JUNE 2002

FEATURES

Poo that’s Good Enough to Eat!
Fiona Herron takes a trip through the gut of an amazing possum to find the key to its survival.

Fins of the Flesh
Ben Mooney tells how “fingerprinting” the oils in seafood helped to solve a public health mystery.

Testing the Ghost with the Machine
Greig de Zubicaray describes his efforts to unravel the intricate workings of the mind.

The Grass Is Becoming Greener
Damien Lynch is developing genetically modified grasses that will provide more nutritious pastures and tougher turf.

What’s Your Poison?
Hugh Crone describes some of the culprits that upset the carefully balanced systems of chemical messengers that control our bodies.

conScience

A Gag on Free Speech
Gideon Polya writes that the funding crisis in higher education is inhibiting free speech in universities.

2002 CRC REEF
MARINE SCIENCE
JOURNALISM PRIZE

ANTARCTICA

Penguin Bones Reveal Rapid Rate of Evolution
DNA preserved in an Antarctic graveyard has profound implications for our knowledge of evolution. Peter Pockley reports.

Diary from the South Pole
Antarctica’s conditions are ideal for astronomy, but before they can even build their telescope John Storey and his colleagues must overcome the daily challenges posed by climate and isolation.

Renewable Energy in Antarctica
Chris Paterson discusses the challenges faced by engineers attempting the largest renewable energy installation in Antarctica.

Contamination of Freezing Soils: Australia’s Antarctic Opportunity
Peter Williams says that Australia’s Antarctic expertise could put it at the forefront of bioremediation in frozen conditions.

INSIGHT

Peacock to Drive Top Scientists Outwards
Peter Pockley reviews the future of the Academy of Science under its new president.

Reform Before Uni Funding
Peter Pockley hears mixed reactions to the review of universities.

UPDATE

Multiple Personalities Proved

Tanning Drug Trials Successful

Reactor Faces More Legal Hurdles

Nanofilters Develop Molecular Wormholes

Neutrinos a Minority of Dark Matter

Velvet Worms Unmasked

Bounty Lures Magpie Fiddler Specimen

Plea for Jellyfish Research

Students Enter the Space Race

High-Tech Gold Rush Begins

Pain Ahead in Selecting Priorities for R&D Support

MRI Reveals Didgeridoo’s Complexity

Vaginal Gel Could Stop STDs and HIV

BRIEFS

Swinburne Fights Germ Warfare

We’re All Going to Die

Disrupting Chemicals Tracked

Testing for Frog-killing Fungus

Quest for the Atomic Laser / A Sound

Recycling Idea

Dialysis Time Reduced

Native Grasses Stop Salinity

The Secret Life of Eel