Planet spotted
Astronomers have directly observed a planet in another solar system for the first time, using the Very Large Telescope in Chile. More than 130 extrasolar planets have been discovered, but only indirectly from the effect on stars鈥� light.
Sub smash
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Pentagon officials admitted on Monday that a US nuclear submarine travelling at 33 knots (60 kilometres per hour) smashed head-on into an undersea mountain 560 kilometres south of Guam on Saturday, killing one crew member and injuring 24.
Just say yes
Drug companies last week agreed to allow unprecedented access to all clinical trial data. Under the proposals drawn up by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, a worldwide register would provide the results of all trials to date.
Security lapse
Hundreds of businesses around the world have left themselves open to prying eyes. The weblog boingboing.net revealed how to use Google to find the internet addresses of certain types of web-linked surveillance cameras. Many are not protected by passwords, allowing anyone to view the feed.
Filling furore
Crematoria in the UK have been ordered by the government to start filtering out mercury pollution from dental fillings, the largest single source of mercury emissions in the UK. Crematoria have until 2012 to halve emissions.
Herb mania
Herbal supplements and yoga are soaring in popularity in the US, a survey led by Hilary Tindle of Harvard Medical School in Boston reveals. She found that 38 million adult Americans now take herbal supplements, up 50 per cent from 1997, and 10 million adults practise yoga, up 40 per cent.