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    14 views68 pages

    New Scientist (2004-09-11)

    Uploaded by

    zaid alislam

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 68
    | THE WEEK'S BEST IDEAS | NewScientist September 1-17, 20 TOTALLY FAT FREE Why the thinnest people hold the key to obesity WNT eitete NEelal ale} LUaTeM Vola E ‘Some Previous Laureates ieee ve helped scores of men anc | idea and the ability and di women to make o a better place. rmination to bring it to a 0 years, the Rolex Awards for Enterpri Foraimost ike them, you have @ grouné If you believe that, sessful conclusion, ths is your chanc panel of distinguished specialists will judge entries on original nest outstanding candi lex chronometer: Up to five othe © to apply ward in 201 an exceptional spirit of enterprs of though 100 towards the completion of Aan internationa potential impact on socioty. he fv ates will each ts and a personally inscribed gold IS $36,04 netal Rolex chronometer. their pi icants will each receive steel and you have a project in the fields of science, technology, exploration, environmental 1 first step towards making it happ otection or cultural conservation, this could sora opolia ALL FOR ENT 2 ey lene ‘ON THE COVER Totally at-ee peopl, page 25. NewScientist les taxing taxonomy p 2 NEWS EDrroniAL There'sa new environmental awarenessin the air 3 UPFRONT Ban on caviar lose who ely found thst super Earth’ extrasolar planet? na evidence for ans mucear AambitonsDs vaccine ial alse of personalised medicine dawns; a's locust crisis isein UKanimal testing “THIS WEEK Latest ce coe reveals no sudden eeze Thence” diet Isthe Akins et fet Farmed fish promise ster medicines Why coe animals grow arge Fakingealle iD ne louse two? ry Gravity craft upstaged by Eathscopes 10 Unlockingthe secesof mystery bugs 11 SPECIAL REPORT PHYLOCODE ‘Theway we name every ving organism ‘ould beaboutio change 2 Ww BRIEF Why mammals produce milk; lass was via toscience; walking uprightisa milion year-old hab; meg-tsunam thathit Hawai Native Americans polluted ake keepinga diary isbad for you; tuming toxic chemicals into past a dinosaur parentthat aes % TECHNOLOGY “Thesinkingrobotthateatsfies 19 Pocket sited atomic cack av coming 20 Wive'snaped ships kil deadly wakes 1 Nuclear batteries poner up x ‘TRENDS: HYBRID CARS Asollpricehikes hit wallets, peta lectrichybris fers cheape option 22 FEATURES FATFREE OBESITY Rare indlvduals bon with no body ftfacea cue paradox: the condition cariesallthe health risks of being overweight 26 BATT OF THE BAG Think about how many plastic cariess you stash or trash each week and you Soon see why campaigners want usall tokickour ag habit 30 SILENT ALARM Strange quakesthat produce barely audible gro are tying to tellus something, and we'a better sten up 34 ‘THE ORIGIN OF HARRIET She's W3yearsoldand enjoying ‘quiet etiementin Austalia. But wasthisiantoroise fiends with Charles Darwin in er younger days? 38 “EcoBot Il travelled for five days ona meal of just eight fat flies" Therobot that bil to survive, page 19 Seat alarm, page Blackburn on consousness, page 2 Doubts about Darwin's totais, page ‘ne man'smeatp7 REGULARS ‘COMMENT AND ANALYSIS Individual governments aretoooften dwarfed by global events. lthe more reasonto setup ahigher evel of autho, eguesAmitalEioni 6 Lerrens Binge rnking; mest vs sh ation doses; are you scanning comfortably? 2 Essar Can sence ever make sense of our Inner wold of sensation, emotion and Colour Prilosophe simon Blackburn weighs upthreeapproacnes A Poumics Westminster dary: Tam Dalyell cusses Ian's nuclearambitons, and howto cut aeathson theroads 45 ENIGMA 5 BOOKS: Distinguished retatwes the uth about es; delightful domice Einstein's ‘golden yer; creating the future; Fingof cabs bids f Noth America Plus bessllesinGekeley 46 FEEDBACK 6 ‘THELASTWWORD 6 ‘THE INSIDER: CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS ds hosptalsarefiling many of the ‘atingholesin padiaticresearch 48 108s 50 sepiember200[Newsentt1 NewScientist SES a SS SS Vg 51 WEEKLY ISSUES _EVERY ISSUE DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR FREE UNLIMITED ACCESS TO OUR TEN YEAR ONLINE ARCHIVE PRIORITY SUBSCRIPTION FORM TEL +44 (0)8456 731 731 FAX +44 (0)1444 445 