Science News 1998


Here's a list of all the news articles that appeared on Science a GoGo in 1998.

23 December 1998

Silly Hats Boost Intelligence


Research into ridiculous headwear and its affect on IQ has taken a giant leap forward after a series of successful tests on dogs...

22 December 1998

Cuckoo Cuckoldry


Seduced and abandoned; Single-parent bird dads suffer female infidelity, then get the job of bringing up baby...

21 December 1998

Electron Riverdance


University of Michigan scientists have observed the motion of electrons under the influence of light and started to unlock the secrets to the interaction of light and matter...

20 December 1998

Christmas Candy Encourages Longevity


Indulge yourself over Christmas. Chocolate is good for you...

19 December 1998

Birds Not As Dumb As You Think


Birds (feathered) believed to learn songs in their sleep...

17 December 1998

Universe Expands Into Infinity


Science magazine announce their top ten scientific research advances for 1998...

16 December 1998

How Green Tea Prevents Cancer


Green tea, long associated with good health, has new scientific evidence to back its claim...

15 December 1998

Worms And Parsnips Support Concept Of Co-Evolution


Do insects play a co-evolutionary role with the plants they eat? According to a chemical analysis of parsnip webworms and wild parsnips, pests and plants can and do adjust to each other to survive...

13 December 1998

Yeeuk! Cherries And Hamburgers


Can you believe this? Hamburgers stuffed with cherries (!) retard the carcinogenic properties of minced meat...

12 December 1998

Lies. Damn Lies and Statistics


How come we read of the regular introduction of yet another wonder drug only to observe no significant increase in drug related benefits - statistics, that's why...

11 December 1998

Robots To Teach Medics


Bedside manner of a smooth talking consultant could be replaced by a computer generated avatar...

9 December 1998

Liquid Oceans On Europa?


It seems increasingly likely that the icy surface of Europa conceals a liquid ocean. If true, the Jovian moon will become one of the hottest spots in the solar system to look for alien life...

8 December 1998

Asian Smog Settles In California


Air pollutants from Asia are making their presence felt on the US West Coast...

7 December 1998

Narcissists Go For Their Gun When Criticized


Excessive self-love, not low self-esteem, could be related to recent school shootings, researchers say...

4 December 1998

Fry Your Brains On Ecstasy


Clubbers drug of choice may cause depression, eating disorders and memory and concentration problems...

3 December 1998

The Ultimate Peep Show


On Dec 15, astronomical telescope opened up for general public to control over the internet...

2 December 1998

Delete C:\HISTORY ?


Problems with archiving electronic materials may make the 20th century the "worst-documented" period in history...

1 December 1998

Violence Kills TV Commercials


Besides other harmful effects, advertisers should be wary of showing their products during violent tv shows - consumers may not remember the commercial...

30 November 1998

Pennies Off The Menu For Kids


Over 21 000 are swallowed every year but high zinc levels in modern pennies can cause ulcers and other problems in children...

29 November 1998

Chickens Invade The Prairies


The great prairie chicken makes its comeback - and it is not the latest marketing campaign from KFC...

28 November 1998

Heat's On Us Humans


Global climate change is influenced by human activity...

26 November 1998

Hair Raising Success In Chicago


Mice provide hope for balding men...

25 November 1998

Molecular Mechanism For Evolution Uncovered


Top bit of research from the University of Chicago. Apparently, environmental stress allows small genetic variations to expose themselves and, voila, natural selection does the rest...

24 November 1998

Ciggies Don't Help Biggies


A new study finds that smoking does not help you keep your weight down...

23 November 1998

No London Underground Trains For Millennium


London, January 1, 2000 - you've got a raging hangover and guess what? You'll have to walk home because the tube isn't working. Have a guess why...

22 November 1998

Junk Food Is Just That - Junk


Keep feeding the kids on junk food if you want to raise a family prone to illness and mental deficiency...

21 November 1998

How The Mighty Are Fallen


Despite launching the first element of the new international space station, Russia's space program is a shambles...

20 November 1998

Don't Get Stuck Behind A Truck Or A Bus


Diesel powered vehicles shown to be more harmful to the environment than petrol (gas) powered vehicles

18 November 1998

The Strange Case Of The Shrinking Solid


Materials shrink when cooled and expand when heated, right? Wrong, according to new research...

17 November 1998

First Dinosaur Embryo Skin Discovered


Unhatched embryos are first ever found of giant-plant eating dinosaurs...

16 November 1998

Recipe For Anti-Cancer Garlic Requires A Chef With A "Slow Hand"


Garlic loses most of its health-giving properties if cooked too soon after being chopped...

14 November 1998

And You Thought Bill & Ben Were Just Puppets


Plants nervous system uses the same method of communication as in humans...

12 November 1998

Bottle Tan Shown To Be Preferable To Real Sun


Cut the sniggers when you next see someone sporting the unhealthy yellow glow of a bottle tan, they're the healthy ones...

