Â鶹´«Ã½

This week's magazine

5 September 1998

Issue 2150

Â鶹´«Ã½ issue 2150 cover
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On the cover

Features

I had a hunch...

News

Double agent

Opinion

Fouling Antarctica
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Editor's picks

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

I had a hunch...

Features
Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Out of sight into mind

Features
Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Liquid genius

Features
Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Life

Irresistible illusions

Features
Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

The Zombie Within

Features

Table of contents

News

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Double agent

JUMPING DNA that may have helped the mammalian immune system evolve also appears to have brought with it a curse, according to researchers in the US. They have found evidence that genes which allow antibodies to mutate and attack new pathogens could also cause mutations that lead to leukaemia. Harmful microorganisms and viruses often mutate …

News

Off the menu

News

Out for the count

News

Dams busted

News

Ever green

News

Fuel with flare

News

The spiked drink that leaves you sober

News

Cats don't do it just to spite you

News

Kamikaze cells

News

High fidelity

News

Easing the pain

News

Made to order

News

Shining health

News

Maniacs get behind the wheel

News

Consuming myths

News

Technology

Streaming eyes

News

Technology

. . . . .

News

Technology

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News

Technology

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News

Technology

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News

Technology

. . . . .

News

No way out

News

Could designer antibiotics hit bugs where it hurts?

News

Weird mixtures replace toxic solvents

News

Fishing game

News

Touch and zoom

News

Sweet news

News

No-worry beads

News

Sounding flat

News

Secret surfing

News

Eureka!

News

Going places

News

Technology

Plugging the hot stuff

News

Technology

Brolly good idea

News

Technology

Clothes cure-all

News

Walk this way

News

In from the cold

News

First things first

News

Taken by storm

News

Out of the woodwork

News

Ploughing for profits

News

Sounding out sea temperature

News

New AIDS threat

News

Toxic fears

News

It's not over yet

News

Blow out

News

Snort it

News

Infrared eye lets drivers see into the night

News

The sound of silence

News

Prion warning

News

With people come plagues

News

Opinion

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Fouling Antarctica

OVER 3000 crabeater seals were found dead on the ice of the Antarctic Peninsula in 1955. A virus was blamed for the deaths, though none was ever isolated. In 1972, hundreds of Adélie penguins were found dead and dying near the Australian base of Mawson. Although plump and seemingly well nourished, they could not stand …

Opinion

There's no avoiding a carbon tax

Opinion

Features

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

I had a hunch...

DOWNTOWN Pittsburgh on a sticky summer's afternoon. Frank leads his team of firefighters into a house to tackle a burning kitchen. Suddenly he has a bad feeling and orders his men out. Seconds later, the kitchen floor collapses. The fire began in a basement-a basement Frank didn't know existed. Over at the State Hospital a …

Features

Out of sight into mind

Features

Liquid genius

Features

Life

Irresistible illusions

Features

The Zombie Within

Features

More

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

. . . . .

Many of my MP colleagues are as sick as the proverbial parrot that Lord Sainsbury has been appointed to succeed John Battle as Britain's science minister. And they are even sicker at the imputations of senior lobby journalists that Prime Minister Tony Blair had insufficient talent among his backbenchers to choose from. At 66, I …

Forum

Pollies urged to boost innovation

Forum

Hot air over cold climes

Forum

That sinking feeling

Forum

Superwoman meets superdog

Books & Arts

from Washington

Books & Arts

Follow the stars

Books & Arts

Know the score

Books & Arts

Sea views

Books & Arts

Digging for God

Books & Arts

Politics of health

Books & Arts

Lighting up

Books & Arts

Form and function

Books & Arts

Star turn

Books & Arts

The price of genius

Books & Arts

Regulars

Â鶹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Feedback

HOW MANY digits does it take to identify a product? Reader Rob Eason was moved to ponder this when he purchased a cordless phone. It is made by Panasonic, and goes by the name of KX-T4036E. What does this tell us? Why does Panasonic, or anyone else for that matter, need eight alphanumeric characters plus …

Regulars

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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