[ASC-media] RADIO EXTRA: NEWSCIENTIST STORIES FROM 16 APRIL 2005 ISSUE

[Sapier, Jeff (RBI - AUS)]

RADIO EXTRA STORIES FROM 16 APRIL 2005 ISSUE

(EMBARGO: NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE 04:00 AEST THURS 14/4/2005)


RISKS DON'T GET THE GIRLS Young men hoping to impress the girls with fast
driving or reckless skateboarding should think again. An American study on
attitudes to risky situations found that men think women are impressed by
thrill-seeking stunts, while women in fact prefer cautious men. Page 16

THE CLOCK THAT KNOWS YOU'RE READY TO GET UP A clever alarm clock that wakes
you up when you are in your lightest phase of sleep, rather than in deep
slumber, could stop you feeling grumpy in the mornings. As you pass through
the different phases of sleep, the clock detects the distinct brain wave
patterns, via a headband. You program the clock with the latest time to wake
you, and it will rouse you when you enter the last light sleep phase before
that. Page 24

ID ROW IS BAD NEWS FOR TRANSATLANTIC TRAVELLERS The US and the European
Union are embroiled in a row over biometric passports. The US wants all EU
passports issued after October 2005 to carry a biometric chip. But the EU
wants more time to address serious security issues highlighted in a recent
report warning of the impact of introducing biometrics too early. Pages
23-24

PLAY FIGHTERS DON'T WIN IN LATER LIFE Meerkat pups that spend a lot of time
play-fighting are no more likely to win important battles in adult life,
according to a South African study. This dispels a popular theory that
animals indulge in youthful brawling to develop skills needed later in life.
Page 19

PREGNANT SMOKERS INCREASE GRANDCHILDREN'S ASTHMA RISK Women who smoke while
pregnant may spark asthma in their grandchildren decades later, a US study
has found...and also SMOKING SLASHES WOMEN'S CHANCES OF IVF SUCCESS Smoking
has a "devastating impact" on a woman's chances of bearing a baby through
IVF, Dutch research shows-the equivalent of adding 10 years or more to her
reproductive age. New Scientist's free public website at
http://www.newscientist.com

WAY BEYOND AIRBAGS (short story) A new safety system proposed by Ford
includes sensors which can detect an impending collision and initiate
various safety measures, including triggering airbags, tightening seat belts
and swinging the steering column out of harm's way. Page 25

SOFTWARE KILLED THE RADIO STAR Amateur DJs are abandoning the airwaves and
instead using sophisticated software to go online and broadcast to the
world's MP3 players. Page 26

RUNAWAY ICEBERG The world's largest iceberg is on the move again, but it is
too soon to say whether it will move clear of McMurdo Sound where it has
been creating havoc for penguins and for scientists housed at New Zealand's
Scott Base and America's McMurdo Station. Page 6

ROBOTIC CAMEL RIDERS ARE READY TO RACE Camel racing is about to be
transformed in the United Arab Emirates, with robot riders taking the place
of the traditional child jockeys. In the past, the sport has been linked to
the kidnap and mistreatment of children as young as four years old. New
Scientist's free public website at http://www.newscientist.com

CHAMELEONIC CONCRETE (short story) A group of London-based artists hopes to
turn grey office blocks and warehouses into lively canvases by making
concrete and stone change colour instantly. The artists plan to use
thermochromic inks which display their colours only when heated. Page 25

PLEASE MENTION NEWSCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF ALL ITEMS AND, IF PUBLISHING
ONLINE, CARRY A HYPERLINK TO http://www.newscientist.com


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