October - 2002 Articles
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Single cell DNA fingerprinting gathers speed
31 October 2002
The technology allows criminals to be identified from a single cell left at a crime scene decades earlier
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Etna's plume traced from space
31 October 2002
Europe's most volatile volcano continues to spew molten lava and a giant plume of smoke
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Grandad's diet affects descendants' health
31 October 2002
The amount of food a boy eats in the years before puberty seems to influence his grandchildren's risk of diabetes
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Space tourism 'viable at $15,000 a seat'
31 October 2002
Engineers develop a strategy they say could make space flight so cheap it could attract millions of space tourists within 10 years
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Magic pool table creates wizard potters
30 October 2002
An interactive pool table with a laser that points out exactly where the best shots lie has been invented by Danish scientists
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Alertness pill seeks wider uses
30 October 2002
Narcolepsy drug is shown to also help shift workers, stirring a debate about the wisdom of popping a pill to counter a sleep-deprived lifestyle
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Russia finally names mystery gas
30 October 2002
The agent used to end the Moscow hostage crisis was based on the opioid narcotic fentanyl – but many questions remain
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Zambia bans GM food aid
30 October 2002
A government-backed delegation concludes that GM food is too risky – aid workers say the decision means people will go hungry
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Russian gas clues point to cocktail
30 October 2002
Further evidence about the Moscow knock-out agent suggests a mixture of anaesthetic and opioids
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Soyuz carries crew into space
30 October 2002
The first launch since a similar rocket exploded during take-off is an important success for the Russian space agency
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Surgery patients exposed to CJD risk
30 October 2002
The risk, thought to be small, arose because instruments used to operate on a patient with sporadic CJD were re-used
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WHO sets out world's deadly top 10
30 October 2002
Just 10 avoidable risk factors account for 40 per cent of global deaths – cheap measures could extend average life spans by a decade
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Hair analysis clears Napoleon's 'poisoners'
29 October 2002
Arsenic found in Napoleon's hair was probably the result of hair ointment, not poisoning by his enemies, a study concludes
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Mystery of Russian gas deepens
29 October 2002
Officials still refuse to identify the gas, but candidates are being narrowed down from the traces left in freed foreign nationals
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Tense launch for Russian space agency
29 October 2002
The first Soyuz launch since a similar rocket exploded during take-off also involves a new design of crew capsule
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Mother's painkillers linked to childhood wheezing
29 October 2002
Heavy use of paracetamol during late pregnancy doubles the risk of wheezing in young children, researchers find
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Genetic cause of 'random' heart disorder revealed
28 October 2002
Studying inbred populations can reveal a simple genetic basis for diseases thought to have highly complex causes
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Russian gas may be secret crowd-control weapon
28 October 2002
The mystery gas that killed 115 hostages in Moscow is likely to be a type of "non-lethal" agent being developed by several countries
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Email greeting card hides spam software
28 October 2002
The email promises you an e-card, but leaves you sending spam to all your online contacts
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Tree farms won't halt climate change
28 October 2002
Planting trees to soak up carbon dioxide actually releases a surge of the greenhouse gas, suggesting the Kyoto Protocol is based on false science
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Too much MSG could cause blindness
26 October 2002
Rats fed on diets high in the flavour enhancer suffer vision loss – the results might help explain high rates of glaucoma in eastern Asia
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All in the mind?
26 October 2002
Suspicion is growing that one of the most common human parasites in the world is messing with our minds. James Randerson reports
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Sugar rush
26 October 2002
Once dismissed as mere decoration, sugar molecules turn out to be vital components in life's intricate machinery. Now the race is on to exploit them, says Karen Schmidt
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.....
26 October 2002
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Sideways is best
26 October 2002
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.....
26 October 2002
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For the record
26 October 2002
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Ghost in the atom
26 October 2002
It started as a routine experiment, but the outcome has cast doubt on our ideas about atomic nuclei. Eugenie Samuel investigates the strange tale of the tetraneutron
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Suicide swings
26 October 2002
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Hope for cryonics
26 October 2002
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.....
26 October 2002
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All for the better
26 October 2002
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Limiting energy use
26 October 2002
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Illusion and reality
26 October 2002
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Telltale crud
26 October 2002
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Dissimilar twins
26 October 2002
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How's your heart?
26 October 2002
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Written in the dust
26 October 2002
As the US reels under anthrax attacks and braces against the possibility of bioterrorists armed with smallpox, the handful of scientists who study the obscure germs that also make scary biological weapons have suddenly found themselves in the spotlight. <
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Who are we?
