Read a commentary on previous coverage of this subject [here]) ... [more] Many women have suspected it all along: Men listen with only half a brain (free registration required) ... [more] The ancient surface of Mars may have been dotted with lakes, according to one interpretation of images from the Mars Orbiter Camera ... [more] In an art historical tale from the crypt, two American scholars say Michelangelo's sepulchral sculpture, Night, depicts a woman dying from breast cancer ... [more] A leaked UK report has warned that two nuclear plants designed to succeed reactors at Chernobyl in Ukraine are in a "hazardous" condition ... [more] Scientists at Armagh Observatory claim that a unique weather record could show that the Sun has been the main contributor to global warming over the past two centuries ... [more] Parents who want to their daughters to develop healthy attitudes toward food and their bodies might be wise to let them eat cake ... [more] Looking for Madam Tetrachromat: Do mutant females walk among us? ... [more] The "Microsoft Home" is being presented to the press as proof that technology and interior decorating can be melded seamlessly -- but what it displays most clearly is the designs the Seattle corporation has on the postmodern family ... [more] Are you sleep-deprived? The answer is almost certainly yes -- and it's a bigger problem than most of us realise ... [more] The poison-spitting dinosaurs in the film Jurassic Park were pure Hollywood invention -- or were they? ... [more] The biggest threat to genuine scientific inquiry is not resistance from people of faith but unwarranted hubris on the part of many scientists, claims William Dembski, a proponent of 'intelligent design' theory. (Read reviews of Dembski's The Design Inference here and here. Links to commentaries on his work can be found here) ... [more] Petrol: We can't live with it, we can't live without it. But we're hooked -- at least until a cleaner, greener fuel source becomes widely available ... [more] Sometimes feel like you just weren't ready? Well, maybe your brain wasn't ... [more] Our distant ancestors' fondness for a swim may explain why humans are such unusual primates. Scientists are beginning to take a new look at a controversial old theory ... [more] A new study shows that ambitious young lads in the UK regard their mobile phones less as practical business tools than as handy props for the mating game ... [more] In-orbit service calls to the Hubble Space Telescope have shown the value of on-the-spot repairs and upgrades of aging spacecraft. Yet the lessons learned in tending Hubble may be lost in space ... [more] The jury's still out on the use of soy isoflavones as an alternative form of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women ... [more] We all know the stereotypes about sex: For men, sex is more physical; for women, it's more emotional. But it isn't necessarily so ... [more] A sociologist has transformed the small world concept of "six degrees of separation" into a scientific sampling method for finding and studying "hidden populations," from drug users to jazz musicians ... [more] US researchers are questioning the traditional view that early sensory stimulation is critical to the basic wiring of the brain. They contend that much of the brain's circuitry is inborn ... [more] One day it could be standard practice to grow your own organs, ready to use should you need a transplant. But would that open the door to cloning humans? ... [more] Road and rail tunnels which lack escape routes are proven death traps. So why are we still building them that way? ... [more] At last! An explanation of why some people voluntarily consume lutefisk, Vegemite and koumiss (corrected link) ... [more] The smoke may be about to clear in the debate over medical marijuana ... [more] Data gathered during last year's Leonid meteor shower show that the seeds of life could have survived a fiery passage from space to Earth's ancient atmosphere ... [more] The dumbing down debate is dead. We're actually all "clevering up", our brains being retooled to suit an information age ... [more] The first climate model to incorporate realistic plant life has produced dismal predictions ... [more] Genetically, we may each have more in common with members of other races than we do with our own -- and we're "all Africans under the skin" ... [more] At a nuclear weapons lab, a team of elite hackers matches wits with undefeated autonomous defender programmes ... [more] A new theory of how exactly the ancient Egyptians oriented the pyramids according to the stars could put a date on the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza that is accurate within 5 years ... [more] Mankind's evolutionary secret has been revealed -- and it's thoroughly disgusting. Our ability to sniff out all things loathsome, nauseous and repulsive may have propelled us to global domination ... [more] Bruised and battered husbands have been saying it for years, and a new study has proved them right. When it comes to domestic confrontation, women are more violent than men ... [more] Next time you feel a little under the weather, try a novel way to boost your immune system -- play contract bridge ... [more] Earth's forests are being strip-mined of wildlife for the so-called bushmeat trade -- a crisis which is forcing conservationists to rethink their tactics ... [more] Fame and fortune await the person who cracks the greatest problem in mathematics. And that could be any day now ... [more] Nobel laureate James Watson has provoked a scientific controversy by suggesting there are biochemical links between skin color and sexual activity, and between thinness and ambition ... [more] In US presidential elections, the most popular candidates often don't get elected. The problem, mathematicians say, lies in the voting system itself ... [more] Merchants routinely use the psychology of marketing to entice you into spending more. Knowing what they know will make you a smarter shopper ... [more] For Matthew Chapman, great-great grandson of Charles Darwin, a creationist field trip proved a revelation ... [more] Your body can become hooked on almost anything: blackjack, sex...even gardening ... [more] Exit polls are notoriously inaccurate at predicting election results. Why is that so? And why do the news media persist in treating them as gospel? ... [more] Until the last few decades, humans have known relatively little about animal intelligence and emotions. Now scientists are finally beginning to fathom the depth of animal complexity ... [more] While the rich stay rich, the poor get hotter ... [more] Generations of scientists have learned that the best plan for creative discovery is no plan -- except an open mind, muses Nobel laureate Arthur Kornberg ... [more] Who is fat? It all depends on culture ... [more] Incontrovertible evidence of cannibalism has been found at a 900-year-old site in the southwestern US. Why do horrified critics deny that many societies have found cannibalism acceptable? ... [more] Nestled safely inside the belly of a comet orbiting some unknown star, a microscopic alien sits dormant ... [more] Most great physicists and mathematicians do their breakthrough work in their twenties and thirties. What does that tell us about how the mind changes with age? ... [more] The next time you delight in a glass of wine, rest assured that you are continuing an important ancestral tradition ... [more] A lone researcher says he can cut an electron in two. If he's right, quantum physics is dead ... [more] Since the mid-1970s, El Niño events are recurring about three times more often than they did in the mid-19th century ... [more] The teaching of evolution in schools is increasingly under threat, facing everything from fervent opposition by evangelical Christians and avoidance by controversy-shy school boards, to the laissez-faire attitude of some highly-placed politicians ... [more] There's nothing wrong with fuzzy numbers -- in fact they're essential when it comes to explaining the economy ... [more] Absentee fatherhood is nearly a rule among insects, so why does the male burying beetle take care of a clutch of squirming larvae? Apparently the doting daddy's real motive is to keep an eye on the Mrs ... [more] Experts have concluded that antiretroviral regimens which prevent HIV transmission from mother to child are safe and effective enough to become part of standard medical care for HIV-positive mothers ... [more] Are environmentalists simply Gaia's seeds, scattered hither and yon to ensure homeostasis? ... [more] Dr Joan Roughgarden, one of the world's most influential theoretical ecologists, is methodically taking apart biologists' beliefs about sex (free registration required) ... [more] The benchmark of forensic science is on trial. Are fingerprints really reliable evidence? ... [more] By using synthetic gases, Mars could potentially be returned to its former habitable state ... [more] How stupid can an e-mail program be? Eudora's MoodWatch feature presumes to judge the offensiveness of its users' language ... [more] Recent mathematical studies show that what mothers have been saying for years is quite right: We would all be much happier if we thought less about looks and more about other qualities such as personality or a sense of humour ... [more] Genetic research may have opened a new door on the role of pheromones in human development (free registration required) ... [more] The bombardier beetle is so extraordinary that it must have been made by God, according to the Creationists ... [more] Humankind's ecological footprint is getting heavier and heavier, reports the World Wide Fund for Nature ... [more] Man-made pollution has "contributed substantially" to global warming and Earth is likely to get a lot hotter than previously predicted, according to a UN-sponsored panel ... [more] They can reduce drag, repel shock waves and make jet fighters vanish. Will plasmas start an aerospace revolution, or are they just another mirage? ... [more] The good news is, doctors and drug companies are paying more and more attention to women's sexual problems. Or -- wait a minute -- is that the bad news? ... [more] Scientists have identified the first human gene that may be linked to pheromones -- a discovery that could shed new light on the role of pheromones in human development ... [more] Is the party over for GM crops? On the contrary, argues Richard Jefferson, the GM revolution is only just warming up ... [more] Passion for science isn't restricted to the richer countries of the West. If people think otherwise, it's because colonialism did its best to stamp out every last vestige of indigenous research in the East, says Ziauddin Sardar ... [more] Recent news stories about biotechnology seem to highlight the trivial while missing the profound ways in which we've taken it