JUNE 2000

FEATURES

Mungo Man: New dates, old ideas?
Darren Curnoe and Alan Thorne reignite the debate on the antiquity of the first Australians.

Mungo claims unsubstantiated
Peter Brown and Richard Gillespie respond to the claims made by Darren Curnoe and Alan Thorne.

It's life, but not as we know it...
Annabel Wood reports the strange road to the discovery of nanobes - tiny "creatures" that may point to the origin of life on Earth.

Cangaroo leaps into black holes
Gamma rays emitted from black holes and supernovas are the target of a new telescope at Woomera. Peter Pockley reports.

NZ leads with Royal Commission on GM
Peter Pockley reports on another bold experiment in New Zealand.

Fast times at Stadium Australia ... Maybe?
Peter Blanchonette, Mark Stewart and Ian Blanchonette examine the potential impact of Stadium Australia's swirling winds on Olympic performances.

What makes a champion?
Allan Snyder is bringing together champions of the mind and body to see what makes them great.

BIOSPHERE

Fungus - Friend or foe?
Elizabeth Pope explains how an Australian fungus could tame a major killer of the world's crops.

Thinking small is saving our mangrove forests
Genetic studies of mangrove populations will be crucial to their rehabilitation, writes Tina Maguire.

Good returns on wood research
Stephen Luntz reports that every dollar spent on forestry research is returning a staggering $22.

INSIGHT

Budget neither red nor green
Peter Pockley emerged from the lock-up in Parliament House not much the wiser - and then the S&T Statement delivered a mixed message.

Ethical practice for biotechnology
Richard Hindmarsh and Kees Hulsman identify shortcomings in a draft ethical code of conduct for biotechnology.

SERIAL

Ageing successfully
In the first part of a series on ageing, Robert Helme questions the credibility of anti-ageing treatments.

Tic toc goes a cell's biological clock
Ann Westmore reports on attempts to slow down the biological clock.

UPDATE

Thylacine DNA raises cloning hopes

Beer dye improves the brew

Sites for radioactive waste repository selected

Maralinga dispute continues

Kiwi astronomers score in South Africa

Metal from the mantle

Spotting salinity from space

Nebula spits out water by the oceanful

Mission to Mars

A Golden Age in the Making?

Exporting bush tucker

AIMS survives takeover

Unsung Hero of Australian Science, and Apes

Eurekas provide silver lining for two clouds

Nation celebrates Science Week

BRIEFS

Reducing desease in child care centres

Ecosystems are cheaper to fix

Racism peaks at 5 years of age

Test for skin cancer risk

Cholesterol drugs induce muscle weakness

Fishy fossil brain case found

Waxflowers resist fungus

The end was nigh