MAGAZINE ISSUE DATE: 24 SEPTEMBER 2005 (Vol. 187 No 2518)

DEMON DRINKCappuccino, latte, Americano. Many of us drink coffee everyday because it tastes good, perks us up and keeps us awake. But caffeine's really bad for us, right? We've all read the health scares linking caffeine to just about every disease known to man, but recent evidence suggests they are dead wrong. Several studies have shown that coffee is positively bursting with healthfulness. FEATURE Pages 38-41

THE UNBEARABLE ABSENCE OF SMELLINGSuddenly losing your sense of taste and smell can be devastating and make the unavoidable task of eating and drinking seem meaningless. Doctors say the condition is untreatable, but Mick O'Hare didn't take no for an answer and went hunting on the internet for a treatment. FEATURE Pages 42-45

E-NOSE IS HOT ON THE TRAIL OF HOSPITAL SUPERBUGSAn electronic nose that sniffs out infections could help hospitals detect the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA in as little as 15 minutes. The UK-based researchers say their e-nose can recognise the unique cocktail of volatile organic compounds excreted by MRSA. NEWS Page 30

EAST AFRICAN PARKS FACE BLEAK FUTUREWildlife in the world-famous Masai Mara and Serengeti game reserves in east Africa is under threat due to changes in land use along the Mara river basin. That's the verdict of a study in the area which shows changes in the region such as deforestation, agricultural run-off and soil erosion are having a huge impact on the wildlife and people that relay on the water. WWF based in Canberra, is working with local experts to improve the situation. NEWS Page 11

US ARMY PLANS TO BULK-BUY ANTHRAXThe US military wants to buy large quantities of anthrax, in a controversial move which is likely to raise serious questions over its commitment to obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention. Contracts, uncovered by the director of the Sunshine Project, relate to the US army acquiring bulk quantities of a non-virulent strain of anthrax and equipment to produce significant quantities of other biological agents. It is yet unknown what it will all be used for. NEWS Page 17

MING DYNASTY OR 'MADE IN CHINA'? The days of antiques collectors being fooled by fake Chinese vases may be numbered. Researchers in Brisbane, can now pinpoint the geographical region, sometimes even the precise kiln, a porcelain artefact came from by analysing its geochemical profile and comparing it against a database of authentic porcelains. NEWS Page 21

SOFTWARE TURNS WITNESSES' WORDS INTO MOVIESSoftware that can interpret written language into a 3D animation could be used to visualise a complex chain-of-events such as a road accident. Swedish researchers say their software, called CarSim, can analyse eye witness accounts to work out the sequence of positions of the vehicles and people involved, from which it produces its animation. NEWS Page 30

LOSE THE WEATHERMANAmbiguous weather forecasts can be a big headache for offshore oil rigs where unexpected bad weather can damage equipment and endanger lives. To remove the uncertainties, UK computer scientists have designed an artificial intelligence system to give the oil rig operators more clarity in their weather reports. NEWS Page 27

FLU SHOT SUCCESSAs the flu season approaches, there is increasing evidence that flu vaccination could save lives, particularly among the over 65s and those likely to come into contact with them. Last week Swedish researchers reported that flu shots in Stockholm cut overall deaths among the elderly by 15 to 20 per cent. Meanwhile a report in the UK showed that when staff were vaccinated in nursing homes, 5 per cent fewer elderly people died. NEWS Page 4-5

NO DEAD ANIMALS REQUIREDOf the 15,000 to 20,000 new animal species named every year, a fraction grab headlines while most languish in obscure journals, delaying recognition and research. Plans for a global online registration system called ZooBank could help combat this, and a voluntary system goes online this week. But experts stress that there is widespread confusion about what is actually required to name a new species " and rare animals could be unnecessarily killed as a result.NEWS Page 16

HUMAN 2.0According to inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil, the rate of technological progress is increasing exponentially. We can expect a dramatic change ahead that will have an irreversible effect on human life. He believes that we will be able to go beyond the limits of biology, and replace our current "human body version 1.0" with an upgraded "human body version 2.0" . FEATURE Pages 32-37

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECTThe intense iridescent colouring of the blue morph butterfly was enough to take two physicists on a journey from the lab to the cosmetics studio. The result is some stunning hi-tech make-up that has been designed to make light play the same tricks that produce the iridescence of butterfly wings and peacock feathers. FEATURE Pages 46-47

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