Latest New Scientist Articles

Almost every week, New Scientist has at least one new article that is relevant to FutureTech. I'll index such articles here as they appear, with a link to NS' web site if they've chosen to provide an online version (if they don't have the article online, then you can either buy the relevant issue or head for the local library). Don't forget to regularly check New Scientist Plus for further reading on key subject areas.

Of course, NS will have plenty of other articles about things that are just as interesting - the ones listed here are just those that are, in my opinion, relevant to the focus of FutureTech.

(A.P. = the link is to my own article precis, ie. a summary of the original article written in my own words)

03/May/2003, Issue 2393:

(EDT) p3: 'Beware the grey goo'

"Nanotech scare stories are blinding us to more pressing perils"

(Martin Rees) Fp30_33: 'The final countdown'

"Within 20 years, scientific progress is likely to trigger an incident that kills a million people, says England's Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees. If the human race is to survive this century, it's time to make some difficult decisions about the future of science."

26/Apr/2003, Issue 2392:

(FOX) p9: 'This film will self-destruct in one year'

"Self-destructing digital recordings may be the future of music and movie sales, with files auto-erasing or locking after perhaps just 20 plays or a year on your shelf."

(DGR) p12: 'Short sharp shock awaits trespassers'

"Security experts met up in California last month to discuss plans to roll out a non-lethal landmine that zaps intruders with 50,000 volts."

(Jenny Hogan) p18: 'Magic numbers herald new wave of superalloys'

"An extra bendy mixture of metals is astonishing the normally conservative world of materials science"

(Celeste Biever) p21: 'Laser beams get fluids flowing'

"A microscopic pump powered by a swirling beam of light could be just the thing to move fluids around tiny chemical labs built on silicon chips."

(Bruce Schechter) Fp31_33: 'Bright new world'

"A strange discovery could spark a nanotechnology revolution, bringing perfect lenses, rapid medical tests and superfast computers. Bruce Schechter welcomes the dawn of plasmonics."

19/Apr/2003, Issue 2391:

(FOX) p13: "You don't need a 3G phone to get video"

"Cellphone firms are praying video-on-the-move will be the next big thing."

(Celeste Biever) p17: 'Bendy nanotubes do the twist with target proteins'

"A tiny sensor that can reliably detect and identify proteins has been developed independently by two research teams."

(Jenny Hogan) p18: 'Tellurium crystal reveals its secret under pressure'

"If you squeeze tellurium hard enough, it forms an atomic structure so complex that it never repeats itself."

(Eugenie Samuel) p20: 'First results on gravity waves'

"LIGO, the worldwide network of gravitational wave detectors, has found nothing on its first pass. But that's not necessarily a failure - the negative result means that, for the first time, astronomers can put upper limits on the number of violent, space-twisting events happening in our galactic backyard."

(Eugenie Samuel) Fp20_21: 'Super-cold atoms mimic early Universe'

"Could the strange collections of atoms known as Bose-Einstein condensates mirror changes that occured in the earliest moments of the Universe?"

(Eugenie Samuel) p21: 'Instant of success for fusion on a shoestring'

"An experiment designed to tap the energy released by a 'controlled hydrogen bomb' has achieved fusion for the first time."

12/Apr/2003, Issue 2390:

(JEF) p17: 'Is this the hottest thing in superconductor research?'

"Rumours of a superconductor that works at room temperature have been circulating for several months."

(Nicola Jones) p19: 'Why every engineer needs a few strands of DNA'

"The trouble with carbon nanotubes is that they are sticky and always clump together."

(Gerry Byrne) p24: 'Quasar all choked up'

"The most powerful quasar yet discovered in our cosmic neighbourhood is confounding astronomers by spewing out huge amounts of matter at up to 10 per cent of the speed of light."

(Michael Rowan-Robinson) Fp36_37: 'Catching the cold cosmos'

"NASA's fourth and final great space observatory is set for launch. Michael Rowan-Robinson reveals what it will bring to stargazers worldwide"

(KRT) Fp39_41: 'Fission control'

"NASA's new-found love of nuclear power could put astronomers on Mars - but only if we're willing to take a risk or two. Kurt Kleiner reports"

05/Apr/2003, Issue 2389:

(Jenny Hogan) Fp14_15: 'Heavenly atlas goes online'

"A 10-year project has mapped the skies with unprecedented clarity and will become part of a huge virtual observatory, transforming the way astronomers work"

(Stephen Battersby) p20: 'Middleweights join the black hole family'

"Black holes really do come in all sizes: last week, astronomers announced strong evidence that certain bright X-ray sources in the sky are indeed 'intermediate-mass' black holes, hundreds of times the mass of our Sun. But their origins remain a puzzle."

(MBR) Fp22_23: "The results are in... and now it's time to party"

"Cosmologists celebrated their new-found status as 'proper' scientists. But are they any closer to working out why the Universe is the way it is?"

(Stephen Battersby) Fp31_33: 'Dark energy'

"A mysterious energy is tearing the Universe apart - but watching stars explode may expose the culprit. Stephen Battersby joins the hunt"

(MBR) Fp34_35: 'The impossible puzzle'

"How much can we ever know about the Universe? The world's most famous living physicist has had a change of heart, as Michael Brooks reports" (my brother and I worked all this out more than a decade ago! :D - Ian)

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02/Nov/2002, Issue 2367:

(Ian Sample) p10: 'Holiday in orbit for the price of a car'

"The time is ripe for developing a profitable space tourism industry, according to advisers to the US Air Force space programme."

(JUS) p14: 'The ultimate domino rally'

"The computer industry is obsessed with cramming ever more processing power onto chips. Now a molecular computer that's closer to Babbage's Difference Engine than a PC may have taken miniaturisation to the limit"

(MRC) p17: 'Weighty extra dimensions'

"Many physicists are convinced that we are surrounded by extra dimensions as big as a few tenths of a millimetre wide."

(Eugenie Samuel) p19: 'Setting sail with the light stuff'

"The dream of propelling spacecraft across the Solar System using 'sails' that catch streams of photons from the Sun could become a reality, tahnks to a new technique that allows the delicate sails to be made in space."

26/Oct/2002, Issue 2366:

(EDT) p5: 'Signs of life?'

"It might be deep in crisis but NASA still has big plans for the future"

(Pat Dasch) p7: 'NASA prepares to boldly go'

"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"

(DGR) p9: 'Cancer cell study deepens fears over cellphone safety'

"The safety of cellphones has been brought into question once again by research that suggests radio waves from the devices could promote the growth of tumours."

(Eugenie Samuel) Fp30_33: 'Ghost in the atom'

"I 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"

19/Oct/2002, Issue 2365:

(FOX) p20: 'Cellphones may double as a pocket video store'

"Two years from now the world's smallest optical disc will let your cellphone store five two-hour movies, squirrel away 25000 digital photos, or hoard 48 hours of MP3 music."

(Ruth Faden) p27: 'Spare parts for the rich?'

"Everybody seems to have a view on embryo research. But stem cell treatments raise moral dilemmas that few have even started to consider."

(Max Glaskin) Fp38_39: 'Live and unplugged'

"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"

(JUS) Fp48_52: 'Beat the clock'

"For computer chips to run faster and more efficiently they've got to lose the master clock. Justin Mullins shows how"

(KRT) Fp54_55: 'Abort, retry, fail?'

"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"

28/Sep/2002, Issue 2362:

(Valerie Jamieson) p14: 'Story of early Universe unfolds'

"Faintest echoes from the big bang will reveal the truth about how we all began"

(David L. Chandler) p21: 'See-thru chip creates code that's far from transparent'

"A plastic token the size of a postage stamp and costing just a penny to make could be used to make cryptographic keys that are literally impossible to break."

(WGR) Fp36_39: 'Stolen code'

"To many programmers, America's laws on software patents are a disaster. So why is Europe preparing to go down the same road? Wendy M. Grossman reports"

(David Cohen) Fp56_57: 'Switch on to the Grid'

"A new global network could dwarf the Web in its impact on society. For scientists, it will make the impossible possible"

21/Sep/2002, Issue 2361:

(EDT) p3: 'A tale of some gravity'

"There are times when even physicists could do with a reality check"

(MBR) p14: "Can Earth's magnetic field sway gravity?"

"If we can prove gravity and magnetism influence each other, it may help a 'theory of everything' fall into place"

(HZL) p22: "It's wet out there"

"Tantalising signs of water have been found in the atmospheres of planets orbiting distant stars. If the discovery is confirmed, it will fuel speculation that the Galaxy is teeming with life."

(PDV) Fp28_33: 'Seven Wonders'

"There's alot we don't know about the way our Universe works. An awful lot. New Scientist has been reporting on the progress of physics for 40 years, and we still can't explain anywhere near as much as we'd like. But which answers do we want the most? Paul Davies gets to grips with some of the biggest questions about the Universe"

14/Sep/2002, Issue 2360:

(KRT) p19: 'Chips with sparkle'

"Microchips made with diamond have come a step closer after engineers succeeded in making the material into a semiconductor."

(JUS) Fp34_37: 'Forbidden zone'

"A hidden area of the electromagnetic spectrum is about to be opened up, and personal privacy will never be the same again. Are we ready for terahertz rays, asks Justin Mullins "

07/Sep/2002, Issue 2359:

(FOX) p7: 'Blue DVD fiasco brings back memories of Betamax vs VHS'

"Not content with launching five different recordable DVD formats, the video industry has decided to confuse anyone waiting for the next generation of recording technology, too."

(John D. Barrow) Fp30_33: 'Enigma Variations'

"Nature's constants may be changing, but nobody knows why. John D. Barrow thinks we could find the answer beyond the fourth dimension"

(MBR) Fp38_42: 'Face-off'

"Can we trust souped-up CCTV to spot a terrorist before they get on the plane? Michael Brooks takes a hard look at face-recognition software"

24/Aug/2002, Issue 2357:

(Stefan Maier) p17: 'light-emitting silicon's day dawns'

"A new way of tweaking slivers of silicon could let researchers create microchips with tiny, built-in lasers."

(DVS) Fp38_41: 'Take a byte'

"Watch out! Cyberparasites could be sucking the processing power from your PC. Bennett Daviss reports"

17/Aug/2002, Issue 2356:

(Nicola Dixon) p9: 'Prime number puzzle solved at last'

"Three computer scientists have shocked the mathematics community by finding a solution to the centuries-old problem of how to tell if a number is prime. The proof is striking in its simplicity, and has mathematicians wondering what else they may have overlooked."

10/Aug/2002, Issue 2355:

(DGR) p10: "Hand-helds are a hacker's best friend"

"People who bring palmtop computers into the office could be unwittingly giving hackers easy access to their company's computer networks."

(DGR) p14: 'Download and multiply'

"Sharing robot minds and bodies over the Web could take AI to the next level"

(J. R. Minkel) Fp29_31: 'The top-down Universe'

"When subatomic particles are in thrall to distant galaxies you know that someone has just rewritten all the rules. J R Minkel explores a wierd new world"

03/Aug/2002, Issue 2354:

(DGR) Fp22_23: 'Robots will learn like we do'

"Robots that can understand what 'ball' or 'red' mean will work things out for themselves. Duncan Graham-Rowe reports on the meaning of meaning, ..."

27/Jul/2002, Issue 2353:

(EDT) p3: 'Hubble bubble'

"Table-top fusion has come in from the cold. But it still has a way to go"

(Rachel Nowak) p13: 'Define life. You can't? Neither can the scientists'

"Don't even bother asking what life is. Coming up with a definition right now is impossible, according to US researchers."

(JEF) p17: 'Extreme laser shedslight on nanoworld'

"If nanotechnology ever makes the big time, we'll need a cheap and accessible way of measuring the features of these diminutive devices. Currently, the only way to do this is with an expensive room-sized machine called a synchrotron, as this is the only source of coherent light at wavelengths short enough to measure such tiny details. But a cheap table-top alternative is on the way."

13/Jul/2002, Issue 2351:

(EDT) p3: 'The people vs patents'

"The drugs industry is taking us where nobody sensible wants to go"

(Robin Orwant/HZL) p20: 'First sighting of the event horizon'

"Black holes really do imprison matter and light, and sap energy from light that narrowly escapes their grip."

06/Jul/2002, Issue 2350:

(EDT) p3: 'Here we go again'

"Plans to add drug genes to food crops prove we've learned nothing"

(DGR) p18: 'Darwin forges fittest metals'

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03/Aug/2002, Issue 2354:

(DGR) Fp22_23: 'Robots will learnlike we do'

"Robots will learn like we do"

27/July/2002, Issue 2353:

(EDT) p3: 'Hubble bubble'

"Table-top fusion has come in from the cold. But it still has a way to go"

(Rachel Nowak) p13: 'Define life. You can't? Neither can the scientists'

"Don't even bother asking what life is. Coming up with a definition right now is impossible, according to US researchers."

(JEF) p17: 'Extreme laser sheds light on nanoworld'

"If nanotechnology ever makes the big time, we'll need a cheap and accessible way of measuring the features of these devices."

29/Jun/2002, Issue 2349:

(DGR) p16: 'Phone safety debate reignites'

"The latest evidence suggests that cellphone radiation can damage human cells"

(Rachel Nowak) p18: 'VR banishes the demons'

"A virtual reality environment that conjures up the terrifying sounds and sights of a patient's own hallucinations has been designed to help treat people with schizophrenia."

(Reg Whitaker) p26: 'A poor bargain'

"Killing off individual freedom is not the way to combat terrorism, says Reg Whitaker"

(MRC) Fp31_34: 'Core Reality'

"Just suppose the quantum world is built on more solid foundations. It could explain a lot of weird stuff, says Marcus Chown"

(David Cohen) Fp46_49: 'Game Over'

"Virtual beings that experience pain and rage? The fun's over, says David Cohen. Gaming is now a matter of life and death."

22/Jun/2002, Issue 2348:

(EDT) p3: "Won't get fooled again"

"Unlimited freedom in Cyberspace? Forget it, the party's over"

(Eugenie Samuel and JEF) p7: 'Ultimate prize'

"The competition to find a planet like ours is hotting up"

(Ian Sample) p23: 'Putting a spin on it'

"Magnetic microchips could herald fail-safe computing"

(David Cohen) Fp31_33: 'On Rebel Territory'

"Hunkered down in an offshore gun platform that they claim is beyond the reach of the law, a bunch of internet activists has built a profitable business peddling online freedom. David Cohen met the rebels"

(Steve Fuller) Fp46_47: 'The trouble with facts'

"An obsession with scientific evidence is leading politicians into dangerous waters, warns Steve Fuller"

15/Jun/2002, Issue 2347:

(EDT) p3: 'Feed the world?'

"GM crops won't while they're tied to the needs of the rich"

(DEB) p7: 'Accidental Armageddon'

"What if the world's first nuclear war broke out by mistake"

(James Randerson) p13: 'All in the name'

"When is a genetically modified organism not a gentically modified organism"

(DGR) p22: 'Play it again'

"Imagine controlling an artificial hand through brainpower alone"

08/Jun/2002, Issue 2346:

(EDT) p3: "Where's the sparkle?"

