Call for return of Scottish wolves
A leading UK zoologist has called for the introduction of wolves into the Highlands of Scotland to prevent a population explosion of red deer.

Chinese woman produced 'greatest ever' run
The greatest run of all time was not Michael Johnson's 200 metres in Atlanta, or even Haile Gebrselassie's 10,000 m in 1998, but Wang Junxia's 10,000 m in 1993, according to a British statistician.

Biodiversity-friendly coffee to help El Salvador
El Salvador is hoping to protect its wildlife and plants by charging a 5% premium for "biodiversity-friendly" coffee, grown in the shade of native plants.

Window of superbug vulnerability opens
There will be a five-year window of vulnerability from 2002 in which people will be especially at risk from antibiotic-resistant "superbugs", a scientist has warned.

Small but deadly comets identified
A "small" comet impact on Earth is the most likely extraterrestrial object to kill millions of people and it could happen at any moment, according to a British expert.

Ugandan rice production brings malaria
Changes in the way land is used in Uganda is spreading malaria to previously unaffected areas.

'Everlasting' light bulb on the way
Changing light bulbs could become a thing of the past as future homes will be lit by everlasting bulbs wired directly into the walls.

Clever compost clears pollution
A hi-tech composting technique in which natural soil bacteria and fungi are "turbo-charged" by chicken droppings is now clearing polluted US sites of DDT and other toxic pesticides.

GM viruses to turn plants into factories
Plants infected with genetically-modified (GM) viruses could become prolific producers of new medicines and vaccines.

Crash dieting 'makes you thick'
New research suggests that crash dieting can impair your memory and slow down reaction times.

Walking like a dinosaur
The making of a landmark new BBC TV series has given palaeontologists a remarkable new view of how the extinct creatures roamed the Earth.

Patients could suffer from careless whispers
Unconscious patients could overhear surgeons' words during operations, a psychologist warned on Wednesday.

Terrorists are 'addicted' to their crimes
People who commit terrorist offences are unlikely to lay down their weapons because they are addicted to their crimes, says a leading criminal psychologist in the UK.

Hope for new TB treatment
The system of chemical signals used by the bacteria that cause tuberculosis has been discovered and may help scientists create future vaccines.

Meet the viral bug busters
Using viruses to attack bacteria could provide a new weapon in the battle against a number of infections including meningitis.

The upper in the cupper
Caffeine-filled cups of tea and coffee do not really provide the boost to mood and alertness that people think - they just beat withdrawal symptoms.

Plants may be just the tonic
Scientists believe British plants are an untapped source of new drugs which could treat a host of medical conditions.

Self-sealing nuclear waste disposal plan
Burying high level nuclear waste nearly five kilometres down and letting its own heat seal a cocoon could be the safest and cheapest disposal option, says a British geologist.

New sub-sea telescope looks down
A new ¿10m space telescope is being installed this week, on the bed of the Mediterranean Sea, but astronomers say it will open a new window on the Universe.

Searching for wimps
The search for the 99% of the Universe that appears to be missing is well on track, said British scientists investigating one of science's greatest mysteries.

Organic farming can 'feed the world'
Organic farming could produce enough food to feed large populations, according to British scientists at the Festival of Science in Sheffield.

Fluorescent GM potatoes say 'water me'
A potato genetically-modified with jellyfish genes which glows when it needs watering is created by Edinburgh scientists.

Why are there only two sexes?
British scientists say that a bacterial infection caught by our ancestors is the reason for there being only two sexes

Public distrust of science: who is to blame?
As scientists debate the public's apprehension about science at this week's British Association conference our Science Editor Dr David Whitehouse asks who is to blame?

Writing the hardware for fast video
Huge improvements in delivering quality video through the Web is being driven by a new concept in computer chip design - "writing hardware"

Rice crop to fight rainforest destruction
An isolated rainforest community on the island of Java is tackling the destruction of slash-and-burn agriculture by planting rice crops on the same land as fast-growing trees

Smart pacemakers take charge
Pacemakers that can recognise their owner's voice, call for an ambulance or show the location of a patient could become reality in the next century, specialists have said.

Robot volleyball short circuits
The first volleyball championship for robots took place on Monday, but the action was rather more leisurely and haphazard than the all-action human version

HIV vaccine targets developing countries
Trials are about to start of a new vaccine designed to fight AIDS in Africa and other developing countries

Fears of genetic underclass unfounded
Fears that genetic testing will create a new underclass of uninsurable people are unfounded, says an expert.

Greenpeace rejects 'secret GM sites'
Greenpeace calls for genetically-modified crop trials to be abandoned after suggestions that the locations may be kept secret if protesters continue to attack them.

Mind machine tests UK's psychic powers
Britain's psychic power is being put to the test by a strange-looking steel kiosk, now installed at the British Association's Festival of Science.

Scientists to answer critics
One of the world's largest scientific conferences gets under way this week amid growing concern about the speed of scientific advance.

The best of British science
BBC News Online reports from the British Association conference in Sheffield.