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Iran's firewalls tightened ahead of election

Web filters have been wielded even against politicians close to the current government, say researchers studying its blocking policies
18:40 14 March 2008

Dark matter theories vie to explain odd radiationPremium

Two competing theories claim to explain mysterious microwave radiation and gamma rays emanating from the heart of the Milky Way
17:51 14 March 2008

Web 3.0: Playing it safe with our dataPremium

What will the next era of internet culture bring? Annalee Newitz predicts a web that's less risky but has lost its freewheeling edge
17:45 14 March 2008 1 comment

Long-lived grannies may have fewer grandchildren

A long-term analysis of births and deaths in Costa Rica questions previous work that says grandmothers are a boost to grandchildren
16:03 14 March 2008 2 comments

Cassini probe failed to 'taste' moon's geysers in flyby

In a rare mission setback, a glitch prevented Cassini's dust analyser from studying the composition of Enceladus's icy plumes
13:56 14 March 2008 4 comments

Trapped spheres of water make perfect protein prison

A material that has a love-hate relationship with water holds water droplets immobile – perfect for examining complex molecules, say researchers
13:33 14 March 2008 2 comments

NASA's shrinking science budget worries lawmakers

Members of Congress say a dwindling budget may prevent NASA from continuing all of its science projects and pulling off bold new missions
13:30 14 March 2008

Hijacked fetal enzyme helps cancers growPremium

An enzyme responsible for driving the explosive growth of fetuses may explain how cancers multiply so rapidly
13:28 14 March 2008

GSK escapes prosecution over drug trial data

A four-year investigation into the Seroxat affair has led to renewed calls for compulsory registration of all clinical trials
10:40 14 March 2008 3 comments

Hardy Earth bacteria can grow in lunar soil

Most plants can't grow in the tough soil, but resilient cyanobacteria found in hot springs can – a trait future lunar colonists could exploit
00:53 14 March 2008 6 comments

Creature clones itself to avoid becoming fish food

When fish are nearby, sand dollar larvae have been found to split into two individuals to enhance the chances of survival
18:00 13 March 2008 7 comments

Artificial event horizon generates Hawking radiationPremium

The first signs of an effect Stephen Hawking predicted more than 30 years ago have finally materialised from the simulated edge of a black hole
17:30 13 March 2008

Your height dictates how jealousy strikes

The green-eyed monster grips the sexes differently, depending on how tall they are and who their love rivals might be, suggests a new study
17:01 13 March 2008 13 comments

Relief in sight for sufferers of constant erections

A condition that causes constant, painful erections in the absence of arousal may at last have an effective treatment
16:40 13 March 2008 1 comment

Killer wheat fungus threatens starvation for millionsPremium

A virulent wheat disease closing in on Asia sooner than expected has the potential to destroy crops relied upon by millions
15:03 13 March 2008

'Disposable' nuclear reactors raise security fears

A US plan to provide developing countries with small reactors containing a lifetime of fuel continues despite fears over proliferation risks
13:15 13 March 2008 18 comments

Brain map project set to revolutionise neuroscience

An unprecedented effort to chart the human brain is launched in the US – the atlas should transform our knowledge of the brain
12:07 13 March 2008 3 comments

Genes shared with yeast could help humans fight aging

The discovery of ancient "long-life" genes possessed by different species may help scientists delay both ageing and age-related diseases
10:18 13 March 2008 7 comments

Meteorites may be remnants of destroyed dwarf planet

Two rocks found in Antarctica may be chunks of a dwarf planet that was smashed apart in the early solar system
05:04 13 March 2008 12 comments

Gulf Stream's secret is a load of hot air

A tall corridor of warm air emanating from the Gulf Stream may explain its influence over Europe's weather – a discovery that could improve forecasts
18:21 12 March 2008 3 comments

Q&A;: 2008 Templeton Prize winner

Michael Heller, a cosmologist and Catholic priest, has won the lucrative yet controversial prize for work on whether the universe needs 'a cause'
17:36 12 March 2008 42 comments

Swarm of meteorites may solve Peru impact mystery

Stony meteorites like the one that hit Peru in 2007 usually break up in the sky – new work explains how the pieces stayed together to make a crater
17:20 12 March 2008 2 comments

Nerve-tapping neckband used in 'telepathic' chat

Movie Camera
A high-tech collar that translates thought into speech by reading nerve signals has been used to make a truly private phone call for the first time
17:23 12 March 2008 36 comments

Super-stretchy gel could replace damaged cartilage

Shampoo polymers mixed with water yield a tough, elastic gel that could replace damaged cartilage in joints
14:51 12 March 2008 3 comments

Brain scans reveal smokers' clouded judgment

Smokers are fully aware that making a bad decision can lead to disaster, it seems they just can't act on it
11:13 12 March 2008 6 comments

Trident missiles delayed by mystery ingredientPremium

Problems producing a dangerous and secret substance used in the nuclear warheads are slowing the refurbishment of US and UK warheads
10:25 12 March 2008 2 comments

Cassini probe to fly into Saturn moon's icy jets

Movie Camera
In a feat of derring-do, Cassini will dive into the moon Enceladus's icy plumes, perhaps revealing if they arise in a subsurface ocean
01:14 12 March 2008

Bug-spotting radar saves aircraft from bird strikes

Software that can tell the difference between groups of birds and insects could be a boon to both air-traffic controllers and biologists
00:01 12 March 2008 1 comment

China emissions to swamp Kyoto reductions by 2010

Chinese greenhouse gas emissions will soon vastly outstrip reductions achieved by all the countries that signed up to the Kyoto protocol
17:07 11 March 2008 34 comments
Web 3.0: Playing it safe with our data
Web 3.0: Playing it safe with our dataPremium
What will the next era of internet culture bring? Annalee Newitz predicts a web that's less risky but has lost its freewheeling edge
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