"NASA is in desparate need of the next big idea"

(Eugenie Samuel) p16: 'The sky at night'

"There's a lot more out there now Hubble can see in the dark"

(Mark Schrope) p20: 'Hot stuff'

"Could a new technique make the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel less hazardous"

(JUS) Fp24_29: 'Quantum Superbrains'

"The prize is a machine powerful enough to take on life, the Universe and everything. Justin Mullins commentates on the race to build a quantum computer"

01/Jun/2002, Issue 2345:

(JR Minkel) p13: 'Fired up'

"If you want nuclear fusion give your atoms a good squeeze"

(JUS) p21: 'Saline solution'

"A simple idea could make quantum computers easy to build"

(Michael Rowan-Robinson) Fp39_40: 'Resisting the Dark Side'

"Most astronomers think that the Universe is filled with dark energy. Maybe not, says Michael Rowan-Robinson"

25/May/2002, Issue 2344:

(EDT) p5: 'Keep your eyes off other people's DNA'

"It might be a stray hair, or fleck of dandruff, or just a smudge of saliva on a discarded piece of dental floss. We all leave behind a trail of DNA that can readily be analysed by today's fantastically sensitive techniques. So how do we stop people sneaking off to get it analysed?"

(Charles Choi) p11: 'Quantum foot in the door'

"All around us are tiny doors that lead to the rest of the Universe."

(JUS) p22: "Their secret's safe"

"At last Bob and Alice can exchange messages without worrying about eavesdroppers"

18/May/2002, Issue 2343:

(EDT) p3: 'How many lawyers does it take...'

"Greed and legal wrangling could stifle the medical revolution"

(Rachel Novak and David Concar) Fp4_5: 'Footing the bill'

"Should we all have to pay for one company's bright idea?"

(HOL) p23: 'Beam her up'

"The world's tiniest engine is running on photon power"

(JUS) Fp27_30: 'It Came From Planet Earth'

"The International Space Station has turned into an uncontrollable monster that threatens to devour its creator. How can NASA and its new chief tame this cash guzzler, asks Justin Mullins"

11/May/2002, Issue 2342:

(WHO) p23: 'And now... the quantum virus'

"Viruses may soon be recruited by chip makers in the quest to take computer chips down to the nanometre scale and harness novel quantum effects."

(MBR) Fp29_32: 'Blinding Flash'

"It came from the far reaches of the cosmos and could destroy everything we thought we knew about how the Universe works. Michael Brooks fears for the future of physics"

04/May/2002, Issue 2341:

(EDT) p5: 'Life of Craig'

"He was so curious about himself, he sequenced his own DNA"

(EDT) p5: "Because it's there"

(on the ethics of the robot-rat experiment - done just for its own sake?)

(DGR) Fp6_7: 'Say hello to the RoboRat'

"A quick implant, and rodents will obey our every command"

(KRT) p18: 'Raising the Dead'

"Calf cloned using cells from a side of beef"

(Ian Sample) p23: 'Making waves'

"Annoyed by cellphone-wielding commuters? Here's another reason"

(Gerry Byrne) Fp32_36: 'Global Fix'

"What's so wrong with GPS that Europe's spending billions on an alternative? Plenty, says Gerry Byrne"

(Michael Le Page) Fp44_45: 'Village-Life.Com'

"The Web's the way to catch a fish or arrange a marriage. Michael Le Page goes online in India"

27/Apr/2002, Issue 2340:

(DGR) p7: "Don't bank on Web safety"

"If you ahev ever bought anything online or used an Internet bank, you might have been running more of a risk than you bargained for."

(EDT) Fp30_37: 'The Chips are Down'

"What lies ahead for a world riven by money?"

20/Apr/2002, Issue 2339:

(Ian Sample) p7: 'The wierdness barrier'

"What keeps us safe from the craziness of the quantum world?"

(JEF) p21: 'Bend me, shake me'

"Get the right ingredients and flexible screens build themselves"

(Ian Sample) p22: 'Turbulent trousers'

"Virtual reality allows pilots to fly by the seat of their pants"

(Mark Schrope) p23: 'Organic optics'

"A molecular light-sponge will speed up your Internet connections"

(Francis Fukuyama) Fp42_45: 'Life, but not as we know it'

"Imagine a world where biotechnology controls every aspect of human behaviour and narrows the range of 'acceptable' emotions. The future is already with us in the shape of drugs such as Prozac, warns Francis Fukuyama"

13/Apr/2002, Issue 2338:

(COG) p4: 'Grave expectations'

"Rumours of a human clone pregnancy spark health fears and horror"

(Ian Sample) p20: 'Down the tubes'

"Could nanotechnology scrub drug overdoses from your bloodstream?"

(WHO) p23: 'Bubble bursts?'

"CLAIMS that bubbles popping in a simple benchtop experiment can produce nuclear fusion may be overinflated."

(Robert Stevens) p52: 'Creation invasion'

"It is now becoming apparent that the pupils of Emmanuel College, Gateshead, are being taught biblical "young-Earth creationism"." [Reader's Letter]

06/Apr/2002, Issue 2337:

(EDT) p5: 'Image problem'

"How not to make the switch to digital TV"

(MRC) Fp24_28: 'Smash and Grab'

"A daring assault on the very bounds of mathematics could bring back treasures we thought were forever beyond our reach. Get ready to know the unknowable, says Marcus Chown"

30/Mar/2002, Issue 2336:

(EDT) p5: 'Location, location, location'

"Global positioning is too vital to be left in the hands of the Pentagon"

(Eugene Samuels) p13: 'Drippy chips'

"Drops of liquid that focus light could make optical chips cheaper"

(Gordon Kane and Edward Witten) Fp29_32: 'Hunting the Higgs'

"It's the missing piece of the particle physics puzzle, and it could tell us a great deal about the Universe we live in. Leadinh theoretical physicists Gordon kane and Edward Witten explain why they're convinced that the Higgs particle is just waiting to be discovered"

(Barry Turner) Fp46_47: 'Mad, bad or dangerous to know?'

"Defining misbehaviour as a medical problem is dangerous, says Barry Turner. It could get young people locked up without trial"

23/Mar/2002, Issue 2335:

(Catherine Zandonella and PMK) p24: 'Eyeball this'

"A gentle electronic squeeze could correct imprefect vision"

16/Mar/2002, Issue 2334:

(David Concar) Fp14_16: 'Corporate science v the right to know'

"Is the rise of the private sector bringing down a cloak of secrecy?"

(FOX) Fp22_23: 'Hacking at light speed'

"Until now, computer security has focused on preventing hackers siphoning off electronic data. But light beaming out of screens or LEDs on your computer could pose just as big a threat..."

(MRC) Fp26_30: 'Cycles of Creation'

"Our Universe may be stuck in an endless loop of death and rebirth. It's an old idea, says Marcus Chown, but the strange power of nothingness has given it a new lease of life"

09/Mar/2002, Issue 2333:

(Hazel Muir) Fp4_5: 'Bursting with energy'

"Will popping a few bubbles solve the world's power problems?"

(MRC) p16: 'Keep your eyes peeled'

"It won't be long before we can see other worlds"

(Rachel Novak) p17: 'Masters of chaos'

"A few of us seem to be able to predict the unpredictable"

(Fioana Harvey) p20: 'Tomb raiders'

"A new way of seeing museum treasures turns Egyptology inside out"

(Ian Sample) p21: 'Look, no cracks'

"This bizarre plastic can mend itself as often as it's broken"

(Ivan Semeniuk) Fp27_30: 'Cat-in-the-box'

"Are you fed up with absurd notions of quantum weirdness? Don't worry, you're in good company, says Ivan Semeniuk"

02/Mar/2002, Issue 2332:

(WHO) p5: 'New chip speed record'

"IBM says it has broken the world record for the fastest computer chip."

(Ian Sample) p18: "There's gold in them there roots"

"The tiny gold particles used to build nanomachines could be harvested from fields of alfalfa, a crop grown for animal feed."

(WHO) p19: 'Blue is the new red'

"The next generation of recordable DVDs will be based on a single standard system called Blu-Ray, putting an end to the confusing current mix of competing standards."

(Lee Smolin) Fp41_43: 'Storming the ivory tower'

"Understanding the origins of life, the causes of cancer, the structure of the brain, quantum gravity... just the sort of everyday challenges that keep scientists working late into the night. But does the way science is organised affect the rate of progress? Does it inhibit change and stifle innovation?"

(FOX) Fp44_45: 'Is your doctor infected?'

"If you want your health records kept safe and confidential, then cross your fingers and hope your doctor knows as much about computer viruses as biological ones, says Barry Fox"

23/Feb/2002, Issue 2331:

(EDT) p3: 'Act now, think later'

"How to screw up British science at a single stroke"

(DGR and Will Knight) p5: 'Gagging order'

"Talking shop could cost scientists their freedom"

(Eugenie Samuel) p18: 'Kitchen cosmology'

"A laser, a wire, and hey presto - the heart of a galaxy"

(Anil Ananthaswamy) Fp27_29: 'Mind Over Metal'

"The cyborgs are here and they're helping us understand how the brain works. Anil Ananthaswamy investigates"

16/Feb/2002, Issue 2330:

(Anil Ananthaswamy) p18: 'Call in the nanobots'

"No job too small, no place too hard to reach for this bunch of protein scouts"

(FOX) p19: 'Movie mountain'

"Will disposable DVDs lead to an eco-disaster of Hollywood proportions?"

(Alison Boyle/Graham Lawton) Fp24_27: 'Shoot for the Moon'

"'I take man's last steps from the surface for some time to come, but we believe not too long into the future' - Eugene Cernan, December 1972"

09/Feb/2002, Issue 2329:

(EDT) p3: 'Take a punt on fusion'

"ENDLESS energy with next to no radioactive waste? Fusion power will always sound too good to be true."

(Anil Ananthaswamy) p5: 'All tied up'

"Entangling particles is easy when you know how"

(Anil Ananthaswamy) p14: 'Eye strain'

"To survive, bionic eyes need to be tough as old nails"

(Catherine Zandonella) p18: 'Hothouse chips'

"Why carve computers out of silicon when you can grow them on a crop virus instead?"

(Eugenie Samuel) Fp24_27: 'What lies beneath'

"Reality could be made of anything from blancmange to billiard balls and we'd never know, says Eugenie Samuel"

(RMT) Fp37_39: 'Here comes the Sun'

"For years nuclear fusion seemed just out of reach. Have we finally got the power, asks Robert Matthews"

02/Feb/2002, Issue 2328:

(Sylvia Pagan Westphal) Fp4_5: 'Take a thousand eggs'

"Mass-produced clones could soon be rolling off the production line"

(JUS) p17: 'Out of the void'

"Even particles that don't exist can pull their weight"

(Graham Lawton) Fp34_37: 'The Great Giveaway'

"Good ideas are worth money, so why are hard-headed operators giving them away for free? Join our experiment to find out, says Graham Lawton"

(WGR) p43: 'Watching me, watching you'

"Is your computer spying on you? And would you always know if it were?"

26/Jan/2002, Issue 2327:

(FOX) p19: 'Breaking the rules'

"The laws of physics say you can't squeeze data this much"

(IAN) Fp27_29: 'Sweet Nothings'

"The opposite of infinity is a number so small that mathematicians almost missed it. Good job they didn't, says Ian Stewart"

22/Dec/2001, Issue 2322:

(Adrian Cho) p10: 'Darker and darker'

"Dark energy may be the repulsive alter ego of dark matter"

(MBR) p25: 'Cool Running'

"This was the year that superconducting went mainstream."

15/Dec/2001, Issue 2321:

(EDT) p3: 'Squeaky clean'

"Nuclear power just doesn't make the grade" (fission is clearly too messy, but fusion should definitely be pushed ahead with IMO - Ian)

(COG) p7: 'Huge chunk of our genome is set to be privatised'

"As much as an eighth of the human genome could be patented in one go."

(MRC) p10: 'Life force'

"Blasts from exploding stars can change the course of evolution"

(Catherine Zandonella) p12: 'Move over, Hubble'

"You don't have to be in orbit to be a high flyer"

(JEF) p13: 'Just like home'

"Visitors to Mars might not even need a spacesuit"

(HZL) p15: 'Go-faster Universe may just be a trick of the light'

"Signs that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating may be an illusion."

(Catherine Zandonella) p22: 'Mexican waves hit space'

"Pulsating 'hairs' could steer tiny satellites into their mother ship"

(RMT) p23: 'They're out to get you'

"If you've posted pirated files online, you'd better watch out"

(WHO) p27: 'Getting warmer still'

"In March, physicists were shocked when a common lab chemical, magnesium diboride, turned out to work as a superconductor at up to 40 kelvin (-233C). Now Helge Rosner and colleagues at the University of California, Davis, think a related compound, lithium borocarbide, should superconduct all the way up to 115 kelvin (-158C)."

08/Dec/2001, Issue 2320:

(EDT) p3: 'Keeping the faith'

"There may be no God particle but the adventure is just beginning" (this is about the Higgs boson. You know, I wish physicists would stop using religious labels - it's really annoying - Ian)

(Eugene Samuel) Fp4_5: 'No sign of the God particle'

"Are physcists spending billions on a wild goose chase?"

(MRC) p7: 'Let there be light'

"After the big bang came darkness... and then the sky lit up"

(Anil Ananthaswamy) p14: 'Through the keyhole'

"If you can't see what's inside, send in the entangled photons"

(James Randerson) p16: 'Second sight'

"Severed optical nerves can be made to grow again"

(WGR) p49: 'That personal touch'

"What is the Internet?"

01/Dec/2001, Issue 2319:

(EDT) p3: 'Brave new medicine'

"Creating human clones for no good reason is wrong"

(Adrian Cho) p7: 'Getting warmer'

"Is carbon the key to superconductors that work at room temperature?"

(MRC) p13: 'Holes in the hood'

"For a bit of local action take a peep beyond Pluto" (this is about mini-black-holes - Ian)

(Stephen Battersby) Fp27_29: 'Blast From The Vast'

"We could be days away from witnessing the most violent events in the Universe. Stephen Battersby gets ready to ride the unstoppable gravity wave"

(DVS) Fp38_40: 'Write Here, Write Now'

"Soon you'll be able to post a message in the air wherever you go. Bennett Daviss explores a wierd new way to keep in touch"

(Liz Else) Fp42_45: 'Seizing Tomorrow'

"Ask most people and they'll tell you they take the future very seriously. Ask a politician and they'll bore you into the ground with a 50-point action plan. Hopeless, says Richard Slaughter, who's just become president of the World Futures Studies Federation. He's a professor of futures studies based at the Australian Foresight Institute within Swinburne University of Technology, and he reckons the way we think about the future is all wrong. What we should do is study it systematically if we are to stand the faintest chance of avoiding the disasters that are rushing to meet us. For him, understanding the future may also be the best way to change the present. Liz Else caught up with him recently"

28/Apr/2001, Issue 2288:

(EDT) p3: 'Bolt from the blue'

"If you're going to tinker with the climate, watch your back"

(Nicola Jones) p11: 'Matchmakers'

"All you need to find a photon's distant twin is the right mirror"

(David Cohen) 15: 'Blind spot?'

"A little dust could make flying laser cannons worse than useless"

(GOV) p16: 'Through the looking glass'

"Is there an invisible world out there where everything is backwards?"

