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ORDER ARTICLE # 1:IMPREGNATED PANTYHOSE FIGHTS THE FLAB
Could a pair of tights beat cellulite? Victoria's Secret, a lingerie chain in the US, has filed a patent covering a treatment for cellulite using chemically impregnated pantyhose tights. It is not yet known if the company plans to launch a product using this technology. Page 6
ORDER ARTICLE # 2: SALTY SECRETS OF SHRUNKEN TESTICLES
Iodized salt could have caused a drop in men's sperm counts since the 1950s. Iodine is added to salt because it is vital for brain development but, according to American scientists, iodine appears to be linked to falling sperm counts. Page 12
ORDER ARTICLE # 3: FOLLOW ME
Fish play follow-my-leader to find food. A Canadian biologist has found that one fish can persuade the rest of the shoal to follow and leave the area of the tank where they would normally stay all day. Page 14
ORDER ARTICLE # 4: GIVE ME SHELTER
It's possible that half a million years ago our ancestors, Homo erectus, were building huts. Japanese archaeologists have found what is believed to be the remains of the world's oldest artificial structure on a hillside north of Tokyo. Page 4
ORDER ARTICLE # 5: SICKENING SMELL
Garbage bins containing separated organic leftovers such as banana skins and potato peelings could be bad for your health. Dutch researchers found that far higher numbers of certain bacteria and molds-known to cause common respiratory ailments such as asthma-were released in separated organic bins than those with mixed waste. Page 14
ORDER ARTICLE # 6: WURST CASE SCENARIO
Lovers of German sausage could be risking exposure to BSE by eating sausages that are supposed to be free of brain tissue. German scientists have developed the first test for brain and spinal cord material in sausages and pates which shows that up to 15 per cent of certain cooked meat products may contain undeclared brain material. Page 7
ORDER ARTICLE # 7: PROWLING THE SKIES
The US Air Force is developing cheaper cruise missiles that are able to identify and prioritize their own targets. The missiles will be dropped in bunches of four and will then head to a target area to initiate a search using their own navigation and tracking systems. Page 11
ORDER ARTICLE # 8: ROADSIDE REFUGE
Predatory birds would rather hunt near busy motorways than in quiet open fields and the busier the road the better. French biologists say this finding could be used to help conserve birds of prey by managing motorway verges properly. Page 19
ORDER ARTICLE # 9: MIND OF A DOG
For thousands of years humans and dogs have lived and evolved together, but research is only just starting to show us how this partnership has shaped the way dogs think and behave. One area in which domestication has surely enriched the mental life of dogs is communication. Pages 23-27
ORDER ARTICLE # 10: OUT OF THE SKY
After two remarkably similar air crashes involving the classic Boeing 737 design, investigators were moved in to find out what brought them down, and to prevent it ever happening again. The results are far from reassuring. Pages 36-39
ORDER ARTICLE # 11: THE GENE POLICE
When unwelcome genes enter a cell a genomic police force quickly silences the intruders. Genetic engineers are now discovering the potential of using this "gene silencing" at will. Pages 28-31
ORDER ARTICLE # 12: JET-PROPELLED TUNA
Researchers have been using tuna-shaped robots to solve the mystery of how fish swim so efficiently. It seems that fish manipulate the water around them, drawing energy from the whirling vortices to help them swim faster. Pages 32-35
- ENDS -
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Issue cover date:- 4 MARCH 2000
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