447 ‘ms pm ee wk Pa i ct 2 Malt: New Scientist Subscriptions, FREEPOST RCC2619, Haywards Heath, RHI 3BR, UK. joxormcaanten) Fist name Last ame Yes! | want to subscribe to New Scientist for: UK Subscriptions Rates restate at aaa yea 275 -Saing ore 25% _|2 yu tea ne 2% _]1 yr ab 14—Saing 10 : 1 yor sunt at £8550~Sovng We 3% erate rere reece Tyear | Years | SYears | Student 1 Year (Cheque made payable to Wow Siento £168. Reeran essed areas vea| | mosweeas| lamer [_lswten | | me amoutt 16 nnienineninn [EU e180 x0 e453 130 USA Uss 140 | USs252 | _US$396 Uss 69 op Canada oszis | osse7_| csst6 cs 107 Worldwide | uss 2ta | ussae2 | usss23 USS 165 xpiy dat! |b || vast | |) |r| tuo, 5 Invoice me o£. oo Serture__. freakarnns | va ect com __ eee Give it to us straight There is only one way to make sure that new technologies are safe WE HUMANS have never excelled in planning the path of progress. Wetend toadopt new technology as soon as it comes along, then wait todiscover the consequences. Then, after problems have cropped up, we search for Another, more benign technology to eliminate the problems created by the first. Sulphurless fuels are helpingto eradicate the aid rain caused by burning fossil fuels. The damage done by DDT and PCBs deployed so years ago isslowly being reduced by replacing them with less persistent and less toxic alternatives. Dowealwayshave toblunderalong ike this? The environmental groups we know today were born out of disquiet caused by the technologies of the late 20th century, “They championed issues such acid rain, ozone depletion and toxic chematcals, often through dramaticdirec ation, bringing them to public awareness and forcing governments ta take them seriously. Itisa testament to their success that these public campaigns have largely faded in the new millennium, ‘Butin Europe ~and particularly inthe UK~ somethingelseisemerging The debate over {genetically modified crops was notaboutan existing technology but one thatagrbiotech companies wanted ointroduce and ‘governments seemed happy to nod through, Butbefore that could happen, environmental [groups asked new questions: what are the health and environmental risks likely tbe, and what are the kely benefits for consumers? ‘This caught both companiesand governments ‘onthe wrong foot The answers did not exist because noone had done the researc, Onlyaftera publicoutery did anyone get round toit~only to discover that existing GM crops had no great benefittoconsumers, ‘were economically suspect and that thelr environmental impacts were mixed, Itisnocoincidence that much ofthis debate took placein the UK. teamein the aftermath ofthe BSE crisis,inwhich government Scientists and ministers misinformed the publicabout the rsks of mad cow disease to ‘human health. Faced with doubting public, the government’ only option was odo more research, model the potential of GM cropsand layoutall the facts—which turned out tobea first-rate way of assessing anew technology. ‘Sowecome to nanotechnology, about whieh there isalso disquiet. The same ‘questions are being asked oft as were asked of, ‘Gm crops,and onceagain the answersare not there. The alarm, raised by Prince Charles fall people, prompted the government to ‘commission report from the Royal Soclety. ‘That repor, whileacknowledging the vast potential of nanotechnology, contains recommendations that show how little we really know about its possible hazards " They inde the “Facedwith a rouowing:thatmore doubting public, peat oe the only option | Sivonen wastodothe — impactsof tanopatces; that research and nanoparticles should model the Ststaneestntonal potential OfGM" ndsurpean ery — | limiteduntitmoreisknown, a hat Companies shoul publish ht sfty ata nnunopartcles nal the repr advises thebritshgovernmenttostartclscussion a Decome polarised andentenced “mss tat est the government hasheatd hoc Tis week sce minster David Sainsbury announced 12 milionin . ATaogue wh he publ pot only on nanotech bute onbrainfsarchAlandoter ares Theotertecommendacnsposecer problems ithe Ukalone drnandseterstve Sore testingandenvrenmentl modeling tromomariestiatwanttosel new tcenololes those companies wake thelr development work uemere . anexese fo cryngonregidess tan pion ted thet aoneshoutseze tfeopportuntytoconine