Issue 1725 | Magazine cover date: 14 July 1990

This week's magazine

14 July 1990

Issue 1725

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On the cover

Features

In search of a mammoth fraud

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Some enzymes may work by 'negative catalysis'

Opinion

Talking Point: Cooperation in a fractured global order

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New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

In search of a mammoth fraud

Features

Fog, wind and heat - life in the Namib desert

Features

Sun, surf and sewage: While Australia's national tourist board urges foreigners to visit Sydney, local environmentalists struggle to persuade the city's authorities to clean up the urban coastline

Features

Is the Universe a computer?

Features

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Some enzymes may work by 'negative catalysis'

THE KIND of chemical reactions that take place in biological systems rarely happen without the aid of a catalyst - an enzyme. Until now, chemists successfully explained how enzymes work using a theory that Linus Pauling put forward almost 50 years ago. A recent study, however, by Janos Retey of the University of Karlsruhe in …

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Horseshoe bats sound out the choicest prey

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Technology

Technology: Broadcasters plan 'piggyback' radio services

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Science: 'Earliest' AIDS case may offer clues to virus

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Science: Neutrino loss makes young pulsars spin faster

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Science: A demon blow to the second law of thermodynamics?

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Science: Changes in ocean currents could accelerate global warming

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Technology

Technology: Tokyo talks fail to resolve patents row

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Technology

Technology: Medium wave makes space for stereo in Britain

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Too hot to fly

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51�� bailed

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Technology

Technology: Cost of retuning could kill Channel 5

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Technology

Technology: European chip makers seek safety in numbers

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Technology

Technology: Low-speed motor finds power in ceramics

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Technology

Technology: 'Smart' lifts take Japan's managers upmarket

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Americans allowed to hitch a ride on Soviet rockets

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Britain warns of problems over North Sea cleanup

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Oil giant hives off research unit

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Eastern activists win pollution pact

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Donana manana

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Cholesterol tests

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Soviet Medvedev

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Freon free

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Flushed sewers spell the end for Parisian fish

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East German research faces testing time

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'Youth' hormone tainted by link to cancer

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New angle on Pythagorian origins of science

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Rich countries fail to support Third World wetlands fund

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Dutch go greener

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Government rethinks stand over altered organisms

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Poisoned dolphin prompts Britain to monitor life in the seas

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Whaling nations threaten unilateral action

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BSE report will add to calls for cattle register

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Spare mirrors may throw new light on Hubble flaws

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Japan uses summit to bid for the big time

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Opinion

Talking Point: Cooperation in a fractured global order

WE ARE, as the Chinese might say, living in interesting times. The present, turbulent period of history has seen a number of important developments, each of which is likely to change the way we perceive the role of science and technology in the development process. First, there is the changing context in which development is …

Opinion

Comment: Good hunting?

Opinion

Features

In search of a mammoth fraud

WARREN MOOREHEAD was a habitual diarist, and I was grateful. For when I read his diary entry for 16 December 1891, a crucial piece of evidence on a century-old archaeological fraud tumbled neatly into place. At last, the story of the Holly Oak pendant and its discoverer, Hilborne T. Cresson – archaeologist and Moorehead's co-worker …

Features

Fog, wind and heat - life in the Namib desert

Features

Sun, surf and sewage: While Australia's national tourist board urges foreigners to visit Sydney, local environmentalists struggle to persuade the city's authorities to clean up the urban coastline

Features

Is the Universe a computer?

Features

Review: Pick of the paperbacks

THE FRENCH? Always on about their livers. Americans are always having 'shots' against infections. The Germans are obsessed with heart disease. But the secret of good health, we English know, is a daily bowel movement. Lynn Payer's Medicine and Culture (Gollancz, pp 194, Pounds sterling 4.99) is a salutary and diverting survey of medical diagnosis …

Books & Arts

Forum: Fair play, please - Isn't it time that science was applied to soccer?

Forum

Thistle Diary: More comment from Westminster - Of forests, frogs and taxpayers

Forum

Forum: Playing with fire / Firewalking with the Wessex Skeptics

Forum

Forum: A disaster for science education - The National Curriculum undoes much of the excellent work of the 1960s and 1970s

Forum

Review: Adventures in the stratosphere

Books & Arts

Review: Definitions of biology

Books & Arts

Review: The perfection of offspring

Books & Arts

Review: Rainbows, Halos and Glories

Books & Arts

Review: The hip bone is connected

Books & Arts

Review: There is always an alternative

Books & Arts

Regulars

Ariadne

FOR some years now I have occasionally mentioned the subject of UFOs sightings, opinions, statements, explanations and so on. The results are something like those to be expected on poking a sharp stick into a beehive. The air is filled with loud, angry buzzing and painful stings are sustained. The fact that I find myself …

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This week's magazine

14 July 1990

On the cover

In search of a mammoth fraud

Fog, wind and heat - life in the Namib desert

Sun, surf and sewage: While Australia's national tourist board urges foreigners to visit Sydney, local environmentalists struggle to persuade the city's authorities to clean up the urban coastline

Is the Universe a computer?

Table of contents

51����

Some enzymes may work by 'negative catalysis'

Horseshoe bats sound out the choicest prey

Technology

Technology: Broadcasters plan 'piggyback' radio services

Science: 'Earliest' AIDS case may offer clues to virus

Science: Neutrino loss makes young pulsars spin faster

Science: A demon blow to the second law of thermodynamics?

Science: Changes in ocean currents could accelerate global warming

Technology

Technology: Tokyo talks fail to resolve patents row

Technology

Technology: Medium wave makes space for stereo in Britain

Too hot to fly

51���� bailed

Technology

Technology: Cost of retuning could kill Channel 5

Technology

Technology: European chip makers seek safety in numbers

Technology

Technology: Low-speed motor finds power in ceramics

Technology

Technology: 'Smart' lifts take Japan's managers upmarket

Americans allowed to hitch a ride on Soviet rockets

Britain warns of problems over North Sea cleanup

Oil giant hives off research unit

Eastern activists win pollution pact

Donana manana

Cholesterol tests

Soviet Medvedev

Freon free

Flushed sewers spell the end for Parisian fish

East German research faces testing time

'Youth' hormone tainted by link to cancer

New angle on Pythagorian origins of science

Rich countries fail to support Third World wetlands fund

Dutch go greener

Government rethinks stand over altered organisms

Poisoned dolphin prompts Britain to monitor life in the seas

Whaling nations threaten unilateral action

BSE report will add to calls for cattle register

Spare mirrors may throw new light on Hubble flaws

Japan uses summit to bid for the big time

Opinion

Talking Point: Cooperation in a fractured global order

Comment: Good hunting?

Features

In search of a mammoth fraud

Fog, wind and heat - life in the Namib desert

Sun, surf and sewage: While Australia's national tourist board urges foreigners to visit Sydney, local environmentalists struggle to persuade the city's authorities to clean up the urban coastline

Is the Universe a computer?

More

Review: Pick of the paperbacks

Forum: Fair play, please - Isn't it time that science was applied to soccer?

Thistle Diary: More comment from Westminster - Of forests, frogs and taxpayers

Forum: Playing with fire / Firewalking with the Wessex Skeptics

Forum: A disaster for science education - The National Curriculum undoes much of the excellent work of the 1960s and 1970s

Review: Adventures in the stratosphere

Review: Definitions of biology

Review: The perfection of offspring

Review: Rainbows, Halos and Glories

Review: The hip bone is connected

Review: There is always an alternative

Regulars

Ariadne

Feedback

Regulars

Letters

Regulars

The last word

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