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The trial over intelligent design in the United States may seem new, but it's an old argument. To move forwards, argues Philip Ball, we'll have to look to the past.
Can primate studies really tell us anything useful about child abuse in human families? Michael Hopkin thinks not, and says we should spare the monkeys the pain.
A movement to 'save lives' by offering to host and raise spare embryos from IVF clinics pulls at the heartstrings. But Phillip Ball argues the idea misplaces good intentions.
A graduate student has just held a much-publicized meeting for time travellers. Sadly no one arrived from the future, although someone did show up in a DeLorean. Mark Peplow asks whether the notion of time travel is a dead issue.
Some adherents of 'intelligent design' think that holes in the theory of evolution prove the existence of a creator. Religious scientists with a sense of humour may have the best chance of debunking this idea, says Henry Gee.
The famous rule of thumb that predicts how quickly our electronics will shrink is 40 years old and still going strong. But its days are numbered, says Philip Ball.
The growth of home genetic-testing kits opens up a host of legal and ethical problems. Choice does not necessarily lead to empowerment, says Philip Ball.
The withdrawal of the drug Vioxx exposed flaws in a system designed to protect the public. But the battle over who is to blame ignores the fact that there is no such thing as a safe drug, says Simon Frantz.