upon ourselves to reshape life ... [more] Gary Settles, A Penn State Professor of Mechanical Engineering who has devised a mechanism for smelling your aura -- not to mention whatever explosives and drugs you might have recently handled -- talks to FEED about hot air, schleiren imagery, and artificial dog noses ... [more] A new study of emotion regulation and memory suggests that you might want to think twice before attempting to banish painful emotions from your mind -- or your face ... [more] Anthropologist Napoleon A. Chagnon has spent decades studying patterns of conflict and revenge among Yanomami Indians, deep within the Amazon Basin. He needn't have traveled so far to pursue his research. After all, anthropologists themselves are one of the most bellicose tribes on earth ... [more] Love is just a hot spot in the brain ... [more] In human reproduction males -- by and large -- are pretty useless. So what's the point of men? ... [more] A controversy erupted when anthropologists said the Kennewick Man resembled Caucasians more than American Indians. But what can you really tell from a skeleton? ... [more] After all, bones can't even show us who our closest primate cousins are ... [more] Researchers are beginning to re-evaluate the role of the "rabble of primitive, knuckle-dragging grunts" which comprises the innate immune system ... [more] When it comes to space travel, two’s company, but three can be a crowd ... [more] A new computer model shows that when crowds are faced with danger, they react according to predictable patterns. The developers will use the model to help architects tame the wild herd ... [more] Antibiotics are everywhere, yet we know disturbingly little about their cumulative effect on the environment ... [more] Signs of manic-depressive disorder can become apparent long before the disorder is usually diagnosed -- sometimes even in infancy ... [more] It's official: Women are obsessed by their bodies ... [more] But then again, so are men ... [more] Scientific American celebrates the anniversary of needles, looking at 400 years of magnetic understanding ... [more] It's a concept that continues to spark interest, despite researchers' resounding lack of success. Chet Raymo of The Boston Globe throws cold water on the idea of cold fusion ... [more] Imagine building a mountain range 4,000 metres high, 100 km long and 40 km wide. Now stop imagining -- we've already done it ... [more] Could morality be just a phase? A half-baked measure mapping out hominid dreams of divinity? ... [more] Fearful of hospital infections, some surgeons are giving all their patients potent antibiotics. Shouldn't they be kept for emergencies? ... [more] From what they wore to how they hunted, archaeologists are overturning the threadbare reconstructions of Ice Age culture ... [more] Happiness researchers take delight in determining what brings us joy -- and they're convinced the question of how to build a happier society, once the domain of philosophers, could soon fall within their grasp ... [more] Girls can't throw - and that's official ... [more] "Form follows function" said architect Louis Sullivan, arguing that a building's purpose should determine its design. If Sullivan had been a biologist he might have put it the other way around ... [more] Logging and the accessibility it offers to remote forests and to wider hunting opportunities may play a central role in the emergence of new diseases on a global scale ... [more] Intelligence may be the key to good health and a long life ... [more] Virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier says computers are too dumb to take over the world ... [more] Keeping a stiff upper lip during stressful situations can take an unexpected toll: It appears to interfere with the ability to think clearly during the event and to recall the details afterward ... [more] Disputes in anthropology often encompass larger battles over essential aspects of human nature. Witness the current strife over the publication of Darkness in El Dorado, which makes contentious accusations against anthropologists studying the Yanomami tribe ... [more] The parents of a dying girl were able to screen their IVF embryos in order to choose a baby that could save her life ... [more] But it doesn't necessarily follow that designer babies are just around the corner ... [more] A 'lump of rock' long dismissed by experts has been identified as the world's first sculpture and the oldest piece of figurative art ever seen -- a discovery that may rewrite theories on the origins of human thought ... [more] Top physicist Professor Stephen Hawking fears the human race will not survive another millennium ... [more] Bioethics is coming of age. A lawsuit blaming the US's most prominent bioethicist for the death of an 18-year-old has prompted a reexamination of the field ... [more] A group in California, USA, want to clone Jesus. They say we have the technology, the DNA, and the biblical imperative -- so it's about time to get the Second Coming on the road ... [more] Security specialist Robert Graham explains why his open-source version of the FBI's 'Carnivore' snooping technology is a victory for privacy fans ... [more] James Lovelock says we could save the rainforests by using them as nuclear waste dumps ... [more] Why do guys sulk after a fight with their girlfriends instead of talking the problem to death? Turns out it's all in the hormones ... [more] 20 scientific pratfalls of the last 20 years ... [more] Why do we conform to the last taboo? While there are strong biological reasons for avoiding sexual relations with close kin, social conditioning has always been a key reason, too ... [more] Discover presents a scientific and philosophical discussion of 20 ways that humans might go extinct in the very near future, from concrete ones like nuclear war, to celestial disasters, to imponderables like divine intervention ... [more] Scientists have found new evidence that people feel emotions like sadness or anger in much the same way they feel heartburn -- by monitoring what's going on within their bodies ... [more] Everyone agrees that among the highest duties of academics is to make sure that the human beings they study are treated with dignity and respect. But sometimes the rules that are meant to protect research subjects can be taken little too far ... [more] Lawsuits in US federal courts are alleging a conspiracy between psychiatrists and the makers of the anti-hyperactivity drug Ritalin to expand its use (free registration required) ... [more] On the sixth day, the Bible says, God made man. For the first time in human history, scientists now have the potential to re-create humanity in their own image. Not since Darwin has there been a moment so rife with tension between religion and science ... [more] We live in a water-challenged world -- and the situation is getting worse, especially in countries that are already facing severe shortages ... [more] Human activity in coastal areas is what's killing coral, say researchers who have been tracking coral disease. This means that local measures such as reducing soil run-off or sewage discharges might help save corals that fall ill ... [more] The siesta is becoming endangered just as we're learning how healthy it is ... [more] Two men are selling plots on the Moon. Experts say they have no right to do so. It begs the question: Who owns the Moon? ... [more] Lead, mercury, chromium -- that's what computers are made of. So why aren't electronics makers keeping them out of landfills? ... [more] We can inherit everything from the colour of our eyes to a distaste for chocolate. But is a sense of humor hereditary? ... [more] An Indian researcher believes a virus causes obesity -- and his theory is gaining weight with other experts in the field ... [more] Do brain cells die a lingering death as the effects of diseases like Parkinson's and Huntington's take their toll? New research suggests that in those diseases neurons die randomly due to a single catastrophic event. This "one-hit" model may have important implications for treatment ... [more] A drink a day is not just good for the heart -- it may also help ward off the mental decline that comes with age ... [more] Many of the Stone Age relics lying in our museums might not simply have been tools or weapons -- they could also have been the source of the original 'rock music' ... [more] Saving the rainforests became a rallying cry for a generation of ecological crusaders. But a new study shows local inhabitants place far less value on the forests -- and they may well be right ... [more] Expensive calcium channel blockers are less effective than older and cheaper antihypertensive drugs in preventing cardiovascular complications of high blood pressure (free registration required) ... [more] The population bomb is still ticking, says Paul Ehrlich ... [more] Who were the first Americans? If your answer was fur-clad mammoth hunters, guess again. The first people to settle the New World may have been fisherfolk and basket weavers ... [more] Well-meaning but misguided advice to Africans to be wary of biotechnology is a case of killing with kindness, says Hassan Adams, Nigeria's minister of agriculture and rural development ... [more] Humans, like other large mammals, are showing signs of imminent extinction, warns a UK palaeontologist ... [more] Eat this. Don't eat that. The rules of healthy eating seem to get more complicated by the day. But the perfectly balanced menu is simpler than you think ... [more] Tofu Shrinks Brain! It's not a science fiction scenario -- this sobering soybean revelation is for real. But how did the "poster bean" of the '90s go wrong? ... [more] Recent excavations at a medieval friary in Northern England raise further doubts about the theory that syphilis came to Europe from the New World ... [more] The perpetual controversy over global warming is a classic example of the persistent mismatch between the language of science and the needs of policy ... [more] Forget sex. Forget power. Forget food, shelter or the need to belong. The most fundamental of all human needs is the need to be taken seriously ... [more] Battle lines were clearly drawn at the World Forum's session on biotech, with both pro- and anti-biotech speakers prepared to continue the "low-level form of civil war" well into the new century ... [more] It's surprisingly easy to identify psychotic people just by looking closely at their photographs ... [more] Brain scans have finally revealled why there's no use trying to tickle yourself ... [more] A study of tree rings indicates that a planetary catastrophe 1,500 years ago coincided with the end of the Roman Empire and may have led to the Dark Ages ... [more] James Lovelock has risked reputation, livelihood, everything by going it alone. What has this meant for the man behind the still-controversial