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40,083 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science


THURSDAY 12. AUGUST 2010


Opiate painkillers – the treatment that can kill in the wrong hands

Diamorphine and other drugs can alleviate intense pain but an accidental overdose, as the Ubani case showed, can be lethalPowerful painkillers such as morphine, diamorphine, (a pharmaceutical form of heroin), and methadone can be wonderful drugs. Diamorphine can relieve the agony of those nearing the end of life, help cancer patients and alleviate pain. Their use is increasing throughout the...

David Copperfield discovers fountain of youth

The magician came across the controversial 'secret' on one of his private islandsWhat would you say if you were told: "Hey! Someone's discovered the fountain of youth!"? You'd say: "Olay, Schmolay, that's amazing!" And what would you say if you were then told: "And the person who has discovered it is David Copperfield"? You'd say: "So what happened on 'Enders last night?"OK!, to its eternal...

Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight, with best views in western parts of UK

Astronomers, amateur and professional, will be out in force to see brilliant display with hundreds of shooting starsMeteor hunters should head west for the best view of this evening's Perseid meteor shower, according to weather forecasters.The Perseids reach a peak of activity tonight and will be most visible in Britain at 11pm, in areas where the skies are dark and cloud free.Astronomers are...

Cash-strapped Royal Institution scales back Christmas lectures

Accounts put the scientific education and research institution more than £2m in the redThe Royal Institution is scaling down its popular Christmas lecture series for the first time in nearly 200 years to save on costs, leading scientists have said.The series usually runs over five days the week before Christmas, but this year will span only three days,.The prospect of cuts to the lectures,...

Roman fortress Caerleon gives up new treasures to archaeology students

Roman buildings, unknown to historians, detected by Cardiff University students learning to use mapping equipmentArchaeology students learning how to use mapping equipment have stumbled across the site of large Roman buildings on the banks of the river Usk in Wales, right by one of the best-known and most-studied Roman sites in Britain.The structures have yet to be excavated, but one is enormous,...

Perseid meteor shower set for shooting stars show over UK skies

Astronomers predict dazzling display from at least 10 shooting stars an hour, even in areas of light pollutionAstronomers are predicting a dazzling display of shooting stars tomorrow as the Perseid meteor shower reaches a peak in activity.The celestial light show is one of the highlights of the astronomical calendar and this year is expected to one of the best in recent history. The bright streaks...

Letters: Populating space

Stephen Hawking (Report, 10 August) is wildly optimistic if he believes we could colonise space within the next two centuries. The perfect storm of expanding population, global warming, toxic oceans, water shortages, desertification etc will probably overwhelm us over the next few decades, with little hope of effective counter-measures. Anyway, regarding colonisation of space, Joel E Cohen's terse...


WEDNESDAY 11. AUGUST 2010


Stressed women less likely to conceive

Relax is good advice to women who want babies, Oxford University study confirmsStressed-out women are 12% less likely to become pregnant during their fertile time, Oxford University scientists have said after testing the advice to women to relax when trying for a baby.They carried out saliva tests on 274 women and analysed levels of the stress hormone cortisol and the enzyme alpha-amylase, an...