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Rapid-fire decisions on ergonomics, arsenic levels and carbon dioxide emissions indicate that scientific opinion sits low in the pecking order of influence inside the new Bush administration.
Behind claims that the oldest human ancestor has been discovered lies a bitter row over access to Kenyan field sites — pitching the bones' discoverers against some of palaeoanthropology's biggest names. Declan Butler reports.
Are silicon circuits that mimic the nervous systems of insects and other animals the future of computing? Jim Giles considers the merits of neuromorphic engineering.
The magnetic field that surrounds the Earth is rarely quiet. An explanation for the explosive nature of magnetic storms is gathering support from satellite data.
These are exciting times in the study of human origins. But excitement needs to be tempered with caution in assessing the claim of a six-million-year-old direct ancestor of modern humans.
Cannabis is useful for treating many ailments, but has unwanted side effects. Drugs that control signalling by cannabinoids found naturally in the body might be more useful.
Tobacco plants attacked by caterpillars release different blends of volatile compounds by day and night. Those released at night tell nocturnal moths not to approach — a signal that benefits both plants and moths.
Controlled transfer of single electrons in nanoscale devices allows electric current to be measured in fundamental units of charge and frequency. A new silicon device promises to make these standards more practical.
Studies of people who perceive colours when they see particular letters or digits are providing help with an old problem — that of whether awareness is needed to 'bind' visual features of an object together.
A palaeontological treasure trove of over 500 specimens will help in understanding the evolutionary history of salamanders and their relationships with other amphibians.
A tumour-suppressor protein known as adenomatous polyposis coli malfunctions in many colon cancers. So too does chromosome segregation during cell division. These features may somehow be connected.
