Eurovision - The Ultimate MP3 Collection

Eurovision - The Ultimate Collection

From 1956 in Lugano to 2008 in Belgrade....
All the songs for each year (in folders)
from all the countries (listed)
PLUS
All the winners!
NOW INCLUDES ALL THE 2009 ENTRIES!!!

OVER 1,000 MP3 TRACKS
(most folders contain results listings including places & points)

3.8GB DATA DVD DISC

£9-99 (includes P&P - UK ONLY)

Disc is a DATA DVD - MP3 Tracks - All good quality with 'versions' where appropraite.
Original Artists & Recordings

Eurovision Sweepstakes

Get your FREE £5/5Euro Eurovision Song Contest Bet today!

Check the Eurovision Odds

Eurovision Sweepstake 2009
www.partybets.com

This year the Eurovision Song Contest has two semi finals, each involving either 18 or 19 participating countries. From each semi final 10 contenders will go forward to the final. Five countries; France, Germany, Spain, UK and host country Russia have ‘golden tickets’ and will move straight to the final.

So running a Eurovision sweepstake in 2009 might sound a little complicated - but PartyBets has made it all very simple for you!

You can choose to run your Eurovison Sweepstake in several ways.

• You can run separate sweepstakes for each of the semi finals, awarding cash prizes after each, and then run a third for the final. (1 x 18 tickets, 1 x 19 tickets and 1 x 25 tickets). Since you won’t know who’s in the final until after the second semi final on 14th May you’ll need to be ready to leap into action on the morning of the 15th!
Download the Semi Final 1 .pdf
Download the Semi Final 2 .pdf
Download the Final .pdf (not available until 15th May)
Download a Sweepstake Promotion Poster
Download the Semi Final 1 Results Poster
Download the Semi Final 2 Results Poster
Download the Final Results Poster.

• You can choose to run a single sweepstake that covers the whole event, with some countries being disqualified before the final night (1 x 42 tickets)
Download the Complete Event .pdf
Download a Sweepstake Promotion Poster
Download a Results Poster

• Or you can choose to run a sweepstake on the final only (1 x 25 tickets)
Download the Final .pdf (not available until 15th May)
Download a Sweepstake Promotion Poster
Download a Results Poster

Whichever you choose - PartyBets is also offering a FREE £5/5 Euro BET ON THE EUROVISION FINAL to everyone who places a bet of £5/5 Euro or more on a semi final - all you need to do is place your eurovision semi final bet by the 14th May and you’ll automatically receive a credit in your account to spend on a Eurovision Final bet (which you can place on the 15th or 16th May)

How to run a sweepstake.

The logistics of running a sweepstake are very simple – decide which version of the Eurovision 2009 Sweepstake you want to run from our examples above – your choice may be influenced by the number of people at your workplace or club. Then download and print the sweepstake kit(s) for that option, cut along the dotted lines, and place the tickets in a hat (or other suitable container!) . When people give you their entry money they draw a ticket which will show which country they need to cheer for to win the sweepstake! It is useful to record the draw on the record sheet as many people will loose their ticket and forget who they drew!

You must sell all the sweepstake tickets otherwise the competition winner may not have been drawn and you won’t be able to ay the prizes!

Alternative Method

If you prefer you can allow people to choose their own entry on a ‘first come first served’ basis – however this can make it harder to encourage people to enter when all remaining options seem likely to score ‘nul point’.

How much should you charge per entry?

That’s entirely up to you – normally its £1, $1 or 1 of your local currency, but entry can be as cheap or expensive as you wish – don’t charge too much though – remember most people will loose their money and this is meant to be fun!

How much should the prizes be?.

Its traditional for a sweepstake organizer to give their time for free, so unless a percentage of the takings are going to charity, the prize fund will be the amount that you collect.

A good percentage payout might be

1st place 60%
2nd place 20%
3rd place 10%
4th, or last, place 10% - sometimes its nice to offer a prize for last place!

Remember that two people may tie for 2nd, 3rd, 4th or last place – so decide what you will do if that happens and include it in any information you send out about the sweepstake!

Sun-like star's 'oddball' planet

The Jupiter-sized planet is in an eccentric orbit

Astronomers have discovered a strange Jupiter-sized world circling a star similar to our own Sun.

The planet has a highly unusual, elliptical orbit around its parent star.

At its furthest point, the planet is about as far from its star as the Earth is from the Sun.

But at its nearest, it is about 10 times closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun, the team told the JENAM 2009 conference in Hertfordshire.

The planet, HD80606b, makes its close approach every 111 days, according to the study.

If an observer were to hover above the cloud tops of this world, they would see their parent star grow to 30 times the size that the Sun appears in our own sky.

The team from University College London observed a transit, in which the strange world crossed in front of its parent star.

The data gathered from this event provided the astronomers with the most precise data yet on the planet's size and density, its tilt and the eccentricity of its orbit.

Record breaker

For example, the transit shows that the planet has a radius about the same as Jupiter - despite being about four times more massive.

HD80606b would now appear to hold the record for both the longest orbital period and most eccentric orbit of all observed transiting planets.

At its closest approach, the planet comes within five million kilometres (three million miles) of its star. At its furthest point, the planet is about 132 million kilometres (82 million miles) away.

"The temperature on the planet is changing from about 3C - which is what you might have on Earth - to about 1,200C. So it is going through a huge change in the amount of heating," co-author David Kipping, from UCL, told BBC News.

Team leader Dr Steve Fossey commented: "Spectroscopic observations reported by a French-Swiss team, when combined with our precise measurement of the orbital tilt, indicate that the planet's unusual orbit might be explained by the parent star being a member of a binary system."

This, he said, was where "the companion star tugs on the planet's orbit over millions of years to leave it in the strange configuration we see today".

Bananaman breaks marathon record

Darren Stone said Danger Mouse was his main rival for the record A man who took part in the London marathon dressed as Bananaman has set a new record for the fastest runner dressed as a cartoon character. Darren Stone, 22, from Taunton, Somerset, took three hours, 36 minutes and seven seconds to complete the race. "You go through moments when you slow up and other runners tap you on the back and say 'come on Bananaman you can do it' - it's unreal," he said. Mr Stone's achievement has been confirmed by Guinness World Records.

Optical disc offers 500GB storage

Optical discs have been a leading storage solution for decades

A disc that can store 500 gigabytes (GB) of data, equivalent to 100 DVDs, has been unveiled by General Electric.

The micro-holographic disc, which is the same size as existing DVD discs, is aimed at the archive industry.

But the company believes it can eventually be used in the consumer market place and home players.

Blu-ray discs, which are used to store high definition movies and games, can currently hold between 25GB and 50GB.

Micro-holographic discs can store more data than DVDs or Blu-ray because they store information on the disc in three dimensions, rather than just pits on the surface of the disc

A single GE disc could be used to package up a library of high definition movies but is there pent-up consumer demand for such an offering? News website Technology editor Darren Waters Read more on the Dot.Life blog

The challenge for this area of technology has been to increase the reflectivity of the holograms that are stored on the discs so that players can be used to both read and write to the discs.

Brian Lawrence, who leads GE's Holographic Storage said on the GE Research blog: "Very recently, the team at GE has made dramatic improvements in the materials enabling significant increases in the amount of light that can be reflected by the holograms."

More capacity

The higher reflectivity that can be achieved, the more capacity for the disc. While the technology is still in the laboratory stage, GE believes it will take off because players can be built which are backwards compatible with existing DVD and Blu-ray technologies.

In a statement the firm said: "The hardware and formats are so similar to current optical storage technology that the micro-holographic players will enable consumers to play back their CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs."

''GE's breakthrough is a huge step toward bringing our next generation holographic storage technology to the everyday consumer,'' said Mr Lawrence in a statement.

He added: "The day when you can store your entire high definition movie collection on one disc and support high resolution formats like 3D television is closer than you think.''

Micro-holographic technology has been one of the leading areas of research for storage experts for decades. Discs are seen as a reliable and effective form of storage and are both consumer and retail friendly.

However, General Electric will need to work with hardware manufacturers if it is to bring the technology to the consumer market.

The relatively modest adoption of Blu-ray discs sales globally might be an issue with some companies who believe digital distribution and cloud computing is the long-term answer to content delivery and storage.

"This is truly a breakthrough in the development of the materials that are so critical to ultimately bringing holographic storage to the everyday consumer," said Mr Lawrence.

M&S

Marks & Spencer plans to release a blockbuster advert next month to
celebrate its 125th birthday. It will be narrated by Twiggy, who
first appeared in an M&S advert in 1967, when M&S was just 83 years
old. The format of the advert is under wraps, but it is unlikely to
bear the shop's first slogan, which was: 'Don't ask the price. It's a
penny.'

Petition the Prime Minister to Resign

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/

Harry Hill takes Bafta TV prize

Harry Hill has been named the UK's best entertainment performer at the Bafta TV Awards for the second year in a row.

Hill, who joked it was "ridiculous" to win awards for "a clip show" beat Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry and Ant and Dec to the trophy - his third Bafta.

But his TV Burp show lost out to The X Factor in the entertainment category.

The Bill won best continuing drama, while Sir David Attenborough won best specialist factual for Life in Cold Blood - 48 years after his first Bafta.

Sir David, 82, said he had "the best job going" and dedicated his ninth Bafta to his BBC colleagues.

KEY BAFTA TV WINNERS Best actor - Stephen Dillane Best actress - Anna Maxwell Martin Best entertainment performance - Harry Hill Best comedy performance - David Mitchell Full list of winners

Sir David, whose previous wins include an Academy Fellowship lifetime achievement award in 1980, said: "Our thanks, of course, go to the spitting cobras, axolotls, golden frogs, dwarf chameleons, those happy tortoises, and this belongs not to me or to them but the production team."

He said he had no plans to retire and was "going off to Antarctica next to look at penguins".

The Bill, meanwhile, beat EastEnders, Casualty and Emmerdale to the continuing drama trophy, earning the ITV police show its first Bafta in 25 years.

Earlier this year, ITV announced that The Bill was being cut from two episodes a week to one.

EastEnders also lost out in the best actress category, where June Brown, who plays Dot Cotton, was the first soap star to be nominated since 1988.

The 82-year-old, who has played Dot Cotton (now Branning) since EastEnders' launch in 1985, was cited for a January 2008 episode in which she appeared alone.

A night of surprises at TV gala

But the best actress gong went to Anna Maxwell Martin for her role as a mental health patient in Channel 4's Poppy Shakespeare. She won the same award for Bleak House in 2005.