Gaia hypothesis? Was it all worth it? And will the forthcoming autobiography of this passionate individualist reveal all? ... [more] Soon you, too, can have a tracking microprocessor implanted in your body. Is this a great technological breakthrough -- or Big Brother's last laugh? ... [more] Anyone who really cares about unemployment and its appalling social ramifications shouldn't be sniping at evolutionary theory; they should be embracing it, argues Helena Cronin ... [more] The health of many Gulf War veterans may be at risk from exposure to the depleted uranium used in their own ammunition (although several studies suggest otherwise) ... [more] The nuclear industry hopes to improve its public image by targeting widespread concern over climate change and regional air quality ... [more] The big squeeze: Can a tiny particle make fusion work where giant machines have failed? ... [more] A new additive designed to mask the odours of pesticides gives new meaning to the notion of stopping to smell the roses. Canadian environmentalists are raising a stink about the product ... [more] Israel’s Supreme Court has upheld an Israeli scholar’s copyright on the deciphering of one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the musty documents chronicling Holy Land life in the time of Jesus ... [more] The loudest protest over the closing of Chernobyl is coming from a most unlikely place: the people who work there. What's a little radiation when it puts food in the table? ... [more] All those colds babies pick up in child care may have a silver lining: Infants exposed to other children and their germs are less likely to develop asthma later on ... [more] Satellite evidence indicates that while global deforestation remains a significant problem, it is slowing slightly ... [more] Researchers have finally uncovered the secret of dogs' extraordinary sense of smell ... [more] A researcher claims that dolphins greet one another by “name,” using signature whistles to keep track of one another in murky waters and across distances ... [more] It seems that most predatory animals are elementary mathematicians -- and they hunt according to a simple rule ... [more] Female chimps hold grudges, baboons respect 'marriage' bonds, sea lions pick fights they think they can win, and dolphin life resembles a soap opera ... [more] Despite our widely varying skin and hair colours, DNA evidence shows our species consists of only one race -- the human race ... [more] A medical doctor with a scholarly interest in pre-Columbian art has pushed back the date of the earliest scientific medical illustration by several centuries ... [more] The future is not a dot.com. So what is it? ... [more] Here's a botanical twist: The more stress that is placed on wild populations of St. John's wort, the more effective the plant might be in warding off depression ... [more] The Human Genome Project has raised expectations that science is a mere step away from understanding what really makes us tick. In fact, the sequencing of the genome is showing us how very little we know ... [more] Humans are not the only ones to lose their homes to wildfires. But in the long run, displaced wildlife often benefit from forest regrowth ... [more] A new wave of anti-anxiety drugs is challenging our sense of identity the way Prozac did in the mid-nineties. Is this Brave New World-style mind control, or a liberating medical advance? ... [more] Do you want him, ladies, for his masculine good looks or his cute caring countenance? Maybe hormones explain the popularity of Brad Pitt and Leonardo di Caprio ... [more] Nicotine's fatal attraction: New Scientist looks at why your first cigarette can leave you hooked for life ... [more] The latest reproductive technology is just the next step on our sprint toward human cloning, according to Salon ... [more] California's Hayward Fault may pose less threat of a major earthquake than was previously believed ... [more] Cutting carbon dioxide emissions may not be the key to slowing global warming, after all ... [more] Linux in China: Why should the masses bother with free software when stealing from Microsoft is practically patriotic? ... [more] Robots rule OK? Computer power is rapidly turning science fiction into science fact, but some experts having second thoughts ... [more] A subtle change in the sound of someone's voice is the first sign that they are serious about committing suicide ... [more] An expert panel has recommended to the British government that UK scientists should be allowed to carry out a limited form of human cloning ... [more] Exit, stage left: Do southpaws really die younger? ... [more] Manufacturers have long contended that caffeine is added to soft drinks to enhance flavor. Not so, says a recent study. Is caffeine added to soda, like nicotine is to cigarettes, to feed your addiction and keep you drinking? (No! Really?) ... [more] Are those servers really safe? A study suggests that one-third of so-called secure Web sites are actually vulnerable ... [more] Intelligence in the Cosmos: Flesh or Machine? Astronomer Seth Shostak has an enemies list that includes Spock, E.T. and Mork from Ork. But he’s got no beef with the obelisk that screwed up HAL ... [more] An urban myth laid to rest? Could this be the facts behind the great internet legend of the rocket car? ... [more] Artificial intelligence: are your chat-room buddies human? ... [more] Just like in real life, women now outnumber men on the Internet. Women made up 50.4 percent of all U.S. Internet users during a survey in May ... [more] When most people look at stone-age cave paintings, they see charging bulls, prancing reindeer and other animals. Dr. Michael A. Rappenglueck also sees maps of the night sky ... [more] Bird brains help explain language: Seven tiny structures found in the brain of a hummingbird may help shed light on the origins of human language ... [more] Scientists are in agreement that sea levels are rising, but just how much of it is caused by by natural events and how much is man-made? ... [more] HPV is an STD, can cause cervical cancer and seventy percent of people will come into contact with it. What's going on? ... [more] New findings in the sediments of a dried lake bed in Israel puts the hominid migration to the area 250,000 years earlier ... [more] Until recently, few people knew that deep-sea corals even existed. Now it seems that more than half of the deep-sea reefs have been destroyed ... [more] Herbal medicines: Growing evidence that some herbal medicines may be effective is counterbalanced by inadequate regulations ... [more] Is Monsanto's decision to offer its vitamin A-enhanced rice technologies for free to developing countries really a solution to nutrition problems in the developing world or is it simply a band-aid that fails to address core problems such as poverty, poor diets, and extensive monoculture? ... [more] Hold your breath: It seems that tiny particles of dirt in the air of cities really could kill you ... [more] Watchdog companies that police themselves: A new report recognises 13 companies making voluntary efforts to track their own greenhouse gas emissions ... [more] What if you could catch obesity as easily as you can catch a cold? It may sound preposterous, but remember that only a few years ago the idea that a bacterium could give you ulcers or heart disease sounded crazy ... [more] The morning after: It's been four years since RU-486 was deemed a safe and effective form of birth control. Today, the abortion pill is being held hostage by politicians of every stripe ... [more] Could sticky stucco quash quake damage? ... [more] "The best engineer is one who takes advantage of things that other people throw out" -- pistachio shells could be a key ingredient in reducing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants ... [more] Vaccination in utero may help avoid the vertical transmission of infectious diseases -- and reduce the need for caesarean sections in women at high risk of passing on infections ... [more] Why didn't the mammal cross the road? Research suggests that highways may prevent certain species from spreading their genes ... [more] "Fight-or-flight" has been described for years as the typical way that people respond to stress. New research suggests, however, that this may not be the typical reaction for women ... [more] Bringing down fewer than 5% of the Internet's most heavily connected computers could cripple the Web, fragmenting it into disconnected domains ... [more] Can smoking, along with trends like Pokemon and clothing fashions, be seen as a social epidemic? ... [more] Can radioactive waste aid in curing cancer? ... [more] Unlike old humans, who can get a bit shaky on their feet, pulsars should not wobble as they age. So British scientists were surprised when they discovered a pulsar slowly wobbling like a top ... [more] Did Vincent van Gogh's liberal use of yellow in his paintings stem from his creativity or from toxins in his blood? ... [more] If your vision of medical ethics is the Hippocratic oath, the concept of advances in medical ethics may seem odd. If, however, you believe the goal of medical ethics is to improve the quality of patient care by identifying, analysing, and attempting to resolve ethical problems, the idea of "recent advances" may not be so strange ... [more] Do young people need more holistic health care, which addresses psychological, sexual, and social issues? ... [more] How green are green plastics? It is now technologically possible to make plastics using plants rather than fossil fuels. But are these new plastics the environmental saviours researchers have hoped for? ... [more] What's good for the heart may be just as good for the brain: Cutting blood pressure and drinking moderately, already shown to promote heart health, may also ward off mental decline ... [more] Biodiversity under threat: The United States is endowed with more than 200,000 native animal and plant species, one-third of which are at risk ... [more] Delinquent condors: Is upbringing the key to their youthful misbehaviour? ... [more] Skeletons in the closet: the remains of a medieval friar reveal that syphilis may have been present in Europe 200 years earlier than previously thought ... [more] What form of transportation causes the most pollution? Is it cars? Trucks? Wrong. Look to the seas ... [more] Third generation oral contraceptives: What conclusions have been drawn from the continuing debate on their safety? ... [more] No matter how obvious or mundane an aspect of life is, there's somebody out there who has written a research paper on it and gathered the statistics to back up their findings. Now, here is the guide to dying scientifically ... [more] The International Space Station: why does it matter? ... [more] Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E have been hailed