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AIDS reduces average African lifespan by a third

The African Health Sciences Congress has announced that improvements in African healthcare in the 1960s and 1970s had in many cases been lost due to poverty. >> more
Wednesday, 1 October 2003

Molecule found in meat, milk and tumours

A non-human molecule found in red meat and milk makes its way into the human system when eaten - and seems to build up especially in tumours. >> more
Wednesday, 1 October 2003

Antidepressant side effects connected to your genes

The mystery of why only some people taking antidepressants get side effects may have a genetic solution, suggesting that gene testing may one day lead to better drug selection for patients undergoing prescription depression therapy. >> more
Wednesday, 1 October 2003

Moon may not be cheesy after all

Space researchers have used invisible X-rays, reflecting off the surface of the moon, to find out what our nearest solar neighbour is made of and how it was formed. >> more
Tuesday, 30 September 2003

Shipboard pests get sterile treatment

Trials have begun on a new water sterilisation system for destroying the exotic marine species that hitchhike to Australia in ships' ballast water and cause environmental devastation. >> more
Tuesday, 30 September 2003

When the pleasure in chocolate wanes

Parents can get kids to switch from eating chocolate to eating more fruit with some simple psychological tricks, claim UK researchers. >> more
Monday, 29 September 2003

Yachts get bender detector

A new technique that peers underneath the skin of yachts made of advanced polymer materials to detect fine cracks is being developed as an early warning system for weaknesses in the hull. >> more
Monday, 29 September 2003

Giving batteries a golden boost

Tiny sponges made from pure gold hold promise for extending and boosting the power of batteries used in computers and mobile phones. >> more
Monday, 29 September 2003

Sequencing the genome of man's best friend

The domestic dog has become the fourth mammal species - after humans, rats and mice - to have its genome mapped. >> more
Friday, 26 September 2003

Mental ability linked to survival age

A person's mental ability as a child could well be an indicator of their chances of surviving to a ripe old age, according to a landmark study which has followed up on surveys carried out in the first half of the last century. >> more
Friday, 26 September 2003

Rich fossil haul from ancient beaver pond

A prehistoric beaver pond unearthed in freezing northern Canada has proved to be a treasure trove of fossilised plants and animals - and provides some stark new insights into the powerful impact that climate change can have on living things. >> more
Thursday, 25 September 2003

Tai-Chi boosts immunity: study

The Chinese exercise practice of Tai-Chi can significantly boost the body's immune system response to virus infection and may, in particular, help ward off painful shingles outbreaks in older people, a new study has found. >> more
Thursday, 25 September 2003

Study predicts trillions of planets

The chances of Earth being alone in the universe just got a whole lot smaller, as astronomers have dramatically raised the estimate on how many planets are out there. >> more
Wednesday, 24 September 2003

A conscience clause for science

Representatives from scientific, economic and international organisations will meet this week to discuss the protection of scientists who wish to blow the whistle on their employer. >> more
Wednesday, 24 September 2003

Euro jawbone rattles Neanderthal debate

A 35,000-year-old jawbone found last year by cavers in Romania has turned out to be the oldest known modern human fossil in Europe, according to a new study that may revive a long-running debate over the role Neanderthal people played in modern human evolution. >> more
Wednesday, 24 September 2003