11 November 1998

Aussies Set To Trial HIV Vaccine


Scientists at the Australian National University are ready to trial a new two-shot HIV vaccine in humans after successful trials with monkeys...

11 November 1998

Drug Abuse Behavior Driven By Changes In Brain


The same neurochemical changes in the brain that occur with cocaine use can also be triggered by environmental stimuli, without the presence of cocaine at all...

10 November 1998

Smoking Helps Develop Brainpower


Scientists are discovering that nicotine, when separated from tobacco, may have beneficial effects on learning and memory...

9 November 1998

Study Suggests Alligators Once Walked Erect


They may not have crawled out of the primordial slime after all...

8 November 1998

Armageddon Could Be Closer Than You Think


A meteorite with the force of Hiroshima's A-bomb could strike any time...

6 November 1998

Bacteria Love A Good Blow


Use a 'hygienic' warm air dryer on your hands in the washroom and increase your exposure to infection...

5 November 1998

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush


Unless you are from China where A Bird In The Hand could be lunch...

4 November 1998

First Evidence For Naturally Occurring Tumor Immunity In Humans


The body's immune system can successfully mount an attack against tumors, often without the person even knowing that a tumor exists. But this victory comes at a price...

3 November 1998

Scientists Find New Clue To Melanoma Development


The "switch" that turns benign lesions into malignancies could be turned off for good...

2 November 1998

Haute Cuisine Cancer Shock


Junk food has been found to contain less carcinogens than a restaurant cooked steak...

31 October 1998

Kiss Your Computer


Development of an electronic tongue could lead to a closer relationship between computers and their users...

30 October 1998

Halloween: Trick or Treat?


There maybe more tricks this year, at least for those aiming to purchase a lovely plump pumpkin...

28 October 1998

Fungus That Kills Dope Plants May Be No Fun At All


Engineering a fungus to attack the plants that produce narcotics may result in the death of useful plants, like those that produce, err, nicotine, caffeine and morphine...

27 October 1998

Angry People Prone To Coronary Disease


People who have "antagonistic hostility", the sort that is expressed angrily, either verbally or physically, are likely to have high levels of cholesterol...

26 October 1998

Mobile Phone Radiation "A Serious Problem" Says Phone Company


Mobile phones a health risk? "No way" say the phone companies, but those same companies are filing for patents that tell a different story...

23 October 1998

Lookee, Countee Monkee


Give a monkey a typewriter and it will eventually solve the theory of general relativity...

22 October 1998

Keep Off The Big Mac If You're Going For Surgery


The foods you eat, even several days prior to surgery, may alter how your body will react to anesthesia...

21 October 1998

Artists Often Bonkers


Rare cases of dementia stimulate artistic juices, offering an unexpected window into the artistic process...

20 October 1998

Booze Pleasure Center Identified


New study pinpoints brain molecule that is key for alcohol preference and sensitivity...

19 October 1998

New Findings Suggest A Biological Cause For Eating Disorders


Altered brain chemistry in bulimia nervosa patients persists after recovery...

18 October 1998

Plug Your Finger Into The Serial Socket And Download


Man controls computer by thought alone via an electronic implant in the brain...

15 October 1998

Global Warming - We Love It!


Global warming - it's just a social problem according to a US scientist. Tell that to a Bangladeshi...

14 October 1998

18th Century Hacking


Hacking has a venerable history, stretching back as far as the eighteenth century...

13 October 1998

Calling All Racist, Self-Hating Sexists. Yes, We Mean You


Don't take our word for it - take the on-line test yourself. Wonkily interactive social science and knee-tapping high-jinks from those funsters at Yale!

12 October 1998

Mammograms Before 50 A Waste Of Time


"Screening is a lottery" says the author of a new study who believes that mammograms are pushed needlessly by physicians and radiologists...

11 October 1998

Scientists Half Way To Discovering Who We Are


With the publication of GeneMap98 half of the genes which make up the human genome are located...

9 October 1998

Genetically Speaking, Race Doesn't Exist In Humans


Science à GoGo reproduce in full a recent article from Professor Templeton at Washington University in St.Louis. We think it has something to say...

8 October 1998

Darling, You Smell Like A Pig


Don't take it as an insult, it is meant in the nicest possible way...

7 October 1998

Ten Obscure Factoids Concerning Albert Einstein


If my theory of relativity is proven correct, Germany will claim me as a German and France will declare that I am a citizen of the world. Should my theory prove untrue, France will say that I am German and Germany will declare that I am a Jew...

6 October 1998

5 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000


No, it's not Bill Gates' nett worth, it's the bacteria population - all of them...

5 October 1998

Big Boobs - Bad Breathing


Plastic surgeons are saying that breast reduction surgery can lead to improved lung and pulmonary function. Have they run out of customers that want enlargements?

4 October 1998

Levitate Your Way Into Space


Magnetic levitation could facilitate your ride into space within the next few years...