Stephen Dillane was named best actor for playing a grieving father in The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, also on Channel 4.

Meanwhile, Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh, was named best drama series, earning the actor his first TV Bafta - 20 years after he won a film Bafta for Henry V.

He said it was "marvellous" to win, and thanked the BBC for commissioning the programme, based on the detective novels by Swedish author Henning Mankell.

"They took a risk in wondering whether the world would be interested in the troubled life of a melancholy Scandinavian," he said.

Wallander beat Doctor Who, Spooks and Shameless to the award.

Comedy performance

Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse were given the best comedy programme trophy for their sketch show Harry and Paul.

Four-time winner Whitehouse congratulated Enfield, who had never won before. Enfield joked: "This time I made sure he was in the show so I might get at least a touch of it too."

The duo dedicated their award to their late producer Geoffrey Perkins, who died last year.

David Mitchell won best comedy performance for Peep Show, and thanked his comedy partner Robert Webb, who was not nominated.

Jennifer Saunders is "honoured" to receive the Bafta Fellowship with Dawn French

The best sitcom prize went to Channel 4's The IT Crowd, which was chosen above Peep Show, Outnumbered and The Inbetweeners.

BBC Four drama Hancock and Joan, about the life of comedian Tony Hancock, had led the way with three nominations - up for best single drama, best actor for Ken Stott, best actress for Maxine Peake.

But it lost out in all three categories.

Meanwhile, comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders received Bafta's highest honour, the Fellowship.

They were the second double-act to receive the prestigious honour, following Morecambe and Wise, who were honoured in 1999.

The ceremony, hosted by Graham Norton in London, is the most prestigious night in the British TV calendar.

Hunt begins for most scenic spots

Visitors give their assessment of how scenic places are

The wisdom of crowds is being tapped to map the most scenic parts of England, Scotland and Wales.

Modelled on the HotOrNot website, ScenicOrNot presents visitors with snaps of rural and urban locations rather than people.

The presented images are rated on a one to 10 scale and the site aims to create a map of "scenicness".

The pictures are drawn from a database of 200,000 each of which is representative of 1km square of land.

Picture perfect

ScenicOrNot is a project of Mysociety, an organisation set up with the aim of increasing the transparency of democratic institutions through the development of online tools.

The goal is to use the data generated by user ratings to produce a map of "scenicness".

Speaking to Radio 4's PM programme, Tom Steinberg director of Mysociety, said he was drawn to this method of collecting data because HotOrNot style rating systems are "incredibly sophisticated clever ways of doing online polling".

As the images are randomly presented to users it is much harder to manipulate the results. "You can't besmirch places you don't like", Mr Steinberg said.

Although the exercise is billed as a game, it has a serious side. Numerous policy decisions are influenced by whether or not a place is commonly regarded as scenic, because of this Mr Steinberg said the new data generated by the project would be made "open so that anyone can re-use it and play with it later on".

The site's FAQ also states that the data will be used for a "secret project", though Mr Steinberg was not prepared to reveal what that would be.

The photos displayed on ScenicOrNot are sourced from images submitted to Geograph.org.uk a site that collects user generated, geographically representative, photographs and information for every square kilometre of Great Britain and Ireland.

The images vary in quality and Mr Steinberg is aware of the risk that ratings may reflect the skill of the photographer not the landscape.

"We encourage people quite strongly to discount any aspect of photographic skill," he said.

A limited number of latest results are posted on ScenicOrNot's "leaderboard". For the moment it appears that unspoilt countryside is viewed as particularly scenic; by comparison the modern built environment seems to do relatively poorly.

Jon Wright, a senior case worker at the 20th Century Society, which aims to "safeguard the heritage of architecture and design in Britain from 1914 onwards", said he was intrigued by the project.

Mr Wright added that that urban areas and those of classically beautiful parts of the country are very different in character. He said: "Those views should be judged on their own terms."

The data could also be used to reveal places that are not scenic. Mr Steinberg said he was uncomfortable with highlighting the least lovely places in Britain.

He said: "Can you imagine how you'd feel if someone said to you of the 217,000 square kilometres in Britain you're in the worst one?"

Gadget jargon still confuses many

Can a memory stick also be a dongle? WAP, dongle, and cookie are some of the least understood words by the British public, according to a survey. The Gadget Helpline surveyed more than 5,000 users and came up with a Top 10 list of technology-related words people find most confusing. The firm says companies should use language people understand, rather than resorting to jargon. The move is backed by the Plain English Campaign, saying it would help bring down the "walls of techno-babble". Peter Griffiths, campaign secretary for the Plain English Campaign, told the BBC that there were ways to make things easy for users to understand. "We need to pull our head out of the digital clouds and use plain English," he said. TOP 10 CONFUSING TERMS Dongle Cookie WAP Phone jack (Nokia) Navi Key Time shifting Digital TV Ethernet PC Suite Desktop Definitions: Wikipedia. "If changing the name isn't an option then a glossary of terms would work. Not only does it explain the language, but it's a nice way of learning for people who don't have such a good grasp of the language." Many of the words, such as Digital TV, have entered the English language but not everyone knows what they mean. On top of that, many firms have different names for identical products, which complicates things further. Market forces Alex Watson, editor of Custom PC magazine, told the BBC that companies were under pressure to come up with new names and some of those would eventually wind up in our lexicon. "Some names are just made up for marketing purposes, while others are chosen so users can relate to the term. "One way of linking peripherals to a Mac was via an interface called FireWire. On a Sony it is called i.LINK and it's also called Lynx by Texas Instruments, even though all three are exactly the same thing. That hardly makes things easy for the consumer. Many people do not understand the difference between analogue and digital TV "Even when the industry tries to appeal to regular people, it doesn't always work. Take Wi-Fi - it was named solely because of HiFi. Wireless fidelity doesn't actually mean anything, but the alternative was 802.11B which hardly trips off the tongue." Mr Watson said that language frequently evolved in such a way as the term would make more sense. "It may be called Wi-Fi but most people would call it a wireless network, which is exactly what it is," he said.

'Giant' hedgehog forced to diet

Huff Puff was found under a shed

A rescued hedgehog that is four times the size of normal hedgehogs has been put on a diet.

Huff Puff was taken to the Furze Pig Hedgehog Rescue Centre near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, after she was found shivering under a shed last October.

Maureen Webb, who runs the centre, said she was fed a normal amount of cat food but had been "growing and growing".

Huff Puff tips the scales at 2.04kg (4lb 6oz) while the average female hedgehog weighs about 600g (1.3lb).

Mrs Webb said she had now reduced Huff Puff's food intake.

She said the hedgehog, which weighs the same as a small cat, was named after its "stroppy nature".

"If you touch her she literally goes 'huff puff'. It's quite natural and for hedgehogs it's a natural defence mechanism.

"But she does it to extreme - she does everything to extremes."

Tube network is 'best' in Europe

London Underground carried 1,089 million people in 2008 London's Tube network which carries more than one billion people a year has been judged best in Europe by the transit industry's Metro Awards. The world's oldest metro system, which began service in 1863 and covers 249 miles (402km), was also commended for passenger satisfaction. The Tube service beat off competition from Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Copenhagen. The network scored high marks despite closures due to engineering works. London Underground (LU) carried a record number of passengers last year - 1,089 million, the highest number in its 146-year history. London's 'artery' Last year was also the third year in a row that the network carried more than a billion people annually across the capital. In 2008 three new stations were added to the Tube network, all trains on the District line were refurbished and the Airwave radio system was installed which allows the radios of police and emergency services to work underground. London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "The London Underground is the artery through which the lifeblood of London flows. Wood Lane station was added to the Tube network last year "It is tremendous news London's Tube team have been named champions of Europe. "Despite the challenges of weekend engineering works, Londoners know the value of the Tube and why we are investing billions to improve it." The outgoing managing director of LU, Tim O'Toole, said: "Last year, we carried more passengers than ever, reliability continues to improve and customer satisfaction figures are at an all time high. "To achieve all this and then win the Best Metro in Europe is recognition of the hard work and professionalism of London Underground staff." At present the Jubilee line is being upgraded, a new Northern ticket hall at King's Cross station is being built and the network will get its first air conditioned trains. The Tube was judged on several criteria including customer service levels, geographical coverage, technological innovations, safety and security and the condition of the network.

Campaign to reopen derelict pubs

Lyme Regis featured in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman About 100 campaigners have held a public meeting to put pressure on breweries to reopen derelict pubs and hotels in west Dorset. The pubs include the Three Cups Hotel in Lyme Regis, a grade II listed building featured in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman. It has stood derelict for about 20 years in the centre of the town. Palmers Brewery, which owns The Three Cups, said many of its smaller rural premises were not viable. It also owns The Old Swan at Toller Porcorum, which has been closed for about 10 years, and the The White Hart at Beaminster, which also stands empty. The Community Alert on Pubs and Hotels groups, which held Friday night's meeting in Bridport, said an increasing number of pubs in west Dorset were being closed and left to become "eyesores". The Institute of Public Policy research estimates 40 pubs have shut in west Dorset in the past four years. People want their pubs open John Grantham John Grantham, of Community Alert on Pubs and Hotels, said the Three Cups Hotel was also where JRR Tolkien wrote much of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. "There's a magnificent feast of history here, just waiting to be used," Mr Grantham said. "Pubs are, of course, at the centre of the community and to actually have a centre of the community and find it's shut, but it's still standing there dilapidated, this is very depressing. "People want their pubs open." The campaign even has the backing of actor Jeremy Irons, who starred in the 1981 film. A brewery spokesperson said plans to redevelop the pub over the past 14 years had been prevented by unstable land in the area. West Dorset District Council has since carried out remedial work as part of the Lyme Regis coastal protection scheme, but the brewery said it was now the economic climate that was preventing it from reopening the building. The spokesperson added that once the economy improved, The Three Cups would be the first priority. The Lyme Regis Development Trust has said the building could also be used as a Jurassic Coast study centre or an educational centre linked to the natural history museum.

Wallpaper!

Blunder traps eight on cliff lift

The town's cliff lifts date back to 1875. Picture courtesy Scarborough council.

Eight people were stranded in a cliff-side lift for more than an hour after workers turned it off and went home.

The passengers, three elderly people and a family of five, were stuck halfway up Scarborough's South Cliff after the lift system was shut down.

The occupants were released from the carriage after firefighters contacted an engineer who helped restart the 285ft (87m) lift on Wednesday evening.

Scarborough council has blamed "staff error" and apologised for the incident.

