Latest research news

Dolly lab to research stem cells
The laboratory that produced Dolly, the world’s first cloned sheep, has been granted a one-year licence by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to experiment on human embryonic stem cells. The licence granted to the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh does not allow researchers to clone human embryos.
(Times, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent)

Post ’92 institutions fight to keep research
New universities in England are fighting to hang on to their research work in the face of government attempts to concentrate funding in a small number of elite institutions.
(Guardian)

Parkinson’s linked to iron-rich diet
People who follow diets that are rich in iron or manganese may be increasing their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to scientists at the University of Washington.
(Times, Guardian)

Pregnant women who work out risk smaller babies
Women who continue with regular gym workouts later in pregnancy risk having smaller babies, according to research at the University of Ohio.
(Daily Mail)

GM crop forum 'chaotic'
The Government's handling of a nationwide debate on GM crops has been described as "chaotic" by an alliance of eight consumer and environmental groups. They say it could result in the spread of genetically modified crops in Britain against most people's wishes.
(Sky News)

Doped rats lose track of time
Cannabis makes rats lose track of time, a new study shows. It robs rodents of the ability to discriminate between short and long periods. The discovery lends support to the suggestion that human cannabis users may be less adept at tasks that require sustained concentration.
(Nature)

For sale: Sputnik 1, original condition
A US classic-car dealer is selling what he claims is an original version of the Soviet Sputnik 1 satellite. It's a souvenir from the dawn of the space age, says George Stauffer, who is asking $39,000 (£23,584) for the item on his website, staufferclassics.com. Sputnik 1 was the first man-made satellite to orbit the Earth.
(Nature)