26 October 2002
First they called it the "missing link". Now some say it's just an ancient ape. Either way, this skull is forcing us to rewrite human evolution
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From cookiecutters to megamouths
26 October 2002
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Technology
26 October 2002
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Scientists condemn river reversal plan
26 October 2002
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Keep an eye on the MSG
26 October 2002
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Soundbites
26 October 2002
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Tree farms won't save us after all
26 October 2002
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On the brink
26 October 2002
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Bestsellers - Online
26 October 2002
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Physics for a new age
26 October 2002
Get a grip on revolutionary ideas, says Graham Farmelo
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Washington diary
26 October 2002
Andreas Frew on dithering about an anti-cloning law and congressional concerns for cosmic roulette
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Feedback
26 October 2002
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Stars behind bars
26 October 2002
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The last word
26 October 2002
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Deadly skills
26 October 2002
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And the winners are
26 October 2002
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The word cirrus
26 October 2002
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Plague on a national icon
26 October 2002
America is in the grip of West Nile fever as the human death toll rises. But almost unnoticed the virus is attacking native birds. Some species may never recover
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From Venus to Earth?
26 October 2002
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Disease bugs will thrive when the smog closes in
26 October 2002
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Oil spills show they can stick around
26 October 2002
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It's hard to predict Leonids if Jupiter gets in the way
26 October 2002
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Old Macdonald makes a GM pig
26 October 2002
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Viruses meet their mismatch
26 October 2002
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Hopes are revived for CJD drug
26 October 2002
New study backs controversial treatment for deadly human brain disease
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A hot tip for tough jobs – use a microwave drill
26 October 2002
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Signs of life?
26 October 2002
It might be deep in crisis but NASA still has big plans for the future
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NASA prepares to boldly go
26 October 2002
Science, not politics, will be the new launch pad for human space exploration. It's a grand vision, but it will need technology and funding to become a reality
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Radiation risks unclear
26 October 2002
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Cancer cell study deepens fears over cellphone safety
26 October 2002
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Dispatches
26 October 2002
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Dino defenders
26 October 2002
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Plastics recycler takes all sorts
26 October 2002
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Cells given lessons in how to fight cancer
26 October 2002
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It's only the really big asteroid impacts that are a threat to life on Earth
26 October 2002
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Stop the bleeding
26 October 2002
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The future of food
26 October 2002
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Insulin boost
26 October 2002
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Message in the mud
26 October 2002
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Crying out for answers
26 October 2002
Women are justifiably concerned about research suggesting breast screening offers no benefit. But there's actually cause for optimism, argues Sylvia Pagán-Westphal
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Schön's patents
26 October 2002
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We hear that…
26 October 2002
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Chinese hooked on myth of dragon child
26 October 2002
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Cool glove stops tired athletes 'hitting the wall'
26 October 2002
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Sea lion scores top marks in memory test
26 October 2002
California sea lions may have the best memory of all non-human creatures
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Classy videos
26 October 2002
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Happy snaps
26 October 2002
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Sticky fingers
26 October 2002
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Smart routing could stop distributed net attacks
25 October 2002
Stopping data closer to source could prevent the kind of attack launched against critical internet servers on Monday
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Viagra gives wildlife a boost
25 October 2002
The anti-impotence drug's success has slashed demand for wild animal body parts used in impotence cures, a new analysis reveals
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Food additives 'cause temper tantrums'
25 October 2002
But the findings of a 'lost' UK study on three-year-old children have been rejected as inconclusive by other scientists
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Brain electrodes cure obsessive patients
25 October 2002
The therapy was intended to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but freed the patients of obsessive-compulsive disorder
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Gene tweaking safely doubles lifespan
24 October 2002
Silencing a gene involved in ageing at just the right point in a worm's lifecycle lengthens lifespan without any apparent side effects
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Spore detector 'could spot anthrax attack'
24 October 2002
The device continuously samples the air and quickly sounds an alarm if the bacterial spore count suddenly increases
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Cod fishing ban needed in Europe
24 October 2002
Stocks are at lowest ever levels and will collapse without action, say the EU's scientific advisors
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Small extrasolar planet revealed by 'dust clumps'
24 October 2002
The new technique expands the range of planets that astronomers can spot to include small planets, and those with wide orbits
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Cancer cell study revives cellphone safety fears
24 October 2002
Research on leukaemia cells suggests radio waves from the mobile phones could promote the growth of tumours
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Space station radiation shields 'disappointing'
23 October 2002
The cladding does not significantly reduce the radiation absorbed by astronauts, posing a problem for NASA's vision of deep space missions
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NASA prepares to boldly go
23 October 2002
The agency has quietly unveiled its blueprint for the future – a space station near the Moon that will ultimately serve as a gateway to the Solar System
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Sea lion scores top for memory
23 October 2002
California sea lions may have the best memory of all non-human creatures – one repeated a learning trick 10 years after it was taught to her
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Thread spun from pure carbon nanotubes
23 October 2002
Weaving the threads together should one day create lightweight bullet-proof vests and materials that block electromagnetic waves
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'Doorways' discovered in living brain cells