The cliff lift, on Scarborough's south bay, links the South Cliff Esplanade with the Spa entertainment complex.

It was the first funicular railway to open in Britain in July 1875.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We received a call at 1746 BST on Wednesday reporting that eight people were stuck in a lift halfway up the side of a cliff.

"Crews liaised with staff from the Spa complex to enable the lift to move to the top of the cliff."

'Full investigation'

The passengers were released just before 1900 BST.

The fire service said one of the passengers, a 78-year-old man from a local care home, was left "shaken" by the incident and was walked back to his home by firefighters.

Brian Bennett, Scarborough Borough Council's head of tourism and culture, said: "At this stage, we are able to confirm that this unfortunate incident was the result of a staff error and not a technical problem with the operation of the lift.

"We are continuing to investigate the matter fully and are reviewing all our operational procedures.

"We have all the contact details of the customers that were affected and our staff have been contacting them to offer our sincere apologies."

10 things we didn't know last week

Snippets from the week's news, sliced, diced and processed for your convenience.

1. Five trees make an orchard.
More details

2. Matthew Parris once ran the London Marathon in 2hrs 32m, the fastest by an MP.
More details

3. Paper can be made from wombat excrement.
More details

4. Robin Hood had no Maid Marian in the early days.
More details

5. British consumption of poultry increased 25-fold between 1950 and 2000.
More details

6. Video Killed the Radio Star was inspired by a JG Ballard short story.
More details

7. Wine varies in taste from day to day.
More details

8. French women are the lightest in the EU. British women are the heaviest.
More details (The Independent)

9. The Sun is dimmest it has been for a century .
More details

10. There's a swear word in The Beatles' Hey Jude.
More details (The Times)

World premiere of brain orchestra

Brains took the place of violins in the novel orchestra

The Multimodal Brain Orchestra performed its world premiere on Thursday.

Led by an "emotional conductor" and a traditional one, music and video change in time with the performers' brain waves and heart rate.

According to the work's producer, the orchestra aims to "see what the brain can do without the body".

The orchestra's premiere performance closed the Science Beyond Fiction conference in Prague.

The project is the creation of the Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS) group at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona.

"Only recently we have come to appreciate more the tight coupling between mind, brain and body," Paul Verschure, head of the project, told the audience.

"But we can wonder what the mind and brain would be capable of if it would be directly interfaced to the world, bypassing the body."

The piece that the orchestra performed, Xmotion, has been scored, giving it an underlying structure.

But it is the performers who control variations of visuals, sounds, frequencies, and volumes in the overall piece.

Model result

What we want to show here is the use of your brain without your body Anna MuraSPECS group

"Everything is built to fulfil the circumplex model, which was worked out by psychologists that study emotions," says Anna Mura, a biologist who is the producer of the project. "How we feel and what we feel fits into a circle cut into four quadrants, labelled by 'arousal' and 'valence', that is, how much you're excited and how badly or positively you're excited."

To that end, four performers were fitted with caps littered with electrodes that take a real-time electroencephalograph - an image of the brain's electrical activity.

"There is a first violin, a second violin and so on, except that instead of violins they are brains," says Dr Mura.

The graphs of those brain waves are projected onto one of two large screens above the orchestra. The performers launch sounds or affect their frequencies and modulations based on two well-characterised effects seen in EEGs: the steady-state visually evoked potential (SSVEP), and the so-called P300 signal.

Two of the performers were given a task to watch a screen in front of them, with flashing rows and columns of letters, and told to look for a particular letter.

The brain monitors capture mental activity in response to stimuli

When expectation is fulfilled, 300 thousandths of a second later, a signal known as the P300 appears in the EEG.

A similar strategy has been employed by Mick Grierson at Goldsmiths, University of London to generate individual notes.

In the Multimodal Brain Orchestra, the P300 signal is registered - with a dot demarcating it on the EEG trace projected to the audience, so that they can see the effect of the performer's thought - in turn launching a sound or recorded instrument.

Two more performers were given boxes with four lights flashing at different frequencies. The SSVEP is a brain signal that comes about when visual stimulus in the retina at a given frequency causes the brain to synchronize, so that frequency appears in the EEG.

Given a cue from the conductor, the performers switch their attention from one flashing frequency to another.

One of them affects the volume of a given sound - known to influence the level of arousal in the circumplex model - and the other affects a certain modulation of that sound, which is known to influence the valence, how positive or negative the arousal is emotionally.

'Emotional experience'

Adjacent to the EEG-capped players, the "emotional conductor" sits comfortably, wearing a pair of virtual reality glasses.

She is being shown images from a series created by artist Behdad Rezazadeh while her heart rate and skin conductance are being measured. Her heart rate is plotted along with the EEG traces.

As her mood changes, so does the visual experience - Rezazedeh's images are blurred and changed in line with the changing biological measures of the conductor.

"This performance is like her emotional experience," said Dr Mura. "What we want to show here is the use of your brain without your body. Embodiment - we should get rid of it sometimes."

While this artistic interpretation of the biometric technology is a fascinating look into the merger of technology with medicine, the overall goals of the group have far greater implications.

"People believe that to understand how we feel will help us to understand what consciousness is all about. This is the technology that is going in that direction; we cannot explain consciousness with this but we are at least exploring the surface of it."

Facebook users say yes to changes

Facebook members were invited to vote on the changes Facebook users have voted to back changes which give them control over data and content they post on the site. Early results suggest 75% of those who voted support the proposals. The vote was triggered by changes Facebook made to its terms and conditions in February. The move drew fire because it appeared to hand the social network site ownership of images, videos and data that users posted on profile pages. Low turnout In response to the criticism, Facebook withdrew the changed terms, wrote a new set and invited its 200 million members to make their views known. The new terms return control of what is done with data put on the site to users and give them the right to ask for it to be deleted if they stop using Facebook. In total about 600,000 people took part in the week-long vote. Initially, Facebook said it would only adopt those new terms if 30% of its members voted in support of them. However, writing in a blog posting on Facebook announcing the early results, Ted Ullyot, Facebook's legal chief, said it would adopt them anyway. "You can expect to see the new documents on the site in the coming weeks," wrote Mr Ullyot. He said a preliminary count suggested 74.4% backed the new Facebook Principles and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. The results are now being assessed by an external auditor to produce a final count. Mr Ullyot expressed disappointment that there was not a bigger turnout but acknowledged that the exercise was a first for both Facebook and its members. Future votes on changes to how the site operates, which are enshrined in the new terms, will have a threshold of less than 30% for any alterations to be made binding. "We are hopeful that there will be greater participation in future votes," he wrote.

Yahoo pulls the plug on GeoCities

Yahoo paid $3.57bn for GeoCities in 1999 Yahoo is to close its personal web hosting site GeoCities later this year. In a statement, the firm says it will no longer be accepting new customers and will focus on helping "customers build new relationships online". Yahoo bought GeoCities for $3.57bn at the height of the dotcom boom in 1999. At its peak, GeoCities boasted millions of active accounts, but it has since fallen out of fashion, with users migrating to social networking sites. Yahoo says that existing GeoCities accounts will remain live for now, although it stresses that users should start looking for alternative sites. "You don't need to change your service today, but we encourage anyone interested in a full-featured web-hosting plan to consider upgrading to our award-winning Yahoo! Web Hosting service," the firm said in an online post. The closure of GeoCities spells the end of Yahoo's free hosting, although other services - such as e-mail accounts - remain unaffected. Rupert Goodwins, editor of the ZDNet website, said the closure of GeoCities was the end of an era. "I think GeoCities was the first proof that you could have something really popular and still not make any money on the internet. "It was a fascinating experiment in the pre-industrial era of the internet, but after the initial exuberance on what the web could do, it turned out to be more complicated than just giving them free hosting. "You need to give users tools to actually do things and make things simple, one of the reasons sites like Facebook and MySpace are so popular," he said.

Download Junkie

Highlights This Week Include:
	Paragon Partition Manager 10 Express Freeware Quickly create or resize a drive partition 22 April 2009
	PackageFactory for U3 Freeware Pack Windows apps in to a portable format 24 April 2009
	Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop Edition Freeware Complete and popular Linux distribution 23 April 2009
	Nambu 1.1.12 Freeware Mac-based multi-network social networking tool 23 April 2009
	Adobe Media Player 1.7 Freeware Brand new AIR-based media player 23 April 2009
	AVG LinkScanner 8.5.289 Freeware Check for rogue or malicious websites 22 April 2009
	Mozilla Firefox 3.0.9 Freeware Minor release of the popular web browser 22 April 2009
	HDClone Free 3.7.4 Freeware Make 1:1 copies of a hard disk 21 April 2009
	GoodSync 7.7.3.3 Freeware Sync files across computers and USB keys 22 April 2009
	Recuva 1.26 Freeware Salvage & recover deleted files 21 April 2009

Recommended Downloads

Paragon Partition Manager 10 Express Ashampoo WinOptimizer 5 Ashampoo Burning Studio 2009 TuneUp Utilities 2007 Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.5 SE iolo Search and Recover 5 Spyware Doctor 6 Starter Edition PC Tools Desktop Maestro 2 Acronis True Image 2009 Avanquest Connection Manager See more recommended downloads..

Barron Knights singer dies at 66

Duke D'Mond stopped performing with the group four years ago Duke D'Mond, the former lead singer of comedy pop group The Barron Knights, has died at the age of 66. D'Mond, real name Richard Palmer, died on 9 April in hospital in Oxford after he had a heart attack before developing pneumonia, the band's website said. The group had UK hits in the 1960s, 70s and 80s with satirical songs and parodies of the work of other artists. Other members of the band were "devastated at losing a friend", a statement said. 'Great voice' Founder member Pete Langford said that, after having a fall four years ago, D'Mond stopped performing with the band. "We missed him such a lot - he was the guy who sang all the serious stuff," he told the BBC News website. "He had a great voice and he was part of the team for 46 years." The Barron Knights, who toured with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, are best known for their 1964 hit Call Up The Groups - written in response to the end of national service in the UK. The group, who still perform in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, last had a top 40 hit in 1980 with Never Mind The Presents.

Orchard losses 'threaten species'

Use of few or no chemicals makes orchards good wildlife habitat

Traditional fruit orchards are vanishing from England's landscape - with serious consequences for wildlife, conservationists have warned.

The National Trust says 60% have disappeared since the 1950s, putting local varieties of apples, cherries, pears, plums and damsons under threat.

It is launching a £536,000 drive to reverse the decline of the orchards.

Their trees provide important habitats for species such as the noble chafer beetle and lesser spotted woodpecker.