2 October 1998

Look Ma No Lips But My Teeth Still Bite


Dinosaurs are not what we thought they were - but they are still pretty ugly...

1 October 1998

Storm Brews Over Wind Speed Claims


There is as much wind circulating in the media about hurricanes as there is in the phenomenon itself...

30 September 1998

Rant! Sex, Drugs And Animals


Animals need easier access to drugs according to this screed from one of our more deranged contributors...

29 September 1998

Good Genes Are In The Eye Of The Beholder


Evolution may ensure that we are all beautiful in the future...

28 September 1998

Newtonian Physics - All The Wrong Moves


The ancient and venerable Pioneer spacecraft are still being tracked, but, err, something is pulling them off course...

27 September 1998

Birds Of A Feather Flock Together


Yeah, we know they do, but how?...

26 September 1998

The Things Kids Say


A selection of choice answers to science exam questions...

25 September 1998

Let Your Anger Hang Out


Frustrated and angry women stand greater risk of atherosclerosis...

24 September 1998

Don't Break Wind - They Know You Did It


Sniffing the atmosphere can identify illicit nuclear explosions...

23 September 1998

Rant! Dandruff In Space


How much junk can we send up there?

21 September 1998

Improbable! Jews For Jesus, Methodists For Mohammed


Jews For Jesus, Methodists For Mohammed and other Cross-Religions, book discounts for the unborn and more idiocy from the Annals of Improbable Research...

22 September 1998

Deadly Diesel


Diesel fumes are much more toxic than previously thought, says a new study...

21 September 1998

Western Lifestyle To Blame For Asthma


Too much dust and not enough exposure to microbes: why wealthy countries are more affected by the global asthma epidemic...

18 September 1998

Coughin', Coffin. Thanks To "Ebola With Wings"


The Russian economic collapse could lead to the global spread of multi drug resistant TB...

17 September 1998

DNA Based Vaccine Blows Away Rat Cancer


Successful results with mice mean that tests on humans are planned next year...

16 September 1998

Green Coffee Beans Fight HIV


Chicoric acid, derived from a medicinal plant used for more than 1 500 years by Kallawaya Indian shamans, slows the AIDS virus...

15 September 1998

New Risks For Smoking Mothers


New research shows that smoking can affect the lungs of pre-term infants and increase the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome...

14 September 1998

Heavy Milk Danger For Infants


Lead which has accumulated in a woman's bones can be released during pregnancy and transferred to breast milk during lactation...

12 September 1998

So That's Where The Hippies Went


Standard hippy fare - alfafa, shown to contribute to salmonella, E coli, kidney disease, death etc...

11 September 1998

Genetically Altered Food Hits The Prime Time


Genetically modified food is now so widespread you cannot avoid eating it...

10 September 1998

There's Nothing At The Centre


Evidence suggests that a massive black hole lies at the centre of our galaxy...

9 September 1998

Lovegety Goes to Battle


An adaptation of the Lovegety concept enables friendly soldiers to recognize each other...

8 September 1998

Bug Free Quantum Computing


Using quantum error correction, scientists have manipulated the atomic spin of molecules to demonstrate that reliable calculations can be made by a quantum computer...

7 September 1998

God Is In Our Genes


In a controversial new book shows how the link between genes and gods is not arbitrary...

6 September 1998

Black And White Issues In Court


Are jurors influenced by the race of defendants? According to a study conducted earlier this year, the answer is yes, and the juror's race also plays a part in the decision making...

5 September 1998

Good News For Foodies


Consumption of olive oil in the diet can lead to lower levels of chloresterol in the blood...

3 September 1998

Bottle Of Scotch In The Golf Club?


It is not only at the nineteenth hole that golfers find that substantial quantities of liquid help their game...

2 September 1998

Ditch The Diet Book


Don't blame yourself for not keeping to your diet. Blame everyone else...

1 September 1998

Keep Indoors If You Want To Look Young


Yet more research shows how exposure to the sun can damage your skin and contribute to premature ageing...

1 September 1998

Short Kids More Likely To Be Misfits


But never fear, growth hormone treatment will not only make them taller, it'll also fix their psychological problems...

31 August 1998

Bacterial Defences Uncovered


The discovery of a new mechanism by which bacteria protect themselves against the human immune response could open the door for development of new antibiotics to fight infection...

29 August 1998

Oldsters Get The Gen X Feeling


Generation X don't have a monopoly on malaise and cynicism. Older generations are now starting to feel the same way...

28 August 1998

Let That Snake Bite You


Creationists need to look for a new symbol of evil now scientists show the bite of a snake could prevent the growth of cancerous tumours...

27 August 1998

Faster, Better, Cheaper


Academics show NASA how to build satellites with pioneering Big Bang UV detector...

26 August 1998

Living With Toadstools Is Hazardous to Your Health


If you've ever wondered why elves and gnomes are so short, it may have to do with their habit living under toadstools...