(Adrian Cho) p20: 'Is our Galaxy sitting in the middle of nowhere?'

"The solar system could be sitting at the centre of a giant optical illusion that fools astronomers into thinking distant galaxies are accelerating away from us."

(Fred Pearce) p21: 'Hanging in the air'

"Some pollutants are changing our climate in ways we never dreamed of"

(Ian Sample) p22: 'Hot shots'

"Bullets from a tiny plasma gun can unclog the blocked veins that threaten eyesight"

(Ian Sample) p23: 'Turn on the juice'

"What the modern technowarrior needs to get charged up for action"

(Catherine Zandonella) p24: 'Way to glow'

"Organic displays promise thinner screens and crisper images"

(Nick Appleyard/Bridget Appleby) Fp28_31: 'Warp Speed'

"If your Dad told you how to go faster than light, would you build a machine to do it? Nick Appleyard and Bridget Appleby investigate"

21/Apr/2001, Issue 2285:

(Stuart Clark) p:? 'Chasing shadows'

"The idea that invisible galaxies haunt the Universe has got astronomers peering into the darkness. But what they find may dismay then, says Stuart Clark"

14/Apr/2001, Issue 2286:

(EDT) p3: 'Free for all'

"MIT is planning a huge giveaway. The world is about to get richer"

(PMK) p6: 'Bill Gates relinquishes rights to your latest novel'

"Microsoft wants you to abandon your hard drive and keep all your files and programs on a remote server, from where you would download them wen they're needed. But a storm blew up last week when someone noticed that the 'conditions of service' for the system, called .NET, appeared to claim copyright on anything it stores."

(GOV) p7: 'It started with a crash'

"Our Universe didn't really exist until another one bumped into it"

(MRC) p14: 'Heavenly twins'

"What if two Universes popped into existence 15 billion years ago instead of one?"

(JUS) Fp35_37: 'Perfect Focus'

"A material born from one physicist's flight of fancy could revolutionise a medical imaging technique and answer the computer industry's prayers, says Justin Mullins"

07/Apr/2001, Issue 2285:

(Adrian Cho) p6: "What's the big rush?"

"Light from the oldest supernova ever seen suggests the Universe is expanding faster and faster"

(WHO) p23: 'Doped-up diamonds'

"A sheet of diamond with crystals less than 5 nanometres across has conducted electrons for the first time, ..."

(MBR) Fp39_40: 'Tricks of the Light'

"A 12st-century conjuror is revealing secrets that have lain hidden for 5000 years. Michael Brooks marvels at the magic"

31/Mar/2001, Issue 2284:

(EDT) p3: 'Come the revolution'

"It was an invention that was meant to change our lives - can it?"

(JUS) p7: 'Cracked it?'

"Hold the bubbly until we're sure this superconductor really works"

(GOV) Fp27_29: 'The First Split Second'

"The secrets of the big bang hide behind an impenetrable wall of fire. But Govert Schilling knows a way through"

(DAV) Fp35_37: 'E-mmune From Attack'

"Digital antibodies will stimulate your computer's defences, and reveal a thing or two about your body's immune system as well. Clive Davidson reports"

24/Mar/2001, Issue 2283:

(FOX) p20: 'Sharp shooter'

"A new display technology promises to make high-resolution, widescreen TVs much more affordable"

(Ian Sample) p21: 'Vapour trail'

"Miniature spacecraft could puff their way across the galaxy using steam engines"

(BNI) Fp?_?: "That's entertainment"

"If you like TV, you'll love the Mars Channel. Take your seats for the network premiere of interplanetary telly. Ben Iannotta reports"

17/Mar/2001, Issue 2282:

(Adrian Cho) p7: 'Piece of the action'

"The race is on to stake a claim in a hot new superconductor"

(Anil Ananthaswamy) Fp34_37: "You hum it and I'll find it"

"Search engines are leaving plain text behind and exploring the sights and sounds of cyberspace. Anil Ananthaswamy reports"

10/Mar/2001, Issue 2281:

(MRC) Fp?_?: 'The Omega Man'

"He shattered mathematics with a single number. And that was just for starters, says Marcus Chown"

(KRT) Fp?_?: 'Free speech, liberty, pornography'

"Cyber-revolutionaries are abandoning the Web to build an anarchic, censorship-free alternative. Kurt Kleiner reports"

03/Mar/2001, Issue 2280:

(DGR) p7: 'Humble chemical has starring role as superconductor'

"A previously ignored 'off-the-shelf' chemical has been found to superconduct at higher temperatures than previously thought possible for a simple metallic compound. ..."

(JUS) p13: 'Catch the wave'

"Mirrors that blow hot and cold will pick up elusive gravity waves"

(Beth Martin) p19: 'Making the switch'

"The day computers turn molecular is rapidly approaching"

(DGR) p21: 'Whizz-kid computer'

"Have programs got smart enough to learn language the way we do?"

(Adrian Cho) Fp33_35: 'Burn Out'

"Faster processing demands more power, and computers are feeling the heat. So how can they keep their cool without slowing you down? Adrian Cho investigates"

24/Feb/2001, Issue 2279:

(WHO) p7: "It's a pain in the Net"

"The American Civil Liberties Union says it will sue the federal government in an attempt to overturn the law that forces federally funded libraries to install software that filters out sexually explicit material. ..."

(FOX) p18: 'Big turn-off'

"Why your bargain TV won't work if it finds it's in the wrong country"

(Mark Schrope) p21: 'Whispering wafers'

"Crystals grown in space make quieter microprocessors"

(David Cohen) Fp27_29: 'Machine Head'

"With an artificial brain that can outshine its human creator, the silicon scientist is a researcher's best friend. And, says David Cohen, it is even willing to share its results - for now"

17/Feb/2001, Issue 2278:

(KRT) p20: 'Into space on thin air'

"A shuttle that makes its own fuel could take off from your local airport"

(Eugenie Samuel) p22: 'Quantum mischief'

"The smaller micromachines get, the harder it is to control what they do"

(Hans Christian von Baeyer) Fp26_30: 'In the Beginning was the Bit'

"And after that came the rest of the wierd world, says Hans Christian von Baeyer"

(Adrian Cho) Fp43_45: 'Small Wonder'

"When the footfall of a single electron sets your circuit jumping, you know something strange is going on. Adrian Cho watches a bouncing buckyball kick off a new era in electronics"

10/Feb/2001, Issue 2277:

(Ian Sample) p21: 'Swiss roller'

"Tumbleweed inspired an oddball robot that will roam around Mars"

(Eugenie Samuel) p22: 'Starry eyed'

"Squaring the circle will bring Earth-like planets swimming into view"

03/Feb/2001, Issue 2276:

(MRC) Fp22_25: 'Mass Medium'

"Feeling heavy and sluggish? Blame the quantum vacuum, says Marcus Chown"

(Anil Ananthaswamy) Fp26_30: 'Space babies'

"Electronics engineers are giving birth to a new species of space probes that will adapt to harsh environments, heal themselves and even evolve into better, smarter machines. Anil Ananthaswamy coos over the new arrivals"

27/Jan/2001, Issue 2275:

(Eugenie Samuel) p4: 'Light stops dead'

"Does the key to quantum computing like in freezing a light beam?"

(Adrian Cho) p9: 'Battle of the quarks'

"Rival atom smashers clash at an international conference"

(KEN) Fp29_31: 'Red, Willing and Able'

"Far from being desolate backwaters, red dwarfs may harbour an abundance of alien life. Ken Croswell finds out why"

20/Jan/2001, Issue 2274:

(PMK) p7: 'A clear winner'

"Magnets and microchips combine in a transparent supermaterial"

(Ian Sample) p11: "I'm your tiniest fan"

"A horde of micropropellers will keep your chips chilled"

(WHO) p11: 'Gene machine'

"Quantum computers could be speeded up with DNA, ..."

(BNI) Fp21_24: 'To Hell and Back'

"Braving plasma storms and pillars of fire leaping millions of kilometres into space, a tiny craft will give us our first look at the Sun, and then return for more. Ben Iannotta reports"

(RMT) Fp26_29: 'The Ideas Machine'

"Human inventiveness has reached the end of the road. Something far smarter is about to take over, says Robert Matthews"

13/Jan/2001, Issue 2273:

(EDT) p3: 'The genie is out'

"Biotech has just sprung a nasty surprise. Next time, it could be catastrophic"

(Rachel Nowak) p4: 'Disaster in the making'

"An engineered mouse virus leaves us one step away from the ultimate bioweapon"

(JUS) p14: 'Stuck on chips'

"Even quantum computers can't do without old fashioned silicon"

(PHL) Fp25_29: 'Dinner with Destiny'

"Just when you thought it was safe to stop evolving, culture and technology may be itching to wipe out your genes. Is human evolution about to take off, asks Philip Cohen"

(Bruce Schechter) Fp34_37: 'Tall, Dark and Stranger'

"A forest of silicon spikes could revolutionise solar cells and give you painless injections. Bruce Schechter peers into the mysterious world of black silicon"

(Stuart Clark) Fp44_47: 'Out of this world'

"He is one of the world's leading authorities on planets outside our Solar System. But although Geoffrey Marcy has been officially credited with finding 38 of the 53 suspected worlds that have been identified so far, he was beaten into the history books by a European team which discovered the first extrasolar planet. Marcy, who is professor of astronomy at the University of California at Berkeley, is now in open competition with this team, and others, in the race to find and announce new worlds. Stuart Clark explores Marcy's universe"

(Caspar Bowden) p51: 'Hand over your keys'

"Protecting privacy could soon be more difficult in Britain than anywhere in the world, warns Caspar Bowden. Internet users may end up with fewer civil rights than terrorists"

06/Jan/2001, Issue 2272:

(FOX) p8: 'Who needs 3G?'

"A cheap in-car digital radio receiver will give motorists many of the benefits of pricey third-generation (3G) cellphone networks, New Scientist can reveal."

(COG/Emma Young) p9: 'Great expectations'

"Landmark vote clears the way for stem cell research in Britain"

(WHO) p13: 'Single file please'

"Intercepting the keys to coded messages could get alot harder, now that Atac Imamoglu and his team at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have developed a 'quantum dot' that can emit light one photon at a time."

(Phil Scott) Fp20_23: 'Big, Buoyant and Back in Business'

"First time round it ended in disaster. Now a forgotten form of air transport is due for a revival, says Phil Scott"

(Neil Savage) Fp30_32: 'Bright Encounter'

"Aliens are firing high-powered lasers at the Earth. Don't panic, they're probably just trying to tell us something. Neil Savage reports"

23/Dec/2000, Issue 2270:

(EDT) p3: 'Space odyssey'

"Hey may have got the details wrong but Arthur C. Clarke had the right idea"

(PMK) p23: 'It is secure, honest'

"Denial of service attacks, a crippling computer virus and security blunders at online banks all exposed the vulnerability of the Internet." (2000 Review article)

16/Dec/2000, Issue 2269:

(EDT) p3: 'War and peace'

"Let's not be deceived by the allure of non-lethal weapons"

(Rob Edwards) p4: 'War without tears'

"Should 'non-lethal' chemical and biological weapons be allowed?"

(DGR) p11: 'Virtually yours'

"You can touch it, turn it, but it isn't really there"

(WHO) p21: 'Titchy tipple'

"Japan has honed its micromachining skills with the creation of the world's smallest wine glass."

(Jeff Peterson) Fp27_29: 'Universe in the Balance'

"At last we know just how much the cosmos weighs. The answer shows that theories of the Universe's origin are spot on, says cosmologist Jeff Peterson. Trouble is, we still haven't a clue what most of the stuff is made from"

09/Dec/2000, Issue 2268:

(FOX/COG) p4: 'Patently ridiculous'

"The biotech gold rush is making a mockery of the world patent system"

(MRC) p11: 'Anyone out there?'

"Doomed asteroids point to Earth-like planets fit for life"

(Ian Sample) p12: 'On a wing and a jolt'

"If you thought warp drive was weird, try jolt propulsion"

(FOX) p14: 'Hidden agenda'

"Deleting attachments won't save us from a new breed of virus"

(WHO) p19: 'Tiny turn-on'

"Researchers have made the equivalent of a tiny dimmer switch out of carbon nanotubes - the tubular cousins of buckyballs."

19/Aug/2000, Issue 2252:

(JUS) p11: 'A clean sweep'

"NASA plans to carry out a spot of housework" (removing space junk with a laser from infront of the ISS)

(COG) Fp14_15: 'Stem cells: the way forward'

"If stem cell research is given a new lease of life, researchers could tap into its true potential. There are already clear signs that the cells could revolutionise medicine, from organ transplants to treating diseases such as Parkinson's"

(WHO) p17: 'All rounder'

"A digital video camera that can see in every direction has been developed at Gifu University in Japan."

(JUS) Fp34_37: 'Radio Blast'

"The airwaves are already stuffed to capacity with hi-tech transmissions. Could tall buildings be the saviours of radio, asks Justin Mullins"

(WEB) Fp42_45: 'Imagine that'

"What's an engineer doing up to his elbows in neurons?"

12/Aug/2000, Issue 2251:

(EDT) p3: 'All planets great and small'

"Planet fever consumed the International Astronomical Union meeting in Manchester this week."

(Anil Ananthaswamy) p7: 'Silicon bugs'

"They're half bacterium, half microchip..."

(WHO) p11: 'High anxiety'

"Virtual reality simulations are just as effective as conventional therapy at curing people's fear of flying, Samantha Smith and Barbara Rothbaum told the American Psychological Association's annual convention in Washington DC last week."

(COG) p14: 'Bit of a spin'

"You won't find it powering a Forumla 1 racing car, but it's still a world first: a motor consisting of a single molecule that's been designed from scratch."

(MRC) p19: 'The dimension hunters'

"A twilight zone may materialise at CERN's new collider"

(Joanna Marchant) Fp34_37: 'Need a hand?'

"Suppose our bodies could be induced to grow replacement limbs, just as amphibians do. It's not as outrageous as it sounds, says Joanna Marchant"

(DGR) Fp42_45: 'Access granted'

(Duncan Graham-Rowe talks to "Oxblood Ruffin", a member of the hacker group, "The Cult of the Dead Cow", about the image of hackers in the corporate world)

05/Aug/2000, Issue 2250:

(Alexander Hellemans) p5: 'Masters of disguise'

"Has the case of the missing neutrinos been solved?"

(Adrian Cho) p7: 'Green light for son of Sojourner'

"NASA announced last week that it plans to send a six-wheeled robot to Mars in June 2003."

(Diane Martindale) p10: 'Molecular movies'

"A touchy-feely microscope films proteins in action"

(DGR) p14: 'Flexible beamers'

"Building plastic lasers may soon be possible, say researchers at Bell Labs in New Jersey."

(WHO) p19: 'French fusion'

"France has made a formal offer to host ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor."

(FOX) p21: 'Signal boost?'

