Latest research news

Imported animal feed carries BSE risk, says scientist
Some animal feed imported into Britain could contain high-risk BSE material, a senior government veterinary scientist said yesterday. John Wilesmith, professor at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, suggested that feed destined for British farms could be contaminated by feed containing meat and bone-meal (MBM) during shipping. (Times, Guardian)

European corals smashed by fishing boats
Coral reefs older than the Pyramids are being smashed to bits by fishing boats trawling deep water off the UK coast. European countries are constantly pleading with developing nations to protect coral reefs in tropical countries. But it turns out that their own fishing boats are trashing equally important reefs in their own waters. (New Scientist)

South Pole re-routed
Satellite images that expose perilous crevasses now reveal safe overland routes to the South Pole. Carolyn Merry of Ohio State University in Columbus has pieced together high-resolution satellite pictures that see through the snow, to map the passable Pole. (Nature)

Longer days give hamsters the blues
Scientists have discovered that the arrival of spring makes Siberian hamsters more vulnerable to fevers, sickness and infection. The change is triggered by the lengthening of the days, suggesting that the creatures have sophisticated body clocks that can turn immune systems up or down. (Daily Telegraph)