23 October 2002
The finding rewrites basic neuron biology and could lead to a new class of treatments for disorders from epilepsy to addiction
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Internet's foundations shaken by attack
23 October 2002
But the 'denial of service' strike was not sustained enough to cripple the "root" internet servers that direct all web traffic
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Dogs prefer Bach to Britney
23 October 2002
Dogs are better behaved when listening to classical music, finds a new study -heavy metal sends them wild
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Internet's foundations shaken by attack
23 October 2002
Nine of the 13 critical "root" internet servers that direct all web traffic are bombarded with fake data
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Prototype glass sheet computer unveiled
22 October 2002
A transparent computer processor is printed on a plate of glass, raising hopes of ultra-thin computers and televisions
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'Jesus' inscription found on ancient burial box
22 October 2002
The engraving could be the earliest archaeological evidence of the existence of the Biblical Jesus, say scholars
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Radioactive battery provides decades of power
22 October 2002
A tiny, low power battery that may last for 50 years could power miniature sensors or body implants, say researchers
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Umbilical cord stem cells multiplied in lab
22 October 2002
Adult leukaemia patients may benefit from the discovery of a technique that prompts dramatic multiplication of the cells
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'DIY gene modification' of animals revealed
21 October 2002
The method is 25 times more effective than the standard approach and is so simple it could be done on the farm
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Top secret stealth jet revealed
21 October 2002
The unveiling of the exotic aircraft stuns observers, but its signal-masking technology remains under wraps
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Kramnik holds Deep Fritz in chess battle
21 October 2002
The duel between man and machine ends in draw, showing that shrewd tactics can match raw calculating power
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Brain tumour causes uncontrollable paedophilia
21 October 2002
Sudden sexual deviance in a 40-year-old man was caused by a brain tumour, his doctors tell a conference
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Thin ice opens lead for life on Europa
20 October 2002
The icy crust on Jupiter's moon may be thin enough to crack open and allow life in the oceans to absorb the Sun's energy
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Aircraft vapour trails are climate scourge
19 October 2002
Lowering flight altitudes would produce more carbon dioxide but still halve aircraft's impact on global warming – by reducing their contrails
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Neutrinos and Nematodes win Nobels
19 October 2002
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Soundbites
19 October 2002
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High flyers are scourge of the skies
19 October 2002
If aircraft flew at lower altitudes they would lose the contrails that have such a big impact on global climate
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Not another repeat
19 October 2002
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When a baby is teething, that means they are…well, simply teething
19 October 2002
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Doubts cast over rape drug detectors
19 October 2002
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Environment
19 October 2002
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Dispatches
19 October 2002
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Winning formula puts spin on an old trick
19 October 2002
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Can you learn to tolerate gluten?
19 October 2002
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Text scans in two flashes
19 October 2002
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Sweet talking
19 October 2002
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We hear that…
19 October 2002
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Fish in the med making poor recovery
19 October 2002
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Head in the clouds
19 October 2002
It's time we dealt with our damaging addiction to cheap air travel
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Peering into James Dean's brain
19 October 2002
What makes teenagers moody and impulsive?
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What's in a name?
19 October 2002
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Disease watch may spot bioweapons
19 October 2002
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Teen angst rooted in busy brain
19 October 2002
A temporary growth spurt in the cortex triggers the tantrums of adolescence
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Tusks of a dilemma
19 October 2002
The ban on ivory sales intended to halt the decline in Africa's elephants may soon be lifted. Is this far-sighted or sheer folly?
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Smog controls useless without global clean-up
19 October 2002
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How insect pest stays ahead of the game
19 October 2002
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Perfectly preserved dinosaur stuns palaeontologists
19 October 2002
Hadrosaur "mummy" reveals new details about diet, muscles, movement and development
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Brain on a chip could be key to mind drugs
19 October 2002
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It may be your brain not your genitals that decides what sex you really are
19 October 2002
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Lamp power
19 October 2002
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Cellphones may double as a pocket video store
19 October 2002
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Too wet to woo
19 October 2002
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For the record
19 October 2002
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Rattled by rain
19 October 2002
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Keeping it supple
19 October 2002
Roll-up computer screens? Flashing yogurt pots? Anyone would think they've found a way to make microchips out of plastic. Ian Sample reports
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Live and unplugged
19 October 2002
It started as a handy way to access the Internet. Now the wireless revolution has turned into a race to relocate the Web outside the reach of big business and government control. Max Glaskin reports
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Batteries not included
19 October 2002
Imagine ditching those crummy rechargeables and running your laptop or phone indefinitely on liquid fuel. The power station in your pocket is just around the corner, says David Cohen
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Chips with everything
19 October 2002
Your groceries are wired to the Web. Your clothes are talking to each other. Tiny smart tags are about to find their way onto everything you buy, and the results will change your life, says Jonathan Fildes
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Beat the clock
19 October 2002
For computer chips to run faster and more efficiently they've got to lose the master clock
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Abort, retry, fail?
19 October 2002
Great ideas and new technology don't guarantee commercial success. Has industry just let slip its best chance of an all-in-one replacement for MP3 and the CD, asks Kurt Kleiner
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Seriously funny
19 October 2002
Heard the one about the scientists who do stand-up comedy? Sounds unlikely, but
Karl Kruszelnicki andAdam Spencer – the "Sleek Geeks" – have made a huge success of it in Australia. They believe entertainment is the -
The big picture
19 October 2002
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Let's hear it for the 'T' word
19 October 2002
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Ultrafine point
19 October 2002
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.....