"A satellite radio service could help beat the censors"

(Eugenie Samuel) Fp36_39: 'Wicked weather'

"Space storms are dangerous beasts and tricky to track down. But divine the secrets of the solar wind and our problem will be solved, says Eugenie Samuel"

(JTM) Fp40_42: 'Blast it'

"Unleash the power of supersonic shock waves and you can push anything from proteins to engine oils to their limits. Jim Thomas reports"

29/Jul/2000, Issue 2249:

(DGR) p4: 'Blind watchmen'

"Britain is about to waste millions of pounds on an obsolete Internet snooping system"

(Tom Clarke) p6: 'Particle hunters complete the set at last'

"It's called DONUT, and it has filled a stubborn hole in particle physics"

(Ian Sample) p11: 'Is there anybody out there?'

"A superconducting transistor should help astronomers pick up signals from far-off solar systems that are too faint to be detected."

(JUS) p12: 'And you thought light moves fast'

"So much for the ultimate speed limit."

(DGR) p16: 'Eyes right'

"An artificial eye that moves will give patients more confidence after radical facial surgery"

22/Jul/2000, Issue 2248:

(DGR) p7: 'Feed me'

"Could the future of robotics be a toy train with a taste for flesh?"

(Eugenie Samuel) p11: 'Break all the rules'

"Playing fast and loose with light speed could be a good thing"

(WHO) p11: 'Too little, too soon'

"Today's WAP cellphones are already obsolete."

(WHO) p21: 'Starting over'

"Record producers were appalled last week when they found they could hear a supposedly inaudible 'watermark' designed to make DVD-Audio players reject copied discs."

(WHO) p21: 'Big browser'

"Civil liberties groups in Britain are condemning a controversial new law designed to extend telephone-tapping powers to cover electronic communications."

(DGR) Fp27_29: 'Faster than a speeding bullet'

"It's loud, it's rocket powered and it's fearsomely fast. Is this the future of underwater travel, asks Duncan Graham-Rowe"

15/Jul/2000, Issue 2247:

(Ralph Lorenz) Fp24_27: 'Titan here we come'

"Want to scout a giant moon for signs of life? Then send in a helicopter, says Ralph Lorenz"

(David Cohen) p11: 'Money for nothing'

"PCs aren't cheap. Why not make them work for their keep?"

(DEB) p22: 'What a downer'

"We may have to abandon our dreams of colonising space"

(MRC) p20: 'To catch a wave'

"Who needs a giant detector when you've got quantum encryption"

(Joanna Marchant) p13: 'On the pulse'

"One of the oldest tricks in chemistry could change the face of nanotechnology"

(WHO) p23: 'Nanosponges'

"Tiny sponges may be the key to antisense therapy"

(WHO) p7: 'Ready for a rendezvous'

"NASA's Deep Space1 spacecraft is back on track"

08/Jul/2000, Issue 2246:

(PMK/Mark Robins) p5: "Who's flying this thing?"

"Web browser control brings hijacking threats to spacecraft"

(DGR) p5: 'A chip for an eye'

"A tiny silicon chip that mimics the way the human retina works was implanted into three blind patients in Illinois last week. ..."

(MRC) p20: 'A hole is born'

"There's a brilliant flash of gamma rays, then it all goes black"

(Robert Iron) Fp25_27: "They've seen a ghost"

"There are some spooky goings-on in the atomic world. Get them under control and we'll be on our way to making a computer with atoms that aren't really there. Robert Iron investigates"

01/Jul/2000, Issue 2245:

(EDT) p3: 'The coming revolution'

"One thing is certain: we will never be the same again" [human genome announcement]

(COG/NEL) Fp4_5: 'The end of the beginning'

"The first draft of the human genome signals a new era for humanity"

(PMK) p8: 'Jet set displays'

"Want to make a colour video screen? Then just print one out"

(DGR) p10: 'Now give me your cache'

"Should you squirrel your data away on the Net, rather than store it at home? Bill thinks so..."

(Nicola Jones) p16: 'Really cooking'

"Behind the Sun's explosive and violent face there's a tale of pressure taking its toll"

(FOX) p17: 'The Net strikes back'

"Internet geeks are going into battle against British Telecom"

(Ian Sample) Fp20_24: 'Just a normal town...'

"... but out of nowhere a wave of chaos was to wash over that world. In a millisecond it was gone. There were no phones, no computers, no power, nothing. Yet nobody had died, no buildings razed to the ground. And then the blind panic set in. What's going on, asks Ian Sample "

24/Jun/2000, Issue 2244:

(EDT) p3: 'An alien intelligence'

"We have little to fear from the nascent global brain - yet"

(Ian Sample) p11: 'Wired like a human'

"Design your circuit like a brain and it'll be almost as smart"

(FOX) p15: 'New kid on the block'

"No sooner has DVD arrived than a challenger appears on the horizon"

(MBR) Fp22_27: 'Global Brain'

"Any time now, the Internet will start demanding information... or else. Shouldn't you be afraid, asks Micharl Brooks"

(JUS) Fp36_39: 'Spin doctors'

"Bury a phosphorus atom in the core of a conventional silicon chip and you're well on the way to unleashing the formidable computing power of the quantum world, says Justin Mullins"

17/Jun/2000, Issue 2243:

(EDT) p3: 'Spooks out'

"You'll never catch criminals by tapping the Net, so don't even try"

(MRC) Fp36_39: 'Shadow worlds'

"It could be all around us, a parallel universe of mirror galaxies, mirror planets... even mirror life. Marcus Chown reflects on signs from the other side"

(FOX) p50: "Hollywood's last stand"

"We are supposed to live in a global village. Someone should tell the movie studios, says Barry Fox"

10/Jun/2000, Issue 2242:

(DGR) p5: 'Half fish, half robot'

"One day your brain could live on in a mechanical shell"

(JUS) p8: 'Going for a spin'

"Whirling nano-magnets could slash electrical energy losses"

(FOX) p14: 'No French connection'

"Roaming wireless Net users could fall foul of split standards"

(DGR) p15: 'Gently does it'

"Sensitive implants help you adjust your grip"

(MRC) Fp32_35: 'Out in the Cold'

"The cosmos doesn't need us any more. Marcus Chown finds a growing chorus of dissent against the anthropic principle"

(Guy Cumberbatch) Fp44_45: 'Only a game?'

"Do kids who like zapping people on screen take their aggression to the streets? Guy Cumberbatch doesn't believe the hype"

03/Jun/2000, Issue 2241:

(JUS) p14: 'Electric muscles up the pace'

"Artificial muscles can match the speed, size or strength of human muscle, but not all at the same time. Now researchers at MIT have worked out how to overcome the limitations of artificial muscles made from conducting polymers - a breakthrough that might lead to a new generation of artificial hearts."

(GOV) p21: 'Second sight'

"A revamped Hubble could reveal distant reaches of time and space"

(MRC) Fp24_27: 'Before the Big Bang'

"How did the Universe begin? Now with a bang but with a whimper, says Marcus Chown"

27/May/2000, Issue 2240:

(EDT) p3: 'The green man'

"Invoking God and nature won't solve our problems with biotechnology"

(PMK) p7: 'Danger signals'

"Now it's official: avionics and mobile phones don't mix"

(FOX) p11: 'License to thrill'

"A revolutionary home-cinema system has movie moguls sweating"

(Fred Pearce) Fp14_15: 'Back to basics'

"FOCUS: It's not just high-flown ideas or high-tech inventions that get things done in the developing world. Ingenuity and common sense are vital, too"

20/May/2000, Issue 2239:

(PMK) p10: 'Light touch'

"Your secrets are safe with the quantum detector"

(JUS) p11: 'Is your phone infected?'

"Mobiles are fertile ground for e-bugs of the future"

(FOX) p11: 'Body moves'

"Inventors at MIT are developing a system for tracking human motion and displaying realistic 3D computer images of how someone is moving."

(FOX) p12: 'Personal touch'

"A new type of CD or DVD that is part prerecorded and part blank, ready for recording, will soon be hitting the shops."

(NEL/COG) p15: 'Your genes in their hands'

"Will patents on human genes encourage research or stifle it?"

(HZL) Fp22_25: 'Cosmic anarchists'

"They zoom through the Universe, ripping out stars' hearts and flouting the laws of physics. Hazel Muir investigates the wild world of Q-balls"

(JUS) Fp26_29: 'Entangled Web'

"Spooky quantum messages could soon be delivering stupednous computing power and superfast communication. Justin Mullins logs onto the wierd Wired Web"

(Oliver Morton) p43: 'More sinned against...'

"Welcome to a food campaigner's nightmare." [this is a commentary on Microsoft - Ian]

13/May/2000, Issue 2238:

(EDT) p3: 'Only the best will do'

"Our cars are crash tested. We need to make sure computers are too"

(DGR) p6: 'A droid for all seasons'

"No job is too unusual for a breed of robots that reinvent themselves"

(KRT/DGR) p7: 'Go forth and multiply'

"Only diversity will protect PCs against future Love Bugs"

(JUS) p10: 'Space timing'

"With entangled particles you can synchronise satellite clocks with perfect accuracy"

(MRC) p17: 'Worlds without end'

"We may all reside in the varied realm of quantum mechanics"

(MRC) p18: 'Lost and found'

"The Universe's missing hydrogen has turned up at last"

(Sara Russell and Conel Alexander) Fp21_23: 'Stardust'

"Diamonds forged in long-dead stars are providing astronomers with sparkling insights into our origins, say Sara Russell and Conel Alexander"

06/May/2000, Issue 2237:

(FOX) p16: 'No place like home'

"Burglars beware: now televisions know just where they belong"

(JUS) p17: "That's cool"

"High-tech electronics learns a trick from textile artists"

(Mark Schrope) p22: 'Flat as a pancake'

"The Earth may be round, but the Universe certainly isn't"

(KRT) Fp30_33: 'Atomic logic'

"Miniscule seems too big a word for electronic components that are single molecules. But one day they could be the brains behind your very own supercomputer, says Kurt Kleiner"

29/Apr/2000, Issue 2236:

(Mark Schrope) p9: 'Mysterious particles go round the bend'

"The source of cosmic rays, particles which bombard the Earth's atmosphere with astronomical amounts of energy, has eluded physicists. But perhaps that's because they've been looking in the wrong place."

(DGR) p10: 'Hitting the nerve'

"Latest eye implant offers hope to people with damaged retinas"

(DGR) p17: 'Trial by laptop'

"An electronic judge on wheels delivers instant justice"

22/Apr/2000, Issue 2235:

(Nicole Johnston) p10: 'Sludge power'

"Keep your spaceship in running order with a sewage cocktail"

(Paul Marks) p11: 'Wanna jam it?'

"A little Net savvy is all you need to block satellite signals"

15/Apr/2000, Issue 2234:

(FOX) p7: 'Plumbing the depths'

"After DVDs, data storage is set to enter a new dimension"

(HAD) p10: 'Plane speedy'

"Japan is marrying two types of jet engine to power an aircraft that could fly from Tokyo to New York in 3 hours"

(Tony Stone) p11: 'Quick as a flash'

"The Internet could one day get a speed boost from light-emitting polymers."

(RMT) p12: 'Star trekking'

"Voyages across the Universe have come light years closer"

(DGR) Fp14_15: 'No walkover'

"FOCUS: For paralysed people, getting back on their feet is the great goal. But technology isn't keeping pace with their hopes"

(BCH) Fp20_24: 'Life force'

"Do quantum computers make us what we are, asks Mark Buchanan"

(James Oberg) Fp26_29: 'Houston, we have a problem'

"A catalogue of lost spacecraft and human errors has left NASA with egg on its face. But how many other disasters are waiting to happen, asks James Oberg"

08/Apr/2000, Issue 2233:

(JEF) p5: 'Mired over Mars'

"Two lost probes are forcing NASA to rethink"

(WHO) p5: 'Hot doughnut'

"The plasma in a tokamak fusion reactor is so hot, only pulsed transformers have so far been able to generate magnetic fields strong enough to contain it."

(FOX) p14: 'Holes sink sell-off'

"Old TV channels leave too many gaps for cellphones"

01/Apr/2000, Issue 2232:

(EDT) p3: 'Going for gold'

"Who will reap the riches from the human genome"

(DGR) p7: 'Darth evaders'

"How bug-eyed Star Wars fans could end up driving your car"

(JEF) p10: 'Fluid switching'

"Optical networks won't need moving parts, just bubbles"

(MRC) Fp25_27: 'Holes in one'

"Despite their fearsome reputation, not all black holes are cosmos-gobbling monsters, says Marcus Chown. There could even be one inside you"

(Nigel Henbest) Fp29_31: 'The great annihilators'

"They eat stars, fire particle beams and glow with the light of colliding matter and antimatter. And they're turning up right here in our Galaxy. Nigel Henbest reports on the strange beasts that are getting astronomers excited"

(Stephen Battersby) Fp32_36: 'Masters of the Universe'

"Without black holes, we might not be here. Stephen Battersby reveals how the dark created light"

(DGR) Fp42_45: 'OPINION: God of the norns'

"Stephen Grand has created a new species. Norns are cute little creatures with their own digital DNA and biochemistry. They can get sick, they can reproduce, and they can evolve. We talk to the proud father of the world's most sophisticated artificial life forms."

(John Sulston) Fp46_47: 'Forever free'

"Unrestricted access to the genetic building blocks of life is guaranteed to all, says John Sulston"

(Peter James) p52: 'LETTER: Darling, you've got beautiful genes'

"PEOPLE have been born equal--until now. Microchips with the potential to reveal people's genetic frailties, like those described in your news item (11 March, p 4) will change that and have implications for society far more damaging than discrimination by prospective employers or insurance companies." (what Peter describes reminds me very much of the film, "Gattica" - Ian)

25/Mar/2000, Issue 2231:

(EDT) p3: 'Read the runes'

"Iridium paid the price for making a basic mistake"

(HZL) p5: 'Bending light over backwards'

"AN INGENIOUS new material announced this week looks set to turn some everyday physics on its head and open the way to entirely new kinds of electronic components."

(David Cohen) p8: 'Out of control'

"The Internet is about to get even harder to police. A system that makes it easy to publish information on the Internet anonymously could give a free rein to terrorists, software pirates and paedophiles, say Internet watchdogs. But the creators of Freenet believe the risk is worth taking to preserve free speech on the Net."

(DGR) p18: 'Picemeal security threatens e-commerce'

"The future of e-commerce is being threatened by the difficulty of keeping it secure."

18/Mar/2000, Issue 2230:

(EDT) p3: "Don't keep secrets"

"There's no alternative to being open with public"

(Alexander Hellemans) p18: 'Short circuit'

"An international team of physicists has created the world's smallest racetrack. It's made from semiconductor rings so tiny that just a single electron races around inside each one."

(MBR) Fp22_25: 'Art of darkness'

"There could be a way to create black holes right here on Earth. If it works, says Michael Brooks, the holes will reveal some of the Universe's deepest secrets"

(Ian Sample) Fp38_39: 'Raw Power'

"Spinach does it for Popeye and it could do it for computers, too. Ian Sample reveals how the next generation of microchips may be grown on a farm"

11/Mar/2000, Issue 2229:

(FOX) p15: 'The spy who bugged me'

"Why make it easy to eavesdrop on satellite telephone calls?"

(WHO) p15: 'Cyborg cell'

"A living human cell has been combined with a microchip by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley."

04/Mar/2000, Issue 2228:

(FOX) p6: 'A million albums on a single organic disc'

"A new way of storing digital data has been pioneered by researchers in the US and China."

