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40,085 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

Letter: Scientists could use FoI law safeguards

The president of the Royal Society calls for changes to freedom of information laws to prevent them being misused (Data laws 'misused' in climate change row, 26 May). However, existing safeguards address many of his concerns. Deliberate attempts to "intimidate" scientists, if that is what they are, can be refused under the Freedom of Information Act's safeguards against vexatious requests....


THURSDAY 26. MAY 2011


Confessions of a Tetris addict | GrrlScientist

Tetris has changed the life of James Clewett, the 1999 world champion. He is now on the brink of finishing a PhD in physicsHow many times have parents admonished their children for staying inside all weekend long, playing computer games? When I was a kid, Tetris was a great evil that stole many members of my generation, raising eyebrows as well as concerns about the future of the youth of that...


WEDNESDAY 25. MAY 2011


How satellites are mapping our ancient past

Satellites using infra-red imaging are disclosing hidden archaeological treasures such as entire ancient Egyptian citiesArchaeologist Sarah Parcak says she has discovered thousands of ancient sites in Egypt, from pyramids to a detailed street plan of the city of Tanis, an A-to-Z of the region's northern capital – all thanks to images from satellites orbiting 400 miles above the Earth. The...

Are we are alone in the universe?

Neil deGrasse Tyson: "We learned in the last fifty years that .. not only do we exist in the universe, but it is the universe itself that exists within within us."I was a postdoc at the same institution, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where Neil deGrasse Tyson is director of the Hayden Planetarium. As a result of my proximity, I often got to watch him in action. He is a...

Plantwatch: fastforward to summer

One minute we were in a glorious hot spring covered in bluebells and primroses, then suddenly the season flipped into high summer, with wildflowers that would normally be expected in three or four weeks' time. This remarkable somersault is all thanks to the tremendous heat and sunshine this spring.Thistles and their close cousins the knapweeds are bursting out, and tall oxeye daisies have been...