19 October 2002
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.....
19 October 2002
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Of God and Gaps
19 October 2002
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Palaeontological pee
19 October 2002
Fossil crater reveals that sauropods produced enough pee to fill a bathtub
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Camera consciousness
19 October 2002
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High-heeled hell
19 October 2002
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The speedy sex
19 October 2002
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Bye-bye us
19 October 2002
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M is the answer
19 October 2002
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Hot on Earth
19 October 2002
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I am the law!
19 October 2002
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Key proteins low in eczema sufferers
19 October 2002
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Feedback
19 October 2002
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Tough but not sexy
19 October 2002
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Obesity linked to attention disorder
19 October 2002
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Breathe in, chill out
19 October 2002
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Our final refuge
19 October 2002
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Spare parts for the rich?
19 October 2002
Everybody seems to have a view on embryo research. But stem cell treatments raise moral dilemmas that few have even started to consider, says Ruth Faden
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Loop-shaped saw cuts BSE contamination risk
19 October 2002
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Did hot young Sun melt Mars?
19 October 2002
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'New' virus turns out to be old enemy
19 October 2002
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Cracking Europa's icy mask
19 October 2002
Distant moons loom large, as astronomers pierce ice and gas to find strange new worlds – and perhaps even life. David L. Chandler and Jeff Hecht report
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Pluto gives the Sun a warm goodbye
19 October 2002
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Titan probe could find a world of weirdness
19 October 2002
It should see a sweeping panorama of mountains and giant craters filled with lakes of dark liquid methane and ethane
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The word the old man
19 October 2002
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The chunkiest chip
19 October 2002
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Moon made men
19 October 2002
Michael Cross discovers a remarkable meeting of 18th-century minds
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Out in paperback
19 October 2002
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Own up
19 October 2002
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Still wondering
19 October 2002
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Westminster diary
19 October 2002
With war against Iraq an ever more pressing threat, Tam Dalyell fears that nuclear weapons could be used in anger for the first time in half a century
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The last word
19 October 2002
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Black holes
19 October 2002
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Mars lander undergoes drop test
18 October 2002
The new lightweight parachute that will slow Beagle 2 on its descent to Mars has come through its final test
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Airport noise damages children's reading
18 October 2002
A unique study shows reading ability and long-term memory are affected, and that the impairments are reversible
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Voiceprints provide mobile encryption keys
18 October 2002
The uniqueness of everyone's voice could now be used to lock up data extra securely on cellphones and PDAs
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Tiny optical disc could store five movies
18 October 2002
The world's smallest optical disc will soon let your cellphone store five two-hour movies or hoard 48 hours of MP3 music
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Prion diseases' deadly action revealed
17 October 2002
New work reveals the cause of cell death in brains infected with prion diseases such as vCJD, says a US team – treatments could follow
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EU to permit new GM crops
17 October 2002
After years of limbo, the European Union has adopted new rules to permit the development and sale of new GM products
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Man and machine deadlocked in chess duel
17 October 2002
The eighth and final game will now decide the match between the human and computer world champions
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North Korea admits nuclear weapons plan
17 October 2002
US officials say the country now acknowledges a uranium enrichment program, but experts doubt it has created bombs
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Elephant family portrait takes top award
17 October 2002
The last second of an insect's life and "notorious slackers" from the marine world also star in the photographic awards
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'Zombie' brain allows better drug testing
17 October 2002
A way of keeping slices of living brain tissue alive for weeks could lead to better treatments for a host of neurological disorders
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Tear-inducing onions get the chop
16 October 2002
Genetically-engineered onions lacking the chemical that makes eyes stream would not taste any different
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Teen angst rooted in busy brain
16 October 2002
The tantrums of adolescence may be triggered by a growth spurt in the cortex that makes it hard for teenagers to process basic information
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Stone skimming formula adds new spin
16 October 2002
A new mathematical analysis sets out the size, speed and spin needed for a world record beating throw
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Milky Way's giant black hole pinned down
16 October 2002
A star twirling in a tight orbit around the centre of our galaxy finally confirms the existence of a monstrous black hole
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Deep Fritz levels chess match
16 October 2002
The battle between man and machine is set for a thrilling end after a daring gamble by Vladimir Kramnik fails
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Gamma-ray space telescope to launch
16 October 2002
Detecting the highest energy radiation in the Universe will expose titanic explosions and black holes
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Military spyplanes to help hunt for US sniper
16 October 2002
The Pentagon has agreed to supply surveillance planes packed with imaging technology to patrol the Washington area
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Soyuz rocket explodes killing one
16 October 2002
But the cause of the Russian rocket malfunction that also injured eight bystanders remains unclear
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US missile defence test dodges decoys
15 October 2002
The most advanced intercept test to date is declared a success by the military, but critics say the tests are rigged
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Iceland votes itself back into whaling body
15 October 2002