as the body's "natural" defense against cancer. But could these chemicals harm more than they heal? ... [more] Recently, purchasers of late model Rolls-Royces complained that the cars no longer smelled right. So, the manufacturers came up with a handy solution -- bottled essence of wealth ... [more] Is a salmon that grows six times as fast and twice as large as normal farmed Atlantic salmon, but only consumes three-quarters as much feed, too good to be true? ... [more] To heck with hactivism: Do politically motivated hackers really think they're promoting global change by defacing Web sites? ... [more] When Bernie Tao talks to farmers, he tells them they're oil barons. But the oil they control isn't below the ground ... [more] Might we have to abandon our dreams of colonising space? Researchers in France have bad news for our cytoskeletons ... [more] Six bucks worth of paint and clay would be a much better bet for kids' development than a $60 Furby ... [more] What scientists need to do is bring back sacredness to science ... [more] Open access to medical information on the internet has created new opportunities for doctors and patients, but how reliable is it? ... [more] Take the long road: Should NASA drop the idea of quick-hit missions to Mars and instead adopt a longer view? ... [more] A drug by any other name: Sarafem, a new treatment for PMS symptoms, is identical to Prozac. Why the new name? ... [more] Intensive farming reaches its limits: India's frontline agricultural states could be on the brink of a grave environmental crisis ... [more] "Space should be proclaimed a scientific territory available to mankind" -- the ethics of space policy ... [more] Bio-Invaders: is it always a bad thing to be taken over? ... [more] There's nothing there... Ghosts, out-of-body experiences and phantom 'doubles' are all in the mind ... [more] Is the right to life, health and being safe at work subservient to free trade? The asbestos industry seems to think so ... [more] Want to scout a giant moon for signs of life? Then send in a helicopter ... [more] The chemistry of love -- is there more to love than just happy thoughts? Scientists are discovering the hard facts behind those soft feelings ... [more] If physical forces within stars were only a little different, our universe would be almost devoid of carbon and oxygen -- and life would not exist ... [more] Acupuncture can be effective, and may be just what the family doctor needs to do to you ... [more] 'Assasin molecules' are a new class of molecules which could restrict the spread of certain cancers. "Not only do they seek out the King, they persuade him to stab himself" ... [more] While the world anxiously awaited news of the human genome, project instigator James Watson was busily engaged in his new obsession ... [more] We should collaborate internationally to make innovation and entrepreneurship a global game ... [more] Will the Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility make a difference to corporate culture? ... [more] The misguided battle against childhood vaccinations will only increase the risk of serious outbreaks of disease and do nothing to prevent autism ... [more] Doctors should take the five minutes which can make the difference between a well patient and one who continues to suffer ... [more] The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment has the potential to dramatically speed the adoption of leading-edge ecosystem science, for a better global environment ... [more] Do miracles hold up to the scrutiny of mathematics? I don't think so, says John Allen Paulos ... [more] What are the prospects for science in a democratic society that professes to admire science, but barely comprehends it?, asks Norman Levitt ... [more] Having children is always an uncertain process, and the medical risks increase with age -- but social advantages may make up for the biological disadvantages (free registration required) ... [more] On a planet that's colder than Antarctica and where water boils at ten degrees above freezing, how could liquid water ever exist? A dash of salt might help ... [more] Socially inept rodents are providing a clearer picture of how the "love hormone" shapes our relationships ... [more] A UN report warns of growing economic and social disruption in those countries hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic. Changes in health policies and public attitudes do provide some hopeful news, however ... [more] Eating less may be good for your brain's health ... [more] The other side could be all around us, a parallel universe of mirror galaxies, mirror plants...even mirror life ... [more] Attempts to link health to religious observances oversimplify complex issues, and devalue both medicine and religion ... [more] Adam and Eve would have had a tough time getting together. They appear to have lived in different eras ... [more] Scientists are watching carefully as the Earth's UV-protective ozone layer begins an uncertain (and perhaps illusory) recovery ... [more] Love is chemical and so, it seems, is the memory of it ... [more] Birds evolved from dinosaurs, right? Maybe not. Feathered reptiles may have predated most of their supposed ancestors ... [more] Neuron, heal thyself! Healing a human brain from the inside out may not be impossible after all ... [more] The effects of a warming climate could devastate urban areas by the end of the century ... [more] Singing humpback whales respond to the US Navy's Low Frequency Active sonar by either clamming up or belting out longer tunes -- but it is less clear what other effects the sonar may have on marine life ... [more] Evidence from a meteorite indicates that ancient Martian oceans were salty, making it more likely that they could have supported life ... [more] Bone-thin supermodels may be the ultimate in chic, but a US study suggests that most people don't find the look particularly attractive ... [more] When it comes to first names, old stereotypes die hard ... [more] A frisky piece of DNA has leapt the species barrier at least seven times in evolutionary history, according to a British study. With several groups around the world working with this "jumping gene" to genetically modify organisms, the report predicts a risk of genes spreading to other species ... [more] A US study has shown a connection between cocaine use during pregnancy and attention dysfunction in children ... [more] A new medical procedure is revolutionizing the treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. There is cautious hope that the technique, called deep brain stimulation, may also help other neurological illnesses ... [more] An apple a day really could help keep the doctor away ... [more] Rising economic prosperity is bad for biodiversity, researchers in Canada have found. Birds are the only animals to do well when human income levels go up ... [more] After decades of research, and many unproven theories, researchers still haven't figured out what sleep is good for. But some think they can learn why people sleep by studying a creature that can't even shut its eyes ... [more] Lunar tides impart tremendous energy to Earth's oceans, but where does it all go? Scientists studying new satellite data believe they now have an answer ... [more] A hybrid virus could provide a live HIV vaccine with no risks ... [more] How will the increased ultraviolet radiation from the hole in the Ozone layer affect the krill of the Southern Ocean? Research scientist Stuart Newman investigated this question and discovered a remarkable story of natural adaptation ... [more] A skeleton found in a shallow grave at Stonehenge is of a man who was executed, say archaeologists. The find has shifted their ideas about what Stonehenge was used for, and when ... [more] Many people are convinced that the human-like 'face' on Mars is artificial, and that the US government is concealing its true nature. The question that enthusiasts have yet to answer convincingly is, if the 'face' is an artificial construct, why go to the effort of hiding the fact? ... [more] At a time when mood-altering drugs have revolutionized the treatment of the mentally ill, and caregivers are being pressured to forego psychotherapy in favour of quicker and cheaper psychopharmacological therapies, the psychiatric profession may be as tormented as the patients it seeks to treat ... [more] The Lunar Prospector's controversial suicide dive into a lunar crater in July 1999 has produced more questions than answers ... [more] Gene smuggling could be our secret weapon against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's ... [more] Critics describe the teaching of 'Creation Science' as a form of brainwashing. But then, asks a university physics teacher, isn't that the case with almost all formal teaching -- the sciences included? ... [more] The '"unkindest cut" appears to have one definite benefit after all. Uncircumcised men are at a much greater risk of HIV infection than their foreskin-free peers (free registration required) ... [more] Have you ever paid attention to your hand gestures while you're talking? A recent study of blind children shows that far from being mere random movements, gestures may be an important part of learning to communicate ... [more] In an open letter to Prince Charles, biologist Richard Dawkins presents his case that if we are to live off the land, nature has to have a helping hand from science to avoid its destruction ... [more] The havoc wrought by the Love Bug computer virus has proven that despite previous experiences, the computer world is still vulnerable in two vital areas: insecure software and human nature ... [more] Do kids who like zapping people on screen take their aggression onto the streets? The latest evidence is far from conclusive ... [more] Ian Wilmut -- the creator of Dolly the sheep -- is not convinced by the arguments in favour of human reproductive cloning ... [more] Researchers working to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria are hoping to capitalize on nature's own inventiveness, to produce a varied arsenal of potent new anti-bacterial drugs ... [more] A strong cup of coffee may help relieve hay fever, and might even stop potentially fatal reactions triggered by nuts and insect stings ... [more] A recent study suggests that AIDS evolved from a benign simian infection into a human-killer as long ago as the early 1930s, but stayed isolated in remote Africa until jet travel, big cities and the sexual revolution spread it worldwide ... [more] Fossils which are believed to be 3.2 billion years old suggest that life on Earth may have originated in a "a sulfurous, subterranean inferno" ... [more] Given the capacities of computers to search endlessly for 'meaningful' letter sequences, the wonder is not that motivated researchers should find hidden messages in the Bible, but they