(DGR) p11: 'Prowling the skies'

"Missiles that choose their own targets are big money-savers"

(DGR) Fp16_17: "It's a steal"

"FOCUS: When it comes to online crime, hackers may be hitting the headlines now but the real outlaws are learning fast. And they intend to make a killing"

(Ian Angell) Fp44_45: 'Battle Stations'

"OPINION: Welcome to the Information Age. From tax evasion to social fragmentation, Ian Angell sees trouble ahead"

26/Feb/2000, Issue 2227:

(JKN) p7: 'Game of life'

"Biocomputers take their first step with a little chess puzzle"

(FOX) p21: 'Piracy fears block multichannel VCRs'

"Movie producers have succeeded in crippling one of the major advantages of a new generation of digital VCRs - the ability to record several TV channels at once."

(MRC) Fp25_28: 'Random Reality'

"Space and the material world could be created out of nothing but noise. That's the startling conclusion of a new theory that attempts to explain the stuff of reality, as Marcus Chown reports"

11/Dec/99, Issue 2216:

(JEF) p8: 'IBM plans its latest smash hit'

"A 'self-healing' supercomputer running 500 times faster than any other could help unravel the molecular secrets of disease, say computer scientists at IBM."

(FOX) p16: 'Picture perfect'

"TV screens will be held together with invisible stitches"

(WHO) p17: 'Chip stack'

"Researchers at Bell Labs in New Jersey say building transistors vertically rather than horizontally could be the key to making faster, denser microchips."

(WHO) p17: 'Bug tracker'

"Smart agents could one day roam computer networks hunting down viruses, says IBM."

(DGR) Fp25_28: 'Warning! Strange behaviour'

"Nobody sees the thief looking for a car to break into, or the woman steeling herself to jump infront of a train - but somehow the alarm is sounded. Duncan Graham-Rowe enters a world where machines predict our every move"

04/Dec/99, Issue 2215:

(CHS) p8: 'Acoustic eye that works in the murk'

"A camera that lets divers see through the murkiest of waters is being developed by a subsidiary of the aerospace company Lockheed Martin"

(DGR) p9: 'Rollersnake'

"Realistic robots are wriggling off the drawing board"

(Tony Stone) p11: 'Frozen chips'

"The next generation of microprocessors may have to be cooled to -100C."

(DGR) p22: 'Chips are down'

"The prospect of a European trade ban on Intel's Pentium III processor came closer last month."

(ALI) Fp42_45: 'I am a camera'

"Imagine recording every life experience with a device built into the lens of your glasses."

27/Nov/99, Issue 2214:

(MRC) p11: 'Unwrite this'

"It's heresy, but time running backwards could explain dark matter"

20/Nov/99, Issue 2213:

(Mark Schrope) p11: 'Alien inspiration'

"A walking robot could make its wearer incredibly powerful"

(Ian Sample) p24: 'Bubble bursts illusion of email security'

"It was only a matter of time. Now a computer virus spread by email can infect your system even if you avoid opening any attatched documents."

(Catherine Zandonella) Fp40_45: 'Get real'

"There's something not quite right about the fantasy worlds conjured up in games and simulators. But scientists building the next generation of physics-based games are set to change that"

13/Nov/99, Issue 2212:

(EDT) p3: 'Land of the free'

"If you want to see how to manage open access, look at America"

(DGR) p4: 'A signal improvement'

"Walking may be ambitious, but a neural amplifier could restore movement to many paraplegics"

(Yvonne Carts-Powell) p6: 'Spring-loaded spies'

"Bouncing robots could become a cop's best friend"

(Matt Walker) Fp20_21: 'Too little, too late'

"FOCUS: It's long overdue, but will Britain's Freedom of Information Bill still deny right of access to information on major issues of public safety?"

(KRT) p22: 'Films for free'

"Hackers have cracked the system meant to stop digital video discs being pirated."

(FOX) p22: 'The colour of money'

"Sony gambles on its 'blue' video recorders being a massive hit"

(DGR) p23: 'Leave your mark'

"A single fingerprint can make lockers secure"

(KRT) p23: 'Lone molecule shrinks mighty memory'

"A new kind of computer memory that needs only a single molecule to store a data bit was announced last week by a researcher from Yale University."

(MRC) Fp44_47: 'The last supper'

"When a star runs out of hydrogen, it starts eating planets. But swallowing gas giants can give you terrible indigestion. Marcus Chown reports"

06/Nov/99, Issue 2211:

(FOX) p11: 'New-wave spies'

"Electronic eavesdropping is becoming mere child's play"

(CHS) p21: 'Riding the wave'

"Spacecraft could soon be propelled by microwave engines"

(FOX) p21: 'Will you get stuck in the Matrix?'

"The rush to get DVD players into the shops is causing problems for movie buyers."

(Dana Mackenzie) Fp44_47: 'On a roll'

"Understand randomness and you could win a Nobel prize, or clean up big time at casino. So the stakes are high indeed for a tiny band of mathematicians who reckon they are beginning to crack it, says Dana Mackenize"

(Ehsan Masood) Fp48_51: 'Confidentially yours'

(an interview with Ross Anderson, on the subject of privacy and encryptions technologies)

30/Oct/99, Issue 2210:

(EDT) p3: 'The common good'

"Forget everything you know about who owns what... it's revolution time"

(Ian Sample) p11: 'Keep your distance'

"Acoustic trickery can spot dangerous chemicals in sealed drums"

(CHS) p14: 'Spam hits the fan'

"A nation of pornographers and spammers. That was the view of Britain apparently adopted by one of the biggest Internet service providers in the US last week, as it decided to block all incoming email from British companies."

(FOX) p23: 'Digital disaster'

"Plans to modernise America's TV are in trouble"

(MRC) p25: 'Getting heavy'

"Does a shadowy particle fatten up some mighty atoms?"

(MBR) Fp32_37: 'The Quantum Inquisition'

"Entangled photons could provide deep insights into our world that nobody, not even physicists, expected. Michael Brooks spoke to the chief inquisitor"

23/Oct/99, Issue 2209:

(FOX) p14: 'Fast trick'

"A British invention that thwarts road-side speed enforcement cameras goes on sale this week."

(FOX) p14: 'No denying it'

"Digital watermarks mean crooks can't claim they've been framed"

(JEF) p15: 'Will Net upgrade dent online privacy?'

"Privacy campaigners are up in arms over plans for a new Internet transmission standard that can add information to emails and Web requests that identifies the sender's computer."

(CHS) p23: 'Masters of infinity'

"The men who tamed a wayward force get the physics Nobel"

16/Oct/99, Issue 2208:

(JEF) : 'Then there were ten'

"Way out beyond Pluto, there may be another giant planet"

(KRT) p11: 'Gas powered'

"There's a new kind of computer in the air"

(Robert Adler) p17: 'Magic metal'

"It only exists for a few milliseconds, but its scope is cosmic"

(FOX) p20: 'Split standard'

"An industry split over the best way to speed up Net access via mobiles and laptops could be bad news for consumers"

(KRT) Fp22_23: 'FOCUS: Patently silly'

"Fierce battles over intillectual property rights, rather than state intervention, are now the main threat to the Net"

(WHO) p27: 'Quantum balls'

"Buckyballs - molecules made up of 60 carbon atoms - can behave like waves, blurring the boundary between the everyday world and the realm of quantum mechanics"

(Julian Barbour) Fp28_32: 'timeless'

"Surely nothing is possible without time? But according to physicist Julian Barbour, it doesn't even exist"

09/Oct/99, Issue 2207:

(EDT) p3: 'Critical failure'

"Take seven bucketfuls of highly enriched uranium..."

(HAD/Rob Edwards/JUS) Fp4_5: 'Asking for trouble'

"The Tokaimura nuclear plant was an accident waiting to happen"

(JEF) p6: 'Schoolkid blunder brought down Mars probe'

"NASA lost its $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft as a result of a mistake that would shame a first-year physics student - failing to convert Imperial units to metric."

(Ian Sample) p16: 'Sharpen up'

"A giant rradio telescope will cut through cellphone noise"

(WHO) p17: 'Long players'

"Stand by for the super-long-pplaying CD player."

(Fred Pearce) p27: 'Running on empty'

"Even oil companies are looking for alternative fuels"

(Rita Carter) Fp30_34: 'Tune in, turn off'

"You too could have seemingly superhuman mental skills. All you have to do is switch off part of your brain. Sounds bizarre? Rita Carter investigates"

(ALI) Fp48_51: 'Body politics'

"Your organs are giving out, but your mind is healthy. Without urgent intervention you will certainly die. Could the answer be a head transplant--your head on someone else's body?"

02/Oct/99, Issue 2206:

(Jeff Hecht and Robert Adler) ?: 'Misguided'

"TO LOSE ONE MARTIAN orbiter may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose a second looks like carelessness--especially when the craft was lost not through some unfortunate malfunction, but because human error or a software bug caused it to be steered to its destruction."

(HAD) ?: 'They do it with mirrors'

"MIRROR BALLS--think John Travolta--have inspired an idea for improving the way computers communicate over a wireless office network."

(Simon Singh) ?: 'Quantum confidential'

"Want to beat the hackers once and for all? As Simon Singh finds out, the enigmatic quantum world is about to make your secrets safe as houses"

25/Sep/99, Issue 2205:

(DGR) p6: 'Checmical brothers'

"Robots can make do with a head full of goo"

(DGR) p20: 'Hands on'

"Robonaut takes the risks you don't have to"

(FOX) p21: 'Flipping formats, Batman'

"Can't choose between CD and DVD video? Now there's a way you can have both"

(Catherine Zandonella) Fp32_35: 'Follow my leader'

"Why build giant space telescopes when a few small spacecraft flying in formation could do a better job for a fraction of the cost? Catherine Zandonella reports"

(GOV) Fp36_39: 'Afterburn'

"You have to move fast if you want to sift through the wreckage of one of the most catastrophic satr bursts in the Universe. Govert Schilling got there just in time"

(Nick Schoon) Fp40_43: 'Caught on camera'

"You can run, but you can't hide. Big Brother can recognise your face even if you're in disguise, says Nick Schoon"

18/Sep/99, Issue 2204:

(CHS) p6: 'Ultracool atoms caught acting strangely'

"It may be degenerate, but scientists are coaxing atoms into doing things that are most unnatural."

(CHS) p11: 'Engage dark matter!'

"Interplanetary spacecraft could run on the crew's organic waste"

(PMK) p13: 'Power failure'

"Mains electricity lines will not be bringing superfast Internet connections to British homes, as some had hoped."

(DGR) Fp18_19: 'FOCUS: To the virtual barricades'

"Forget sit-ins and demos. Now political activists have the cyberpower to bring down governments"

(Sougato Bose) Fp56_57: 'Swapping partners'

"In the quantum world, the impossible becomes everyday fact, says Sougato Bose"

11/Sep/99, Issue 2203:

(Michael Fitzpatrick) p6: 'Charge of the light battery brigade'

"Electric cars could go farther between recharges and mobile phones will have talk time measured in days if a Japanese breaktrhough in battery technology becomes a commercial reality."

(CHS) p7: 'Tiff over GIFs sparks Net uproar'

"Do you put graphics up on the Web? If so, you may owe an American company $5000."

(Robert Adler) p10: 'Boom and bust'

"Our Galaxy has had a glittering, turbulent past"

(Jens) p12: "It's a small Web"

"Finding your way through the online jungle need never be so daunting again"

(Robert Adler) p22: 'Will robots learn to build their own future?'

"An ungainly bridge built out of Lego bricks may be the first step toward developing robots whose bodies and brains evolve together like those of a living organism."

(FOX) p26: 'Left standing'

"An all-in-one portable digital TV set, cellphone and Web browser that works even in speeding cars or trains has been developed by Nokia of Finland. But Americans won't be able to make use of such devices."

(FOX) p26: 'Gates shut out'

"Broadcasters in Europe have moved to prevent Microsoft's Windows CE operating system becoming the standard for interactive services accessed through the next generation of digital TV sets."

(FOX) p26: 'Glimmer of hope for CD unity'

"The first cracks in the entertainment industry's plan to launch two incompatible CD-like formats appeared last week."

(JEF) p27: 'Hole power'

"The secret of a supereffective optical fibre is quite a surprise"

(Mark Schrope) Fp42_45: 'The dope on silicon'

"Guessing is no longer good enough. To make better microchips, designers need to see exactly what goes on in their hearts, says Mark Schrope"

04/Sep/99, Issue 2202:

(DGR) p11: 'The bigger picture'

"Peripheral vision holds the key to safer and better flying"

(WHO) p15: 'Bugs in your ear'

(the world's smallest broadcast-quality microphone)

(WHO) p25: 'Toy atom'

"For the first time, physicists have trapped an atom in a way that allows them not only to observe it, but also to play with it."

(BNI) Fp26_29: 'Fantastic voyager'

"Ben Iannotta meets the man who dreams of flying through deep space on sails built from hot plasma"

28/Aug/99, Issue 2201:

(DGR) p6: 'Dust bugs'

"Beware swarms of tiny airborne spies"

(Catherine Zandonella) p13: 'Changing faces'

"Even the Mona Lisa's mysterious smile can be turned into a frown thanks to a new way of 'morphing' faces."

(DGR) p22: 'Cyber-warriors menace Indonesian government'

"An army of more than one hundred computer hackers is poised to declare cyberwar on the Indonesian government if it hinders next week's elections for independence in East Timor."

(RMT) Fp24_27: 'Black hole ate my planet'

"Could physicists accidentally make killer black holes or lethal strange matter that would swallow the Earth? At least there'd be no one left to say sorry to, says Robert Matthews."

(Brandon Brown) Fp39_41: 'Cooking with qubits'

"Brandon Brown finds the perfect recipe for understanding the quantum world"

21/Aug/99, Issue 2200:

(JEF) p9: 'Spies like us'

"With a silent cellphone, eavesdropping becomes all too easy"

(DGR) p13: 'Elvis lives'

"The droid that won't step on your blue suede shoes"

(MRC) Fp22_26: 'Fractured Universe'

"A dissident group of astronomers is claiming that the Universe is not the smooth, homogenous place that Einstein envisaged. If they're right, says Marcus Chown, the foundations of cosmology could crumble to dust"

14/Aug/99, Issue 2199:

(DGR) p11: 'Flying eye'

"An aerial scanner can spot tiny targets at a thousand metres"

(PMK) p14: 'Hack it if you can'

"An Australian company is so confident that its new SecurePage software can thwart attempts to change the contents of web sites that it is set to challenge hackers to crack it."

(DGR) p15: 'Read my lips'

"Voice-recognition software that won't be distracted by noise"

07/Aug/99, Issue 2198:

(Matt Walker) p13: 'Are these your genes, Sir?'

"Plans to allow the police in Britain to keep DNA samples taken from innocent people are alarming campaigners for civil liberties."

(WHO) p13: 'Disc wars'

"Watch out VHS - the recordable video disc is about to arrive."

(Catherine Zandonella) p21: 'Pump it up'

"Vanishingly small quantities of liquids can now be mixed using a plastic disc the size of a CD."

