SEPTEMBER 2000

FEATURES

Big Brother is Watching You
Australian IT firms are working with law enforcement agencies to minimise tax evasion, money laundering, Medicare and credit card fraud, and to ensure secure online transactions.

Jobs Boom for Physicists
Rory McGuire discovers that telecommunications and IT are stimulating employment prospects for physicists.

Quaking Stars to Tell the Age of the Cosmos
Aussie and Danish astronomers are combining to settle a vexed question about the cosmos, as Peter Pockley reports.

The Big Rip: Antarctica Split in Two
Dietmar Muller reveals that seismic activity in Antarctica could have spelt disaster for Hobart in 1998.

Refitting, Rewiring & Reprogramming the Brain
John Bradshaw reveals that the adult brain is not only capable of rewiring itself, but is constantly doing so.

The Great White Oliphant
Peter Pockley traces the life and times of Australia’s best recognised boffin, who bestrode the stage of science and society.

BIOSPHERE

Reactor and Waste Plans in Starts and Fits
The government’s nuclear-led strategy for Australian S&T faces more reactions. Peter Pockley tries to pull the hot rods together.

Weed Seeds under Fire
Rachel Melland outlines a complex strategy to overcome a weed that is taking over our national parks.  

INSIGHT

Growing Pains for IVF
Ann Westmore explores issues of access to assisted reproduction services by single and lesbian women.

What Might Have Been?
John Carmody recalls how Australia failed to capture or keep key scientific talent -- well before today’s "brain drain".

"The Chance to Change"
Peter Pockley asks whether this hopeful title invites dust to gather on yet another review of R&D.

SERIAL

Dangerous Australian Animals: Box Jellyfish
Struan Sutherland and Guy Nolch profile a deadly marine creature in an extract from their book, Dangerous Australian Animals.

UPDATE

Journey from the centre of the Earth

Hometown advantage for Games

Pulsars lie about their age

New oil produces the perfect chip

Scientist takes the shock out of camping

Less toil and trouble

Red hot and dangerous

Grape quality assessors see red

Gravebusters go high-tech

CURSOR tracks mobiles

GM food to be labelled

Australia enters race for Alzheimer’s cure

Liver tumours zapped

Synthetic flesh for surgeons

Drug cheats to face EPO test at Olympics

Embryologists prefer zebra fish  

BRIEFS

Cold-tolerant coral

Babies not to blame

Donald Metcalf wins Vic Prize

Antarctic ice break-up

Campus sanctuary

Saving cancer patient’s hearing

Blow your house down

Oil-cleaning microbes

Gold medal for bionic ear?