AIDS FIGHTS BACK
Drug-resistant strains of HIV now threaten the lives of those who receive the antiviral cocktails that keep the virus in check. Can new drugs be developed faster than the virus mutates?
A STEPFORWARD
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People paralysed on one side of the body have been able to walk again thanks to an implant using signals from the healthy leg to control the other.
MALARIA HOPE
The genomes of both the malaria parasite and its mosquito host were sequenced, and several experimental vaccines against one of the world鈥檚 biggest killers are currently being tested.
FACE OFF
Post-11 September, face recognition systems were all the rage. But trials have been disappointing, suggesting any system sensitive enough to be useful will also produce many false alarms.
LORENZO鈥橲 OIL
The oil created by Augusto Odone to treat his son Lorenzo鈥檚 fatal hereditary disease really does work. A 10-year trial showed boys taking the oil were less likely to develop symptoms.
FOOD SCARE
Cooking food at high temperatures, such as frying, baking or grilling, produces acrylamide, a potent carcinogen. Particularly high levels were found in, you guessed it, French fries.
OZONE HOLE SHRINKS
The hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic shrank to just two-thirds of its size in recent years. But scientists said it was a sign of freak weather rather than of a long-term recovery.
FACING THE MUSIC
The music industry shut down file-swapping service Napster, partly blamed for falls in CD sales. But its software has spawned many imitators. Meanwhile, a US deal allowing Internet radio stations to negotiate royalty payments could save smaller stations from closure.