Issue 1705 | Magazine cover date: 24 February 1990

This week's magazine

24 February 1990

Issue 1705

On the cover

Features

In search of empty space - the Cluster mission: Space is not as empty as it sounds. Four European satellites will take a close look at the Earth's surroundings in the middle of the 90s, hoping to find out how auroras form. The results could reveal secret

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Inside science: Evidence of the eclipse

Opinion

Statistical concern

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In search of empty space - the Cluster mission: Space is not as empty as it sounds. Four European satellites will take a close look at the Earth's surroundings in the middle of the 90s, hoping to find out how auroras form. The results could reveal secret

Features

Another life for electronics: As our homes fill with conventional electronics, Japanese firms are looking for new ways of selling us their products. And from experience, there is little we can do to stop them

Features

Who's a clever parrot, then?: Few people would think it ethical to keep an ape in a cage in their front room, but parrots may be as bright as primates. And trade in parrots as pets is driving many to extinction

Features

Portrait of an exploding star: Exactly three years ago, a star blew itself apart in a nearby galaxy. Astronomers have now laid bare the details of the explosion

Features

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Inside science: Evidence of the eclipse

DURING the solar eclipse of 1919, a team led by the English physicist Arthur Eddington measured the positions of several stars, shown by dots in the top diagram, which lay in nearly the same direction on the sky as the Sun (circle) at the time. Light from the distant stars passed through the region of …

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File closes on North Sea rig disaster

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Space agency jogs Giotto towards a new job

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Patents: Do-it-yourself searches for patents

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Technology

Technology: A breath of fresh air turns methane into petrol

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Patents: Time for a change

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Patents: The human factor

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Patents: Money in marks

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Patents: Spun out tale

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Technology

Technology: Computers that bend the rules of animation

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Technology

Technology: East and West reach for the Open Skies

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Science: Superheavy elements could be more stable than

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Technology

Technology: Simulator helps doctors and midwives to avoid breakages at birth

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Technology

Technology: Superconductors need impurities to stop creeping current

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Technology

Technology: Electronic camera captures number plates in the fast lane

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Technology

Technology: Japan puts its money into two-faced materials

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: The days of the kiwi fruit may be numbered

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Estimates of sea level rise cut by half

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Habits of consumption create energy addicts

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Adapting to global warming will be easy, says archaeologist . . .

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: . . . but medical research foresees the apocalypse

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The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Another ozone hole opens up over New Zealand

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Eau fizzles out

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Plan for whales

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Flood waters dampen researchers' drive

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Chimp virus

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Cocom relaxes

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Poles' science axed

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Bone marrow baby

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Stone flower

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Science: Britain must learn to farm in the greenhouse

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Science: Infrared eye discovers new volcano on Jupiter's moon

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Science: Prehistoric farming caused 'devastating' soil erosion

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Tropical farmers 'at risk' from pesticides

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: American nuclear industry may have a future yet

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Secrecy under the ice frustrates global warming studies

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Genome scientists map out details of five-year plan

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Burning questions answered about red hot peppers

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Prehistoric people 'ruined their own environment'

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Leukaemia study sparks review of radiation limits

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Soldiers 'sacrificed to clean up Chernobyl'

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Relief workers move to tackle Romanian AIDS epidemic

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India helps the Caribbean to exploit its marine wealth

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Nerve discovery confuses debate on laboratory monkeys

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Canadians accuse US of 'hysteria' over drugs

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Supernova pulsar was just a flash in the pan

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Opinion

Statistical concern

LAST THURSDAY there was an audible sigh of relief at Britain's National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). For the first time a study had linked occupational exposure to radiation to the previously mystifying phenomenon of excess childhood cancers around the country's most notorious nuclear installation, Sellafield. According to a report produced by Martin Gardner (see This …

Opinion

A climate of uncertainty

Opinion

Features

In search of empty space - the Cluster mission: Space is not as empty as it sounds. Four European satellites will take a close look at the Earth's surroundings in the middle of the 90s, hoping to find out how auroras form. The results could reveal secret

PHOTOGRAPHS of Earth rising above the Moon's horizon, taken by Apollo 11, emphasise the loneliness and isolation of our planet in space. Yet that seemingly empty space is the objective of a project planned for the middle of this decade. In 1995, the European Space Agency will launch Cluster, four spacecraft grouped together in a …

Features

Another life for electronics: As our homes fill with conventional electronics, Japanese firms are looking for new ways of selling us their products. And from experience, there is little we can do to stop them

Features

Who's a clever parrot, then?: Few people would think it ethical to keep an ape in a cage in their front room, but parrots may be as bright as primates. And trade in parrots as pets is driving many to extinction

Features

Portrait of an exploding star: Exactly three years ago, a star blew itself apart in a nearby galaxy. Astronomers have now laid bare the details of the explosion

Features

Physics

A theory of some gravity

General relativity is a theory of gravity – the best theory of gravity we have. It was the insight of a German physicist in 1915. Fifty years later, that theory was ready and able to explain the bizarre properties of such newly discovered exotic objects as black holes, pulsars and quasars ALBERT Einstein used to …

Inside Science

Forum: Now you see it . . . Now you don't! - A pathological tendency among astronomers

Forum

Thistle Diary - More Comment From Westminster: Of public health and private plans

Forum

Forum: A class apart? - How do you define an archaeologist?