Iceland is readmitted to the IWC while reserving its right to hunt commercially – in defiance of the IWC's own ban
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Red heads suffer more pain
15 October 2002
People with red hair are more sensitive to pain and need more anaesthetic – it's the first visible human trait to be linked to pain relief
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'Seek and destroy' stem cells kill brain tumours
15 October 2002
Neural stem cells modified to produce a cancer-killing chemical can track and terminate a particularly deadly form of brain cancer
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'Vitamin' slows Parkinson's progression
14 October 2002
A new clinical trial shows high doses of a vitamin-like compound could tackle the loss of muscle control caused by the disease
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Complete tomb unearthed at Inca citadel
14 October 2002
The first intact burial site found since Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 is revealed – it contains a high status woman
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Deep Fritz fights back in chess challenge
14 October 2002
The computer program defeats world champion Vladimir Kramnik in the latest game – the human may be starting to tire
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Safer gene therapy technique revealed
14 October 2002
The random insertion of genes has led to a young patient developing leukaemia – but a new, targeted approach is showing promise
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Massive balancing act pins down big G
14 October 2002
A Swiss team has sloshed around tonnes of mercury to produce the most accurate measurement yet of Newton's gravitational constant
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New hope for Alzheimer's vaccine
13 October 2002
Severe side effects stopped the trials of a promising vaccine – but the first analysis also reveals promising successes
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Race for the $1000 genome is on
12 October 2002
Can it be done? And what use would it be knowing your genome sequence anyway? New Scientist investigates
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You won't wake up
12 October 2002
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Energy gains
12 October 2002
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I spy with my little octopussy eye
12 October 2002
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Living on illusions
12 October 2002
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Defended by fat
12 October 2002
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Icy waste
12 October 2002
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Medical milk
12 October 2002
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For the record
12 October 2002
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Green own goal?
12 October 2002
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.....
12 October 2002
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Heart of the Planet
12 October 2002
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How you are helping to wreck the Planet
12 October 2002
Government subsidies are bad for the environment and bad for consumers. So why on Earth do politicians vote for them, asks Charlie Pye-Smith
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Climate modellers overlook crucial factor in warming
12 October 2002
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When life isn't sweet
12 October 2002
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The spider's stratagem
12 October 2002
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Pill spares friendly gut bugs from onslaught
12 October 2002
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How to learn
12 October 2002
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Post-pill pregnancies
12 October 2002
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Four legs: good
12 October 2002
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Student - Bestsellers
12 October 2002
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The quantum oracle
12 October 2002
Could a droplet of helium hold the secrets of the Universe? Hazel Muir explores a weird new way to do cosmology
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Sons and mothers
12 October 2002
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Tissue transformers
12 October 2002
You can't teach an old cell new tricks – or can you? New Scientist meets the man who thinks he's found a revolutionary way to mould custom-made tissues for transplants
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Free radical
12 October 2002
Science with a social conscience has been
Jon Beckwith 's lifelong mission. He first warned about the possible dangers of genetic engineering in 1969. His attempts to bring responsibility to research have drawn ire from many quarters – among -
Star wars hits the streets
12 October 2002
The US military has a laser that will vaporise rioters' clothes and knock them off their feet. Is this really a non-lethal weapon, asks David Hambling
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The word OMZS
12 October 2002
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Keep these in mind
12 October 2002
Steven Rose is sceptical about the fashion for consciousness, yet manages to find some nuggets in the stream
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An alien abroad
12 October 2002
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Gimmicky fish
12 October 2002
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The proof is out there
12 October 2002
Andrew Bowler explores the mathematical minefields
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Westminster diary
12 October 2002
Tam Dalyell on revitalising the coalfields, jet-setting bugs and how to keep them at bay
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Feedback
12 October 2002
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The last word
12 October 2002
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Weedkillers could wipe out malaria
12 October 2002
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A feast of genes
12 October 2002
Mark Pagel surveys some of the latest biology books
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Fair enough
12 October 2002
Why are some people fair-skinned and some dark? The answer's not as simple as you may think. Adrian Barnett reports
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Tesla and Tunguska
12 October 2002
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Clean, green launch
12 October 2002
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Wannabe fathers generate more testosterone for those special nights
12 October 2002
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Dark side of the genome
12 October 2002
Genetic blueprints can hinder as well as speed up medical research
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Cancer scare hits gene cures
12 October 2002
A second major setback for medicine's most pioneering treatment has split the scientific community. Could a moratorium do more harm than good?
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Radio gets rubble-rousing
12 October 2002
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Hopes rise for test to spot mad cow disease in people…
12 October 2002
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Hard evidence left by biggest killer of all time points to death by suffocation
12 October 2002
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Your very own sequence
12 October 2002
Last month, entrepreneur Craig Venter announced a bold new target: for anyone to be able to get their genome sequenced for under $1000. So can it be done? And what use would it be knowing your genome sequence anyway?