could ever fail to do so ... [more] There are treatments on the way that promise to destroy the allure of addictive drugs for good. Problem solved? It's not quite that easy ... [more] Parts of the Antarctic ice sheet have undergone episodes of massive instability in the past, which appear to correspond with periods of unusually warm temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere during the last ice age ... [more] In the 400 years since the Italian astronomer Galileo first turned his telescope towards Jupiter, astronomers have puzzled over its spectacular bands and whorls of swirling clouds. Now the giant planet's secret is out ... [more] Shere Hite has been studying sex for the last 30 years. New Scientist talks to the first sex researcher to reveal the truth about the clitoris, and the woman who claims that "almost all the anatomy and sexual textbooks need rewriting" ... [more] Scientists studying the pitter-patter of sticky feet are beginning to understand the adhesive magic of gecko toes ... [more] Comet Hale-Bopp may well have formed in our own solar system, somewhere near Neptune ... [more] Organic farms produce more than just wholesome food -- they could be benefiting wildlife as well ... [more] Eyes are not the only things that see. Researchers have now revealed a rich and varied landscape of light sensitivity deep within the brain itself -- in salmon ... [more] Experts still don't know how and why tunes tickle our fancy -- but new research offers intriguing clues ... [more] Most scientists believe that AIDS was 'naturally' transferred from primates to human beings via a hunter who ate a chimpanzee. But a competing theory of the origin of AIDS claims that it was caused in the 1950s when thousands of Africans were given a live polio vaccine derived from chimp kidneys. The stakes are getting higher, reports Matt Ridley ... [more] Oddly enough, the combination of two losing strategies can sometimes make a winning combination ... [more] As thoroughly unpleasant as 'morning sickness' is, pregnant women can take some comfort in evidence that the nausea and vomiting serve a purpose: protecting the foetus from food-borne illness and dangerous chemicals ... [more] Far from being 'green', hydroelectric dams can actually release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than coal-fired power stations ... [more] The discovery of unexpected gene fragments in genetically modified soya beans has once again raised concerns about the knock-on effects once these crops are released into the environment ... [more] It's possible to feel the pain of 'phantom' limbs, even if you were born without them ... [more] Researchers are rushing to unlock the mysteries of female desire. The answers are turning out to be much more complex than anyone expected ... [more] Rehabilitation therapy can help the brain to 'rewire' itself after a stroke ... [more] The fragile ozone layer over the Arctic region is facing further depletion from acidic clouds ... [more] Doctors may eventually use ultrasound to halt haemorrhages deep within the body without having to cut into a patient ... [more] In experiments which re-open the question of sending information faster than light, a team of Italian physicists report that they have sent faster-than-light microwave pulses over a distance of more than a metre ... [more] Life on the Pacific islands is frequently pictured as idyllic, but the harsh impact of humans on delicate ecosystems was felt as far back as 3,500 years ago ... [more] Basic ignorance about how vaccines like polio and measles actually work is stalling the urgent quest for an AIDS vaccine, say leading HIV researchers ... [more] The discovery of a single mark on an ancient text has resurrected the reputation of a Syrian deity -- and highlighted the importance of accurate translation ... [more] People who are caregivers for relatives with cancer often experience higher stress levels than the patients they care for ... [more] Did you hear the one about the researchers who tried to explain humour? New Scientist goes in search of the punchline ... [more] Humans and chimps share ninety-eight percent of the same genetic material. It's the remaining two percent that is causing quite a ruckus ... [more] At first glance, H(x,y) = (x^2 + c - ay,x) looks like an unassuming algebraic expression. But to those in the know, it's one step towards understanding the universe ... [more] A new study reveals that exposure to lead in the work place may increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease ... [more] Josh Wurman -- an avid tornado chaser -- discusses his work and his fascination with these immensely poweful and unpredictable phenomena ... [more] It might become the ultimate fuel for space travel, but right now antimatter is fleeting, difficult to work with, and measured in atoms rather than kilograms ... [more] A simmering underwater volcano could provide some new evidence in an old debate about the origin of the Samoan Island chain ... [more] Archaeologists have at last brought Archimedes' secret death ray to light ... [more] Grim news for global agriculture: New evidence shows that nearly 40 percent of Earth's farmland is seriously degraded ... [more] As robot pets and dolls multiply, questions are being raised about the way children -- and adults -- respond to creatures that seem 'almost alive' ... [more] Imaging studies of the brains of Alzheimer's patients suggest that damage to the brain's white matter is more common and more severe in women than men ... [more] International specialists in infant feeding have expressed concern that the WHO may be stifling debate about breast milk substitutes (free registration required) ... [more] In a new study, nutritionists have found that consuming folate-rich foods daily can benefit women well into their golden years ... [more] In an interview with Richard Feynman, he discusses the development of the atomic bomb and his feelings about winning the Nobel Prize ... [more] Here's another reason to enjoy that morning cup of coffee: drinking enough of it might be linked to a lower risk of Parkinson's disease ... [more] Not so long ago, scientists were for the most part seen as cranks and outsiders to the system. In embracing the safety of the establishment, are scientists missing out on the obsessive involvement and creative ecstasy of Archimedes and Kekule? (free registration required) ... [more] The questions of right and wrong, of good and evil, and of our choice to pursue them have been at the heart of human culture and society since its very beginning. Now neuroscientists may be able to show part of the brain at work solving problems with moral content ... [more] Women who are coping with stress are less likely to engage in 'fight-or-flight' behavior than to 'tend and befriend' , seeking comfort in social interaction ... [more] Chronic loss of sleep can have dire consequences for elementary school children ... [more] Scientists with a license to 'play God' in a three-acre, glass-enclosed biosphere have learned a sobering truth: If humans stay addicted to fossil fuels, the world's complex coral reef ecosystems will be reduced by as much as 40 percent by the middle of this century ... [more] Put down that flyswatter! Slugs, snails, flies, and even (yuck!) cockroaches can apparently feel -- and respond to -- pain ... [more] One of the central driving forces of creative genius is the urge for wholeness, an attempt to see the big picture and reconcile the personal with the universal. This urge to fit all life's nuances into one big puzzle is a hallmark of creativity ... [more] Argentine ants are wreaking havoc throughout California. The secret of their success? The thousands of colonies are really one big happy family ... [more] Children who are suffer from lead exposure while growing up have a higher risk of developing delinquent-behavior patterns ... [more] The editor of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine claims that growing conflicts of interest are tainting science ... [more] Super-clean homes may be linked to the development of asthma ... [more] Quantum clocks could herald an era of super-accurate satellite navigation systems ... [more] Is there a way to get people to make workplace decisions using "just the facts," rather than their own biases? It appears so -- with some caveats ... [more] NASA scientists are studying peculiar spiral-shaped flames, hoping to mitigate fire hazards on spacecraft and gain new insights about complex systems in nature ... [more] A legal battle over a genetically modified rodent is putting the lucrative mutant mouse industry under the microscope ... [more] How should society deal with psychopaths? Psychologist Adrian Raine believes that for a small minority, violence is not a matter of choice ... [more] Aliens are all around us! And most of them are even green (and leafy) ... [more] Eighty-four years after Albert Einstein introduced the world to his theory of general relativity, scientists are seeing that he was right all along about measuring dark matter ... [more] The spill of cyanide-laden water from a Romanian gold mine in January could have a chronic health impact on the region, according to a UN report (free registration required) ... [more] Some tiring news: Despite the latest gadgets, much housework is just as tough today as it was 60 years ago ... [more] Are we alone in the universe? And does it matter if we are? Sir Martin Rees explores one of the most fascinating subjects in science ... [more] The only established risk from using mobile phones comes from chatting while driving -- but a British report advises caution, especially for children (free registration required) ... [more] A study of infanticide has exploded the myth of the evil step-parent ... [more] 'Substance P' is the enigmatic name of a mysterious chemical in the brain, which has a role in the perception of both pleasure and pain ... [more] People who have difficulty understanding words may be better than most at spotting liars ... [more] They may be hereditary enemies, but Jews and Arabs are brothers under the skin, according to a recent genetic analysis ... [more] A very high intake of dietary fiber can lower blood glucose levels in diabetics ... [more] The SETI Institute has gained a reputation in the scientific community as a valid organization applying legitimate science to the pressing question: Are we alone? ... [more] Everyone's against genetic discrimination. In theory, at least ... [more] Bacteria possess many advantages in the evolutionary arms race -- but new directions in research offer some hope of turning the tide (free registration required) ... [more] Exposure to pesticides in the home and garden may increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease ... [more] A fossil of the first half-fish, half-animal species may