NEW SCIENTIST PRESS RELEASE
EMBARGO: NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE
1900 HOURS GMT WEDNESDAY, 28 JANUARY 1998
ORDER #1: SURROGATE FATHERS
Mice growing human sperm might transform fertility treatment, but the "yuk"
factor could lead to public opposition. Roger Short of the Royal Women's
Hospital in Melbourne has applied for funding to transplant germ cells from
human testes into those of mice. Page 4
ORDER #2: CHECK THIS OUT...
Will molecular tests reassure those who don't want to eat mad cows or
engineered crops? Consumers in Ireland last week became the first shoppers
to be able to buy beef tested for BSE. Scientists fear that the public will
assume that the tested meat is "BSE free" even though there is no evidence
that the test can identify carcasses of infected animals which have not yet
developed symptoms.
Meanwhile British supermarkets may soon have to resort to sensitive genetic
tests if they want to reassure customers who are worried about eating
genetically modified material. Page 5
ORDER #3: HUBBLE SPIES HUGE PLANET
The Sun's nearest stellar neighbour, Proxima Centauri, may be home to a
giant planet, according to the Space Telescope Science Institute in
Baltimore. The object, spotted using the Hubble Space Telescope, would be at
least ten times the size of Jupiter if a planet. This could be the first
direct image of a planet beyond the Solar System. Page 6
ORDER #4: BOUNCING BACK
A Japanese rabbit with a fractured shinbone was quickly back on its feet
again thanks to a breakthrough in rapid bone-mending techniques. The
animal's tibia mended quickly when small slivers of coated titanium were
inserted into the break, providing an anchor that is stronger than any other
material used in bone-mending. Researchers at Kyoto University, who carried
out this experiment, hope to go on to perform trials on human patients. Page 17
ORDER #5: THE WORLD'S DUSTBIN
Thousands of tonnes of American radioactive waste could be stored in Britain
at Sellafield for ten years or more under a plan being promoted by British
Nuclear Fuels (BNFL). Antinuclear groups promise fierce opposition to the
plan, which they claim would make Britain a dumping ground for foreign
waste. Page 11
ORDER #6: DID DRY GLACIERS ROAM THE RED PLANET?
Mars may once have been scoured by dry-ice glaciers. The University of
Chicago has proposed that the youthful Mars was kept warm enough for water
by clouds of dry ice--frozen carbon dioxide, which would inevitably fall as
carbon dioxide snow at the poles. Page 21
ORDER #7: OUT OF BREATH
Even the low levels of ozone found in wilderness areas can impair people's
breathing. Researchers from Harvard Medical School found deterioration of
breathing in a group of hikers, walking for eight hours in ozone levels
typical for countryside in the US. Page 21
ORDER #8: THE STORM IN THE MACHINE
It defeated Hitler's assault on Russia and has inflicted violent weather to
Europe. It may even be influencing global warming. What is it? Meet El
NiÑo's Atlantic cousin. Pages 22-27
ORDER #9: AERIAL MAGIC
Your mobile phone, the gas meter under the stairs and the vending machine
down the hall may soon be sporting the world's weirdest antennas. Pages 28-30
ORDER #10: WASTEWORLD
What do you get when you mix river water polluted with raw sewage and lakes
as acid as vinegar? Scientists in Germany are about to find out. They hope
it will make a place to take the kids waterskiing. Pages 32-35
ORDER #11: SPLITTING THE ELECTRON
When lurking in some materials, electrons can mysteriously "split" to form
smaller charges. And physicists have finally worked out how they do it--by
swarming like angry bees. Pages 36-40
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THESE ITEMS - THANKS
Issue cover date: 31 January, 1998
For fax copies of full stories or to arrange an interview, please contact
Barbara Thurlow at [email protected] or on 202 452 1178. In Europe, please
contact Jane Baldwin, Reed Business Information Press Office, Tel. +44 (0)
181 652 8018 or email [email protected]
New Scientist Planet Science provides Internet users with news, features,
reviews and comment drawn weekly from the pages of New Scientist magazine,
as well as extra material exclusive to the web site. The site can be found
at http://www.newscientist.com
RSS