Latest research news

Anger as ministers block science publishing shake-up
A powerful committee of MPs has accused the Government of suppressing the views of its own advisers and "kowtowing" to the interests of the publishing industry by blocking a new system that would make the results of scientific research freely available.
Independent

Climate change claims flawed, says study
A team of scientists has condemned claims of climate catastrophe as "fatally flawed" in a report released on Tuesday. The study appears on the same day that 300 climate scientists warn that winter temperatures in Alaska, western Canada and eastern Russia have risen by up to 4C in the past 50 years - and could warm by up to 7C.
Guardian

Stem cell treatment offers hope for cardiac patients
Researchers have suggested that they could within a few years help cardiac patients repair and regenerate their hearts by using stem or parent cells from their own organs. They think they have developed a way of harvesting cells from sick patients and then multiplying them in laboratories into sufficient numbers for treatment.
Guardian

UCL reports gene link to lung cancer
Scientists at University College London have discovered a gene that seems to protect against lung cancer. In research reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , they say that faulty versions of the gene, which may be a tumour suppressor, are associated with lung cancer.
Times

Speaking tonal languages promotes perfect pitch
A new study concludes that young musicians who speak Mandarin Chinese can learn to identify isolated musical notes much better than English speakers can. Fewer than one American in 10,000 has perfect pitch, which means they can identify or produce a note without reference to any other note.
Scientific American