Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth.

Any day now Craig Venter - geneticist, yachtsman and Vietnam veteran - will announce that he has achieved one of the greatest feats in science: the creation of artificial life. He talks to Ed Pilkington.

A 72-year-old man is due to become the father of his own "grandchild" by acting as a sperm donor for his daughter-in-law. The case is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Cambridge, Masachusetts, October 5 2007: Last night saw the presentation of the Ig Nobel awards 2007. Awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, the prizes recognise 'achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think'

Colquhoun's attack on nutritional therapy (August 15th) as unscientific fails to address any actual points of science.

A town is introducing "intelligent" car-park ticket machines which can automatically text for help if anyone attempts to break into or damage them.

· UK radiologist wins spoof Nobel prize for medicine· Study of the word 'the' captures literature award

· Call for individualised remedies to be banned· Little evidence to support claims of efficacy

·Research suggests fewer treatment side-effects·Trials in humans planned for 18 months' time

Letter: Today is the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, the first time human beings put anything into orbit (How Russia lost the moon, October 2). Twelve years later men walked on the moon.

"The photo album of the Zoological Society of London, which has been running London Zoo for almost 180 years, will become accessible online for the first time today. Photographs of the historic zoo dating from the 19th century through to astonishing images of the present day can be viewed at www.zsl.org/printstore, bringing the Zoo’s history to life through the web."

Plans to build a bank of stem cells that can be used to test the safety of new medicines were announced yesterday by a government-backed consortium of scientists and drug companies.

The Norfolk Broads, one of Britain's greatest natural treasures, is under increasing threat from pollution, rising sea levels and growing demand for water, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds warns today.

Sergei Khrushchev: The Soviets squandered the lead in the space race that Sputnik gave them, despite my father's efforts.

By using a computer modelling technique scientists in Australia have compared Smilodon fossils with modern lion skulls.

· Development threatens world's oldest rainforest · Conservationists attack plans for transport routes

Space pioneer recalls secret team's hurried pursuit of 'silly fantasy'.

Exposure to second-hand smoke for people working in bars and clubs has dropped by 95% since July 1's ban on indoor smoking in England.

Paintings of striking sunsets show effect of huge volcanic eruptions on climate.

Ben Goldacre: This week, a new study was published on acupuncture. Many newspapers said it showed acupuncture performing better than medical treatment: in fact it was 8 million times more interesting than that.

Recent government initiatives to combat superbugs in hospitals were today condemned by a leading medical journal for not being based on scientific fact.

French and Italian researchers have decoded the genome of the pinot noir grape, a breakthrough that could one day lead to the engineering of pest-resistant strains or - more controversially - new varieties and flavours of wine.

The UK is in danger of losing its leading position in stem cell research if the next US president relaxes restrictions imposed by George Bush, according to the new head of the Medical Research Council.

· Industry enlists academia to identify medical threats· Gains in safety would save firms hundreds of millions