Today's news

Student fees need to rise, says Blair adviser
Britain will never become a world leader in science unless the best universities are allowed to charge students higher fees, government science adviser Sir Richard Sykes said. (The Independent, Financial Times)

Ex-polys put older rivals in shade
Departments in former polytechnics top the tables in teaching less traditional subjects such as media studies and nursing, according to new rankings. (The Guardian)

Brain scan provides early Alzheimer’s warning
Researchers from the universities of Florida and Kentucky have found that a key region of the brain – the hippocampus – begins changes early in life that can indicate the future onset of Alzheimer’s. (Daily Mail, The Times)

Road rage is result of brain disorder
A study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claims that people who carry out acts of road rage may be suffering from a brain disorder. (The Daily Telegraph)

GM virus restores fertility
Scientists in Japan and the US have used a genetically modified virus to correct a form of infertility in male mice. (The Times)

Prostate cancer kills one man an hour
Prostate cancer is set to become the most common male cancer over the next three years – yet argues David Dearnaley of the Institute for Cancer Research, 70 per cent of cases do not require treatment. (The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Financial Times, Daily Mail)

NHS patients are denied cancer drug
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is poised to reject cancer treatment Glivec for use by NHS patients. David Cook, director of studies at Sheffield University chemistry department, believes Nice is making a mistake. (The Times)

Too much claim and blame
Britain risks being overwhelmed by US style compensation culture, argues Nottingham University law professor John Peysner, who looks for alternatives to litigation. (The Times T2)

Stress can cause difficult menopause
Women who deal with a lot of stress during their thirties are more likely to suffer during their menopause. Cary Cooper, an expert on stress and its effects from the University of Manchester Institute for Science and Technology, argues that even those well equipped to deal with stress will suffer later in life. (The Times T2)

Hedge rage is growing problem
The government needs to clarify legislation over hedges to help settle disputes between British householders, argues Open University law professor Gary Slapper. (The Times T2)

Lecturers ready to make stand over participation
Ministers face a revolt from university lecturers expected to teach thousands of extra students and deliver the government’s  50 per cent participation target. (The Guardian G2)

Weak students can do as well as strong ones
Research shows that academically weak students have the same chance of doing well as strong ones – but it’s still hard to enter university with non-traditional qualifications. (The Guardian G2)