The orchards - some with as few as five trees - also offer sources of pollen and nectar to bees, which are thought to be declining partly because of a lack of suitable food.

Pressure from commercial fruit growers has led many small-scale producers to develop their orchards or convert them to other uses.

FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme In Pictures: Orchards under threat

The National Trust's head of nature conservation, Dr David Bullock, said traditional orchards had been "disappearing at an alarming rate over the last 60 years".

"We are in real danger of losing these unique habitats - and the wildlife, local fruit varieties and their rich heritage - and if we don't act in some cases we will not even know what local varieties of fruit have been lost," he said.

The trust has teamed up with government advisory body Natural England to launch the project to promote local fruit varieties.

It will undertake surveys to get a better understanding of the habitat, work to improve the condition of existing orchards and create new ones, and train people how to plant, prune and propagate trees.

Kate Merry has been appointed as orchard officer to champion the cause.

She said: "We now have a real opportunity to reverse the decline of traditional orchards and recognise the important role they play in our cultural and natural heritage; if we don't act there is a real danger they will not survive the 21st Century."

Hollowed and gnarled

Trees in traditional orchards are widely spaced and the sites are often grazed by animals such as sheep, or cut for hay.

They provide a good habitat for wildlife because they are subject to low intensity management, with few or no chemicals used, and the trees are allowed to reach a stage where they are hollowed and gnarled.

The noble chafer beetle is among the rare species under threat

The noble chafer beetle makes its home in the dead wood of older fruit trees, while the lesser spotted woodpecker can also find nesting and feeding areas in the trees.

A survey by the National Trust last year of more than 100 traditional orchards in its care turned up a number of other species in the habitat, many of them rare.

At the Killerton estate in Devon, where the new programme has been launched, surveys found insects including the orchard park beetle and the apple tree lace bag. It also proved a feeding ground for long-eared bats.

Apples - including two varieties unique to the estate - are used to make cider and chutney, with the profits used to maintain the orchards.

Poul Christensen, acting chairman of Natural England, said: "Successful orchards are worth their weight in gold, not just for the valuable contribution they make to the economy but to the subsequent enhancement of these precious wildlife habitats."

In 2007, the government prioritised orchards as habitat to protect in recognition of their importance to wildlife.

Quiztime Snooker Picture Quizzes

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'Bone voyage' as pets get airline

Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder got the idea while travelling with their dog Zoe

A new airline scheduled to take off in the US fully expects its passengers to behave like animals.

On Pet Airways, of Delray Beach, Florida, all pets travel in the main cabin and owners are not allowed on board - not even in the cargo hold.

The airline claims to be the first designed specifically for the safe and comfortable transportation of pets.

Company founders Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder say they got the idea while planning holidays with their pet dog.

'Handled as baggage'

"Currently, most pets travelling by air are transported in the cargo hold and are handled as baggage," said Mr Wiesel.

"The experience is frightening to the pets, and can cause severe emotional and physical harm, even death. This is not what most pet owners want to subject their pets to, but they have had no other choice, until now."

Seats are removed to make way for pet carriers

The airline has scheduled its first flight for cats and dogs for 14 July and will serve five US cities - New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

Pets - or pawsengers, as the airline calls them - can be booked in online and are checked in to a Pet Lounge at the airport.

Pet attendants give the animals a "potty break" shortly before take-off and then monitor the animals during the flight.

Owners - or Pet Parents - can follow their travel progress using an online "pet tracker".

On its website, the airline promises never to leave a pet alone adding: "A pet attendant will always be within a cat's meow."

The flights will be made in 19-seat turbo-prop planes operated by Suburban Air Freight, which have their seats removed to make space for the pet carriers.

Confusion over NZ islands' names

New Zealanders are to be asked what they would like to call their two main islands, currently North and South.

The country's Geographic Board, which assigns and approves place name changes, has announced consultations on alternative English and Maori names.

The move follows the discovery that the geographically correct names, used for 200 years, were not legally registered.

The discovery was made by board researchers investigating Maori names for the two islands.

The Geographic Board wants to allow English or Maori names to be used in the future, but this aim is complicated by the fact that competing Maori words exist for each island.

They include Te Ika a Maui (the fish of Maui) for the North Island and Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of greenstone) for the South Island.

Maui was a mythological Maori demi-god who is said to have caught the fish-shaped North Island while out in his brother's canoe, the South Island.

Maori names appeared on early maps of New Zealand including charts by Captain James Cook, the British explorer and map-maker who claimed the territory for Britain.

"This is part of our country's history of European exploration and settlement. It was only from the 1950s that Maori names stopped appearing on official maps," said board chairman Dr Don Grant.

Cole is 'world's sexiest woman'

Girls Aloud and X Factor star Cheryl Cole has been named the world's sexiest woman by readers of FHM magazine.

Cole, who told a magazine published this week she hates being thin and is nicknamed "flatty batty", knocked last year's winner Megan Fox into second.

The singer, 25, is the first Briton to top the annual chart in three years.

Following an online campaign by fans, Britney Spears moved from number 31 to fourth place. British actress Anna Friel secured a place at number nine.

Cole, who was named as the world's best dressed woman by Glamour magazine earlier this month, came seventh in last year's poll.

2007 winner Jessica Alba dropped one place to number three while Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto was a new entry at number 10.

Antique Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce also made it into the top 100, charting at number 98.

Nearly 10 million votes were cast globally in the poll, now in its 15th year.

'Space blob' baffles astronomers

The blob may have a giant black hole at its centre

It might not look like much, but this image represents one of the most distant objects astronomers have ever seen, 12.9 billion light years away.

It is a "Lyman-alpha blob" and is 55,000 light years across - as large as present-day galaxies.

Though younger such blobs have been found, "Himiko" confounds the idea that such large objects grew more recently by the merger of smaller ones.

The research will be published in the Astrophysical Journal.

Current cosmology models hold that between 200 million and one billion years after the Big Bang, quasars and the first stars formed, emitting radiation that stripped light elements of their electrons and turned the Universe into a soup of charged particles.

Only after this "re-ionisation epoch" did matter as we now know it start to clump together.

A number of theories of Lyman-alpha blob formation abound, but all are difficult to test James Geach University of Durham

Objects as big as modern-day galaxies should have taken significant time to build up from mergers of smaller chunks of matter.

So when a group of researchers led by Masami Ouchi at the Carnegie Institution searched among 207 distant galaxy candidates using the Subaru telescope at the peak of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, they expected to find smaller galaxies.

"We hesitated to spend our precious telescope time by taking spectra of this weird candidate," Dr Ouchi said.

"We never believed that this bright and large source was a real distant object."

Massive mystery

The team went on to measure the characteristic emission from hydrogen - the Lyman-alpha radiation of the name - and confirmed the blob was some 12.9 billion light years away.

They then trained the Spitzer Space Telescope, Very Large Array and UK Infrared Telescope on the object to determine how much mass is contained in the blob - or, rather, how much was contained 12.9 billion years ago.

Himiko - named after a mysterious queen of Chinese and Japanese legend - contains more than 10 times as much mass as galaxies of a similar age.

The blob was first noticed in data from the Subaru Telescope

"There are two possibilities: the standard scenario of galaxy formation is wrong, or this particular object is showing something unique," Dr Ouchi told BBC News.

Several possibilities could explain the massive nature of Himiko: it could have a supermassive black hole at its centre, or it could contain an active galactic nucleus, where a galaxy's worth of stars are forming.

Dr Ouchi said the team was proposing observations using the Keck telescope in the far-infrared region to establish the rate of star formation happening inside Himiko, and whether star formation could lead to the "nebula" of ionised gas that accounts for its enormous size.

"Many early theories of galaxy formation predicted a Lyman-alpha 'fuzz' around early galaxies," said James Geach, an astronomer at the University of Durham who works on Lyman-alpha blobs.

"The problem is that no-one is entirely sure what mechanism gives rise to the extended emission; a number of theories of Lyman-alpha blob formation abound, but all are difficult to test," he told BBC News.

"We now have several good models that seem to do a good job of reproducing many qualities of the observable Universe.

"There is room for improvement however, and explaining these Lyman-alpha blobs is a prime example."

Both Dr Ouchi and Dr Geach agree that future "wide-field" searches that scan larger swathes of the sky are likely to uncover many more such extended blobs.

But, Dr Geach added, "until we know more about their physics, their connection to the formation of galaxies, and perhaps most importantly their lifetimes, we don't really know how they fit in".

Trivia Times

£4-75

Parkinson's plea for brain donors

One donated brain can be used for up to 50 different research projects

A charity is urging people to pledge to donate their brains after death to help find a cure for Parkinson's disease.

The Parkinson's Disease Society wants to double the 1,000 or so people on its donor register by the end of the year.

It says brains from people both with and without Parkinson's are needed to boost scientists' understanding.

Newsreader Jeremy Paxman and actress Jane Asher are among stars donating their brains. Parkinson's affects about one in 500 people in the UK.

Ms Asher, who is president of the society and whose brother-in-law has been diagnosed with the disease, said it was essential to secure more donations to the charity's brain bank in London.

PARKINSON'S DISEASE There are over 101,000 sufferers in England More than 10,000 people have the disease in Scotland Almost 6,000 people suffer from Parkinson's in Wales Almost 3,500 people are affected in Northern Ireland Parkinson's occurs as a result of a loss of nerve cells in the brain There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease

"Scientific research on brains both with and without Parkinson's is essential," she said.

"It's vital that we secure more potential donors as this will help us move closer to a cure for what can be a debilitating and distressing condition."

Ms Asher assured viewers that any donated brains would be treated with great respect by researchers.

She said: "They are absolutely all used and they are kept frozen, clearly, very, very, very, very, cold, so they last almost indefinitely and every one is used and treated with great respect, I have to say.

"For those who might worry about granny's brain being perhaps not used properly, they are treated with great respect and every brain really does help towards a cure."

Progressive disorder

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disorder which can affect movements like walking, talking and writing.

Every year, about 10,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's in the UK - one in 20 are under the age of 40.

Famous sufferers of the disease include boxer Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J Fox.

A poll carried out for the charity suggests that, while many people are prepared to donate other organs, there is a reluctance about brain donation.

Of more than 2,000 British adults who were questioned, only 7% were comfortable with the idea of donating their brain. But 63% did not have a problem with heart donation and 65% said they were fine about donating a kidney.

One in three people said they knew someone affected by Parkinson's.

Jane Asher: I will donate my brain

Research using donated brain tissue has already led to major medical breakthroughs in the treatment and understanding of Parkinson's.