Forum

Chemistry's driving forces / Review of ' Molecular Machinery - The Principles and Powers of Chemistry by Andrew Scott

Books & Arts

Pick Of The Paperbacks

Books & Arts

The ties that bind the Third World / Review of 'Exploited Earth - Britain's Aid and the Environment' by Teresa Hayter

Books & Arts

Mock not to mock a mockingbird / Review of 'To Mock a Mockingbird and Other Logic Puzzles' by Raymond Smullyan

Books & Arts

Insight at Wallewerang / Review of 'Charles Darwin in Australia' by F. W. and J. M. Nicholas

Books & Arts

Forum: If only things had been different .. - Gail Vines talks to Stephen Jay Gould about the role of contingency in evolution

Forum

Forum: Pennies from heaven - The consequences of working to a budget

Forum

As long as he loves his mother / Review of 'Oedipus in Evolution - A New Theory of Sex' by Christopher Badcock

Books & Arts

Creators not copycats / Review of ' The Formation of Science in Japan' by James R. Bartholomew

Books & Arts

Regulars

Feedback

IF YOU are of a somewhat nervous disposition, and use a cordless telephone, then be warned: the following account could make you feel decidedly uneasy. Recently, a journalist living on high ground in North London had an unexpected visitor. It was a complete stranger who knew all about his life, the number of his bank …

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This week's magazine

24 February 1990

On the cover

In search of empty space - the Cluster mission: Space is not as empty as it sounds. Four European satellites will take a close look at the Earth's surroundings in the middle of the 90s, hoping to find out how auroras form. The results could reveal secret

Another life for electronics: As our homes fill with conventional electronics, Japanese firms are looking for new ways of selling us their products. And from experience, there is little we can do to stop them

Who's a clever parrot, then?: Few people would think it ethical to keep an ape in a cage in their front room, but parrots may be as bright as primates. And trade in parrots as pets is driving many to extinction

Portrait of an exploding star: Exactly three years ago, a star blew itself apart in a nearby galaxy. Astronomers have now laid bare the details of the explosion

Table of contents

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Inside science: Evidence of the eclipse

File closes on North Sea rig disaster

Space agency jogs Giotto towards a new job

Patents: Do-it-yourself searches for patents

Technology

Technology: A breath of fresh air turns methane into petrol

Patents: Time for a change

Patents: The human factor

Patents: Money in marks

Patents: Spun out tale

Technology

Technology: Computers that bend the rules of animation

Technology

Technology: East and West reach for the Open Skies

Science: Superheavy elements could be more stable than

Technology

Technology: Simulator helps doctors and midwives to avoid breakages at birth

Technology

Technology: Superconductors need impurities to stop creeping current

Technology

Technology: Electronic camera captures number plates in the fast lane

Technology

Technology: Japan puts its money into two-faced materials

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: The days of the kiwi fruit may be numbered

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Estimates of sea level rise cut by half

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Habits of consumption create energy addicts

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Adapting to global warming will be easy, says archaeologist . . .

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: . . . but medical research foresees the apocalypse

The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science: Another ozone hole opens up over New Zealand

Eau fizzles out

Plan for whales

Flood waters dampen researchers' drive

Chimp virus

Cocom relaxes

Poles' science axed

Bone marrow baby

Stone flower

Science: Britain must learn to farm in the greenhouse

Science: Infrared eye discovers new volcano on Jupiter's moon

Science: Prehistoric farming caused 'devastating' soil erosion

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Tropical farmers 'at risk' from pesticides

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: American nuclear industry may have a future yet

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Secrecy under the ice frustrates global warming studies

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Genome scientists map out details of five-year plan

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Burning questions answered about red hot peppers

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Prehistoric people 'ruined their own environment'

Leukaemia study sparks review of radiation limits

Soldiers 'sacrificed to clean up Chernobyl'

Relief workers move to tackle Romanian AIDS epidemic

India helps the Caribbean to exploit its marine wealth

Nerve discovery confuses debate on laboratory monkeys

Canadians accuse US of 'hysteria' over drugs

The American Association for the Advancement of Science: Supernova pulsar was just a flash in the pan

Opinion

Statistical concern

A climate of uncertainty

Features

In search of empty space - the Cluster mission: Space is not as empty as it sounds. Four European satellites will take a close look at the Earth's surroundings in the middle of the 90s, hoping to find out how auroras form. The results could reveal secret

Another life for electronics: As our homes fill with conventional electronics, Japanese firms are looking for new ways of selling us their products. And from experience, there is little we can do to stop them

Who's a clever parrot, then?: Few people would think it ethical to keep an ape in a cage in their front room, but parrots may be as bright as primates. And trade in parrots as pets is driving many to extinction

Portrait of an exploding star: Exactly three years ago, a star blew itself apart in a nearby galaxy. Astronomers have now laid bare the details of the explosion

More

Physics

A theory of some gravity

Forum: Now you see it . . . Now you don't! - A pathological tendency among astronomers

Thistle Diary - More Comment From Westminster: Of public health and private plans

Forum: A class apart? - How do you define an archaeologist?

Chemistry's driving forces / Review of ' Molecular Machinery - The Principles and Powers of Chemistry by Andrew Scott

Pick Of The Paperbacks

The ties that bind the Third World / Review of 'Exploited Earth - Britain's Aid and the Environment' by Teresa Hayter

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