25 August 1998

It's Curtains For The Curtains


Electrochromic material may darken windows by the flick of a switch...

24 August 1998

If The Fish Don't Work Become a Mormon


Not only do Mormon men enjoy the benefits of multiple wives, their children turn out to be more intelligent...

23 August 1998

Your Mother Was Right, Fish is Brain Food


Next time you win a goldfish at the fair, don't feed it to the cat, if you are pregnant, eat it yourself...

22 August 1998

Who Needs a Pilot?


A 29-pound robotic airplane completed the first trans-Atlantic crossing by an autonomous aircraft...

21 August 1998

Grandmother In Diapers


Reproduction possible before puberty...

20 August 1998

Going 'Postal' On Placebos


Stiff luck for poor old Prozac, relegated from the front page by new-kid-on-the-block Viagra. And now it turns out that Prozac, and other antidepressants, may not relieve depression after all...

19 August 1998

MACHO Researchers Weigh-Up Dark Matter


Australian and US researchers have found objects that could account for about 50 per cent of our Galaxy's unseen mass...

18 August 1998

The Kiss Of Death For The Kissing Disease


Let your inhibitions go, new developments will make the kissing disease a forgotten dream...

17 August 1998

Homophobia Only One Part Of Anti-Gay Aggression


Assaults prosecuted under hate crimes statutes are only the extreme end of a continuum of bias against those perceived as 'gender-deviant'...

16 August 1998

Tall Kids Are More Aggressive


When it comes to predicting which toddlers are the school-yard bullies of tomorrow, size does matter, according to a study in the August issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry...

14 August 1998

Put A Mainframe In Your Pocket


If you think it is astonishing the fact that the processing power of your PC today would forty years go, have needed a computer the size of a car park - you ain't seen nothing yet...

13 August 1998

Genetic Food Researcher Suspended Over Bungled Results


Stunted offspring and compromised immune systems were not the result of genetically altered potatoes after all...

12 August 1998

War Kills!


Not only do soldiers risk all when at war. Research shows they are more likely to die sooner afterwards...

11 August 1998

Poley Toledo! Pole Vaulting Can Kill!


Dire warning on pole vaulting fatalities from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries...

10 August 1998

Praise The Lord And Pass The Donuts


The religiously inclined don't necessarily have to wait for the hereafter to reap the rewards of faith, health researchers say. Church attendance and blood pressure are connected...

8 August 1998

Cool Research Into Body Clock


Temperature, not light, may be the key determining factor in regulating our circadian rhythms...

7 August 1998

Super Crops Could Create Super Weeds


Weeds that acquire genes for herbicide resistance from genetically-altered crops reap little backlash and lots of benefit...

7 August 1998

Female Hormone Battles Brain Damage


Estrogen, the female hormone that some researchers believe may help protect women from heart disease, may also be a weapon in the battle against stroke induced brain damage...

6 August 1998

Yes, It Does Always Rain On The Weekend


New research indicates that the day of the week may play a part in determining the weather...

5 August 1998

Putting The Bite On Rabies


It's one of the oldest and most feared human diseases but a new DNA vaccine is proving 100 per cent effective in monkeys....

4 August 1998

Save Our Nukes!


The US public believe the risk of nuclear conflict has not diminished, and they want to maintain and improve the US nuclear arsenal according to a new survey...

3 August 1998

Your Boss Is Clueless


A study of real-life business decisions found that managers tend to use decision-making tactics that are the least successful...

2 August 1998

Aspirin Stops Plants Complaining


Plants may not feel pain in the same way animals do, but they have their own "alarm" reaction to injury which, as in animals, can be short-circuited by aspirin...

1 August 1998

Public Peeing Problems Put Right


When you gotta go, you gotta go - or not, as the case may be. Fear of urinating in public toilets affects an estimated 17 million people in the US but new workshop techniques may help sufferers "let go" more easily...

31 July 1998

Black Males Get The Pulse Racing


People may think they feel comfortable with a person of another race, but their body's initial physical reaction to that person may tell a different story...

30 July 1998

King Canute Is Alive And Well And Lives In Ithaca, NY


Nevermind the sea view - but at least a 50 foot high wall around the coast will protect us all from tsunamis...

29 July 1998

How Do You Like Your Brain Cooked?


Bortsch for brains. Russia has long been aware of the danger to health of radiation emitting devices like mobile phones...

28 July 1998

Prostate Cancer Treatment Seen in New Light


Suspicion of prostate cancer need not necessarily lead to invasive examination techniques...

26 July 1998

Smokers Have Small Penises


The Marlboro cowboy may walk as though he's hung like a horse, but research shows otherwise.

25 July 1998

Hot News : Scalding Lava Prompts New Dinousaur Extinction Theory


Armageddon got it wrong, Volcano got it right, but in the end it's Godzilla which bites the dust...

24 July 1998

Micro-machines Keep Marching On.


