AUGUST 2002

FEATURES

Faster than the Speed of Light
Teleportation of light is now a reality, but Heather Catchpole finds that beaming up atoms is only 4 years away.

A Bold Gamble to Join the High Rollers of Space
Simon Grose says plans to develop a space industry on Christmas Island is a huge gamble at long odds.

Astronomers Look to Goldilocks for ET
Our solar system is too alien for aliens, so astronomers are looking further into space for planets that are not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Pat Sheil reports.

Where is Australian Renewable Energy Heading?
Stephen Luntz examines progress in renewable energy research from wind turbines, photovoltaic cells and biofuels to using the heat from radioactive rocks.

Global Warming is Good (If You Like Calamari)
Taylor Bildstein finds that climate change and overfishing of predators are increasing the biomass of squid in our oceans.

Research Priorities for Australia: Setting Our Future
As the government re-examines its research priorities, Michael Barber weighs in with his vision for Australia’s scientific future.

conScience

Double Standards with Radioactive Waste
Alan Parkinson says the government is cutting corners.

CSIRO LEADERSHIP

CSIRO Converting to Corporate Contractor, Controversially
Peter Pockley delves into deep changes underway in Australia’s giant research agency, exposed by a single page in Australasian Science last month.

A Great Opportunity to Do Good
Jim Peacock responds to claims that CSIRO’s leadership is in crisis.

Politicians Respond to July’s conScience Column
Peter McGauran and Senator Kim Carr weigh into the debate.

PUBLIC AWARENESS

A Record Celebration of Science
With more than 800 public events and thousands of school-based activities and media stories, National Science Week 2002 is shaping as the greatest celebration of Australian science yet.

A Matter of Trust
Julian Cribb analyses why science’s unquestioned authority has been eroded by doubts about its ethics and morality.

UPDATE

CSIRO Sale on Land and Sea

Business R&D Picks Up from Trough

Galaxy Caught Shredding

Snail Signals Less Pain

Toxin Helping Cerebral Palsy

Toxic Seafood Test

Magnetically Reducing Depression

Virtual Psychosis

Receptor Responsible for Infertility in the

Obese

The Scientific Shire

Greenhouse Be Damned!

HyShot Crash Explained

BRIEFS

New Planets Found

Fishy Fast Food

Net Medicine Safety Tested

El Nino Warning

Monitoring the Media

Science Centre Opens

Foot and Mouth Funded

Gendered Heart Attacks

Fire Ant Invasion Logged

Alternative Energy for Indigenous

Communities

Blue-Green Algae Grazers