The drug levodopa, which has revolutionised the way symptoms of the condition are controlled, was developed following research using donated brains.

The survey suggested that more than a quarter of people were worried that donating their brain would cause distress to their family.

Michael Grycuk's mother Joan had Parkinson's and donated her brain to the register. He said he knew becoming a donor meant a lot to his mother.

"I knew it was something my mother wanted to do. As a result of her generosity and that of many like her, she's provided hope of finding a cure for millions of people around the world currently living with Parkinson's."

Switch-on success for superscope

The Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank dominates the Cheshire landscape

The first stage of the switch-on of one of the world's most powerful stargazing systems has got under way.

Seven radio telescopes around the UK have been linked with optical fibres, allowing scientists to probe deeper into the Universe than ever before.

The new data-link upgrade has replaced the older microwave technology that once connected the telescopes.

Tim O'Brien, from the e-Merlin project, said: "It will be a revolution in terms of what we can do with our astronomy."

Astronomers at Jodrell Bank say that the e-Merlin array will be fully operational later this year.

Radio telescopes work by collecting radio waves emitted from objects many light-years away, allowing scientists to look deep into the cosmos.

But a single telescope - even one as huge as the 76m-wide Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, where e-Merlin's headquarters is based - is limited in terms of what it can see.

So astronomers combine the power of several telescopes spread over a wide area, in essence creating the effect of a giant "superscope".

For the last 20 years, seven telescopes that are spread across UK have been joined together in this way to form an array.

However, the older microwave technology that once connected them was only able to return a fraction of the data that was being recorded.

Dr O'Brien, who is head of outreach at Jodrell Bank and a senior lecturer in astrophysics at the University of Manchester, told BBC News: "It's like using a very narrow pipe to transfer information - and in fact, with microwaves, most of the signal we pick up at the radio telescopes never makes it back to Jodrell Bank."

It is like moving from a dial-up connection on the internet to a broadband one Dr Tim O'Brien

Over the past six years, a huge project has been underway to swap the older microwave links for hundreds of kilometres of optical fibre cables, which are buried beneath the ground.

These thin "pipes" can carry reams of data, and scientists believe they will give the e-Merlin telescope array a new hi-tech lease of life.

Dr O'Brien explained: "It is like moving from a dial-up connection on the internet to a broadband one.

This telescope in Cambridge forms part of the e-Merlin array

"It means we will now be able to get all of the signal back from the telescopes. We'll be able to do in one day what would have previously taken us three years to do."

This extra data will allow astronomers to see objects in the Universe in much finer detail than was previously possible, and it will also enable them to study parts of the cosmos that have never been seen before.

Professor Simon Garrington, director of the e-Merlin project, said: "This combination of a boost in resolution and sensitivity will allow a whole community of scientists in the UK and around the world to address some of the key questions in astronomy today.

"These questions cover the whole range of astronomy, from the formation of Earth-like planets to the physics that governs how stars of different types are formed."

Sir Bernard Lovell on building his iconic telescope

In 2007, the iconic Lovell telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, which forms a key part of the e-Merlin array, celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Sir Bernard Lovell, who founded Jodrell Bank, told the BBC that the longevity of the observatory and the string of discoveries it has led to has continued to surprise.

He said: "It is astonishing that despite all the new developments and all the new instruments that have been designed, the Jodrell telescope still has such an important use."

Funding struggles

The road to getting the e-Merlin project up and running has not been problem free.

Last year, e-Merlin, along with a number of other high-profile physics and astronomy projects, were put at risk thanks to an £80m shortfall in science funding.

However, it was given a last-minute reprieve after the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) agreed to continue funding it.

e-Merlin is a forerunner for the Square Kilometre Array

In the coming years, Jodrell Bank is set to become the headquarters to an even bigger project.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will be based in either Australia or South Africa, will link thousands of telescopes spread over thousands of kilometres, creating a system 50-times more powerful than anything we have now.

Scientists say the technology developed for the e-Merlin array will be key for developing the SKA.

The e-Merlin project has been funded by the STFC, Northwest Regional Development Agency, the University of Manchester, the University of Cambridge and Liverpool John Moores University.

Scrapyard Spitfire up for auction

The BBC's Paul Clifton takes a close look at the aircraft A World War II Spitfire aeroplane, which was found in a scrapyard, is expected to fetch up to £1.5m at an auction in north London later. The Vickers Supermarine Spitfire was built in 1944 and sold to the South African Air Force in 1948, where it served for an unknown period. In the 1970s the aircraft was found in a scrapyard in Cape Town. A five-year restoration in Hampshire made the plane airworthy. Bonhams will auction it at the RAF Museum in Hendon. Iconic aircraft The Spitfire, which an icon of the World War II, is the first airworthy aircraft of its genre to go under the hammer in 20 years. The aeroplane was originally delivered to the RAF's No 33 Maintenance Unit at Lyneham, Wiltshire, to be prepared for operation. The mark IX aircraft, serial number SM520, was rescued from the Cape Town by the late building developer and aviation enthusiast Charles Church. It changed hands several times before it was made airworthy. Bonhams' chairman Robert Brooks said: "The sale of this Spitfire touches me personally as an enthusiastic amateur pilot and a keen student of military history."

Cult author JG Ballard dies at 78

The author JG Ballard, famed for novels such as Crash and Empire of the Sun, has died aged 78 after a long illness.

His agent Margaret Hanbury said the author had been ill "for several years" and had died on Sunday morning.

Despite being referred to as a science fiction writer, Jim Ballard said his books were instead "picturing the psychology of the future".

His most acclaimed novel was Empire of the Sun, based on his childhood in a Japanese prison camp in China.

I remember a lot of the casual brutality and beatings-up that went on JG Ballard Obituary: JG Ballard JG Ballard: Your memories

The author of 15 novels and scores of short stories, Ballard grew up amongst the expatriate community in Shanghai.

During World War II, at the age of 12, he was interned for three years in a camp run by the Japanese.

He later moved to Britain and in the early 1960s became a full-time writer.

Ballard built up a passionate readership, particularly after Empire of The Sun, a fictionalised account of his childhood, was made into a film by Steven Spielberg.

He said of his experiences: "I have - I won't say happy - not unpleasant memories of the camp. I remember a lot of the casual brutality and beatings-up that went on, but at the same time we children were playing a hundred and one games all the time!"

His friend and fellow author, Iain Sinclair, said Ballard had developed into a major literary figure.

"He was one of the first to take up the whole idea of ecological catastrophe. He was fascinated by celebrity early on, the cult of the star and suicides of cars, motorways, edgelands of cities.

"All of these things he was one of the first to create almost a philosophy of. And I think as time has gone on, he's become a major, major figure."

'Ballardian world'

Director David Cronenberg brought Ballard's infamous book about the sexual desires stimulated by car crashes to the screen in the film Crash.

The film caused a media stir, adding to Ballard's reputation for courting controversy.

In later years he wrote other acclaimed novels such as Super-Cannes and Millennium People.

Hephzibah Anderson, former fiction editor at the Daily Mail and books columnist for the Observer, said Ballard's work had anticipated life as it was now.

"If you look at the start of his career, he began writing science fiction stories and we was regarded as very avant garde.

"And there was a kind of violence lurking beneath the texture of these novels. And they've come to seem less and less futuristic and you know it's as if we're embodying, we're living in now a kind of Ballardian world."

Radio collection to be auctioned

The radios were made in art deco style

A collection of rare plastic radios from across the world, including globe, clock and dollhouse designs, are to be auctioned in London.

Made between 1930 and 1950, the 148 vintage radios are expected to fetch £80,000 when they go under the hammer at Bonhams in Knightsbridge.

A 1948 Emerson clock, boasting a blue and white marble effect case, is among the collection's highlights.

Experts said a Motorola 50XC model could fetch up to £6,000.

Jon Baddeley, Bonhams director of collectors' sales, said: "We are excited at the prospect of offering this important collection at auction and expect international interest not only from die-hard radio collectors but also from enthusiasts passionate about mid 20th Century design and early plastics."

The radios were made using Catalin, a type of resin allowing designers to create objects in the art deco style.

Production of Catalin declined in the post-war period as improved versions of modern plastics were developed.

The collection goes under the hammer as part of Bonhams Mechanical, Music and Scientific Instruments on April 28.

Record shops fight for survival

With the aid of a computer and a credit card, it is easy to buy almost any piece of music that has ever been released.

But for a keen fan, nothing will match the experience of browsing the shelves of a favourite music shop and choosing a new CD or a record to add to the collection.

More than 400 independent record shops have closed since 2005

To mark Record Store Day on Saturday, many artists issued special releases that can only be bought in independent shops.

Vinyl singles from Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead and Bob Dylan have been pressed to mark the occasion, and many shops in the UK and the US are hosting concerts or special events.

Many musicians have sent messages of support to the shops. "There's nothing as glamorous to me as a record store," said Paul McCartney.

"When I recently played Amoeba in LA, I realised what fantastic memories such a collection of music brings back when you see it all in one place. I hope that these kinds of stores will be there for us all for many years to come."

Graham Jones, who manages the distribution company Proper Music, believes he has visited more record shops than anyone else in the UK.

You could spend all day in here and get lost and that's what we want people to do Spencer Hickman, Rough Trade

In the past four years, he says more than 500 stores have closed down, leaving around 300. "If you take Bristol, for example, there used to be five record shops on Park Street just four years ago," he says.

"Now they are all gone. It is such a shame because they were a part of the community and people gathered there to talk about music or to make friends. You can't replicate the experience online."

Mr Jones, who has just published a book about the fate of local record shops, believes the stores that will survive are those that offer a specialist service, perhaps focusing on particular genres of music or offering customers advice.

Many fans believe you cannot beat the experience of browsing in stores

One of his favourite shops is the Rough Trade store in east London. Its sales are rising, partly due to the recent demise of its competitor, Zavvi, which used to be a part of the Virgin Group.

Spencer Hickman runs the Rough Trade store near Brick Lane. "I think the stores that are left are good at what we do," he says. "People come to this store because they want the experience. You could spend all day in here and get lost and that's what we want people to do."

He laughs at the stereotype of grumpy and aloof shop assistants as portrayed in Nick Hornby's bestselling book about record shops, High Fidelity.

"Every one of my staff, whether they're into dubstep or metal or folk, absolutely loves what they do," he says. "They don't work here because they get paid a lot of money. It's because of their passion for music and they want to share that passion with the customers."

Record stores like Rough Trade also champion new bands, some of which are signed to their own label.