governments and indstis nburope.and tether OECD oe tccologesaclnrodvedy multinational Companesthtexistousdetheconrolot Shyonegovernent and where toe a fovarsfe hel tobe open ara Hoboly-hdeling ne penta haart few tcnoogess heen way topo, ‘Recannotcartyen greranty aching rom | sepiember200 Mewscentit|3 Newsin perspective LOCUST ARMY GATHERS IN AFRICA Ifthe sis had been tackled earlerin or the motile adult frm,” ressman ‘the year it would have cost§9 milion. explained. "You can bit stars in the Now the rice ta isestimated at mre early morring before it worms up ‘than $100 milion. “Insixmonthstime enough fr them to tae of” Iteoud be much more.” ‘et the 0s sil woefully shor ‘The prblemis potentially the most of the 100 milion needs for pesticides serious locust plague fica hasseen and lpia support to wipe out for 5 yer, and the warning comes the treat Only 7 milion has been ‘fom Keith ressman, locust forecasting pledged so fr. fcr atthe UNS Food and Agriculture "Ifthe money runs out, the direct Organization in Rome. impacts that control operations are This week, thefistswarms began reduced,” Cressman say. That aes the ‘athring in Maustania atthe western cast of contig the arm ti ‘end ofthe Sahara. Hundredsmore ‘higher. “The longer we wait, the larger aeexpectedtoformnextweekin the problem wll ecome, so ety ghbourng Mali and Migs. asistance isan ivestment,” he says. “Thats when they become bigger “Help must arrive this month in order problem, becuse theyre mobile,” todsup the net locust breeing cycle ‘essman tld New Sceston Monday. in ctober” sai Jacques Dou, drector- “mths stag, the mos effective control general ofthe FA, on 2 September. is ae application of pesticides, ether “Otherwise the infestation coud spread tousthapmrine yout tren nom cute a” i SII osc pps Imported rom Pakistan, byiichelMayorand Didier Uranus. Aweeklater, Mary and Iran off the hook i scrcporewhichnasbeen Quelorafthe Unversity0F Butler’ tam went public with foundnocearevdencethat lan thatotherfndingsstifhavetobe thetisteverexttasoarplnet, TheAmercantesearcets5a) Isdeveopingnucesr weapons, expsine-theprsenesofsome Soonaferthat.sUsteaiedby thatwiletherdicoveeshave scondngtonconfdentulreportowenrched aniumfor GeefMarcyand aul Butlerofthe lveaty been perreviewed and DytheUNIntemations/Atomie | example TheUKalongwit) University fcalforia Berteley,aceptedor pubtation Mayor Brera Agency AES). onceandGermanyegitdswententofindmanymareot and Quelorhaveonl st “Merpordoenottevala hereporsserence that thet (hesemasiveplans Knownas subnet papa review smokinggun butithighighspollgefpiaingdipiomat—hotTupiersductotne searing Nunosantanatmemberof the Smumbeioraruesonuhnian — prsueserutisnorting _ promtliytthehastatare "© Eopenn enn admit they Iisdoingenatitsayelisdoing®Uvealforianscasetobereteredtohwedoneltaain Onis aelpuper bat sath nt TatAinopecorsvstednucar"Meanwhle neiAEAhasalso Kinfofextassar planet amuch announce our planet efor we factiesinientooksamplesand sentinspecorstothenepubicet smaller probshlyocky"super were planningto sna old Sisdqueomottheinaan Koneaherthccountysamitel Eaaitwihaboathemassor Rew Senta “tars olaatn othe | aneneereaena* ON THE BRINK OF A CAVIAR BAN Tana nes 2000. The findings willbe uranium is ‘plausible tA prosenedattRcIAEA meting. TReworwiifpoie arose the hn, nding the ih id I aac eee a authors. Ther report which Inert pans fleryat perce te est Stomaseaseryiciaens Extrasolar scuffle “yi retonarstne cet anepeedquas the Doatdofgowernoratitsnext, DIDauropeanteamnotpayfar Gowen othe inmates Tode tao mot ret ee mmeetingstartngon 3september whenitannouncedthe discovery. meninges (TE) eed Hewes in teach tnventasystiatrans Sttheristocky plane ousite” —eerstsey tained stan anata wu lon toe a caplanaionctwrypartcesof —eursoarsyrcepippinguS | pemmtag memset ear aL yen of UTE MMdhyenrkheducniar were sorgnoracsotiareattiybe | ERESareae i er ot a ae a foundattwosiesNatancan? Soufaomecommertsbythe silwagemertttemtte end nto que wee peed unl te Kalnges"plsuste'irunhas_Ameansareanythingtogoby. Gaps on eg wus _Sptambe Belg ta rp Imanainedthattheuraiumwas "Thetensebutrendy airy wore pertatponde tea ogean ti we. fromcontaminatedequipment goes ack to1995, when ateam led ‘Newser september 2004 wou neusdenstcom Le AIDS vaccine flop