31/Jul/99, Issue 2197:

(PMK) p7: 'Dependence Day'

"If your life is in the hands of software, it had better work"

(DGR) p16: 'The bad guys are about to get smart'

"If you're used to deimating massed ranks of bad guys in computer games, you're in for a shock. The villains could soon be as smart as you are."

(DGR) p16: 'A helping hand'

"It can take months to learn how to use an electronic artificial limb, but it could soon take just a few minutes, thanks to a new control device that adapts to suit each individual rather than vice versa."

24/Jul/99, Issue 2196:

(Jens Thomas) p10: "It's heard but can't be seen"

"Spies could soon be eavesdropping with a microphone so small it is almost invisible."

(M. Abbey) p15: 'Downsizing the future'

"We're one step closer to making molecular computers, which would use molecules to representthe 0s and 1s of binary code instead of today's much larger silicon transistors."

(John D. Barrow) Fp28_32: 'Is nothing sacred?'

"Call it heresy, but all the big cosmological problems will simply melt away, if you break one rule, says John D. Barrow - the rule that says the speed of light never varies" (I had this idea years ago btw; there has never been any evidence that c is always the same in different parts of the Universe, or has always been the same in the past; in fact, in areas where there is nothing whatsoever, eg. in the giant emptyness away from the Great Wall, I would be very surprised if EMF radiation behaved in the same way as it does in places where matter is abundant - Ian)

17/Jul/99, Issue 2195:

(FOX) p6: 'High-speed clash'

"Competition may result in mangled data on the superhighway"

(Catherine Zandonella) p7: 'Space balls'

"It's tiny, it's round, and every astronaut should have one"

(KRT) Fp18_19: 'Spies are US'

"FOCUS: Few doubt that a secretive global electronic spying system exists. But is the clandestine US agency behind it really being used to promote American commercial interests?"

(CHS) p20: "It's very strange, but it's not quantum"

"Quantum computers are having an identity crisis - they may not be quantum computers after all."

10/Jul/99, Issue 2194:

(FOX) p11: 'The long goodbye'

"The age of celluloid may finally be drawing to a close"

(KRT) p11: "Search engines can't keep up"

"The amount of information on the World Wide Web is outstripping the ability of search engines to index it, according to a new study."

(FOX) p20: 'Off key'

"Wouldn't you be angry if CDs refused to play on your PC?"

(DGR) p21: 'Die, boss man'

"The ultimate revenge fantasy could soon be coming to your computer"

(Karl Ziemelis) Fp38_41: 'Don't watch it, wear it'

"The moving image is about to hit the catwalk. Thanks to a fantastic plastic that pumps out light, reports Karl Ziemelis, designers could soon be making clothes from TV screens"

(Terry Pratchett) Fp46_48: 'The world of If'

"A million copies sold is a phrase to warm the heart of any author. So Terry Pratchett must be basking nicely: he's sold 17 million books based on his fantasy universe, Discworld, where the rules of magic hold sway over humdrum physics."

03/Jul/99, Issue 2193 (anyone spot my letter this week?):

(PMK) p6: "The sky's the limit"

"No satellite? No problem. Just bounce your digital images round the world"

(CHS) p7: 'The big picture'

"For super-sharp 3D images throw away your lens"

(WHO) p13: 'Quantum well'

"The first simulation using a quantum computer has been carried out."

(NEL) Fp18_19: 'Rough justice'

"FOCUS: What is a jury supposed to do when the prosecution's expert witness flatly contradicts a scientist appearing for the defence? Are court-appointed neutral experts the answer?"

(HAD) p20: 'Chain gang'

"Japan's latest micromachines can hunt in packs"

(MRC) Fp42_45: 'Gamma force'

"They're scary, awesome and hard to control. Nuclear lasers a million times more powerful than their conventional cousins are no longer a crazy dream, says Marcus Chown"

26/Jun/99, Issue 2192:

(PHL) p7: 'By thought alone'

"Brain implants are being taught how to read minds"

(FOX) p10: 'Without a trace'

"Freedom of information will be a mockery if officials are allowed to destroy records"

(MBR) p11: 'Drawing a fine line'

"It's time to rewrite the rules of microchip manufacture"

(Michelle Knott) p22: 'See-through teeth'

"Toshiba is developing a safer alternative to X-rays"

(WHO) p25: "Can't stop the music"

"In a major blow to the recording industry, a judge in California has ruled that the Rio player, a portable device for playing MP3 music files downloaded from the Net, is not a digital audio recording device."

(Stephanie Pain) Fp34_37: 'Sheer brilliance'

"Forgers have reason to fear a butterfly that plays astounding tricks with light, says Stephanie Pain. Its dazzling iridescent wings are a counterfeiter's nightmare"

(MBR) Fp38_41: 'Stripe tease'

"Microscopic rivers of charge called stripes may underlie the miraculous properties of superconductors. Or are they teeming with red herrings? Michael Brooks investigates"

19/Jun/99, Issue 2191:

(EDT) p3: 'The worms that turned'

"Make no mistake - if we don't deal with cybervandals, Big Brother will"

(DGR) p5: "Melissa's evil sister"

"Computer viruses are getting nastier and nastier..."

(KRT) p14: 'Hands off our websites!'

"Outraged webmasters are demanding the withdrawal from the market of a computer program that lets people add their own comments to websites."

(WHO) p27: 'Buckybulbs'

"Molecular light bulbs designed by chemists in California could be used to produce glowing walls that change colour at the turn of a dial."

(MBR) Fp 28_31: 'Quantum foam'

"Is the fabric of the Universe a seething mass of black holes and wormholes? We may soon be able to venture into this maelstrom in search of the theory of everything, reports Michael Brooks"

(GLY) Fp32_36: 'Top of the Pops: MP3'

"MP3 is a hit with Internet surfers but its soaring popularity is giving record companies the blues. Now, says Glyn Moody, the industry is trying to stop the music"

(JKN) Fp38_41: 'The engine of creation'

"It's the smallest train in the world, but it's no toy. The nano express could take us closer to the dream of incredibly tiny robots that build themselves. Jonathan Knight leaps aboard"

12/Jun/99, Issue 2190:

(CHS) p11: 'Cracking code'

(using DNA to send encrypted messages)

(RMT) p16: 'Warp factor one'

"Faster-than-light travel has jumped its first hurdle"

(PHB) Fp36_39: 'Holey Light'

"What's the best way to build a powerful pocket laser or a hosepipe for atoms? Simply pepper an optical fibre with tiny holes. Philip Ball reports"

(Adam Rogers) Fp41_43: 'Hard wiring'

"They could hold the key to thoughts and memories or become the building blocks of living computers. Adam Rogers finds out how to grow circuits from brain cells"

05/Jun/99, Issue 2189:

(EDT) p3: 'Control is all'

"Who needs crude censorship when corporate bodies call the shots in research?"

(RMT) Fp29_32: 'Catch the wave'

"Store up a beam of light and all sorts of magic becomes possible - starting with memories for those elusive optical computers. Robert Matthews reports"

(Henry Bortman) Fp40_43: 'Whirlybugs'

"Forget Mars landers and rovers, how about exploring the Red Planet with swarms of helicopters the size of insects? Henry Bortman investigates the tiny world of mesicopters"

29/May/99, Issue 2188:

(FOX) p10: 'Hi-fi anxiety'

"Some CD players may refuse to play hybrid discs"

(PMK) p11: 'Pack them in'

"Get rid of a few million electrons and you can store movies on a microchip"

(MMY) Fp24_27: "I'm just flying down to the supermarket"

'"It's 6am and the skies are good and clear..." If one man gets lucky, this could be the traffic update on a TV near you soon, says Mike May'

22/May/99, Issue 2187:

(DGR) p6: 'Soft focusing'

"A drop of oil and some salty water make a remarkably flexible lens"

(CHS) p16: 'Will a blast of light speed up your disc?'

"A laser will speed up your computer's hard disc drive by a factor of 10, if the latest research from IBM lives up to its promise."

(BNI) Fp32_36: "Earth, you've got mail"

"It had to happen. NASA is about to tame the unruly Solar System by wiring it up. Ben Iannotta has his Interplanetary Net address all ready and waiting"

(DGR) Fp42_46: 'Booting up baby'

"There's much less going on in Cog's head than meet's the eye - in fact, this android has a lot in common with a baby. Duncan Graham-Rowe succumbed to its charms"

(RMT) Fp48_52: 'Rock solid'

"For 20 years, physicists have been patiently waiting to witness the decay of a proton. So far, zilch. Could this spell trouble for their dreams of a theory of everything, asks Robert Matthews"

15/May/99, Issue 2186:

(KRT) p10: 'Calling all geeks'

"Web gurus claim that patent casts its net too wide"

(MRC) p16: 'Come together'

"Nature's forces are getting closer by the day"

(Rob Edwards) Fp18_19: 'The chips are down'

"For years the semiconductor industry has had a clean image. Now workers claim it causes birth defects and cancer"

(Robert Coontz) Fp32_35: 'Escape from the nucleon'

"After the big bang, quarks were locked away in nuclear dungeons. Or were they? In some corners of the Universe they may still roam free, says Robert Coontz"

(DVS) Fp36_39: 'Paper goes electric'

"The future may be written in electronic ink. Bennett Daviss heralds the greatest advance since papyrus"

08/May/99, Issue 2185:

(EDT) p3: 'Cops and hackers'

"On the Net, total privacy is a luxury we simply can't afford"

(DGR) p7: "Who's reading your e-mails?"

"The European Union could force Internet providers and telecoms companies to build data taps into their Net servers to allow government security agencies to siphon off e-mails, monitor individuals' Web activity and check newsgroup memberships."

(PHL) p21: 'Digging Deeper'

"Nanotubes reach the parts of the cell other probes can't reach"

(DGR) p21: 'Hackers have field day with free Web mail'

"Free Web-based e-mail services are vulnerable to hackers, according to an analysis by the Internet Security Advisors Group, a consultancy in Severna Park, Maryland."

(DAV) Fp26_31: 'I know how you feel'

"What if that beige box on your desk could read your every mood and tell your friends"

(Dan Falk) Fp38_41: 'The twilight zone'

"Are there really planetary systems around other stars, or have we been completely fooled by tiny, mischievous creatures called brown dwarfs, asks Dan Falk"

01/May/99, Issue 2184:

(PMK) p10: 'Down but not out'

"Even with the power switched off, the image stays on the screen"

(DGR) p15: 'I can see you'

"Hacking into a web cam is child's play"

(CHS) p16: 'Getting molecules into a spin'

"Lasers can make molecules spin at such high speeds that the centrifugal forces snap the molecules in two, physicists in Canada have found."

(Fred Pearce) Fp20_21: "Iceland's power game"

"FOCUS: It's quiet, green and inexhaustible. Has hydrogen's day finally come?"

(David Appell) Fp35_37: 'Of dumbbells and doughnuts'

"Imagine a world where atomic nuclei come in all shapes and sizes. It might even be our world, says David Appell"

(RBI) Fp44_48: 'Our tortured star'

"Spacecraft are beginning to explore the Sun's maelstrom of incandescent plasma and twisted magnetic fields. Robert Irion reports"

24/Apr/99, Issue 2183 (anyone spot my letter? :)

(DGR) p5: 'Crash course'

"A software copilot can rapidly learn to fly a damaged plane"

(JKN) p6: 'On the right track'

"Following moving objects that are partly obscured takes more brain power than anyone realised, say NASA researchers."

(WHO) 13: 'For your eyes only'

"NEC has developed a projector system that lets people playing computer games bob and weave in front of a large display - while still watching the best possible 3D image"

(DGR) p15: 'Short, sharp shocks build micromachines'

"Tiny devices could be assembled using a technique originally developed for positioning samples under an electron microscope, say Swiss researchers."

(MRC) p20: 'Paradox lost'

"Could time warps explain quantum wierdness?"

17/Apr/99, Issue 2182:

(CHS) p4: 'Dangerous Din'

"In space, no one can hear you speak - and noise may drown out alarm signals"

(FOX) p10: 'Blind Bombing'

"NATO AIRCRAFT have been returning from missions in Serbia and Kosovo without dropping their laser-guided bombs because of low cloud and poor visibility. But patent records show that the military has had access to the technology to get around this problem for at least two years."

(WHO) p17: "It's a deal"

"Arch-rivals JVC and Sony have finally struck an agreement that clears the way for a cheap digital VCR that could record several TV programmes at once or let you shoot multicamera home movies."

(Liz Tynan) p21: 'Seeing the light'

"An extinct fly's eye may help to boost the efficiency of solar power"

(FOX) p23: 'Friend or foe?'

"A simple bar code could stop Internet pirates in their tracks"

(GAB) : 'Like nothing on earth'

"Why wait for the next interplanetary ship when you can reach the Red Planet by just heading south?"

10/Apr/99, Issue 2181:

(Kurt Kleiner and Matt Walker) p4: "Melissa's mayhem"

"As virus writers spread chaos by email, the power of the Net could be turned against them"

(MRC) p9: 'Megablasts'

"Astronomers have found bigger bangs than they bargained for"

(Frank Wilczek) Fp32_37: 'Masses and molasses'

"Is space filled with a cosmic treacle whose stickiness gives particles their mass? The idea is not as crazy as it sounds, as leading physicist Frank Wilczek explains"

(BNI) Fp38_41: 'Pocket rocket'

"The race is on to create tiny thrusters that could manoeuvre swarms of satellites with incredible precision - or even power flying machines almost too small to see. Ben Iannotta reveals all"

03/Apr/99, Issue 2180:

(EDT) p3: "It's violent out there"

"People are fascinated by explosions, especially big ones. And they don't come much bigger than the one picked up by the Italian-Dutch satellite BeppoSax on 23 January."

(JEF) p5: 'Ray of light'

"There's a simpler explanation for gamma-ray bursts"

(WHO) p5: 'Rocket rigs'

"A former North Sea oil rig has become the world's first floating rocket launch pad."

(CHS) p6: 'Honey, I shrank the reactor'

"Nuclear fusion on a tabletop is now possible. Physicists have unveiled a reactor that uses a small laser to fuse atoms. While it won't solve the world's energy problems, it will make it possible to study fusion for a tiny fraction of the usual cost."

(CHS) p7: 'Picture this'

"A lungful of xenon will improve your body image" [improved MRI technology]

(CHS) p7: "Diamonds aren't forever"

"A laser built for nuclear weapons research has turned diamond into a metal."

(DGR) p15: 'Shaky defences'

"The US military is vulnerable to attack from cyberspace"

(WHO) p25: 'Not so fast...'

"The controversy surrounding the MP3 compression system, which makes it easy to download music from the Internet, has reached new heights."

(MRC) : 'The fifth element'

"What's invisible, packed with energy and is tearing the Universe apart, asks Marcus Chown"

27/Mar/99, Issue 2179:

(FOX) p6: 'Jukebox rebellion'

"A new digital recorder could break an agreement to protect copyright"

(Rob Edwards) p27: 'The camera lies'

"British courts have too much faith in video evidence"

(WAT) Fp37_40: 'Pump up the volume'

"What lasers do for lights, sasers promise to do for sound. Andrew Watson is on the lookout for the best way to build one"

(MBR) Fp46_48: 'Hole in one'

"Remember punched cards? They're making a comeback - only this time they're plastic and much, much smaller, says Michael Brooks"

20/Mar/99, Issue 2178:

(FOX) p10: 'Confusion reigns'

"Rival standards are blighting music's digital future"

(KRT) p11: 'Complete control' [A.P.]