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No more freeloads any more
12 October 2002
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Instant brain check
12 October 2002
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Shake it up, baby
12 October 2002
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…while concern grows that existing precautions may let infection through
12 October 2002
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Huge snowball on outskirts of Solar System puts Pluto in the shade
12 October 2002
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Mercury clock could set the standard
12 October 2002
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Seeded by cosmic dust
12 October 2002
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Massive balancing act pins down big G
12 October 2002
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Bug plugs keep the oil flowing
12 October 2002
Oil well running dry? It's time to send in squads of bacteria to stop it leaking away
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From food scraps to fuel cell
12 October 2002
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Sloppy studies 'wasting time'
12 October 2002
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, San Diego Flawed research on antibiotic resistance is holding back the fight against superbugs. But a new pill could prevent antibiotics killing beneficial gut bacteria
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Official report fails to quell safety fears over Colombian anti-drug campaign
12 October 2002
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Retrovirus blamed for giving boy leukaemia
12 October 2002
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Pago poised to blow its top
12 October 2002
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Technology
12 October 2002
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Watchdog rejects plan to recover nuclear gas
12 October 2002
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Soundbites
12 October 2002
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Red faces as 3G phone demo flops
12 October 2002
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Mass exodus curbs urban boom
12 October 2002
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Dispatches
12 October 2002
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Subtle gene therapy tackles blood disorder
11 October 2002
The world's most common genetic disease could be treated by tricking cells into making normal proteins from mutated genes
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Space station gets new backbone
11 October 2002
Expansion of the International Space Station has resumed after a lengthy break for shuttle repairs
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Software predicts user behaviour to stop attacks
11 October 2002
The system tailors alarm settings for individual users and claims 94 per cent reliability in preventing security breaches
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Radio waves could construct buildings in space
11 October 2002
Focused radio waves could push the components into place without the help astronauts, says a US engineer – NASA likes the idea
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Cancer survival times 'too pessimistic'
11 October 2002
A new analysis of cancer survival rates suggests the long term chances of living may be over 10 per cent better than thought
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Gene therapy set to tackle Parkinson's
10 October 2002
The first human trial of a gene therapy treatment for the disease can now begin, following successful results in animals
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Close twin star system reveals a planet
10 October 2002
The discovery boosts the likely number of planets outside our Solar System, as most star systems in our galaxy are binary
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Lemon juice 'is HIV-killing spermicide'
10 October 2002
Researchers hope the acidic juice could be a cheap, effective anti-viral contraceptive in developing countries
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Food scraps could help power homes
10 October 2002
An ultra-cheap battery deriving its power from bacteria that feast on waste food is being developed by a UK team
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Eczema study reveals skin's broken defences
09 October 2002
Sufferers fail to produce effective amounts of key bacteria-killing molecules – the discovery raises hopes of new treatments for millions
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Wannabe fathers ramp up testosterone
09 October 2002
Men trying for a baby subconsciously influence their hormone levels – and thus sperm production – to make conception more likely
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Plan to recover nuclear gas rejected
09 October 2002
The UK Environment Agency plans to allow a trebling of emissions of a radioactive gas produced in reactors – a decision dubbed "spineless" by critics
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Gene technique reveals human evolution
09 October 2002
A method that could allow scientists to probe our ancestors' evolution over the last 20,000 years passes its first test
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Malicious code hidden in email software
09 October 2002
The new software was switched for dummy code containing a "Trojan horse" on its download servers
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Critical US satellites could be hacked
09 October 2002
Military communications could be jammed or intercepted and satellites thrown off course or destroyed, a new US study warns
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Australia declares world's largest marine reserve
09 October 2002
The reserve will protect the pristine habitats of a group of sub-Antarctic islands described as the "wildest place on Earth"
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Monster molecule techniques win Chemistry Nobel
09 October 2002
Three researchers are honoured for pioneering ways of identifying large biological molecules such as proteins and DNA
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US use of lie detector tests criticised
08 October 2002
Government employees are routinely screened in a bid to spot spies – but the testing is useless, says influential panel of scientists
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Neutrino and X-ray physicists win Nobel Prize
08 October 2002
Pioneering contributions to astrophysics have provided 'two new windows on the Universe'
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Mystery Indian virus heading for Europe
08 October 2002
The virus has wiped most of India's vultures, causing ecological havoc – migrating birds could now carry it to Europe and Africa
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Critical breast cancer gene identified
08 October 2002
Damaged forms of the newly identified gene are implicated in many breast and lung cancers – new treatments for thousands may result
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Species at risk of extinction growing
08 October 2002
The latest "Red List" adds 124 to the 11,000 endangered species around the globe – but also includes a stick insect revival
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New Solar System body revealed
07 October 2002
The largest object found since 1930 is half the size of Pluto, and calls that object's planetary status into question
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Man leads machine in chess duel
07 October 2002
World chess champion Vladimir Kramnik takes the lead over the computer Deep Fritz, after the machine makes a peculiar mistake
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Human handshake opens data stream
07 October 2002
A new Japanese system allows palmtop computers to swap large amounts of data when their owners shake hands
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Geneticists and a tiny worm win Nobel prize
07 October 2002
The medicine prize goes to research that revealed how cell suicide sculpts the body and – when disrupted – causes disease
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Geneticists and a tiny worm win Nobel prize
07 October 2002
The medicine prize goes to research that revealed the genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death