TRIALS ofa combination of two promising AIDS vaccine candidates ‘nKenya, Uganda nd the UK have produced disappointing results, Like nearly al of the 30 or s0 vaccines that have been tested in people, the pair weredesignedt0 ‘makeimmune cells recognise and destroy HIV. Hopes that this ‘would provide protection arose from observations that this was the basis of some prostitutes apparent immunity from HIV, Butin the trial, immunity was boosted inonly a quarter of 205 volunteers given the test vaccine ‘Vaccine developers who heard the bad news ata meetingin Lausanne, Switzerland, last week are refocusingelfortson vaccines designed to produce an antibody responseas wellas a cell-mediated response. The international AIDS Vaccine Initiative, wich sponsored the latest trials also plansto pursuea live vaccine based on a weakened form of HIV~a high-risk strategy since the weakened HIV might mutate into adisease-causing strain. "We'llbe announcing aconsortium to look atlive vaccine approaches later this year” said a spokesman. Novoccine insight © not under or overdosed with Bespoke medicine mysussstamneneainte European Union last week THE long promised era of “Asfarasl'maware,thisis the personalised medicine, when first commercial dlagnostictest octorswilltalortreatmentsto for personalised medicine,” says ‘matcha particular patient's genes, Doris Ann Willams, director of Isbeginning todawn.Agenetest the British In Vitro Diagnostics that could helpensure peopleare Association, But she fears that at around €450 per est it willbean ‘option only for wealthier patients The est, sold by Roche [= Diagnostics of Basle, Switzerland, Isbased ona DNA chip, or ‘microarray. ILreveals which variants people have of two liver jones, CYP2Ci9 and CYP2D6. These Variants determine how fasta person’ live breaks down almost athird ofall drugs, including those used totreat disorders such asdepression. Ifa drugis broken {down too fastt will not work; 100 slowly and the patient can dieof anaverdose. The test has not yet been approved outside the EU. Animal dispute IS THE numberof animal tests done inthe UK increasing or not? The Home office revealed con Tuesday that 28 million experiments were performed 2003, 22 percent increase 102002. Ayear ago, the corresponding rise was 4 per cent “This shocking rise isa shameful reflection ofthis government’ failure totacklethe Issueof animal experiments," says Adolfo Sansolin,chiel executiveof the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. “There may bea light blip,” says Chris Higgins, director of the Medical Research Couneil’s Clinical Research Centre in london, But he points out that compared with 2 years ago the number of animals used in ‘medical research has fallen by ‘more than 50 percent 60 SECONDS No shame in not knowing Expert witnesses in “ot death murder ‘als have unjustiibly incriminated mothers, says. Uk report covering a ‘pate of high-profile aqua. "Doctors shold be wiling to ay “dont know without shame oF ibtion "says the report, released ‘on Monday bythe ya allege of Pathologists an the Roya allege of Pacis and Child Healt. Frances hits shuttle Damage fom Huricane Frances laste may ely MASK plans to resume space shuttle ight. Gusts of up 150 ilometes per hour toe ofa part ofthe root roma building inthe Kennedy Space Centr in Foida here hestrestant tes for shuttles are made. The bulding sustained fvtersve water damage. Blame the ducks Veterinary authorities in South Norea aimed ast week thatthe HSM bird fu virus stil causing outbreaks across ast sia was brought to the country las Octobe by migrating ducks. Conseratonsts point out that his fu strain evlved in southern hin, and dks arving in October would ‘have migrated from Siberia, nt China. Wid ducks could nave spread HSK ‘only wintering populations maintain the infection, they say. Plague threatens tigers Avil erin tiger hasbeen led bycanine distemper. The vs, cated by dogs, sa serous threat to the fewer than 50 wild ties survivingin usa, asthe Wilf Conservation Society base in ew York. n 1994 the virus illed a third ofthe erenget's ions in Tanzania, Cloning law passed Singapore last wee passed ans that bon human reproductive ong butalow therapeutic cloning ~ the

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