RICE OFF THE MENU
Protests by Japanese opponents of genetic engineering have scuppered a project to develop genetically modified rice in the prefecture of Aichi, a region centred around the southern city of Nagoya. The prefecture’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry last week axed a programme begun in 1996 with multinational biotech firm Monsanto to develop rice resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. The protesters hope their victory will spur other campaigns against GM rice projects elsewhere in Japan.
TINY TRANSISTOR
IBM researchers have created the world’s smallest electronic transistor. It measures just 6 nanometres across, one-tenth the size of those…