Pollen-grain-sized parts soon in watches, TVs, computers…

23 July 1998

Something New About Alzheimer's But I Forgot What It Was


Patient aggression and agitation are more likely to have Alzheimer's patients institutionalized than forgetfulness...

22 July 1998

Sex Hormones Found To Have Little Or No Effect


New research indicates that hormones are not the prime cause of sexual behavior in teenagers...

21 July 1998

Spices May Reduce Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Meat!


Selected spices might save your hash. Microbes lurking in your kitchen beware...

20 July 1998

Scientist Draws Timeline In The Sand To Challenge Scientific Creationists


How one man has declared war on creationists' "cartoon of science"...

19 July 1998

Bitless Bridles Spell Good News For Horses


Possibly the greatest advance in equine technology since the fifteenth century...

18 July 1998

Weevils Wipe Out Killer Weeds in PNG


Foreign Aid Workers, with 6 legs!...

17 July 1998

Born In The USA


A new study reveals that children born in the US to immigrant parents are less healthy than foreign-born offspring...

16 July 1998

International Database To Keep Tabs On 'Flu


A new database heralds a new age of international co-operation for fighting deadly diseases...

16 July 1998

Astronomers Reveal Hidden Universe


The discovery of new galaxies obscured by dust implies a vast new Universe hidden to the eye...

15 July 1998

Scientists Discover World's Smallest Cooking Pots


At a thousand millionth of a metre across, they might not be much good for baked beans...

15 July 1998

Antarctic Voyagers To Skate On Thin Ice


Why are some Antarctic coastal regions covered by pack ice while others are not? Intrepid scientists from Australia are trying to find out...

15 July 1998

Gems Could Make Superior Semiconductors


Precious gems may promise faster and more reliable circuits...

14 July 1998

Don't Praise Kids For Intelligence


Praising kids for their abilities, rather than their efforts, could backfire, warn researchers...

14 July 1998

Deadly Cosmic Rays That Both Destroy And Create


The latest dinosaur extinction theory comes with a novel twist...

14 July 1998

Can Technology Make You Dumb?


The UK's Education Minister David Blunket certainly thinks so...

13 July 1998

Anti-Migraine Drug Warning For Those With Heart Disease


For people with heart disease, some anti-migraine drugs may do more harm than good...

12 July 1998

Coeliac Disease More Prevalent Than Previously Thought


Convenience foods and beer ruled out of the European diet...

12 July 1998

Cancer-Causing UV Light Worms Its Way Into The Shade


Even in the shade, you'd best slap on the sunscreen...

11 July 1998

"Modern" Behaviour 40,000 Years Old


Mounting evidence suggests that "modern" behaviours such as social security systems are very old indeed...

11 July 1998

Repairing The Brain Damage Caused By Stroke


Scientists hope a revolutionary new treatment will repair the actual stroke damage to the brain...

11 July 1998

Sleep/Wake Cycle Gene Discovered


Scientists have identified a new gene that regulates our circadian rhythms...

10 July 1998

Hate Crimes Not Linked To Economic Downturns


Explaining changes in rates of hate crime is not as easy as pointing to economic fluctuations...

10 July 1998

American Football's High School Death Toll


Helmets and shoulder pads were not enough to protect last year's victims of America's top contact sport...

10 July 1998

Student Cheating - Blame The Teacher


Instructors could do a great deal more to deter devious students, concludes a new study...

9 July 1998

Soy Beans And Exercise Explain Low Cholesterol Levels In Japan


Parents in the West should follow Japan's example and give their kids tofu...

9 July 1998

European Scum Trying To Conquer The World


A highly aggressive algae currently wrecking havoc in the Mediterranean is spreading further afield...

9 July 1998

Virtual Frogs To Revolutionize Biology Lessons


Computer-based teaching tools could spell an end to dreaded biology dissections...

8 July 1998

Potential For Violence In Children Difficult To Spot


After America's playground shootings, there's still no easy way to spot a potential killer...

8 July 1998

Royal Institution Appoints First-Ever Woman Director


The RI's first-ever female director is a whiz at bringing science to the people...

8 July 1998

Software To Predict Battery Failure


New software that predicts battery failure before it happens could save many a headache...

7 July 1998

Rethinking Forest Conservation


The discovery of a "genetic bottleneck" in regrowing is yet another danger of forest fragmentation...

7 July 1998

They Don't Know Much About Science, But They Know What They Like


Americans think science is cool, but actual understanding of terms and concepts is limited...

6 July 1998

Beef Cattle Should Eat Bread


Researchers suggest stale bakery waste may be the best diet for steers...

6 July 1998

New Class Of Asteroid Discovered In Earth's Orbit


The odds of being wiped out à la Deep Impact have suddenly been shortened...

5 July 1998

Solar System's Hottest Surfaces Discovered On Jupiter's Moon


Jupiter's moon Io is a hothouse of volcanic frenzy, say scientists...

