North Korean Linux tips up

One would usually expect a news article beginning with the words “North Korea has reportedly developed its own…” to end with something of a nuclear bang, but while potentially explosive, this particular bit of news can only really harm Microsoft. 

How do you know if you're having sex?

Researchers from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University asked a representative sample of 486 18- to 96-year-olds what the term meant to them.

UpChucky awards honor clueless creationists

A new award from the National Center for Science Education aims to honor the year's most stupid creationist.

Too much screen time makes kids antisocial

Spending hours glued to the television or PC damages childrens' relationships with their friends and parents, according to a new study.

Women and children first? Not if the men are in a hurry

It takes time to get yourself into a self-sacrificing frame of mind, according to research into the sinking of the Titanic and the Lusitania.

Scientists create the music of the spheres

Scientists can now listen to a set of solar wind data that's usually represented visually, as numbers or graphs.

Intelligent people more likely to be left-wing atheists

Higher intelligence is associated with liberal political ideology and atheism, a statistical study has found.

Never give a chimp a short pint

Chimps can tell the difference between different volumes of liquid, even when the bartender hides his actions.

Taking a nap makes you brainier

Leave this article up on your screen - in case the boss comes by - and settle down comfortably. According to University of California scientists, a lunchtime nap not only refreshes you but can actually make you smarter.

Professor develops simple cancer test

A University of Missouri professor has developed a device that could test for some cancers as easily as a pregnancy test.

Cheap DNA test diagnoses genetic diseases

Quick, cheap gene tests for many diseases could be just around the corner, with the development of a DNA test that works on a drop of saliva.

Scientists recreate Big Bang 'quark soup'

Physicists have created a 'quark soup' with a temperature of four trillion degrees Celcius - almost as hot as the temperature just after the Big Bang.

MIT aims to do away with cooks

MIT thinks it might be able to eliminate cooking forever through a series of research projects.

Star Wars technology zaps mozzies in flight

Your reporter once had to explain to a toddler why it was vital that she take malaria pills on holiday. The child nodded sagely and asked whether she was supposed to throw the pills at the mosquitoes.

Brain damage makes people more spiritual

It would be a lot easier than converting the Godless: a quick bash at the right bit of the brain, and they could be as religious and righteous as you.

Scientists sketch modern portrait of ancient human

A team of intrepid scientists has successfully concluded a DNA analysis of human hair found preserved in Greenland’s permafrost.

Dinosaurs may have descended from birds

A new study turns perceived wisdom on its head, concluding that some dinosaurs may actually have descended from birds.

Beer is good for the bones

You can add a daily pint of beer to your health-giving glass of red wine. A new study has found that it's brilliant for increasing bone density and warding off osteoporosis, especially in women. Hic!

Scientists identify genetic causes of ageing

Next time somebody compliments you on your youthful good looks, don't  give your moisturizer the credit - it doesn't work, and you're really not worth it.

World's most accurate clock unveiled

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have built the world's most accurate clock.