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Real-time 2D to 3D video conversion unveiled
07 October 2002
The company behind the new technology claims it is the first system to allow live television events to be watched through a PC in 3D
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Rapid immune reaction key to staving off AIDS
06 October 2002
The killer T cells of HIV patients who stay healthy for years replicate unusually rapidly, researchers discover – better treatments may result
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Tags reveal if frozen food is rotten
06 October 2002
Plastic discs designed to sit inside food packaging and change colour when the contents go off could provide warnings to consumers
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Second-hand sales blamed for bedbugs' comeback
05 October 2002
The popularity of garage or car-boot sales could be behind a recent worldwide resurgence of the nuisance bugs, says a UK scientist
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Species saviour
05 October 2002
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Shock that tumour
05 October 2002
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Caretaker robot will keep terrorists at bay
05 October 2002
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A foolproof way to spot quark stars
05 October 2002
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Robots to the rescue
05 October 2002
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The random route to perfect poise
05 October 2002
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Bug clears arteries
05 October 2002
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Women's lib got it wrong in the 1970s… marriage makes both sexes happy
05 October 2002
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Let me show you round this car
05 October 2002
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Shop till you drop
05 October 2002
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Din-free dining
05 October 2002
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Trauma in the genes
05 October 2002
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Life after death
05 October 2002
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.....
05 October 2002
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Wonder worms
05 October 2002
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Evil landlords
05 October 2002
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The meaning of life
05 October 2002
Are we nothing more than energy-shredding machines – Byzantine contraptions for reducing the Universe to a state of bland uniformity? JR Minkel explains this chilling hypothesis
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It's that drug again
05 October 2002
If a few monkeys get brain damage from ecstasy, does it mean clubbers will get Parkinson's disease? David Concar looks at the evidence
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Controlling knowledge
05 October 2002
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Danger at home
05 October 2002
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A sense of self
05 October 2002
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'Flat-pack' craft will boost discoveries
05 October 2002
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Fast food for fish with a perfect aim
05 October 2002
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Tags will tell you if frozen food's rotten
05 October 2002
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Hydrogen utopia comes two steps closer
05 October 2002
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Bedbugs bite back
05 October 2002
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The case against female circumcision
05 October 2002
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Lorenzo's oil really does save lives
05 October 2002
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Dispatches
05 October 2002
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There's no place like home
05 October 2002
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Polio epidemic scuppers WHO target
05 October 2002
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Rising star of electronics found to have fabricated his ground-breaking results
05 October 2002
Hendrik Schön's breathtaking advances revolutionised his field. His fall from grace is sending shock waves through the scientific community and beyond
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Soundbites
05 October 2002
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Warplane system 'could cut mid-air explosions'
05 October 2002
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With hindsight, it was a hell of a lot of papers
05 October 2002
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Call to retract ban on shoot-'em-ups
05 October 2002
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Environment
05 October 2002
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Resistance to pesticides goes global in a flash
05 October 2002
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Is this why some people don't get AIDS?
05 October 2002
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With this DNA, I thee wed
05 October 2002
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Slam the door on floods
05 October 2002
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Soft stepping sidewalks
05 October 2002
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We hear that…
05 October 2002
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US millers fight for banned pesticide
05 October 2002
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Space probe fingers murderers
05 October 2002
Detectives trying to solve homicide and rape cases in the US are about to reap the benefits of an unusual collaboration with space agency NASA
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Diabetes drugs of the future could help us all look and feel younger
05 October 2002
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Is little foot only a cousin?
05 October 2002
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Conduct unbecoming
05 October 2002
It's the biggest scandal ever to hit physics. Who's to blame?
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Suicides stay level
05 October 2002
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Evolving the Alien: The science of extraterrestrial life by Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart
05 October 2002
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No thyself
05 October 2002
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Dr Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation by Olivia Judson
05 October 2002
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Bestsellers - Melbourne
05 October 2002
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All about us
05 October 2002
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Sex and the single snail
05 October 2002
Jo Gascoigne, winner of this year's New Scientist/Wellcome Trust New Millennial Essay Competition, gets intimate with her conches
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Feedback
05 October 2002
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Westminster diary
05 October 2002
The net of conservation is being cast to fish stocks far and wide, writes Tam Dalyell
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Now mammals are feeling the heat
05 October 2002
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The last word
05 October 2002
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Le roi est mort
05 October 2002
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The word svalbard
05 October 2002
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Lethal laptops
05 October 2002
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Globules at Tunguska
05 October 2002
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High-crime precautions
05 October 2002
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Iron in the brain
05 October 2002
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It all depends
05 October 2002
It's hubristic for us to think we know everything there is to know about the world, says Lisa Jardine
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.....