Record Store Day activities are taking place around the world

In Wales, many local indie bands have found a new audience thanks to the support of Spillers Records in Cardiff, which has sold more than 400 copies of a compilation of local talent known as Twisted By Design.

Spillers claims to be the oldest record shop in the world, tracing its history back 105 years, when it originally sold phonograph players and shellac records.

It faced closure in 2006, but was saved after a vigorous campaign by local politicians and musicians including the Manic Street Preachers.

Some people fear that the surging popularity of internet downloads will kill off record shops for good within a few years. But rising sales of vinyl, up 20% in the past year, are helping to keep a niche market alive.

Mr Hickman recalls a young female customer who came into his Rough Trade store recently and spent £250 on vinyl.

"She said that she had already downloaded the music online, but she has just received her first pay cheque and she wanted to spend her money on records," he explains.

"She was only about 17 years old. I thought, if only we had a hundred people like you - our future would be secure!"

10 things we didn't know last week

Snippets from the week's news, sliced, diced and processed for your convenience.

1. Squatters take over islands, as well as homes.
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2. White wine has more calories than red wine.
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3. Some ants reproduce without sex.
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4. About 15% of the world's wine bottles have screw caps.
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5. If you list your religion as Jedi on the census, the Office of National Statistics will class this as atheist.
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6. Pandas prefer artificial sweetener to sugar.
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7. Pigs are the fourth most intelligent animals.
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8. Being sorry originally meant to be distressed and sad.
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9. About one in 30 people suffers from agoraphobia.
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10. A thrown shoe is considered an insult in India, as well as the Middle East, where George Bush famously dodged a lobbed loafer.
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The News

New rival to world's tallest man

Zhao Liang is seeking official recognition as the world's tallest man

A new contender for world's tallest man has been discovered in China, after he attended hospital for surgery.

Zhao Liang was measured at 2.46m (just under 8ft 1in) by doctors in Tianjin, where the ex-basketball player was being treated for a foot injury.

It puts him 10cm (3.9in) above the official title-holder, Chinese citizen Bao Xishun, who was first recognised by Guinness World Records in 2005.

Mr Zhao, 27, is now seeking official recognition of his huge stature.

Until Mr Zhao is independently measured by judges from the Guinness team, he cannot be officially considered the world's tallest man.

The current holder, 57-year-old Bao Xishun, stands at 2.36m (7ft 8.95in) tall.

Zhao Liang's career in his home province of Henan was cut short when he injured his foot a decade ago, state media reported.

He was unemployed until 2006, when he started working with a street art troupe and learned to perform magic tricks and play instruments, according to Xinhua news agency.

But the 27-year-old caused a new stir when he walked into the Tianjin hospital, and staff there took his measurements.

Doctors also performed an operation on his foot and said he should make a full recovery within two months.

Mr Zhao does not reportedly suffer any health complications related to his height.

However his parents - who are of average height - have other concerns.

"I am so worried about his marriage, job and his health that my hair has turned white," his mother, Wang Keyun, told Xinhua.

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TV 'angel' becomes internet hit

Show creator Cowell is predicting a number one album in the U.S. for churchgoer Miss Boyle after announcing that Oprah Winfrey, America's leading talk show host, had asked her on to her programme.

This comes after Boyle - who lives alone with her cat Pebbles for company - was interviewed for top U.S. breakfast show Good Morning America yesterday.

She has also been featured in newspapers around the world, even making the front page of the prestigious Washington Post and being described by another as having the 'voice of an angel'.

As of yesterday, some 12million people around the globe had seen Miss Boyle's performance after more than 200 versions of it were posted on the video website YouTube.

Hollywood actress Demi Moore said she was moved to tears by the performance of the woman who claims to have never been kissed or had a boyfriend.

Celebrity status: Susan greets media on her doorstep

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Gordon Ramsay serves up ready-meals prepared in London factory... with 586% mark-up

White van man: Food for Gordon Ramsay's Chelsea bistro and three London gastropubs is prepared at a central kitchen and delivered by road

Gordon Ramsay is serving customers ready-meals which are prepared in a London 'food factory' and sold with a mark-up of 586 per cent, it emerged today.

Dishes such as pork belly, coq au vin, braised pig cheeks and orange and bitter chocolate tart are prepared in bulk and then transported in plastic bags by unmarked vans to several of his restaurants across London.

The celebrity chef - who runs London’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant - uses the central kitchen, near railway arches and a council estate in Clapham, to provide food for his three gastropubs and Foxtrot Oscar, his bistro in Chelsea.

The Narrow in Limehouse, the Warrington in Maida Vale and the Devonshire in Chiswick are also supplied by the food factory.

Ramsay’s team has admitted that 50 per cent of the menu at the three gastropubs and Foxtrot Oscar is prepared off-site but no fresh produce, such as cuts of meat, are prepared at the Clapham facility.

Fishcakes are sold by the central supplier for £1.92 are then priced at as much as £11.25 in the gastropubs — a mark-up of 586 per cent. Diners pay £3.50 for sausage rolls that cost 75p.

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The Acer Aspire Z5600 is built for Windows 7

Acer launches Windows 7 PC

Touchscreen PC heralds pre-Christmas launch for Windows 7

Written by Andrea-Marie Vassou, Computeractive

08 Apr 2009

Acer has launched a 24-inch screen designed for use with Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system.

The Aspire Z5600 All in One PC enables users to control their PC by touch. It has a TV tuner and a webcam as well as a Blu-Ray writer.

Acer joins a growing list of PC manufacturers to release Windows 7-compatible hardware, adding weight to the argument that Microsoft intends a pre-Christmas launch of the replacement for Vista.

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Acer has also added to its netbook range. The Aspire One has an 11.6 inch LCD and is one inch thick. It has an Intel Atom processor and 160 GB of memory for storing photos and music. The notebook has also a multi card reader and integrated Dolby Pro Logic surround sound speakers. The netbook is said to have a battery life of eight hours.

The Acer 15.6 inch Aspire 8935 and 18.4 inch 5935 laptops are also one inch thick and have LCD back-lighting . Each model has a 6-in-1 memory card reader and fingerprint-scanning technology which is used to gain access to to the computer. The Aspire 8935 can has two hard disks for storing up to 1TB of capacity while the Aspire 5935 has 500GB.

Acer’s Aspire 3935 has a 13.3-inch screen and Dolby Surround sound with stereo speakers as well as and several energy saving features. These includes a mercury free LED, which reduces power consumption, and a power-saving switch.

All the PCs have wireless, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity. UK pricing and availability are still to be announced

Whiter Shade 'most played' song

A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum was a hit on the summer of 1967

Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade of Pale is the most played song in public places in the past 75 years, according to a chart compiled for BBC Radio 2.

The song, with its distinctive organ riff, stayed at number one for six weeks in the UK in the summer of 1967.

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody was at number two followed by All I Have To Do Is Dream by the Everly Brothers. There was no place in the top 10 for The Beatles.

The UK chart, presented by Rob Brydon, was compiled by licensing firm PPL.

TOP 10 MOST PLAYED SONGS 1. Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale 2. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody 3. Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream 4. Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around 5. Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You 6. Robbie Williams - Angels 7. Elvis Presley - All Shook Up 8. Abba - Dancing Queen 9. Perry Como - Magic Moments 10. Bing Crosby - White Christmas Source: PPL

Procol Harum lead singer Gary Brooker, who last year won back full royalty rights to the band's hit after a court battle, said its number one position in the 100-song chart was a "great and unsought honour".

"It isn't something I could have remotely imagined when I wrote the song and then made that legendary recording with Procol Harum all those years ago.

"Every musician and singer hopes to reach out and communicate to the audience so it means a great deal that the record has such an indefinable popularity and lasting appeal."

Wet Wet Wet's summer smash of 1994, Love Is All Around, was at number four followed by Bryan Adams's 1991 hit (Everything I Do) I Do It For You.

The Beatles and Robbie Williams both had the most entries in the chart with three each.

For the Beatles, Hello Goodbye was at number 11, Get Back was at number 13 and From Me To You was at number 51.

For Williams, Angels was at number six, Rock DJ was at number 16 and Strong was at number 56.

Phil Spector's Wall of Sound

Phil Spector brought a new sound to pop music

Record producer Phil Spector has been found guilty, after retrial, of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his home in Los Angeles.

Spector is credited with creating the "Wall of Sound" recording technique.

Characterised by bombastic, reverberating instruments which constantly threatened to drown out the vocals, the Wall of Sound was one of the first attempts to use the recording studio as an instrument in its own right.

Below are some of the prime examples of Spector's music.

THE CRYSTALS - DA DOO RON RON (1963)

Spector put together an enormous ensemble of musicians to record his Wall of Sound records.

His studio group often consisted of three drummers, bassists, keyboard players, plus numerous guitars, a string orchestra and brass section.

The music was then fed into the echo chambers at the Gold Star studios in Los Angeles, resulting in a rich, booming sound.

His records stood out over the crackle and hiss of AM Radio, making stars of bands like The Crystals.

UK chart position: 5
US chart position: 3

THE RONETTES - BE MY BABY (1963)

Often cited as the perfectionist producer's crowning achievement, lead singer Veronica Bennett (later Ronnie Spector) rehearsed this song for weeks.

Nonetheless, Spector required 42 takes before he was satisfied with the recording.

Brian Wilson called it "the most perfect pop record of all time" and even paid tribute to it in the Beach Boys' song Mona.

"Listen to Be My Baby, I know you're gonna love Phil Spector."

UK chart position: 4
US chart position: 2

THE BEATLES - THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD (1970)

After producing John Lennon's solo hit Instant Karma, Spector was asked to turn the Beatles' abandoned Get Back sessions into a workable album.

The resulting record, Let It Be, was a commercial success and the band's swansong, but Paul McCartney took exception to Spector's mixes and overdubs and later released his own stripped-back version of the album.

The other Beatles were less worried and Spector continued to produce records for Lennon and George Harrison throughout the 1970s.

UK chart position: Not released
US chart position: 1

PHIL SPECTOR - A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU (1963)

Spector was resolutely a singles artist, famously describing albums as "two hits and 10 pieces of junk".

The only long-player he ever poured his heart into was A Christmas Gift For You, on which the producer wanted to capture the spirit of the season while making an enduring pop record.

Containing the pick of Spector's girl group stable and the ample talents of Spector's usual "Wrecking Crew" session musicians, it is an exuberant example of the Wall Of Sound recording process.

