MAGAZINE ISSUE DATE: 28 AUGUST 2004 (Vol. 184 No 2462)
FEATURES:
MONSTERS OF THE UNIVERSEValerie Jamieson takes you on a tour of the biggest and most powerful machines in the world of physics. Every one of these behemoths has the same incredible mission " to unlock the secrets of the universe. New Scientist has asked Britain's largest bookmakers, Ladbrokes, to give us odds on the success of some of these machines, from the odds of finding the Higgs particle to the chances of finding intelligent life on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Readers outside the US can start placing bets on 26 August. (Go to Ladbrokes.com and go to "special bets" ) Pages 26-35
FALLING ON DEAF EARSScientists believe that as cochlear implants get more sophisticated, the ability to completely restore deaf people's hearing is only a decade away. But far from being grateful, many deaf people object to the idea that they have a disability that needs to be fixed. They argue that they are simply a minority with their own rich culture and language. Pages 36-39
DEATH DEFYINGWe are the only animal on the planet that knows we are going to die. So why are we not constantly paralysed with fear? According to psychologists, death does take centre stage in most of our thoughts and behaviours, but we have developed certain mechanisms by which we buffer ourselves against the fear of death. Pages 40-43
SPECIAL NEWS REPORT: WORLD WATER CRISISFred Pearce reports from the Stockholm Water Symposium last week."¢ Asian farmers suck continent dry Indian farmers are irrigating their thirsty crops using millions of electric pumps to draw precious underground water reserves. Water experts say these unregulated pumps are threatening to suck India dry. Pages 6-7"¢ Middle East water warsIsrael is planning to dig a canal between the Palestinian territory of Gaza and Egypt early next year. The head of the Palestinian Water Authority says this will destroy Gaza's last reserves of water which are already severely over-pumped. Page 7"¢ Africa must capture more waterDams have had their day and underground water reserves are running dry. Experts say farmers across the world need to invest in cheap technologies to catch more rain. Page 8
OTHER NEWS:
TV IS A SWITCH-OFF FOR BACK MUSCLESSlumping for hours in front of the television or computer could deactivate muscles that support and protect the spine. Australian researchers have shown that the support muscles of volunteers who spent eight weeks in bed were switched off, causing similar lower-back pain problems as a physical injury. Pages 10-11
MESSY HOMES LEAD TO MESSY MINDSGrowing up in an organised, tidy household could be good for a child's developing mind. For the first time, American researchers have teased apart the influence of genes and environment on intelligence, to show that chaotic homes have an influence on cognitive skills independently of socioeconomic status. Page 15
HOW OUR BRAINS FEND OFF MADNESSScientists have found that a cannabis-like substance produced naturally by the brain may dampen the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. But taking cannabis doesn't seem to have the same effect, say the researchers, making the development of any antipsychotic drugs difficult. They found that people with schizophrenia who use cannabis have more severe psychotic experiences than those who do not. Page 13
CROP HEALTH CHECKER STEMS WATER POLLUTIONA sensor that calculates exactly how much nitrogen a crop needs is slashing fertiliser use in US field trials. The system will not only allow farmers to save money but also reduce the amount of fertiliser run-off that ends up polluting rivers. Page 21
PLASTIC FINDS ITS PULLING POWERA British team has created the world's first plastic magnet to work at room temperature, which can be used in everyday products. Plastic magnets have been developed before, but only function at low temperatures or are too feeble to be used in the commercial world. The team think the most likely application is in the magnetic coating of computer hard discs. Page 19
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NewScientist is the world's leading science and technology news weekly, boasting a circulation of 145,000. The magazine is now available to readers worldwide, with US and Australian editions of NewScientist now being published.
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