4 July 1998

Beware Dodgy Medical Advice On The Net


"Lack of oversight" means on-line medical information is often below par - even when it comes from reputable sources...

4 July 1998

First Among Equals Get More Votes


Candidates whose names are listed first on ballot papers may receive an election boost...

4 July 1998

Special Report: A Year After Pathfinder


As the Pathfinder mission celebrates its first birthday on Mars, we keep you up to date with the latest findings...

3 July 1998

Crisis In Bee Population Threatens US Crops


America's favourite honeybees are literally dropping like flies - with potentially devastating impact on US agriculture...

3 July 1998

Can Cutting Down More Trees Help Save The Environment?


Scientists exploring innovative and eco-friendly uses for timber waste seem to think so...

3 July 1998

Law Regarding Death Penalty Biasing Juries


How you feel about capital punishment may affect your decision-making as a juror...

2 July 1998

Teen Jocks Get Better Grades


But they're also more likely to drink and take drugs...

2 July 1998

Aquatic Group Sex May Provide Clues On Evolution Of Human Genes


Breeding time at the Barrier Reef sends scientists into a tizzy of excitement...

2 July 1998

Click Go The Shears Boys - No More


Australia's hardy ringers may have fleeced their last flock with the development of the self-shearing sheep...

1 July 1998

Human History Recorded in a Grain of Sand


They may not be able to see infinity in a grain of sand, but Australian scientists are doing the next best thing...

1 July 1998

Stardust Spacecraft Set to Retrieve Comet Samples


After nearly twenty years of pie in the sky, the space mission that will make history is ready to go...

30 June 1998

Want to Lose Weight? Buy a Notepad


The only defence against bacchanalian excess is a paper and pencil, say psychologists..

29 June 1998

Antarctic Bacteria Suggests Life On Mars Possible


The discovery of the most resilient bacteria on Earth suggests Martian deserts could be swarming with life...

28 June 1998

Global Warming Detected on Triton


There may not be much industrial pollution on Neptune's largest moon, but things are hotting up nonetheless...

26 June 1998

New Planet Discovered Just A Stone's Throw Away


It's big, it's intriguing, and it's very close indeed. A newly-discovered planet has set astronomers' pulses racing...

26 June 1998

Signs of Breast Cancer


Excess body hair and an apple-shaped figure may show risk of breast cancer

25 June 1998

Deep Thought


Mr Ples might be able to win Wimbledon, but could he tell us about it? Phillip Tobias, Director Emeritus of the Palaeonthropology Research Unit speaks to Science à GoGo.

24 June 1998

Drug Dealers Are Good Entrepreneurs


Drug dealing is a mainline business in more ways than one says a controversial report...

23 June 1998

AA It With Flowers


A blossom a day may keep you on the wagon if the US Food & Drug Administration approves the use of a common wildflower for medical purposes...

22 June 1998

New Compounds Stop Sperm's Assault On Egg


Spermicide snipers look set to win the anti-conception war, beating the carpet-bombers hands down...

22 June 1998

Majority Of Dutch Now Favour Capital Punishment


Traditionally a safe-haven of liberalism and cool-headedness, Holland may be changing its ideas. Or is it just a reactionary flash in the pan?

20 June 1998

Men Just As Emotional As Women - If Only They'd Show It


It's not gender, but gender roles that make men choke back the tears at Gone With the Wind...

19 June 1998

For Want Of A Hug


Infants deprived of cuddles and hugs may grow up to be violent teenagers...

19 June 1998

Mellow Mice Chill Out For Science


Why should cats have a monopoly on coolness? Genetic engineers have coined the phrase "mellow as a mouse"...

19 June 1998

Garlic No Match For Dread Cholesterol


Swallow garlic to cut your cholesterol and you could just be wasting your breath...

18 June 1998

Autonomous Now! Robot Helicopters Take To The Skies


Besides exploring the Earth's most God-forsaken places, a new flying robot promises feats straight out of science fiction...

17 June 1998

Shameful Neglect Of Elderly And Minority Cancer Patients


It's nothing less than scandalous: one in four elderly cancer patients in America receive no pain medication at all, while minority patients are 50 per cent less likely to receive pain relief than whites...

17 June 1998

TB Bacillus Stands Revealed


Genome sequencing for TB completed...

16 June 1998

Too Much Exercise Can Lead To Bulimia


For some people, too much of a good thing can be dangerous - including good old fashioned exercise...

16 June 1998

Women Drivers Crash More Than Men


On paper, you're better off being driven by a man. The reality, however, may be quite the reverse...

16 June 1998

Inspector Gadget Road Repair Vehicle Promises To Plug Potholes On The Fly


Roads in the US are getting worse thanks to increased rainfall. But will a new machine put road repair crews out of business?

15 June 1998

Can There Really Be More To Life Than Sex?


Sex isn't the only thing that guides our behaviour after all. Fourteen other core desires and values make us do what we do...

