The greening of Mars TINY traces of organic dyes might be the best indicator of whether there was once life on Mars. Pigments similar to the green chlorophyll of Earth plants could still be hanging around on the Red Planet. Such chemicals can last billions of years and would be a definitive sign that life thrived on the planet, … News
Westminster diary WITH private members' bills, it's literally the luck of the draw. At the start of each parliamentary session, the first 20 of these bills—proposed by MPs who don't hold a government post—are drawn from a hat, and if all goes well the first seven or so are likely to find the parliamentary time needed to … Opinion
Queen of ices The men wore evening dress complete with white tie and upturned collar. The ladies wore silk gowns and fur wraps. Although it was a chilly January evening, the whole of London society seemed to be heading for the Royal Institution. Why? Because tonight James Dewar was going to show off the strange properties of liquid … Features
Jocelyn Bell Burnell How many poets have found inspiration in the stars? Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a co-discoverer of pulsars, can appreciate the attraction. She collects poems about astronomy, and discovered some new ones in A Quark for Mister Mark— a compilation of science poems edited by Riordan and Turney (Faber, 2000). Another "excellent" compilation she's got her teeth … Books & Arts
Feedback YUM! YUM! Feedback's stomach is aflutter at the thought of the latest innovation from the American fast-food industry. A company called BreakAway Foods of Columbus, Ohio, has developed a way to freeze and package macaroni cheese so it's ready to eat after a minute in the microwave. Better still, you can eat it like an … Regulars