Tuberculosis testing finally moves into the 21st century IT HAS taken 100 years, but at last we have developed a quick and reliable test for tuberculosis. Researchers have struggled to find an alternative to the standard tuberculin skin test, developed a century ago by the German bacteriologist Robert Koch . It involves injecting a witch's brew of 200 or so proteins extracted from … 51¶¯Âþ
Humans Westminster diary MOST MPs have witnessed the harrowing aftermath and family grief that can ensue when a smouldering cigarette causes a major fire in someone's home. This magazine recently made a persuasive case for "fire-safe" cigarettes that contain fire-resistant additives (21/28 December 2002, p 6) . When I put the idea to Melanie Johnson, the consumer minister … Opinion
The furtive evolutionist The year is 1765. The place is Staffordshire, in the heart of England. Horse-drawn wagons trundle along the rutted and potholed roads, carrying the pottery and crockery manufactured by Josiah Wedgwood at his factory in Burslem. Breakages are all too frequent. Appalled at these losses, Wedgwood has an ambitious idea. Why not create a smooth … Features
To thine own self be true Better Than Well by Carl Elliott, W.W. Norton, $26.95, ISBN 039305201X AT first glance, Better than Well is a critical account of how we seek to fix the human condition with "enhancement technologies". It is about Ritalin and distractibility, Prozac and shyness, skin bleaches and botox, sex-reassignment surgery and voluntary amputation. It is about the … Books & Arts
Sparing Nature: The conflict between human population growth and Earth's biodiversity by Jeffrey K. McKee Books & Arts
Feedback A SIMPLE magnetic chip slipped into a trouser pocket is all it takes to boost blood flow to the genital area, improve oxygen and nutrient supply to the region, and bump up levels of sex hormones. At least, that's the claim made for the Sex-Mag in the latest glossy brochure from Home Shopping Selections. Feedback … Regulars