have been found in the collection of an Estonian paleontologist -- where it has been languishing for more than 40 years ... [more] French criminal pathologists have been debating whether the arsenic found in Napoleon’s hair means he was murdered by poison -- or simply ate shellfish shortly before he died ... [more] The completion of the fruit-fly genome sequence has prompted an ex-fly pusher to take a look back at Drosophila research (free registration required) ... [more] Think the rules of human attraction are complicated? Consider the strange world of mosquito seduction, where scientists try to figure out how best to get the little bloodsuckers to bite ... [more] Our semi-sterile lives may be too much of a good thing. Now scientists are inventing "dirty" therapies to remedy our dangerous cleanliness ... [more] Somehow, Arctic and Antarctic plankton manage to keep in pole to pole contact, despite the seemingly impenetrable barrier of the warm tropical ocean ... [more] Science and technology could transform our world -- if it weren’t for human nature, says Steven Pinker ... [more] A global ocean almost certainly lurks beneath the surface of Europa. But the big question is whether that ocean, and the life it may support, is locked away under tens of kilometres of ice or laps tantalisingly close to the surface ... [more] Planetary alignments and conjunctions have sparked scares and brought predictions of doom throughout history. But is there really anything to fear? ... [more] Cloning doesn't necessarily make cells grow old, and can even act as a fountain of youth, say researchers who have been investigating a group of cloned calves ... [more] Bring on the germs. Too much cleanliness may be making some people sick ... [more] Greenhouse effect sceptics may have lost their final excuse. The Sun has been dethroned as the dominant source of climate change ... [more] Just because we don't have a solution to a famous murder doesn't mean that is the work of the Homicide Gremlin, says leading PI (that's paranormal investigator to you) Joe Nickell ... [more] Ancient tools found in Eritrea suggest that early humans may have coasted out of Africa ... [more] Concern that the results of genetic tests could be misused by insurers is deterring some people from having useful predictive tests -- but such fears seem to be unfounded (free registration required) ... [more] According to the latest study from the Sky Is Falling School of Scientific Statistics (also known as the US Centers for Disease Control), cheap beer causes gonorrhea ... [more] Can a simple vaccine kill the appetite for cocaine? ... [more] If you get sick aboard the space shuttle, you may be in trouble. After all, there's no ER in orbit ... [more] Britain's first mechanised mint was the work of a counterfeiter. New Scientist follows the sticky fortunes of Eloy Mestrelle and his "screw press" ... [more] The debate over the biotech industry ignores the central dilemma: What does it really mean to engineer ourselves out of existence? ... [more] Some people will do anything for an adrenalin rush, while others prefer the quiet life. Why do we respond so differently to stress? ... [more] A new mathematical analysis suggests that the "selfish gene" theory of evolution may be fatally flawed ... [more] It is hard not to be overwhelmed by the tidal wave of technology bearing down upon us. Perhaps part of the answer is to step aside and watch it all flow past ... [more] Cancer patients are often faced with choosing among several treatment options with no guarantees and insufficient information, forced to make what can amount to life-or-death decisions without the benefit of a crystal ball ... [more] New findings by genetic researchers have laid to rest the myth that obsessive-compulsive disorder stems from "bad parenting" ... [more] The next time you boot up your computer, consider for a moment the collection of toxic waste sitting on your desk ... [more] Micronutrients are proving to be effective in influencing resistance to infectious diseases (free registration required) ... [more] Environmental damage is sapping the intelligence of millions of people globally, according to a British social scientist ... [more] The controversial defensive shield against long-range missiles proposed by the US is fundamentally flawed, according to a panel of physicists and engineers ... [more] The opposition to genetically modified foods is too reflexive, fervent, and widespread to be accounted for by mistrust of science alone (free registration required) ... [more] The most debated theory of all time has become inviolable scientific doctrine. But what if the father of evolution turned out to be wrong? ... [more] A UK scientist has produced equations to explain the dynamics of a spinning penny ... [more] When counterterrorism officials compare notes on what keeps them awake at night, the weapon they most fear is not a nuclear bomb or poison gas, but a disease that was wiped off the planet 20 years ago -- smallpox ... [more] Biologists have warned that when animals become extinct, it is likely that whole groups of related species will disappear at once ... [more] Scientists and corporate kingpins are racing to patent your genes. FEED investigates the emerging marketplace of gene ownership, and the blood feuds to come ... [more] The next time you hear a baby babbling, listen carefully -- you may be hearing one of the earliest forms of language ... [more] Spiny anteaters are throwing sleep scientists' theories into disarray ... [more] Modern genetics has dramatically broadened our understanding of stress and its impact on the body. Is that reason to blame our genes every time we get anxious? ... [more] An extra dose of testosterone can give men the gift of the gab ... [more] 'Creation science' is far from extinct. On the contrary, it's mutating and spreading. New Scientist takes a close look at a movement which is thriving in one of the world's leading scientific nations ... [more] According to U.K chemists, molecules can do sums -- which means we are a step closer to building a supercomputer that could pack the power of a whole pan of silicon chips into a space no bigger than a pin head ... [more] Ophthalmologists and researchers have uncovered a link between an eye disease, characterized by an inability to focus on a target, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ... [more] US archaeologists are studying a mysterious “Skystone” that may have been used as an observatory 200 years ago by ancestors of the Puyallup Tribe ... [more] Ecstasy may be more than just a dangerous club drug. According to some researchers, it could have potential as a therapeutic medical aid ... [more] When it comes to staving off hunger pangs, your best bet may be a serving of mashed potatoes -- topped with a heart-healthy monounsaturated oil ... [more] Curiosity rhymed the cat. What better way could there possibly be to illuminate the dark recesses of Schrödinger's cat's box, than by the light of a limerick? ... [more] Experts in HIV and bioethics recommend that doctors treating HIV-positive pregnant women consider using antiretroviral drugs, despite concerns over potential harm to the foetus ... [more] Archaeological finds suggest that the peopling of the Americas took place considerably earlier than is generally thought ... [more] A drug designed thirty years ago to treat multiple sclerosis might also suppress a whole range of autoimmune diseases ... [more] Scientists involved in the Human Genome Project have stated that academics have a responsibility to keep the public informed of revolutionary findings ... [more] If you cannot eat a bar of chocolate or enjoy a long lie-in without having it weigh on your conscience, your immune system may be paying a heavy price for all that guilt ... [more] Research into the slow, seven-day production of jelly beans has concluded that good things just take time ... [more] A recent study suggests that American ginseng could be helpful in both prevention and treatment of diabetes ... [more] Intergalactic space travel is back on the agenda again. A Russian theorist has found a new type of wormhole compatible with Einstein's theory of relativity, that can be large and stable enough to allow voyages across the Universe ... [more] Why is it that the most powerful and vivid memories are those most loaded with emotion? ... [more] As data continue to flow in from Earth orbit, NASA scientists are working to understand how El Niño and La Niña affect our global climate ... [more] One of the US's foremost marine scientists, Dr. Sylvia Earle, says we could doom life as we know it by continuing to foul the oceans ... [more] Palaeoepidemiologists are looking to the bones for clues to human disease (free registration required) ... [more] Sniffing out the difference between the aromas of pepperoni pizza and boiling cabbage is not as simple as it seems ... [more] It may be that dark matter leads a richer inner life than scientists have supposed ... [more] Many of our emotions -- those vague, touchy-feely, shapeless, illogical things associated with the heart -- are being pinned down by scientists as being caused by neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones. But we still don't know all the answers to why we cry ... [more] It's not easy being Dolly's father ... [more] The sad tale of the Archaeoraptor fossil is finally drawing to a close ... [more] Video cameras attached to marine mammals have revealed how they manage to perform seemingly impossible dives ... [more] Sharks do develop cancerous tumors, says a new study -- a finding that undermines claims that shark cartilage arrests and prevents cancer ... [more] Capuchin monkeys work together to obtain food, and share the fruits of their efforts -- a finding that has implications for understanding the evolutionary basis for social cooperation ... [more] In Zimbabwe -- where AIDS is prematurely killing a generation of adults -- counselors and researchers struggle against social customs, viral resourcefulness and despair ... [more] Will humans always be confined to the Solar System? Not if NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Program has any say in the matter ... [more] The secret to happiness could lie in learning to laugh at your troubles ... [more] Electronic stimulation of the cerebral cortex may make it possible to partially rewire a damaged brain ... [more] Do gestures help us find the right word, or is there some deeper meaning? ... [more] Information gleaned from routine dental X-rays could provide an accurate early warning system for people at risk from heart attack and stroke ... [more] A telescope may have been used by Vikings, hundreds of years before Dutch spectacle makers supposedly invented the device in the late 16th century ... [more] Supplementing diets with antioxidant vitamins C and