14 June 1998

Drunk Fruit Flies Reveal Alcohol Sensitivity Gene


It's not just the English football team that has been getting drunk lately. In the name of science, fruit flies have been at it too...

12 June 1998

Babies Know Their Grammatical Morphemes


They may not be able to recite Shakespeare, but new evidence suggests infants can parse a sentence just as well as adults...

12 June 1998

Big Bird Discovery Puts Egg On Ornithologists' Faces


Sounding like a barking owl, you could hardly miss it. Scientists have finally caught up with the biggest bird to be discovered in the last fifty years...

12 June 1998

Staggering Progress In Travelling Salesman Problem


It's enough to make your feet hurt just thinking about it. Researchers have broken all the records with a new approach to one of mathematics' most complex puzzles...

11 June 1998

Universe's Brightest Object Dazzles The Imagination


The most luminous object in the Universe is mind-bogglingly bright, even when observed from a distance of 11 billion light years. Here's the lowdown...

11 June 1998

Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize Winners


The 1998 winners are announced. Here's your chance to use your grey matter to better effect...

10 June 1998

Ups And Downs Down Under


What happened to Australia's inland sea? New insights into the continent's wobble-board crust have solved the puzzle...

9 June 1998

"Nearby" Galaxy Clusters Break All The Rules


Rebellious galaxy clusters just around the corner from our own Milky Way have scant respect for astronomers' theories...

9 June 1998

Is The Martian Meteorite A Dud?


The most famous meteorite in the world may not show signs of past life on Mars after all, say chemists...

8 June 1998

Attack Of The Killer Lawnmowers


That power mower you rev up every Saturday is a garden missile launcher, with more firepower than a .357 Magnum...

5 June 1998

Tiny Particles With Massive Implications


The discovery that neutrinos have mass forces science to re-evaluate the very nature of the universe...

5 June 1998

So NEAR And Yet So Far


One man's sighting of the trend-setting NEAR spacecraft breaks the long-distance record...

5 June 1998

Passive Smoking Link To Lung Cancer Strengthened


A major review of the role chemical compounds called nitrosamines play in lung cancer formation boosts the anti-smoking lobby's cause...

4 June 1998

Asteroid Deflections May Be Impossible


As the summer of the asteroid continues, new research suggests defending the Earth from asteroids with nuclear warheads may be no more than a Hollywood fantasy...

3 June 1998

Sporty Girls Have Less Sex


Despite the cult of the cheerleader, high school sports may be an untapped resource to curb adolescent sex...

3 June 1998

Effects Of Smoking On The Unborn Vastly Underestimated


The health risks to babies exposed to nicotine in the womb warrant far greater attention, warns a major new study...

2 June 1998

Praise From Mr Plod Makes Eyewitnesses Unreliable


Never pat an eyewitness on the back. It could lead to distorted testimony, say psychologists...

2 June 1998

Key Factor In Ageing Uncovered


Motor neurons, and the oxygen radicals that damage them, could play a major role in lifespan determination...

1 June 1998

Put On A Happy Face - And Get Your T Cell Count Up


Optimism can boost your immune system (if you happen to be a law student)...

1 June 1998

Mile High Club Hummers Have More Staying Power


High-altitude hummingbirds are staying just the way they are, thanks to a slow rate of evolution...

31 May 1998

Scorched Glaciers On The Rocks


Is the world warming up? Glacier meltdowns around the world would seem to confirm it...

30 May 1998

AIDS And Depression - The Drugs Do Work


HIV positive patients can use Prozac to counter depression without affecting other medications...

29 May 1998

Fluffy Clouds Touted As New Menace To Life On Earth


Asteroids, schmasteroids. Deadly cosmic clouds are the new fashion in apocalypse. Our instruments can't detect them, but the galaxy is full of them, and yes, they're coming our way...

28 May 1998

Scientists Eavesdrop On Speaking Cells


What do cells gossip about? Scientists concerned with the chemistry of human thought have been listening in...

28 May 1998

Clocking The Speed Of Thought


For the first time, scientists have measured the speed of comprehension...

27 May 1998

Why Stress Makes Us Sick


Stress and illness go hand in hand, and now scientists are beginning to understand why...

27 May 1998

Dope On Trial In San Francisco


With more and more HIV patients smoking marijuana to relieve symptoms, researchers in San Francisco have launched a pioneering study...

26 May 1998

Pigment-Powered Body Clock


Scientists say they have solved the mystery of what controls the body's biological clock...

26 May 1998

Robocop's New Clothes


The latest weapon in the fight against crime: an all-purpose computerized vest. But will it run Windows 98?

25 May 1998

Moving House Hastens Advancement Of HIV


Changes in living circumstances such as moving house may speed up the progression of AIDS...

25 May 1998

Coffee At Work Equals High Blood Pressure


It perks you up, but even moderate coffee drinking can kill you in the end...

22 May 1998

The Power Of Putrefaction


Metal-reducing bacteria set to produce electricity from waste water...