"Bill Gates tightened his grip on the Internet last week with a $15 million investment in a company that owns a system designed to prevent illicit copying of downloaded material."

(KJN) p15: 'Where no chip has gone before' [A.P.]

"Motorola has become the first major chip maker to commit itself to making biochips."

(RMT) p20: 'Reality check'

"Time's up for some wierd and wonderful gravity theories"

13/Mar/99, Issue 2177:

(CHS) p5: 'Looking sharp'

"Novel superceramics are transforming spaceplanes"

(DGR) p6: 'Are your secrets safe?'

"The stronger the key used to encode files, the easier it is to find"

(WHO) p15: 'Nanotriumph'

"The world's smallest set of scales could weigh viruses, say researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology."

(CHS) p16: 'The new wave'

"Magnetic fields are giving us unprecedented power over atoms"

(Alison Mitchell) Fp26_30: 'Liquid genius'

"There's more to the mind than neural networks. Messages also percolate through the soup-like fluid bathing the brain. Alison Mitchell reports"

(Michael Riordan) Fp32_35: 'Massive attack'

"Last year's discovery that neutrinos have mass was a mortal blow to the most cherished theory of particle physics. Michael Riordan looks at the bizarre theories that could replace it"

(Mike Cross) p59: 'FORUM: Not so smart'

"Too much plastic can seriously samage your health, says Mike Cross"

06/Mar/99, Issue 2176:

(DGR) p11: 'Sensor Sensibility'

"Control that computer with a wave of your hand"

(FOX) p20: 'Climb every mountain'

"Now digital TV can penetrate the most rugged terrain"

(Lila Guterman) p21: 'Falling into place'

"Choose the right pieces and they'll assemble themselves"

(BCH) Fp25_28: 'An end to uncertainty'

"Wave goodbye to the uncertainty principle - you don't need them any more. Say hello to quantum entaglement, says Mark Buchanan"

(Lia Hattersley) Fp30_33: 'Electric dreams'

"A hundred years of clean power from a greenhouse and a giant chimney in the desert... is it the perfect power station or a mirage? Lia Hattersley investigates"

(DGR) p48: 'FORUM: Under lock and key'

"Your secrets are safe for now, says Duncan Graham-Rowe"

27/Feb/99, Issue 2175:

(WHO) p13: 'Quantum memory'

"Electronics giant Fujitsu says it has succeeded in making an experimental quantum dot memory device that can store data on an atomic scale."

(WHO) p13: 'Never say dye'

"While digital copyright on the Net is exercising the minds of music industry lawyers, a new extended-play blank CD from Memorex could spell even more trouble."

(PMK) p20: 'Saved by the light'

"Doctors don't need expensive lasers if they've got sunshine"

(JEF) p21: 'Virtual reality leaves you virtually reeling'

"Jannick Rolland knew there was something wrong when she took off a virtual reality helmet and tried to drink a soda."

(CHS) p23: 'Supercold helium picks a fight with Newton'

"In the topsy-turvy world of superfluid helium, you can't trust your intuition."

(WHO) p27: 'All together now'

"Protons and neutrons can form tiny 'molecules' within an atom rather than uniform clumps, say physicists in Europe."

(David Appell) Fp29_32: 'Fire in the sky'

"If the Sun spits, the Earth fries. Humankind is ill-prepared for the furious climax of the next solar cycle. David Appell reports"

(Michelle Knott) p51: 'FORUM: Virtual warfare'

"State-sponsored hackers will be the stormtroopers of the 21st century, warns Michelle Knott"

(Arlene Judith Klotzko) p52: 'We can rebuild'

"Cloning is back on the agenda, says Arlene Judith Klotzko, but the focus is now on spare parts"

20/Feb/99, Issue 2174:

(Stephen Battersby) p10: 'Slow motion'

"Light pulse sets a low-speed record"

(KRT) p20: "Your secret's safe

"A new computer program promises to cover your tracks"

(FOX) p21: 'In the dark'

"Why some digital TVs don't get the message"

(DGR) p23: 'Final curtain for pirated songs'

"Proposed changes to Europe's copyright laws threaten to push up the cost of Internet access and raise the price of blank audio and video tapes and recordable CDs."

(MRC) Fp36_39: 'Galactic visionaries'

"Europe's astronomers reckon they can build a telescope bigger than all its predecessors put together, and thousands of times more powerful than the best we have today, says Marcus Chown"

13/Feb/99, Issue 2173:

(HZL) p5: 'Shadowlands'

"There could be whole worlds of invisible matter out there"

(DGR) p10: 'A deadly flight'

"After a shaky start, powerful laser weapons are taking to the air"

(MRC) Fp42_44: 'Cosmic Crystal'

"Is the Universe a giant crystal growing in a five-dimensional liquid? Marcus Chown explores one man's extraordinary vision of the big bang"

06/Feb/99, Issue 2172:

(CHS) p6: 'Escape from Earth'

"NASA is spending over half a million dollars on bizarre antigravity research"

(Paul Marks) p6: 'Pretty poor privacy may lurk inside processors'

"Civil liberties campaigners in the US want microchip maker Intel to abandon its plan to incorporate an electronic serial number in all its new processors."

(DGR) p7: 'The one to watch'

"It looks like a regular LCD until the image jumps out at you"

(FOX) p7: 'Violence blackout'

"New TV sets in the US include a V-chip which makes the screen go blank if a violence rating is exceeded."

(WHO) p25: 'Stars burst'

"For the first time, astronomers have seen the flash of light from a gammaray burst, an event thought to be triggered by the collision of two neutron stars or the collapse of a massive star into a black hole."

(Robert Irion) Fp26_30: 'the lopsided Universe'

"After the big bang, all matter should have been annihilated by antimatter. Luckily for us, a smidgen was left over. Robert Irion reports on the race to find out why"

(MRG) Fp38_41: 'Out of this world'

"Two dimensions weren't for artist Char Davies, so she swapped her paintbrush for a supercomputer. Margaret Wertheim explores her virtual masterpiece."

30/Jan/99, Issue 2171:

(PDV) p3: 'Bit before it?'

"In a guest editorial, physicist Paul Davies comments on our cover feature"

(WHO) p17: 'Privacy on parade'

"The Internet is becoming a political issue once again."

(RMT) Fp24_28: 'I is the law'

"It's the ultimate big idea, the source of everything we know about the physical world. And it all comes from one simple question, says Robert Matthews"

(MMY) Fp34_37: 'Quantum melting pots'

"Supercomputers are fast becoming the crucibles of the future, forging a new generation of designer materials. Mike May reports"

23/Jan/99, Issue 2170:

(DGR) p6: 'Total recall'

"When it comes to storing data, holograms are streets ahead"

(FOX) p7: 'Disaster movies'

"You're in for a shock if you record a digital pay-per-view film"

(WHO) p13: 'Brassed off'

"Movies on DVD discs will be labelled with the computer requirements needed to play them."

(RMT) p16: "Sorry, we'll be late"

"Cataclysmic explosions may have held up alien visitors"

(WHO) p19: 'Netropolitan'

"Infection and reflection" (Netropolitan deals with computer viruses this week)

(CHS) p20: 'Will it crack?'

"A schoolgirl's secret code has yet to pass its sternest tests"

(DGR) p21: 'Silicon Valley turns to levitation'

"First it was trains, then futuristic spacecraft - and now microchips may be levitated by magnets."

(Nat Tunbridge) Fp34_37: 'The human touch'

"It's no fuss. Just reach into your computer screen and pull out what you want. Nat Tumbridge tracks down a group of people who are revolutionising the way we treat information"

(MRC) p46: 'FORUM: The next big thing'

"Marcus Chown wonders how secure the edifice of physics is as we approach the start of a new century"

16/Jan/99, Issue 2169:

(FOX) p8: 'Mark of a princess'

"Heirs face a long battle for control over digital pictures of Diana"

(KRT) p17: 'Game over?'

"The copyright clampdown that's got gamers in a frenzy"

(Stephen Battersby) Fp24_28: 'space oddity'

"It makes up most of the Galaxy but no one has ever seen it. And, says Stephen Battersby, it's wierder than you ever imagined"

09/Jan/99, Issue 2168:

(EDT) p3: 'Life as we know it'

"For good or evil, the world's most powerful artificial brain is taking shape"

(DGR) p4: 'Clever kitty'

"What has four paws and a dazzling silicon mind? Artificial life's next big thing"

(WHO) p5: 'Hacked to death'

"NEWSWIRE: Two Chinese computer hackers have been sentenced to death for defrauding a state-owned bank. The sentence was passed last week by a court in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province. Twin brothers Hao Jinlong and Hao Jingwen transferred 60000 UKP of nonexistent deposits into 16 different accounts they had opened under false names. They had withdrawn a third of the money before they were caught."

(CHS) p11: 'Into the void'

"Add a few time-travelling tachyons and black holes make sense"

(CHS) p15: 'Thank our lucky star'

"Could the Sun send out a monstrous flare powerful enough to melt the ice on Jupiter's moons, destroy much of the Earth's ozone layer and obliterate all our satllites?"

(FOX) p18: 'Hello, Dave'

"Just how personal can your personal computer get?"

(WHO) p21: 'Victorious dwarfs'

"A galaxy in which stellar dwarfs seem to have conquered the giants has left astronomers puzzled about how large stars form."

(MBR) Fp28_31: 'Heart of chaos'

"Anarchy on a quantum scale has spawned powerful lasers as small as a human hair, says Michael Brooks"

(LND) Fp33_35: 'Beastly explorers'

"Inspired by a menagerie of terrestrial animals, NASA is breeding robots that will be tough and wily enough to conquer the Solar System. Leonard David reports."

(Peter McClintock and Dmitri Luchinsky) Fp36_39: 'Glorious noise'

"Random noise can be used to drive chemical reactions or stop a spacecraft spinning out of control - you just have to know how to tweak it. Peter McClintock and Dmitri Luchinsky tune in"

19/12/98, Issue 2165:

(Matt Walker) p7: "It's a wrap for the small screen"

"There will soon be no escaping from television, even in the high street."

(FOX) p16: "Pirate's platform"

"Is the cost of computer games fuelling a criminal counterculture?"

(MRC) p31: 'Mining for mass'

"The most elusive particles in nature gave away one of their long-kept secrets in June."

(BCH) p35: 'Qubits go out for a spin'

"Physicists turned to drugs this year to build the first quantum computer"

(Paul Murdin) p99: 'Lost in space'

"FORUM: Only wise investment will help Europe to reach the stars, says Paul Murdin"

12/Dec/98, Issue 2164:

(KRT) p12: 'Privacy clash'

"A trade war is looming between the US and the European Union over privacy on the Internet."

(MRC) p17: 'Curious correlation'

"Dirac thought it was chance but the implications are truly cosmic"

(FOX) p23: 'Dodging the detectors'

"High-tech TV sets will defeat the best effort to make Britons pay their TV licenses"

(GLY) Fp42_46: 'The wild bunch'

"How has a ragtag bunch of idealistic hackers managed to completely wrong foot the world's biggest software company? Glyn Moody investigates"

05/Dec/98, Issue 2163:

(FOX) p10: 'Rivals go their own way on mini videos'

"Pocket video recorders that can store several hours of high-quality pictures and sound will soon hit the market."

(DGR) p11: 'Palmtop plunder'

"A computer helps thieves to commit the perfect crime"

(BCH) p14: 'Spooky trio to explore the quantum Universe'

"The lives of three particles can become strangely linked or 'entangled', say physicists who have pulled off the trick with a trio of photons."

(WHO) p15: 'Videos go hyper'

"Interactive videos are just around the corner."

(FOX) p16: 'Your eyes only'

"An online magazine has been launched on the Internet with security software that prevents subscribers from passing electronic copies on to friends."

(DGR) Fp26_30: 'March of the Biobots'

"If just a handful of neurons is all it takes to make a robot act like an insect, is there less to animal "

(JTM) Fp36_39: 'Gripping Chemistry'

"Begin with the right molecular building blocks, and an astonishing array of structures will simply fall into place, says Jim Thomas"

28/Nov/98, Issue 2162:

(FOX) p7: 'Turing in the genes'

"Nippon Electric Corporation researchers in Princeton, New Jersey have patented (US5804373) a universal computer, originally proposed by British code-breaker Alan Turing. This one stores programs on DNA instead of an infinite tape."

(Stephen Battersby) p11: 'Full blast'

"Random noise can exert a push, say researchers who have seen an acoustic version of the 'Casimir effect' at work"

(FOX) p16: "The director's cut"

"Computer users risk buying drives for playing digital video discs which don't work with their decoders."

(IAN) Fp38_41: 'Pulling Power'

"It's hard work propelling satellites through space. But exploit chaos and the multidimensional landscape of gravity and you can sling them effortlessly around the Solar System, says Ian Stewart"

(Michael Cross) p52: 'I sense therefore I am'

"FORUM: Michael Cross thinks a concious computer may be some way off"

21/Nov/98, Issue 2161:

(NEL) p7: 'Spinal repairs' [A.P.]

"For the first time, scientists have managed to repair an animal's spinal cord after it has been severed, allowing it to transmit nerve impulses again"

(HAD) p11: 'Easy touch'

"Want a computer file? Just pick it up with your pen..."

(Lila Guterman) p22: 'Tie a knot in a nanotube'

"Microchips can incorporate capacitors and resistors, but not inductors, the third type of passive component needed to build an electronic circuit. Now this might be about to change, ..."

(Matt Walker) p23: 'Have they got a nerve?'

"Solid-state switch could open the way to robot brains"

(HZL) Fp38_41: 'Written in the clouds'

"When will the lights of our Galaxy finally be snuffed out? The answer may be blowing in giant clouds of gas, says Hazel Muir"

14/Nov/98, Issue 2160:

(Lila Guterman) p4: 'Stirred and shaken'

"Japanese chemists commit the heresy of saying mechanical energy drives a chemical reaction"

(DGR) p7: 'Stereo eye'

"Two brain images are better than one"

(WHO) p7: 'DNA circuits' [A.P.]

"DNA could soon be used to link components in tiny circuits if Nanotronics of San Diego and the University of California are successful with their joint patent application."

(CRY) p12: 'Crystal surfboard'

"Minute vibrations are sweeping micromachines into the future"

(KRT) p17: 'United in dissent'

"Don't hold your breath waiting for a universal computer language"

(Sharon Ann Holgate) p17: 'Buckytube crewcut fuels flat TV displays'

"Hairy glass could pave the way for a new kind of flat-panel display for TVs and computer monitors."

(CHS) Fp38_41: 'ISS Titanic'

"The future of space exploration depends on the success of the International Space Station. But the chances are that something will go horribly wrong, says Charles Seife"

(DVS) Fp47_50: 'Speed freaks'

"Once the human genome project is finished, we'll have the big picture. Then, says Bennett Daviss, we'll need a quick way to look at the genes of individuals."