UK chart position: 19
US chart position: 6

IKE AND TINA TURNER - RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH (1966)

Bandleader Ike was banned from the recording session for this single, which Tina Turner said left her "drenched with sweat".

Spector was intensely proud of the song but after its failure in the US charts, his behaviour - often unconventional - became even more erratic.

The song was warmly received in the UK, and over time it has become accepted as a classic in America too. Rolling Stone magazine recently voted it number 33 in a list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

UK chart position: 3
US chart position: 88

RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS - THAT LOVIN' FEELING (1965)

Spector called his records "little symphonies for kids", but You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling transcends that description.

The epitome of the Wall of Sound technique, it is replete with echo, strident percussion and swelling strings.

But many listeners thought the record was being played at the wrong speed when they first heard it, thanks to the deep baritone of singer Bill Medley.

Despite that, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling became the most-played song in the history of American radio.

UK chart position: 1
US chart position: 1

STARSAILOR - SILENCE IS EASY (2003)

Twenty-year-old Nicole Spector introduced her father to this British rock band in 2002, leading to a dinner date where drummer Ben Byrne had to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on the ageing producer when he choked on a morsel of food.

Perhaps as a mark of gratitude, he insisted on producing the group's second album, but the sessions ended acrimoniously and only two of his tracks were used.

"The great thing about Phil Spector, and also his weakness, is he's a kind of one-trick pony," said lead singer James Walsh.

"But his one trick is pretty impressive, like a dog that could talk."

UK chart position: 9
US chart position: Did not chart

Dig 'may reveal' Cleopatra's tomb

Coins of Cleopatra were said to show she was "in no way unattractive"

Archaeologists are to search three sites in Egypt that they say may contain the tomb of doomed lovers Anthony and Cleopatra.

Excavation at the sites, which are near a temple west of the coastal city of Alexandria, is due to begin next week.

Teams working in the area said the recent discovery of tombs containing 10 mummies suggested that Anthony and Cleopatra might be buried close by.

The teams also found a bust of Cleopatra and coins carrying her image.

The archaeologists from Egypt and the Dominican Republic have been excavating at the temple of Taposiris Magna for the last three years.

'Charm'

There they discovered a series of deep shafts in which it is thought that Anthony and Cleopatra might be buried, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said in a statement.

Alongside the coins and bust of Cleopatra, a mask believed to belong to Mark Anthony was also found.

The temple was built during the reign of King Ptolemy II (282-246BC).

Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide in 30BC after losing the Battle of Actium.

Zahi Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist, said the coins found at the temple refuted "what some scholars have said about Cleopatra being very ugly".

"The finds from Taposiris reflect a charm... and indicate that Cleopatra was in no way unattractive," he said.

A team of experts from Newcastle University said two years ago that another set of coins showed the beauty of Anthony and Cleopatra portrayed in popular culture to have been exaggerated.

Man bites snake in epic struggle

Police said the python involved in the attack was 13ft (4m) long

A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle, police have told the BBC.

The serpent seized farm worker Ben Nyaumbe in the Malindi area of Kenya's Indian Ocean coast at the weekend.

Mr Nyaumbe bit the snake on the tip of the tail during the exhausting battle in the village of Sabaki.

Police rescued Mr Nyaumbe and captured the 13ft (4m) reptile, before taking it to a sanctuary, but it later escaped.

The victim told police he managed to reach his mobile phone from his pocket to raise the alarm when the python momentarily eased its grip after hauling him up a tree on Saturday evening.

We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim Peter Katam Police superintendent

Mr Nyaumbe used his shirt to smother the snake's head and prevent it from swallowing him.

His employer arrived with police and villagers, who tied the python with a rope and pulled them both down from the tree with a thud.

Peter Katam, superintendent of police in Malindi district, told the BBC News website: "Two officers on patrol were called and they found this man was struggling with a snake on a tree.

"The snake had coiled his hands and was trying to swallow him but he struggled very hard. The officers and villagers managed to rescue him and he was freed.

"He himself was injured on the lower lip of the mouth - it was bleeding a little bit - as the tip of the snake's tail was sharp when he said he bit it."

Mr Nyaumbe told the Daily Nation newspaper how he resorted to desperate measures after the python, which had apparently been hunting livestock, encircled his upper body in its coils.

"I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python," he said.

"I had to bite it."

'Very mysterious'

Supt Katam told the BBC the officers had wanted to shoot the snake but could not do so for fearing of injuring Mr Nyaumbe.

"If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday," said Supt Katam.

He added: "It's very mysterious, this ability to lift the man onto the tree. I've never heard of this before."

The police officer said they took the snake to a sanctuary in Malindi town but it escaped overnight, probably from a gap under the door in the room where it was kept.

"We are still seriously looking for the snake," said Supt Katam. "We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim."

'Carry On' producer Rogers dies

Rogers produced all the classic releases, including Carry On Cleo

Film producer Peter Rogers, who was responsible for the Carry On Series of movies, has died at the age of 95.

Rogers was credited with the 31 films from the iconic franchise, made between 1958 and 1992.

He worked at Pinewood film studios for 50 years, and attended an event at the famous facility to mark Carry On's golden anniversary last year.

Rogers' hope to produce another film in the long-running series, Carry On London, has yet to be realised.

Attempts to get the project off the ground are now likely to be abandoned following Rogers' death.

Lifetime achievement

Along with director Gerald Thomas, Rogers produced one of the most well-recognised film franchises in UK cinema history.

He began his career as a newspaper reporter, beginning his career in the movie industry writing scripts for religious information films.

Rogers also produced a series of Carry On highlights programmes which ran on television for several years.

Before the Carry On films, the producer worked on a series of films including 1953's The Dog and the Diamonds, which picked up an award at the Venice Film Festival.

His life's work was rewarded at the British Comedy Awards in 1990 and by the London Critics' Circle six years later.

Rogers was married to another British film producer, Betty Box, who died in 1999.

Writer Clement Freud dies aged 84

Sir Clement Freud, who has died aged 84, had a varied career as a Liberal MP, cookery expert, newspaper columnist and broadcaster.

His lugubrious expression and mournful voice launched him as a TV personality in the 1960s with a series of dog food commercials.

Born in Berlin in April 1924, Clement Freud was a grandson of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. Another grandson was Clement's elder brother, the artist Lucian Freud.

The family moved to Britain in 1933, and Clement went to St Paul's School, in London, before going into the hotel business as an apprentice at the Dorchester in London.

After Army service, during which he was a liaison officer at the Nuremberg war crimes trials, he returned to the hotel business, at the Martinez in Cannes.

He started writing on cookery for newspapers and magazines in the 1950s, and expanded into a variety of subjects, including sport.

His idiosyncratic pet food commercials with Henry the dog launched him on a long career as a television and radio personality - he was a stalwart of the BBC's Just a Minute for more than 30 years.

Clement Freud's political career began in 1973, when - against all the odds - he won the Isle of Ely constituency for the Liberals.

He appeared in Have I Got News For You with Ian Hislop in 2003

Ten years later he transferred to North East Cambridgeshire after boundary changes, but lost the seat in 1987.

An energetic MP, he was party spokesman on education, the arts and broadcasting, and sponsored an anti-secrets Official Information Bill, which played a part in the collapse of the Callaghan government in 1979.

After a row over "wrecking" amendments to his Bill, the Labour Whips offered to facilitate it if he avoided voting to bring down the government. He refused, and the government fell.

Clement Freud was knighted in 1987. He was married, and had five children, including the television personality, Emma, and the PR guru, Matthew.

Apples' autumn colour change clue

The colour change even inspires tourists called "leaf peepers"

The long-standing debate about why autumn leaves change colour has new impetus from the humble apple tree.

Domesticated apples - selectively bred for fruit size and taste rather than insect defence - tend to have less red leaves than their wild cousins.

Researchers suggest that fact supports one theory for the change: that autumn's red colours ward off insects, indicating a plant's chemical defences.

The research is published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

However, other experts remain sceptical of this "co-evolution" theory.

The idea, taking into account the full range of autumn colours, was first suggested in 2001 by the late biologist Bill Hamilton.

More recent research, however, has shown that autumn's oranges and yellows are caused by carotenoids.

These are pigment molecules present year-round, normally serving to protect chlorophyll - the green-coloured molecule at the heart of photosynthesis - from damage caused by sunlight.

In the autumn, as chlorophyll is actively broken down in the leaves, the carotenoids become visible.

Autumn's brilliant reds and purples, however, are caused by molecules called anthocyanins that are produced during the same period.

It is a costly job of molecule building for the plant and an enigma to scientists, since the leaves will at that point soon be dropped entirely.

"If you wanted to prove this hypothesis that the autumn colours are necessary to repel insects, what you would do is take two populations of trees and let them evolve - one with and one without the insects - expecting the one without insects would lose its colours," said author of the research Marco Archetti, of the University of Oxford's zoology department.

The idea of, as it were, 'the trees are talking to the insects', is wild and wacky and it would be rather nice if it were true David Wilkinson Liverpool John Moores University

"That's exactly what's been done starting 2,000 years ago when they started to domesticate apple trees, because they've been sheltered from the influence of insects and parasites," Dr Archetti explained.

"There is no longer natural selection; what is going on is artificial selection by the farmer for fruit size and flavour, not resistance against insects."

Cue controversy

David Wilkinson, an environmental scientist at Liverpool John Moores University who has published on the leaf colour debate, says that the work is not proof positive of the co-evolution theory.

"There's a difference between a 'signal' and a 'cue'," he explained.

"A cue is something that hasn't evolved for a signalling function but is used by something else as information that affects its behaviour.

"But that doesn't mean that the autumn colour has evolved for that purpose."

Dr Wilkinson points out that a competing theory holds that anthocyanins are performing a different task altogether.

Apricot and walnut trees may also have lost their reds in domestication

Plants are known to break down components of their leaves and harvest a number of precious compounds - particularly those containing nitrogen - before cutting the leaves loose entirely.

"I think the most likely explanation is that these [anthocyanins] are effectively sunscreens that allow the photosynthesis to continue as the machinery of photosynthesis is broken apart in the autumn.

"The idea of, as it were, 'the trees are talking to the insects', is wild and wacky and it would be rather nice if it were true.

"But I still have not seen anything that convinces me of the signalling."

Dr Archetti believes that the loss of red leaves among domesticated plants cannot be explained by the "photoprotection" theory favoured by Dr Wilkinson.

He now intends to study apricot and walnut trees, the domesticated varieties of which he says have also experienced the loss of autumn's reds.

