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40,083 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

French truffle thieves face military threat

Producers of 'black diamonds' call in gendarmes to protect harvest over festive period amid soaring demandNever let it be said that Gallic gastronomes would allow either an economic crisis or thieves to get in the way of their seasonal delicacy.As the price of the rare Tuber melanosporum – otherwise known as the truffle – rocketed to €1,200 (£978) a kilo, producers have called in gendarmes...

Brian Cox on the discovery of the Higgs boson particle | Eyewitness 2012

4 July: The particle physicist and TV presenter recalls the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle at CernThe discovery of the Higgs boson particle is one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time. It was so bold and strange and extremely exciting to know, once and for all, that something I had learned about all the way through university, and my PhD, worked and that the theory was...

Felix Baumgartner on falling from space | Eyewitness 2012

14 October: the inside view of the world's longest and highest freefallHow many people have had the opportunity to see the curvature of the Earth below and a completely black sky above? Sitting at the edge of the craft, preparing to jump, was an unforgettable experience: spectacular, and humbling. Before I jumped I said, "I'm going home now," and that's what I was thinking – with my jump I'd be...


SATURDAY 22. DECEMBER 2012


Colliding Particles: Loose Ends | Jon Butterworth | Life & Physics

Episode 12 of the series of short films about some extraordinary times in particle physics. Last in the current series. What next now, we have found something like a Higgs boson?What next now we've found something?See this film and previous episodes here.Particle physicsSciencePhysicsPhysicsHiggs bosonCernJon Butterworthguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated...

The Observer science quiz of 2012: answers to part 3

Answers to the picture round of our quiz on events in science and technologyThe answers to part 3 of the Observer science quiz of 2012ROUND 5: PICTURES61. Nasa; 62. John Gurdon; 63. The comic sans typeface; 64. Beyoncé; 65. Endeavour; 66. Ten Billion by Stephen Emmott; 67. Black lion tamarin; 68. Mars.guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All...

Plantwatch: Juniper at risk from fungus-like disease

The juniper has declined steadily over the past few decades and now faces a new threat, says Paul SimonsThink of wild berries at Christmas and bright red holly usually comes to mind, but another symbol of the season is the bluey-grey berry of the juniper tree, and which has a fascinating use. Gin owes its distinctive taste and aroma to flavouring from juniper berries – in fact, the word gin...


FRIDAY 21. DECEMBER 2012


Ask a grown-up: if God created everything, who created God?

Eight-year-old Grace has her religious poser answered by the priest-in-charge at St Mary's in Newington, south LondonPeople have been asking this question for thousands of years. Christians say God does not have a beginning or an end. I find it hard to understand this. But it's a bit like asking what there was before the universe was created. It's hard to imagine that there was a time before...