(FOX) p56: 'FORUM: Running on empty'

"Russia's dollar-earning rocket business is being squeezed to death, says Barry Fox"

07/Nov/98, Issue 2159:

(Matt Walker) p4: 'Flirting with disaster'

"The ever-shrinking microchip is increasingly vulnerable to an invisible enemy"

(Jon Copley) p10: 'Enter a new dimension...'

"Movie magic is bringing holographic advertisements to life"

(WHO) p15: 'Bright hope'

"A carbon crystal that might eventually be used to make circuits which use light beams instead of electric currents has been developed by electronics company AlliedSignal."

(WHO) p15: 'Copy cats'

"Dutch consumer electronics firm Philips is about to upset record companies by launching the first consumer CD player with a built-in CD recorder."

(DGR) p23: 'Now you see it'

"Retinal implants could soon partially restore sight"

(FOX) p23: "Record firms can't stop the music"

"A landmark legal decision last week means that music could soon be downloaded from the Internet into personal stereos equipped with lightweight microchip memories instead of tapes or CDs."

(WEB) Fp36_38: 'hear me, see me, touch me'

"Watch out! Information is about to become an experience. At work you'll be able to sit in the airflow of a jet fighter to figure out the best design. At home, your Walkman will make you think you're in Carnegie Hall"

(JUS) p39: 'Touchy feely'

"When the boss's door handle goes cold, start worrying"

(PESC) p40: 'Spectacle for the eyes'

"You'll be amaxed how easy it is to see in 3D"

(PMK) Fp42_44: 'Crashing the barriers'

"This is a crucial time for chip makers. Real physical limits threaten to halt the digital revolution in its tracks. One challenge is to carve ever smaller transistors out of silicon..."

(JUS) Fp44_45: 'Looking for Leonardo'

"They said he knew the secret of creativity, but how to find him..."

(WEB) Fp46_47: 'Copper in the valley'

"For really high speeds, we need to rethink what chips are made of"

(WHO) Fp50_52: 'The future starts here'

"From San Fransisco to San Jose, people in labs are eagerly trying to design the 21st century. New Scientist went in search of the most outlandish ideas. First stop a cocktail party"

(WHO) Fp52_54: 'Warts and all'

"Badly flawed they may be, but molecular computers will still purr"

(WHO) Fp54_55: 'Flash of brilliance'

"Who needs a hard disc when you've got a transparent sugar cube?"

(WHO) Fp55_56: 'The right connections'

"Treat the Web mathematically and a fantastic order emerges"

(WHO) Fp56_57: 'Protein paparazzi'

"For perfect pictures of giant molecules, just tickle those atoms"

(MRC) p62: 'The cosmic connection'

"Marcus Chown muses on the significance of a recent cosmic event"

(JEF) p63: 'Holes in the net'

"An ageing telephone network may scupper our digital dreams, says Jeff Hecht"

31/Oct/98, Issue 2158:

(MRC) p5: 'Deflating inflation'

"The big bang's embers could kill cosmology's pet theory"

(Sharon Ann Holgate) p6: 'Great vibes from big surf'

"A system designed to detect gravitational waves from black holes could soon be a surfer's best friend."

(FOX) p7: 'Spam scam nets newbies'

"Numbered e-mail identities could open the doors to fraud"

(JEF) p10: 'Faster than a speeding light beam'

"Einstein's cosmic speed limit may not be absolute after all." [this is an odd comment to make since NS has had past articles about FTL communication research at NEC and IBM - Ian]

(Lila Guterman) p16: 'Inside story'

"Weapons can now be scanned to see what horrors they conceal"

(Andy York) p16: "It's what the best movie stars will be wearing"

"Animated movies are about to become more lifelike thanks to new software that models the physics of fabrics."

(FOX) p17: 'Aerial nightmare'

"Digital TV could have US viewers climbing the walls"

(WHO) p17: 'Ready to wear'

"If you thought mobile phone users were annoying, just wait until folks on the train start talking to their computers."

(CHS) p21: 'No turning back'

"It's official - time is not symmetrical"

24/Oct/98, Issue 2157:

(WHO) p5: "Rogues' gallery"

"The FBI has set up a national electronic database of DNA samples taken from American criminals, ..."

(WHO) p5: 'Rights and wrongs'

"The US Congress has passed a law extending copyright to electronically stored information."

(MRC) p6: 'Out of this world'

"Have physicists caught a fleeting glimpse of a bizarre kind of matter?"

(FOX) p10: 'All in one'

"Merging displays with chips could lead to ultralight laptops"

(CRY) p11: 'Radar bullets'

"How to find landmines without setting foot on the ground"

(DGR) p17: 'Revolutionary spinner'

"A tiny gear wheel could be the world's fastest machine tool"

(Lila Guterman and Andy York) p24: 'Winning numbers'

"Nobel goes to duo who brought quantum tools to messy chemistry"

(MRC) Fp29_32: 'Five and counting...'

"Against all the odds, we may soon catch a glimpse of the fifth dimension. If it appears, it will transform our view of how forces in the early Universe were fashioned, says Marcus Chown"

(BNI) Fp38_41: "You're on your own"

"The farther you get from Earth, the harder and more expensive it is to run a space mission - which is why NASA is working on probes that can think for themselves. Ben Iannotta investigates"

17/Oct/98, Issue 2156:

(CHS) p4: 'Fusion catches a cold'

"Attempts to tap into the Sun's power source will flounder without big bucks"

(DGR) p5: "Think and it's done"

"A radical new way of interacting with the world is born"

(DGR) p6: 'Follow that human'

"Robots may soon be harder to shake off than a bloodhound"

(WHO) p6: 'Making complex magnets the easy way'

"Complex magnets similar to those used to build computer dics drives can be made in a flash and at a fraction of the normal cost simply by setting light to a mixture of powders."

(WAT) 7: 'Back from the dead'

"Chilling out works miracles for an atom smasher"

(CHS) p14: "Let's cool it"

"Mystery force is traced to satellites' waste heat"

(Oliver Graydon) p20: 'Brush with disaster'

"Smart paint warns of impending doom"

(CHS) p21: 'Light angles'

"Bending light brings optical switches a step closer"

(CHS/CRY) Fp30_33: "There's the rub"

"Friction is everywhere - sometimes welcome but often not. So isn't it time we got to grips with it? Charles Seife and Ben Crystall investigate"

(Oliver Morton) Fp34_37: 'Afloat in the sky'

"Heavy retrorockets could become a thing of the past if tests on lighter-than-air 'aerobots' are successful. Oliver Morton goes space ballooning"

(WHO) Net: 'Splitting the electron'

"Particles that shouldn't exist have won three scientists in the US the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics."

10/Oct/98, Issue 2155:

(CHS) p6: 'Heart of darkness'

"We could be getting closer to the truth about black holes"

(DGR) p11: 'Hello, sunshine'

"Highly efficient solar cells could go on sale at a fraction of the cost of today's devices, thanks to a technological breakthrough."

(WHO) p15: 'Watch the wall'

"The day of ultrathin televisions you can hang on your wall is getting closer."

(FOX) p22: 'Longer player'

"A standard for squeezing more music onto CDs and DVDs is under threat of legal action from a company backed by Steven Speilberg."

(MRC) p22: 'Stars put in the shade'

"Nowadays planet spotting is all done with mirrors"

(RMT) Fp26_31: "Don't get even, get mad"

"When it looks like you just can't win, what's the most rational thing to do? Try going completely crazy, suggests Robert Matthews"

(Amy Adams) Fp32_35: 'Wiggling through the waves'

"What's got metal muscles, wears a Lycra swimsuit, and is designed to hunt down mines for the US Navy? Amy Adams meets the man who knows"

03/Oct/98, Issue 2154:

(EDT) p3: 'In your face'

"If the idea of a hand transplant seems hard to take, just wait..."

(FOX) p7: 'Old before their time'

"Digital TV receivers will be outdated almost instantly"

(DCN) p13: 'Hands today, faces tomorrow'

"The controversial hand transplant operation that took place in a French hospital last week raises the prospect of something even more macabre - a human face transplant."

(CHS) p15: 'Delicate operations'

"Astronauts and surgeons could use a helping hand"

(WHO) p15: 'Timely tasks'

"A Japanese team has increased the speed of parallel computing by using a genetic algorithm to schedule processing tasks."

(MRC) p17: 'X-ray vision'

"We may have got it all wrong about neutron stars"

(RMT) p21: 'Space attacks'

"Satellites may be shattered by invisible meteors"

(Robert Taylor) Fp24_29: 'Superhumans'

"Like it or not, in a few short years we'll have the power to control our own evolution. Robert Taylor finds out how"

(DAV) Fp36_39: 'Gas on the brain'

"How do you make a powerful computer with few components and no internal wiring? Add a whiff of nitric oxide, of course. Clive Davidson reports"

(Ralph Estling) p53: 'Empty talk'

"Ralph Estling reflects on the triumph of words over meaning"

26/Sep/98, Issue 2153:

(CHS) p14: 'Messy eaters'

"Some black holes may push away more matter than they devour"

(FOX) p16: 'A fast clip'

"Broadcasters should soon be able to spend less time searching for the footage they need"

(FOX) p16: "TV's easy rider"

"It could soon be possible to watch television in a moving car or on a bus or train, thanks to a new European system that modifies terrestrial digital TV signals to eliminate the interference that normally makes TV unwatchable in moving vehicles"

(FOX) p16: "Look, we're on the box"

"A new microchip will make it easy for television stations to show home video footage."

(Lila Guterman) p17: 'Odds are good for bucky magnets'

"Six years after they created the first inorganic fullerenes, Israeli chemists have miniscule magnets structured like buckyballs and nanotubes."

(Brandon Brown) Fp30_31: "That's me in the middle"

"How would you like to be embodied as a roving robot, speaking with its voice, listening with its ears and seeing through its eye? Brandon Brown reports"

(Roger Lewin/Birute Regine) Fp39_42: 'Mastering the game'

"We may never understand life and living organisms until we understand emergence. But does anyone know what emergence is? Roger Lewin and Birute Regine talk to a man on a quest"

(FOX) p48: 'Missing link'

"Barry Fox discovers the harsh real meaning of the initials ISDN"

19/Sep/98, Issue 2152:

(BRD) p7: 'Coded heat thwarts friendly fire'

"Aircraft, tanks and soldiers may soon carry small infrared transmitters that will protect them from 'friendly fire' without giving away their presence to the enemy."

(Bruce Foster/Tony Stone) p13: 'On the right track'

"A reliable method for detecting soldering errors on circuit boards has been developed by the heavy industries division of Mitsubishi in Japan."

(KRT) p22: 'I spy with my flying eye'

"A little lateral thinking has transformed the prospects for tiny robot planes"

(FOX) p22: 'Rare-earth sandwiches offer nonstop digital movies'

(Barry Fox reports on a new DVD technology from Matsushita that offers 6 hours of continuous recording on one side of a disc)

(CHS) p23: 'Quantum Leap'

"Computers that do the impossible look increasingly possible"

(HZL) Fp29_32: 'Ghosts in the sky'

"Is the Universe really a giant hall of mirrors where you can't believe your eyes? Watch this space, says Hazel Muir"

12/Sep/98, Issue 2151:

(CHS) p4: 'If the force is with them'

"Distant spacecraft are showing no respect for the laws of physics"

(Lila Guterman) p7: 'Liquid logic'

"Chemicals that function like electronic circuits on a silicon chip can now compute responses to up to three separate inputs. These molecular logic gates respond to the presence or absence of the inputs by emitting coloured light."

(CHS) p10: 'Toughing it out'

"Tubes of pure carbon could be the key to super-strong materials"

(FOX) p11: 'Sick of simulation'

"(PATENTS) Flight simulators cause a form of motion sickness, admits Hughes Electronics of Los Angeles in EP847027."

(WHO) p15: 'Shrinking discs'

"In 1999 IBM will launch a miniature hard disc drive with a platter the size of a thumbnail."

(DGR) p16: 'Space sandwich'

"Optical fibres sandwiched between sheets of heavy metals could soon be helping to reveal the secrets of blazars, the active galaxies around black holes."

(FOX) p17: 'Long-life satellites'

"An inert gas will keep a spacecraft in orbit for 25 years"

(Jon Copley) p22: 'Pinpoint precision'

"Satellite navigation is about to become breathtakingly accurate"

05/Sep/98, Issue 2150:

(MRK) p16: 'Secret surfing'

"Randomly swapping addresses obscures your track on the Net"

(DGR) p17: 'Eureka / Going Places / Maniacs get behind the wheel'

"Ultra-smart software is outdoing scientists, coping with road rage and booking holidays. Duncan Graham-Rowe was at the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Brighton"

(MBR) Fp24_28: 'Liquid genius'

"After years working with the world's wierdest fluid, Richard Packard and Seamus Davis thought they'd seen it all - until the fluid in their lab started whistling. Michael Brooks reports"

29/Aug/98, Issue 2149:

(MRC) p7: 'Quasars pack a punch'

"We are being zapped by particles from the edge of the Universe"

(MRK) p9: 'Saving face'

"Clever image processing is putting pictures on cash cards"

(WHO) p13: 'Nano detector'

"Particles just a nanometre across can now be detected and analysed, thanks to a device developed by Bell Labs in New Jersey"

(JEF) p14: 'Fantastic plastic'

"The 21st-century will be blasting into your home via a surprising kind of optical fibre"

(FOX) p14: "Never mind the sound, the picture's great"

(Sony improves on analogue picture quality)

(MBR) Fp22_25: 'Take one quantum dot...'

"Add a soupcon of voltage and season with a pinch of electrons. Et voila, Michael Brooks unveils how to make an atom with a flavour all of its own"

(LES) Fp32_35: 'Superlasers for baby bombs'

"What can you do with a thousand trillion electrons? How about thermonuclear reactions on a tiny scale, asks Lesley Welbourne"

22/Aug/98, Issue 2148:

(DGR) p6: 'Meet Kismet...'

"...the robot baby that gets sad and lonely if you don't play with it"

(BCH) Fp27_30: 'Why God plays dice'

"At first glance, it makes little sense that quantum randomness pervades our Universe. But as Mark Buchanan finds out, there may be a plan behind it"

15/Aug/98, Issue 2147:

(Sharon Ann Holgate) p20: 'Sensing is believing' [A.P.]

"At last we have a noninvasive method of diagnosing sick chips"

(Jonathan Hartley) p20: 'Small is beautiful when it comes to the Universe' [A.P.]

"Tiny lenses are helping astronomers produce better pictures of distant stars and galaxies"

(FOX) p24: 'China blazes the trail for video CDs' [A.P.]

"For the first time, China is shaping the future of electronics by creating a new world standard."

(WHO) p25: 'Chaos at the polls'

"Election outcomes are chaotic, say mathematicians who study group decision-making."

(Karen Southwell) Fp26_29: 'Starquake'

"Imagine an ironclad star, its surface shattered by an immense magnetic field. Sounds incredible, says Karen Southwell, but it solves a long-standing mystery"

(Sunny Bains/Justin Mullins) Fp37_39: 'A face in the crowd' [A.P.]

"Forget powerful digital processors. To match one image with another you need a machine that works with pure light, report Sunny Bains and Justin Mullins"