Cannabis report clears way to softer line
The government's drug advisory council, chaired by Sir Michael Rawlins, professor of clinical pharmacology at Newcastle University, has reported that cannabis is less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. The report may clear the way for a relaxation of cannabis laws. (The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Times)
Storm over teaching of creationism at school
Teachers at Emmanuel City Technology College in Gateshead are determined to continue emphasising a creationist interpretation of biology over Darwinism despite vocal opposition from prominent scientists led by Richard Dawkins. The bishop of Durham has urged Ofsted to carry out another inspection of Emmanuel College. (The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Times)
End league tables, say independent school heads
The head teachers of Britain's leading public schools have demanded the scrapping of performance league tables because they are meaningless and do not give parents the best information about school performance. (The Daily Mail, The Telegraph)
Have a beer for your brain
A glass of lager can improve your memory, but the brain boost wears off rapidly, a study at Northumbria University has found. (The Daily Mail)
Why you want a smoke and drink
Researchers at Howard University in Washington DC have discovered why smokers enjoy cigarettes more with a drink -- both alcohol and nicotine stimulate the brain to release dopamine. (The Times)
Polkinghorne wins spiritual prize
John Polkinghorne, a mathematical physicist and former president of Queens' College, Cambridge, who became an Anglican priest, has won the 2002 Templeton Prize, worth £700,000 and the world richest annual award to an individual. It is awarded to people who "advance spiritual matters". He plans to use the award to support research in science and theology. (The Financial Times, The Times, Guardian)
Scientists want tests on farmed fish
The Food Standards Agency wants farmed fish tested for BSE-like diseases. (The Guardian)
Maya fresco found intact
An American archaeologist has found a stunning Maya mural 1,900 years old inside an 80-foot pyramid in the northern Guatemala rainforest. It is thought to be the earliest intact fresco from a New World civilisation. (The Independent)
Helen was here
An archaeologist claims to have found the palace from which Helen of Troy was abducted. A regional official of Greece's Central archaeological Council says it is near the village of Pellana, 15 miles north of modern Sparta. (The Times)
A TV test for your IQ
The BBC will devote a Saturday night in May to letting viewers test their IQ. (The Telegraph, The Guardian)
From the British Psychological Society in Blackpool:
Big heads can be a big help
Narcissists may be obnoxious and flawed, but their ability to perform under pressure can make them invaluable in a crisis, said Roy Baumeister, a US psychologist from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. (The Daily Mail, The Telegraph)
Take E and forget
Taking ecstacy once a month is enough to cause serious memory loss and poor concentration long after the euphoria has worn off, says the largest survey of its kind. (The Telegraph)
Oh, he is horrible
Men are just as likely to be bitchy and gossipy as women, says a study by Sarah Forrest of Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge. (The Telegraph)