EMBARGO: NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE:-14:00 HRS EST (19:00 HRS BST) WEDNESDAY, 4 APRIL 2001
NEWS THIS WEEK:
STOP CANCER BEFORE IT STARTSCould a weekly pill mop up the chemicals that make tumours form? US researchers are carrying out trials of one such drug, called oltipraz, in China. The drug has been found to stimulate the body to make an enzyme which neutralises carcinogens. Page 4
WORTH A SHOTAntibodies could protect rare breeds and valuable herds from foot and mouth disease. A British researcher says animals injected with "off-the-shelf" antibodies have the advantage of instant protection, whereas vaccinated animals take up to 10 days to develop antibodies. Page 17
PORTABLE TEST SPOTS FOOT AND MOUTH FASTAn on-the-spot test for foot and mouth disease has been developed in the US. The test, currently being evaluated in Britain, would be invaluable for speeding up diagnosis and preventing unnecessary slaughter. Page 17
LIVER ON A PLATEArtificial organs can be built layer by layer using a non-stick flat dish. Japanese researchers have developed a way to create layers of different cell types without using any artificial support. The team has already managed to implant engineered liver tissues into mice. Page 5
YOUR WISH IS MY MACHINE CODEYou might soon be able to write computer programs of your own design--without knowing how to code. A British software engineer has developed a piece of software that can translate everyday language into machine code. Page 21
GIMME SHELTERIf astronauts are going to settle on Mars, they're not going to want to lug heavy bricks all the way from Earth. US researchers say that by mixing polyethylene powder with lunar topsoil, you get good quality bricks that can also minimise the risk against cosmic radiation. Page 23
IT'LL BLOW YOU AWAYAlternatives to anti-personnel landmines are being identified in the US that can distinguish between troops and civilians. Substitutes recommended include a laser-radar directed machine gun, and fields full of electronic burrs that cling to a soldier's clothing. Page 20
BREATH OF FRESH AIRThe nasty stench of petrol vapours at filling stations could soon be a thing of the past. German researchers have devised a novel way to cut vapour leakage to less than 5 per cent, funnelling it back into the station's storage tank. Page 22
DINING ON DINOSAURSTicks were probably dining on the blood of dinosaurs. A 90-million-year-old fossil tick has been found in a block of amber in New Jersey, making it the oldest tick ever found. Page 16
FEATURES:
A MORAL MINEFIELD - (OPINION POINT) Did you know that every time you change your mobile phone for the latest model you are helping to fuel war in Congo? Pages 46-47
TRICKS OF THE LIGHTA master of illusion has been using some amazing technology to illuminate the past. By using his powers, Tom Malzbender has been able to reveal long-lost details on the surface of ancient Babylonian clay tablets -- secrets which had previously been impossible to decipher . Pages 41-42
QUAKIN' ALL OVERAround the globe, thousands of lives are at risk from the hidden threat of the earthquake magnifier. A trail of clues have led American researchers to the amazing possibility of a "seismic lens" in the ground capable of magnifying the force of a quake, turning minor tremors into intense, destructive earthquakes. Pages 30-33
MEDICAL HERETICSTwo scientists think they may have finally unlocked the mystery of rheumatoid arthritis, and even believe they have a cure. So why has it been an uphill struggle to get any of their work published? Pages 34-37
NEPTUNE ATTACKS3.9 billion years ago a cataclysm befell the Earth and Moon, as big as the event that wiped out the dinosaurs. Could this have been caused by a heavy bombardment of missiles thrown from Uranus and Neptune? Pages 27-29
- ENDS -
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ISSUE DATE: 7 APRIL 2001
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