Embryonic stem cell vote
The European Parliament decided on 19 November by 300 votes to 210 to allow public funding of research on stem cells taken from human embryos. Member states will be able to choose whether to use EU money for such research. The decision could yet be overturned by the research ministers next month.
Ebola vaccine tested
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As the latest Ebola outbreak sweeps through the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville), the first experimental vaccine against the virus is being tested on some 20 healthy volunteers. The first 鈥減rimer鈥� shot is a mixture of synthetic genes from the virus. Months later, volunteers will receive a booster shot containing a cold virus engineered to produce proteins normally made by Ebola.
Blame for the blackout
The massive electricity blackout that struck North America in August was caused by a string of preventable communication failures, software misuse and power-line shutdowns, according to an official report released on Tuesday. It says engineers could have nipped the blackout in the bud if companies had adhered to reliability standards.
Mars cliffhanger
Japan鈥檚 battered Nozomi spacecraft might yet hit Mars on 14 December. An electrical short is preventing engineers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency firing its orbit-correction thrusters on 9 December. If they can鈥檛 fix it, the craft will pass just 894 kilometres above the Martian surface, and there will be a 1 per cent chance of impact.
Sunspots return
Solar storms feature again in this week鈥檚 weather forecast. The giant sunspots that erupted earlier this month have come back into view as the sun has completed one whole rotation. Look out for spectacular auroras caused by the solar wind slamming into Earth.