05 October 2002
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.....
05 October 2002
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Plight of the condor
05 October 2002
Captive breeding may be the last chance for many endangered species. But, once caged, can an animal ever be truly wild?
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It takes two
05 October 2002
Studying twins is still a vitaltool for 21st-century geneticists,even with the human genome map at their fingertips. Kristin Ohlson gets stuck into the nature-nurture debate
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Ships wrecked
05 October 2002
They seem a triumph for conservation, but could magnificent wooden vessels like the Vasa and the Mary Rose be heading for disaster? Mick Hamer finds out how to stop the rot
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Designed for life
05 October 2002
Hands up if you still have trouble opening the door to your office first time, figuring out the dashboard controls of your car or navigating your computer. Sadly, that'll be most of us, says
Donald Norman . He's the guru's guru of a world in which -
Mass human sacrifice unearthed in Peru
04 October 2002
The ancient remains of 200 fishermen who were tied up and stabbed through the heart have been excavated from a beach
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Internet creaks after huge network crash
04 October 2002
WorldCom, the world's biggest internet traffic carrier, suffers a major outage which affects millions of users
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West Nile virus transmitted in breast milk
04 October 2002
Viral antibodies are identified in a one-month-old baby, as the US death toll rises sharply
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Space probe kit will fight terrestrial crime
04 October 2002
A detector from an asteroid-chasing NASA probe will soon be helping detectives to solve gun crimes and murder cases
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Amorous ostriches scoop Ig Nobel prize
04 October 2002
Research on scrotal asymmetry and the surface area of elephants were among other recipients of the 2002 spoof awards
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Cosmic crash of speeding jets tracked
03 October 2002
A collision is seen from start to finish for the first time – it may provide clues to how the Universe's largest single objects are formed
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BugBear computer virus rolls on
03 October 2002
The virus could be the nastiest of 2002 – but engineers have now dug out the email addresses to which the data it steals are sent
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'Miracle' gene therapy trial halted
03 October 2002
A French trial of a highly promising treatment for the fatal "bubble boy" disease is stopped after a patient developed leukaemia
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Electronic circuits created in a flash
03 October 2002
A material that turns into a conductor at the flash of a light promises to reduce the cost of large LCD displays and optical data storage
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World's funniest joke revealed
03 October 2002
A year-long search received more than 40,000 entries from over 70 countries, and two million ratings - the analysis is now complete
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Blood pressure drugs "slow ageing"
03 October 2002
Drugs designed to prevent the complications of diabetes may work by slowing accelerated ageing – future versions may delay symptoms of ageing in everyone
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Malaria's deadly secrets laid bare
02 October 2002
The decoding of the genomes of the parasite and mosquito that kill millions every year is a landmark in the battle against the disease
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Warplane system 'could stop mid-air explosions'
02 October 2002
Airlines are facing fresh calls to fit fuel tank inerting systems, following warnings from Boeing about potentially faulty fuel pumps
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Quantum cryptography takes to the skies
02 October 2002
Keys encoded in photons of light are sent 23 kilometres through air, an important step towards a secure global communications system
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Marriage makes both sexes happy
02 October 2002
Contrary to popular belief, a new study shows women receive the same mental health boost from marriage as men
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Hurricane Lili closes shuttle Mission Control
02 October 2002
The launch is postponed until at least Monday – the first time bad weather in Houston has delayed a shuttle flight
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Fatal seal epidemic burns out
02 October 2002
And so many North Sea harbour seals have been killed that a repeat outbreak in the 2003 breeding season is highly unlikely
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Asteroid follows Earth around orbit
02 October 2002
The 100-metre object tracks the Earth's path in strange reversible "horseshoe" orbit – it is also occasionally a second moon
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Hurricane blows shuttle off timetable
02 October 2002
The approach of Hurricane Lili postpones the launch – unusually Mission Control, not the launch pad, is the concern
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Patients to get chemically "sterilised" blood
01 October 2002
Hundreds of US transfusion patients are set to receive red blood cells cleaned with compounds that inactivate viruses and bacteria
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Viruses that also hack computers on the rise
01 October 2002
A new internet worm marks a worrying crossover between virus writing and hacking, say experts
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New P2P network funded by US government
01 October 2002
The new network aims to thwart hackers and beat technical problems that make such networks slow or unreliable
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Food 'cancer chemical' reaction identified
01 October 2002
The reaction that forms the potential carcinogen acrylamide in baked foods is revealed, suggesting ways of reducing levels
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Japan's nuclear safety "dangerously weak"
01 October 2002
Newly revealed reports of the UN nuclear agency's last inspections describe scores of safety flaws, adding to a scandal over covered-up cracks
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Contact lenses 'boost sexual success'
01 October 2002
Night-clubbers who swapped their glasses for contact lenses report big increases in physical contact with the opposite sex