21 May 1998

Words On The Left, Faces On The Right


Want to improve your memory? Start using both sides of your brain...

21 May 1998

Bacterial Minders For Sensitive Rocks


Microbes could help save environmentally sensitive areas...

20 May 1998

Grapefruit Toothpaste Kills Bugs


Naturally occurring substances added to toothpaste or mouth-wash can eliminate orally introduced viruses...

20 May 1998

Sweet Tooth Tests For Alcoholics


Want to know if you're at risk of developing alcoholism? A new 'sweet test' could give you the answer...

19 May 1998

Ball Games Raise Testosterone Levels


Male sports fans experience large rises in testosterone levels when their team wins...

19 May 1998

A "Cuppa" Weakens Superbugs


Tea shown to weaken the defences of antibiotic resistant staphylococci...

18 May 1998

Go East Young Man


The westward trend of America's growth-happy history has finally come to an end...

17 May 1998

Avoiding Asteroid "False Alarms"


Improved technology for identifying asteroids approaching the Earth could play havoc with our nerves...

15 May 1998

Growth In Glumness For Scotsmen


Are changing gender roles causing men to feel as bad as women do?

15 May 1998

Gene Variant Behind Low Cholesterol Levels


Risk of future heart disease could be lowered by 50 per cent as a result of genetic research...

14 May 1998

Mental Health Problems? Just Say "No"


The mentally ill are no more likely to commit acts of violence than the rest of us, but drugs and alcohol raise the risk...

14 May 1998

Get Your Rocks Off


Archaeologists dig for dirt in ancient brothel, complete with sex toys...

13 May 1998

Hitching A Ride In A Virus


Breakthrough leads to 'fifth column' use for viruses in medical treatment...

13 May 1998

Turning Kids Into Smokers


How "Joe Camel" almost became "a moving, talking, animated cartoon for children"...

12 May 1998

For Want Of A Hoover


The latest theory in the great dinosaur debate: it was dust that did them in...

12 May 1998

A Tinkertoy Step For Mankind


It might wobble and stagger, but a headless "robot" is providing insights into how humans walk...

11 May 1998

Birds Sing Autobiographies


It's not just a lot of chirping. Bird songs tell the "story of their lives", say biologists...

10 May 1998

Firm Believers Are Flabby


Religion may be good for your soul, but it doesn't do much for your waistline...

10 May 1998

High Blood Pressure Leads To Evacuated Trousers


Astronauts' pants used to identify how low blood pressure can go...

7 May 1998

The Name's Bond... Plastic Bond


Barbie and Ken should forget marriage guidance and try SICOR bonding instead...

6 May 1998

US Warning On Invasive Plants


Non-native plants are sowing the seeds for a devastating decline in biodiversity...

5 May 1998

Crack Babies Physically OK


New research indicates exposure to cocaine in the womb does not lead to physical abnormalities...

4 May 1998

Poisonings Peak In America


As if 40 000 gun-related deaths per year weren't bad enough...

4 May 1998

Sanitary Snot For Kids Who Snort


The secret to protecting kids from 'flu lies in runny noses...

29 April 1998

Mutant Spuds Could Wipe Out Cholera


Vaccines genetically implanted in potatoes could save the lives of millions...

29 April 1998

Mammals Made Good Before Dinosaurs Copped It


Contrary to popular belief, mammals may have been strutting their stuff long before dinosaurs bequeathed them the earth...

28 April 1998

How Do We Hear When We Sleep?


You may be asleep, but your brain is still "listening". We're still not sure how, but at least we know where...

27 April 1998

Words Really Can Hurt


Sticks and stones will break their bones but boys get off quite lightly...

24 April 1998

Grass No Longer Green


Good news - you can help save the earth by not mowing your lawn...

24 April 1998

Rock 'Til You Drop


Grey-powered rocking-chairs could impact drug makers' revenues...

24 April 1998

"Mean Gene" Found In Killer Bees


The aggressive behaviour of "killer bees" is genetic, say scientists...

24 April 1998

Good News For Booze - If You're Female


Great news for Bridget Jones. Research into alcohol's capacity to protect against artery disease offers encouragement to women drinkers...

24 April 1998

Orion's Water Factory


The discovery of an enormous "water factory" in Orion suggests the Universe is wetter than we thought...

24 April 1998

Tubby Telly Kids


Watching TV makes you fat. Doh! But wait, it gets worse...

24 April 1998

Too Late For Organ Donor Families Who Change Their Minds


Cases of PDR, or Post-Donation Regret, are afflicting families who grant their loved ones' organs to medicine...

23 April 1998

Global Warming Could Flood NY Subways


It's not just low-lying Pacific islands that are threatened by global warming. Even downtown Manhattan could be at risk...

22 April 1998

Some Folk Are "Born To Smoke"


Tried to give up ciggies and failed miserably? Maybe you were born to smoke...