EMBARGO: NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE
2:00 PM EST WEDNESDAY, 20 JANUARY 1999
ORDER #1: IT'S A RAT TRAP
Large numbers of birds and animals are being poisoned after eating
rodents that have high levels of pesticides in their bodies. Rats and mice
are becoming increasingly resistant to poisons designed to kill them and
are threatening wildlife. Page 4
ORDER #2: THEIR BEST SHOT
Drugs could one day be harvested from the semen of genetically
engineered pigs. Canadian researchers believe that boars can produce
enough protein in their semen to be used as `drug factories'. Page 14
ORDER #3: MÉNAGE À TROIS GIVES BIRTH TO A HEALTHY
HOG
Researchers in Korea and the US have found that eggs fertilised by more
than one sperm can survive. They found that pig eggs can engage in a
ménage à trois with two sperm and still produce a perfectly healthy
embryo. Page 15
ORDER #4: SORRY, WE'LL BE LATE
The powerful explosions caused by gamma-ray bursts could be the
reason why we haven't yet had any visitors from outer space. After
studying the effects of cataclysmic explosions on life, an American
astrophysicist has concluded that aliens may have just started to explore
their galaxies. Page 16
ORDER #5: BIGGER, NOT BETTER
Biologists are at last beginning to understand why some animals
produced by IVF or cloning are unusually large and die around birth.
Researchers in Scotland and the US say that abnormal levels of proteins
that influence growth are involved. Page 15
ORDER #6: NO SEX PLEASE
A new generation of contraceptives could be on the way now that
American researchers have identified a receptor on the surface of the egg
that binds to proteins on a sperm. It may be possible to trick the egg into
thinking it has been fertilised, making it change its outer coat to keep
sperm out. Page 17
ORDER #7: DIRTY BUSINESS
Burying waste in landfill sites could be an environmental asset. Research
from Wisconsin suggests that burying waste paper and wood
permanently locks away large amounts of carbon that would otherwise
escape into the atmosphere, speeding up global warming. Page 22
ORDER #8: PIGGY IN THE MIDDLE
Turning livestock outdoors to live naturally in fields may be pleasing the
public but is it good for the animals welfare? Many animal scientists are
pointing out that "extensively" farmed animals may suffer more as a result.
Pages 18-19
ORDER #9: TOTAL RECALL
Holograms no larger than a CD could soon be used to store huge
quantities of rewritable data, thanks to a new kind of polymer developed
by scientists in Germany. What's more, they believe they will be able to
read data 100 times faster than a DVD. Page 6
ORDER #10: DISASTER MOVIES
You're in for a shock if you try and record a digital pay-per-view film.
15 million consumers around the world have unwittingly bought digital
TV receivers, only to find they can't record the movie they have paid for
and watch it later. Page 7
ORDER #11: WHERE AM I?
Many people would say that all you need to find your way around is a
good memory. But neuroscientists argue that the human brain has a
mechanism that gives us an innate sense of direction from birth, which
enables us to learn important things such as landmarks, food and home.
Pages 24-28
ORDER #12: BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Why do many birds, beasts and fishes travel in huge flocks, herds and
schools that move like a single creature? Researchers are starting to
answer questions about flocking by using a mathematical theory, based
on a 19th century equation for fluids. Pages 31-33
ORDER #13: THE HUMAN TOUCH
A small group of companies aim to revolutionise the way we gather,
analyse and visualise information on our computer screens. These
companies plan to make spectacular changes to the computer interface,
simplifying the way we access information, removing the old-fashioned
file and document structure. Pages 34-37
ORDER #14: SUN TRAPS
Plants can teach us a thing or two about making the most out of sunlight.
Researchers are on their way to building an artificial leaf. By designing
solar cells that mimic photosynthesis, they hope to have a solar-powered
energy source that is both efficient and cheap to make. Pages 38-41
LOCATION INDEX:
AZ: #11; #14;
CA(Bay Area): #13;
IL: #4;
MN: #13;
MO: #3;
NC: #5; #11;
NH: #11;
NY: #6; #11; #12;
OR: #12;
WA: #13;
WI: #7;
Canada: #2;
- ENDS-
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Issue cover date: 23 January 1999
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