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Don't be so wet!
The buzz word for water supply provision in the developing world is sustainability. In the case of water, that means that we should ensure that supplies won't be diminished by overuse. The only way to do that is to balance consumer consumption with what is actually coming out of the sky and can be practically collected, treated and distributed.
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Silent night
Aeroplanes should be like children: seen and not heard. And this adage is becoming more and more pressing – because it is estimated that by the year 2020 air traffic will have increased by a massive 300%. Just as well a team of researchers from Cambridge University is working on a solution to the problem of noisy aircraft.
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Skate of the art
Skateboarding may have started out as just another hobby. Now, though, it is a huge industry with state of the art equipment and international competitions.
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What a silly fuel
"Fill it up with sherbet lemons and bacteria, please. I need to be in Manchester by lunchtime."
"Sweet-eating bacteria? A potential source of energy? Are you serious?
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How do they do that?
Anyone who has seen recent blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings trilogy or King Kong will understand the power and impact of dazzling special effects. And they just seem to get better and better.
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On the crest of a wave
Surfing is one of the fastest growing, and coolest, sports in the UK. But by understanding the science of waves, surfers can not only impress the opposite sex, they will have a better chance ride the breakers to championship success - and they can help combat coastal erosion at the same time.
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Racing with sharks
Sharks have to swim to survive. Many other fish have a more streamlined shape - and yet sharks still manage to outrun them. The secret of the shark’s speed lies in its special skin structure which helps it to move efficiently through the water. Although we will probably never quite catch up with sharks, we humans can now go a little bit faster thanks to the shark’s design tip.
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Sniff 'n whiff
Scientists at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne have found that some men appear sexier to women because they produce lots of their own special “fragrance”. Without any help from after-shaves or deodorant, their natural body smell brings women flocking.
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Snowboarding heaven
“I dream of freeriding. Fresh backcountry runs through a beautiful field of powder. Styling a method of a cliff through the trees off-piste. Or freestyle, busting a corked backside 540 off the hip into the halfpipe, followed by tweaked sevens back to back…”
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The Human Factor
In sport, what makes a world-beater? Natural talent and motivation? Or does science decide who stands on the winner’s rostrum? It’s not just Formula 1 where technology is making its presence felt. Almost every sport is harnessing state-of-the-art scientific expertise to help push back the frontiers of performance.
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How to score a World Cup winner
If you thought taking the perfect free kick was just down to natural talent, think again. With the aid of science, you too could learn how to bend it like Beckham.
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Generating currents from currents
The problem with water turbines has been with the direction of the tide: change the direction of the current, and you have a problem. An EPSRC-funded project may have found an answer...
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Beam me up, Scotty!
This week(4 Sept 06) sees the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Star Trek Enterprise and its intrepid crew, led by the courageous Captain Kirk. While the Enterprise still blazes a path across our TV screens with stories of Warp Drive and Transporters, today’s world presents an equally exciting reality.
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How to solve a Rubik's cube
Being driven mad by the latest 80s craze to make a comeback? Want to know how to solve the puzzle that has baffled so many for over 20 years? It’s simple really… It all comes down to a little logic.
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Green Guide to Looking Good
Calling all eco-aware fashionistas! Love clothes and want to help the environment? Help is at hand...
NOISEmaker and eco-clothing guru Anna Harvey has developed a brand new Green Guide to Looking Good EXCLUSIVELY for noisemakers.org.uk.
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Bad omen for Damien
NOISE survey re famous engineers and scientists for National Science Week 2006.
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Lost in Matriculation
New research has revealed that in spite of common assumptions, sciences are among the subjects most enjoyed at school. However, there is still a shortfall in numbers taking scientific subjects on to degree level. The reason for this, the research suggests, is that there may be misconceptions about the careers to which science can lead.
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