E may boost mental ability in later life and could protect against some forms of dementia ... [more] A new fossil find could be the missing link which shows how our ancestors climbed out of the primordial swamps to live on land ... [more] Low-birthweight babies need extra stimulation from their parents to help their brains develop properly ... [more] Horizontal take-offs via magnetic levitation could make future Space Shuttle missions a whole lot safer -- and cheaper ... [more] A newly-discovered solar 'heartbeat' could help unravel the origin and operation of the 11-year cycle of solar eruptions ... [more] First it was the science of biscuit dunking, now a group of researchers has done the same for the chemistry of chip frying ... [more] Frog deformities come with the territory, according to a recent study ... [more] Using the findings from advanced brain imaging techniques, it should soon be possible to treat schizophrenia with lower doses of medication -- and fewer side effects ... [more] Researchers are making a racket about the many and varied uses for sound waves ... [more] Perhaps modern medicine could learn some new tricks from ancient history ... [more] Life on Earth -- and other planets -- may have arisen from volcanic gases ... [more] We don't have patents on musical notes or the letters of the alphabet, so why are some companies trying to patent the raw information in our genes? ... [more] Earth, Mars and Venus may all be humming together -- creating a vast symphony in space ... [more] What's missing from the fine print when US students sign up as guinea pigs? ... [more] If you want to live longer, near-starvation seems to be your best bet. But in the future, it might be possible to get the gain without the pain ... [more] Our most powerful 21st-century technologies are threatenening to make humans an endangered species ... [more] Geneticists have found clear evidence that the Irish really are a race apart ... [more] Late 19th Century efforts at tuberculosis control point the way for fighting the disease in the new millennium (free registration required) ... [more] Three decades after launching the Green Revolution, agronomist Norman Borlaug is still fighting world hunger -- and the doomsayers who say it's a lost cause ... [more] Zoologists are beginning to understand the advantages of having females in charge ... [more] Men and women navigate new surroundings along quite different neural pathways ... [more] Failing vision with age may be largely due to deterioration in the brain's 'image-analysis software' ... [more] A neuroscientist has been peering into the unusual mind of Albert Einstein ... [more] It's hardly a surprise that the familiar shape of a double bubble is the most efficient design for enclosing and separating two air chambers -- but at last, we have the mathematical proof ... [more] After a massive asteroid impact come shockwaves, earthquakes, firestorms and tsunami. But wait, there's more! When the sky finally clears, there's the UV spring to contend with ... [more] Bumblebees have finally been cleared for takeoff ... [more] A rediscovered molecule may be the missing link in HIV transmission (free registration required) ... [more] The earliest humans who walked upright may well have descended from knuckle-walking ancestors ... [more] A recent study on an experimental pain drug has highlighted the need to evaluate drugs by gender ... [more] A sudden increase in asteroid impacts may have fueled life on Earth ... [more] At a recent symposium, scientists and philosophers of science came together to consider the necessity for mistakes in science (free registration required) ... [more] Feeling stuck in the past? Blame it on brain lag ... [more] Icelanders are worried that the company providing a national genetic database may have greased the palms of the government to get the 12-year exclusive contract ... [more] Years of driving around city streets changes the shape of taxi drivers' brains ... [more] Warm climates appear to produce more boys than cooler ones ... [more] Chronic 'jet lag' may make flight attendants less attendant ... [more] Hagfish slime could be the source of simple and super-strong materials of the future ... [more] Cannabinoids may help control the tremors and muscle spasticity experienced by patients with multiple sclerosis ... [more] Researchers claim that a blast of microwave energy could tame tornadoes ... [more] The sound of raindrops on the sea can reveal the secrets of storms and oceanic rainfall ... [more] "DNA chips" could reveal your innermost secrets -- for good or ill ... [more] Urban and industrial air pollution appears to choke rainclouds, and may alter the effects of greenhouse warming ... [more] Want to remember what you've learned today? Make sure you get at least six hours sleep tonight ... [more] A recent study suggests that people who struggle with internet addiction also tend to suffer from a range of other mental illnesses ... [more] Creating a non-GM 'refuge' in a crop field reduces the chance of insects developing resistance to transgenic insecticidal plants ... [more] Hormones may explain why men are more likely than women to become alcoholics ... [more] Chronic stress plays havoc with the body -- but in some cases short-term stress may help to kick-start the immune system ... [more] For half a millennium, followers of Erik the Red thrived in Greenland. But then the Viking settlements mysteriously disappeared ... [more] The driving force behind ice ages may lie in the southern tropics ... [more] Deep-sea bacteria are shining examples of how to survive ultraviolet radiation ... [more] Huge dust storms from Africa's deserts may mean the kiss of death for Caribbean coral ... [more] If you think that physical appeal is strictly a matter of personal taste and cultural bias, think again. Psychobiologists say your desires are hardwired into your brain ... [more] Investigators are exploring several techniques to take the bite out of food allergies (free registration required) ... [more] What do the racing winds on Jupiter and the snail's pace circulation of molten rock inside the Earth have in common? NASA's "planet in a test tube" experiment has proven a fount of insights ... [more] For thousands of years, dogs have worked with us, eaten with us, lived with us. But do they also think like us? ... [more] The intensity and frequency of U.S. landfalling hurricanes runs in cycles that can last more than a thousand years -- and sometime in the next few hundred years the cycle could shift back to a "hyperactive" state ... [more] Frances Hamerstrom not only advanced the field of wildlife ecology but also opened the male-dominated arena to female scientists. Two years after her death, she is remembered for her vibrant spirit and enormous influence ... [more] Anthropologists appear to be getting closer to finding out where the peoples of the New World really came from ... [more] A recent worldwide survey suggests that both men and women back the development of a male contraceptive pill (free registration required) ... [more] Japanese archaeologists have uncovered the remains of what may be the world's oldest artificial structure ... [more] Space and the material world could be created out of nothing but noise ... [more] The theory of 'flashbulb memory' has faded in the light of new evidence ... [more] For patients with orthostatic intolerance, standing up suddenly causes a 'head-rush' that just won't end. Researchers have now linked this disorder to a genetic defect which cripples the norepinephrine transporter ... [more] Music is universal, but a recent theory on why this is so may suffer from a Western bias ... [more] New biological evidence challenges the idea that transposable genetic elements are at best worthless and primarily harmful to their host organisms. Such 'jumping genes' appear to play a useful role in evolution ... [more] It may be our brain neurochemicals, not our gender, that tells males to act like males, and females like females (and some males something like females) ... [more] Bad news for people who can't get out of bed without a cup of coffee -- it can raise levels of an amino acid linked to heart disease ... [more] Is it ethical for well-fed inhabitants of the 'first world' to ignore the potential of biotechnology to improve the nutritional status of much of the rest of the world's population? ... [more] Lost baboons call out to their groups, but other group members never answer them. Some researchers see this as evidence that baboons lack a theory of mind ... [more] Polyester curtains and other common fabrics could be a hospital bio-hazard ... [more] Coroners won't write "death by global warming," but that could be an ultimate cause as millions succumb to disease in an increasingly unhealthy environment ... [more] Russian scientists claim to have discovered fossils of primitive extraterrestrial organisms in a meteorite -- but other experts are not so sure ... [more] A new study shows a three-fold increase in the prescription of mind-altering drugs to US preschoolers ... [more] Sudden climate changes may not always give Earth's inhabitants advance warning ... [more] Why Johnny can't do science: Simplified textbooks have left students struggling for words ... [more] Leonardo Di Caprio or Leonardo Da Vinci? New research suggests that females go for the more mature male only if he's a proven survivor -- or a meal ticket ... [more] Part of the brain may be reserved especially for recognizing locations, such as rooms, streets, and landscapes ... [more] The danger of extinction is so great for many species that the world should set up carefully selected "biodiversity hot spots" where survivors can regroup, according to a group of leading environmentalists ... [more] Nicotine may be effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Tourette's syndrome -- but the long-term effects are uncertain ... [more] Marine plankton are still growing strong. Contrary to predictions, they're escaping the ravages of ozone depletion -- so far ... [more] Depression may have helped our ancestors survive tough times ... [more] The Earth is entering the final 10% of its lifespan, according to a US geoscientist ... [more] Virtual Anasazi -- inhabitants of a 'Sim Village' -- are helping to shed light on a classic question of prehistory: Why did the Anasazi abandon their homes in Long House Valley, Arizona? ... [more] It may be a many-splendored thing, but romance relies on Stone Age rules to get started ... [more] A weak, sour wine brewed from carbonated water and hot rock may hold the key to one of the biggest unknowns concerning the origin of life on Earth ... [more] Temperature readings taken from more than 600 holes drilled into the Earth's surface confirm that a 500-year warming trend has accelerated markedly in the latter half of the 20th century ... [more] When it comes to fighting disease, you are more like a plant than you think ... [more] If you smoke and drink, you may have wondered why the two seem to complement each other. It appears that nicotine and alcohol share a cerebral link ... [more] We've got our fish ancestors to thank for our love of loud music ... [more] In the first half of the 20th century, many US doctors believed that sterilization could help rid society of mental illness and crime. Their medically-sanctioned eugenics movement in many ways paralleled the policies of Nazi Germany ... [more] Toxicologists suggest that the best remedy for a waterborne cyanide leak may be to just sit and wait ... [more] For the first time, a structural deficit in the brain has been related to antisocial personality disorder ... [more] The greatest challenge to entomology may be hiding within the discipline itself ... [more] What would you rate as the top ten worst misconceptions of the previous 1000 years? ... [more] The British government is urging its citizens to improve their numeracy skills and cash in on e-commerce. But the real point of maths is its beauty ... [more] How do you decide what you really, really want? Making decisions is even harder when faced with an ever-increasing range of choices ... [more] Desmond Morris argues that the secret of longevity may well be a little bit of what you fancy ... [more] Some health scares save lives. Others may be misplaced. Perhaps the nitrate scare needs a category all of its own ... [more] Some tunes just get stuck in our minds -- sometimes long after they've outstayed their welcome ... [more] HIV-infected white blood cells may turn out to be the real carriers of the disease ... [more] Genetic fingerprinting -- is it Karma in new clothes? (free registration required) ... [more] How to go to Mars: Making sense of the myriad ideas for a human mission to the red planet ... [more] No matter how fancy that ergonomic office chair is, it's probably not going to protect you from computer-related wrist injuries ... [more] People who report near death experiences may have been 'out of body' -- but they're not out of their minds ... [more] Behind hermetically closed laboratory doors, Dr P is directing the work of making big problems shrink to a much more manageable size ... [more] Scientists have been reading the history of El Niño in a coral reef ... [more] Paleontologists are growing convinced that they have been snookered by a bit of feathered fossil fakery from China ... [more] For years, scientists have attempted to understand and forecast earthquakes. Now, they have reason to believe that lichen may hold the key to this geologic mystery ... [more] Women who use combination HRT with oestrogen and progesterone face a greater risk of breast cancer than those taking oestrogen alone (free registration required) ... [more] Evolution has Darwinian natural selection; cosmology has the big bang; genetics has DNA. But climate is just "one damned thing after another"; worse, it is lots of damned things at the same time ... [more] Studies of lake sediments are revealing the harsh history of Africa's climate ... [more] Intestinal worms may be the reason that poorer people living in developing countries have a lower incidence of certain diseases ... [more] Squid could hold clues to the chemical changes that shape our brains ... [more] Genes pertaining to male reproduction appear to evolve much faster than their non-sexual counterparts, an effect which researchers have attributed to the pressures of procreation ... [more] Deadly radiation could power microbial life on Europa ... [more] As anti-vaccine websites proliferate, perhaps we need to be reminded what it's really like to fear diseases such as measles ... [more] The last recourse you might consider for severe arthritis would be stepping half-naked into a freezer. But for the last 15 years, a growing number of Germans have been doing just that ... [more] If you sometimes think the weather is giving you a headache, you might just be right ... [more] NASA's SOLVE mission is living up to its name, answering crucial questions about the Arctic atmosphere and ozone hole ... [more] The recent flu 'epidemic' in Europe was just a practice run for the real thing. It raises the question: How will the world cope when the next real flu pandemic strikes? ... [more] Bad hair days may be all in your head -- but they still have the potential to hurt your self-esteem ... [more] Our planet may have seen some topsy-turvy times in its ancient past ... [more] How does a horse keep its cool while setting a brisk pace? Well, it helps to be a bit of an airhead ... [more] Sir Edmund Hillary speaks out about stewardship of the environment, climbing the world's tallest peak and the recent Mount Everest expedition that found the body of George Mallory ... [more] A four-year study has found that boys with low levels of the stress hormone cortisol are more aggressive, and at a younger age, than their peers ... [more] It sounds like a recipe for frying a spacecraft to a crisp, but orbiting space probes may one day be able to fly into and out of a planet's atmosphere just like an aircraft -- without burning up ... [more] While they are best known for their deadly effect on cattle and humans, prions have their benefits for some organisms -- and that may even include homo sapiens ... [more] Far from being a specialised ability, facial recognition appears to be merely another -- if especially well rehearsed -- form of expertise, neurologically identical to the skills of birdwatchers or car fanciers ... [more] A revolution in neurobiology is the first time revealing exactly where linguistic concepts are rooted in the brain ... [more] Fruit flies accidentally introduced to the Americas two decades ago have evolved at an unprecedented rate. The finding has rung alarm bells about the practice of deliberately introducing animals to control pests ... [more] The Earth is about three trillion tons lighter than the sum of its parts -- and it's all due to the nonnegligible lightness of gravity ... [more] Goodbye diodes and wires, hello to the quantum ratchet. Could this weird new piece of electronic machinery be the key to computing's future? ... [more] Preschoolers with symptoms of depression have an exceptional ability to identify negative facial expressions, compared with their peers. This may prove useful in devising standards for diagnosis of depression in young children ... [more] Quantum memory: It's not just for theorists anymore ... [more] Twice a year, hundreds of people make a pilgrimage to the spot where the nuclear age began ... [more] The internet is not only revolutionising global business practices -- it's also good for the environment ... [more] Human BSE may kill thousands, but it could have been worse ... [more] Safety experts may need to rethink their strategies for containing plutonium waste. A new report indicates that water can oxidise plutonium dioxide and make it more soluble, increasing the risk of leakage from storage facilities ... [more] The odds of of Earth being devastated by a Doomsday asteroid may only be half as high as previously assumed ... [more] Ever wonder if someone's smile is genuine? Well, all you have to do is check for crow's feet wrinkles to the outer sides of their eyes. If they're there, it's sincere ... [more] Has the sun protection factor had its day? ... [more] Galileo once complained that the Bible tells us 'how to go to heaven, not how heavens go.' Today, science teaches us how the heavens go, but not how to go to heaven ... [more] Can plants nurse sick buildings back to health? ... [more] Supporters of biotechnology insist that genetic engineering is entrenched in modern life. But critics still ask: Is the world ready for the new science? ... [more] A controversial study has concluded that screening for breast cancer may not save lives after all ... [more] Are there too many holes in the food safety net? ... [more] Like sleuths on the trail of a family of thieves, scientists have caught another viral intruder in action, revealing how two related viruses use similar but distinct strategies to enter cells ... [more] Scientists studying remedies for plant ailments, may have chanced upon antibiotic compounds with great potential to help control human diseases ... [more] A sugar pill for the mildly depressed. Sham surgery for a bum knee. Placebos aren't real medicine, but they can often help patients heal. So why not exploit their power? ... [more] Making plans to cope with bioterrorism is a daunting task, but doing so could also help us prepare for new epidemics ... [more] The near-certain confirmation that there's a huge gravity gobbler at the center of our galaxy has researchers scrambling to study what is by far the closest black hole around. It also raises a simple question: What do we really know about our own galaxy? ... [more] A recently released study is the first to establish an unequivocal link between toxic algal blooms and mammal deaths, and it suggests the poisonous pathway can endanger humans, too ... [more] An oversized, flatter and adjustable computer mouse with built-in palm support could lower the risk of wrist injuries ... [more] Sometimes age-old advice proves true: Long-term weather reports can be written in the stars ... [more] A recent Japanese experiment has added to a growing body of evidence indicating that, to some degree at least, primates understand numbers ... [more] What drives bodybuilders to excess may be a form of mental illness, according to one researcher ... [more] Will we colonise the universe? Are aliens out there? Can computers outsmart us? In a unique interview, Professor Stephen Hawking shares his predictions for the human race ... [more] What are the chances of conviction by mathematical error? Expert witnesses can hold a substantial part of defendants' lives in their hands -- so it's essential that they use probability theory properly ... [more] Picture a world with roiling darkness so thick that bubbles float downwards, seemingly defying natural law. A cold, black world of chaotic vortices and viscous currents. Where is this mysterious void? Inside a glass of Guinness ... [more] Surprise! Uncertainty is an essential ingredient of progress ... [more] Some mature liver cells in adult mice are generated from bone marrow cells, altering prevailing views on cell differentiation and stem cell potential ... [more] Doctors at a US hospital hope to learn whether a minute dose of morphine in the ventilators of premature infants can improve medical results for their tiniest patients ... [more] What was the most important invention of the last 1000 years? According to Umberto Eco, for Europeans and their descendants it all comes down to a better way to grow beans ... [more] |
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