Ants inhabit 'world without sex'

These ants do not need males

An Amazonian ant has dispensed with sex and developed into an all-female species, researchers have found.

The ants reproduce via cloning - the queen ants copy themselves to produce genetically identical daughters.

This species - the first ever to be shown to reproduce entirely without sex - cultivates a garden of fungus, which also reproduces asexually.

The finding of the ants' "world without sex" is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Anna Himler, the biologist from the University of Arizona who led the research, told BBC News that the team used a battery of tests to verify their findings.

Unusual evolution

By "fingerprinting" DNA of the ant species - Mycocepurus smithii - they found them all to be clones of the colony's queen.

And when they dissected the female insects, they found them to be physically incapable of mating, as an essential part of their reproductive system known as the "mussel organ" had degenerated.

This species has evolved its own unusual mode of reproduction Anna Himler University of Arizona

Asexual reproduction of males from unfertilised eggs is a normal part of some insect reproduction, but asexual reproduction of females is "exceedingly rare in ants", wrote the researchers.

"In social insects, there are a number of different types of reproduction," explained Dr Himler. "But this species has evolved its own unusual mode."

She and her colleagues do not know exactly why this particular species has become fully asexual, and how long ago the phenomenon evolved.

They are carrying out further genetic experiments, which will enable them to estimate how long ago the evolutionary change occurred.

No sex please

There are advantages to life without sex, Dr Himler explained.

"It avoids the energetic cost of producing males, and doubles the number of reproductive females produced each generation from 50% to 100% of the offspring."

But combining genetic material in sexual reproduction gives future generations many more advantages.

"If we're more diverse, we're more resistant to parasites and disease," explained Laurent Keller, an expert in social insects from the University of Lausanne.

"In a colony of clones, if one ant is susceptible to a parasite, they will all be susceptible. So if you're asexual, you normally don't last very long.

"But in ants we're seeing more and more reports of unusual methods of reproduction," added Professor Keller, who was not involved in this study.

He also points out that social insects, like ants, may be particularly well suited to this type of reproduction because it enables the queen to control the caste and sex of all the offspring in her colony.

The first farmers

Dr Himler's interest in Mycocepurus smithii was originally sparked not by their unusually biased sex ratio, but by their ability to cultivate crops.

"Ants discovered farming long before we did - they have been cultivating fungus gardens for an estimated 80 million years.

More interested in gardening than sex

"They collect plant material, insect faeces and even dead insects from the forest floor and feed it to their crops," she said.

Many different species of ant - including the famous leafcutter ants - cultivate fungi, relying on it for nutrition.

But this particular species is able to grow "a greater number of crops than other ant species", she explained.

"When we started to study this species more closely, we just weren't finding any males. That's when we started to look at them in a different way."

Since the fungus crop reproduces asexually, Dr Himler thinks it might give the ants some kind of advantage "not to operate under the usual constraints of sexual reproduction".

"There is certainly more work to be done in this system," she added. "We're quite excited about the direction this research might take us, and its implications."

Downgrade plan for Windows 7 PCs

The decision could see Windows XP enjoy an even longer life

Anyone buying a PC with Windows 7 pre-installed will be able to swap it for XP or Vista.

Microsoft has confirmed that the licence conditions under which the software will be sold will allow people to downgrade.

The conditions will apply to both businesses that buy licences for Windows in bulk and consumers that get the operating system on a PC or laptop.

No firm date has been given for the release of Windows 7's final version.

New life

Downgrade rights are common in Microsoft licensing terms and conditions but the software giant has been forced to expand and extend them for XP, given user reluctance to move to Windows Vista.

Microsoft dispute claims that Vista has not been popular, quoting figures that suggest it has outsold XP over similar time frames.

However, Microsoft has twice granted Windows XP a reprieve to allow computer makers to get licences for it for far longer than was originally planned.

Windows XP, released to consumers in 2001, was also granted a lifeline to ensure that it could be used on so-called netbooks - cut-down net-capable laptops that are proving very popular.

At the same time, computer makers such as Dell and HP have been exploiting clauses in the licensing terms that let them rollback machines with Vista pre-installed to the older operating system.

The news comes as the cut-off date for free mainstream support for Windows XP ends. From 14 April, Windows XP and Home plus Office 2003 enter their "extended support" period.

This means the only updates and bug fixes these products will get will be to improve security.

Microsoft has said that the release candidate of Windows 7, which will be broadly similar to the final version, will be released in late May 2009. The final version is expected in January 2010.

Swiss architect wins top honour

Zumthor is known for quietly elegant buildings

The most prestigious award for architecture, the Pritzker Prize, has been awarded to the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.

The prize, worth $100,000, is given for a body of work across a career, and is mainly valued for the prestige and commissions it can bring.

Zumthor's works are found mainly in his native Switzerland, as well as elsewhere in Europe and the US.

His most famous commission is the thermal baths in Vals, Switzerland.

Peter Zumthor is about as far as its possible to be from the star names who have recently dominated architecture.

He has worked in his native Switzerland for the past 30 years and has become known for quietly elegant museums, housing complexes and hotels with a fondness for using natural materials and a great interest in the the interior spaces he creates.

The thermal baths at Vals are Zumthor's best-known work

If you think of the big name star architects shouting "look at me", then Zumthor whispers.

He trained as a cabinet maker and there's a strong feel of craft and care to his work.

He says he doesn't ally himself to an ideology or school of architecture, but aims above all at creating an interior suited to place and use, simple principles aimed at producing human architecture.

One extraordinary recent building is a chapel built by wrapping concrete round a wigwam structure of tree trunks.

Zumthor then burnt away the trunks, leaving the imprint of the wood as the texture of the interior, which retains the smell of charred wood.

Zumthor is said to turn down most requests to design, embarking only on projects he feels a passion for and which he then oversees from start to finish.

His buildings have been described as both humble and bold.

Zumthor said the award was a "wonderful recognition".

"That a body of work as small as ours is recognized in the professional world makes us feel proud and should give much hope to young professionals that if they strive for quality in their work it might become visible without any special promotion," he said.

Twitter all clear after worm wave

Twitter was hit by a worm over the weekend

Twitter has been given the all clear after a worm infected "tens of thousands of users". But experts say the attack could have been much worse.

Over the weekend, a self-replicating computer program, or worm, began to infect profiles on the social network.

The worm was set up to promote a Twitter rival site, showing unwanted messages on infected user accounts.

Michael Mooney, a 17-year-old US student, told the Associated Press he created the worm to promote his site.

Mooney, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, said he wanted to expose vulnerabilities in Twitter. He told AP: "I really didn't think it was going to get that much attention, but then I started to see all these stories about it and thought, 'Oh, my God'."

The worm worked by encouraging users to click on a link to the rival Twitter site, called StalkDaily.com.

Once the link was clicked, infected users themselves automatically began to send out messages to friends, promoting the site.

No personal or sensitive information, such as passwords, was compromised in the attacks, according to Twitter, which has more than seven million users.

Mikko H Hypponen, chief research officer at security specialists F-Secure, told BBC News the attack could have been much worse.

"All the problems stayed on Twitter. Even if you were infected, nothing happened to your computer.

"It would have been simple to integrate a web browser exploit into this so that you could have done anything you wanted to the infected computer, including recording all keyboard strokes and capturing credit card details."

Mr Hypponen said he was surprised that the vulnerability had been present in Twitter.

"It was a very basic vulnerability. Similar holes were found in other web social services, such as MySpace and Facebook, quite a while ago.

"I guess Twitter has learned its lesson."

'On alert'

In a blog posting on Monday, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said: "We are still reviewing all the details, cleaning up, and we remain on alert."

In all, there were four waves of attacks on Twitter.

The website said it had deleted almost 10,000 tweets, or messages, that could have continued to spread the worm.

Mr Hypponen said F-Secure had monitored at least one variant of the worm attack, using a link in a message that pledged to clear up the problem. It had been clicked on at least 18,000 times.

"We would estimate that tens of thousands of users were infected."

He added: "The root cause for these problems is that social networks are interactions with other people and we inherently trust the messages from people we know in real life or virtually.

"So when you get a message from someone on Twitter you trust it because in real life fake messages like this rarely happen."

Twitter has promised to conduct a "full review of the weekend activities".

A celebration of the humble village hall

Husband has penned a cartoon history of villages he visited

For two years, cartoonist Tony Husband has been touring England's village halls putting on a two-man show with a comedian. Here he explains why these humble institutions should be cherished.

Tony Husband has a confession to make. He has an obsession.

"When I pass a sign pointing to a village hall, I'll divert and have a look. I've turned into a village hall spotter."

After performing in more than 100 such venues in two years, he is something of an expert. And the experience of taking his two-handed show with comedian Ian McMillan around England has sparked an unlikely love affair.

"The village hall is the centre of the community, from what I've seen," says Husband. "I live in Manchester and it's hard to imagine sometimes that there are these villages miles from anywhere, where a pub and a post office might have closed down, leaving just a hall and a church."

You go back in time to an England that doesn't exist for many of us

From bee-keeping to Shakespeare, flower shows to tap dancing, aerobics to comedy, these hubs of rural life provide a vital lifeline in a peculiarly English way, he says.

"They are all different and they're well off the beaten track. I would advise anyone who finds themselves driving down the A6 and seeing the signs for these little villages, to turn off and explore this lost England.

"You go back in time to an England that doesn't exist for many of us. You can find the leafy lane and village green and church bells ringing."

In their show, Husband and McMillan have a conversation with the audience to create a picture of the village. Husband draws cartoons and McMillan makes up poems as those watching reveal events and characters that shape their community.

Enlarge Image

"In one village we found out during the show that the village pet donkey Ben had died. It seemed that everyone loved him and fed him and he died of old age."

People vary in age from seven to 90, and they come bringing sandwiches or wine. The smallest audience was 50 but larger halls can seat 200, although occasionally the crowd is topped up by strays.

On one occasion, there were two women in the front row passing each other notes but not laughing at any of the jokes. When asked what they were writing, the note was read out loud. It said: "When does the aerobics start?"

On another day, a man wandered in and asked whether this was the beekeepers' society meeting.

When Husband and McMillan entered Allington, near Grantham, they were struck by the idyllic village scene - the green, the two big oak trees and the church. But they were a little startled to see between the trees a white banner with the words "Song and Dance with Tony Husband and Ian McMillan".

After they parked their car, they sought out one of the organisers and asked why they were being described as singers.

"We were told the guy doing the posters was going on holiday and only had time to change the names on the banner. How eccentric and wonderful."

The condition of the buildings varies, he says. Some are very modern, thanks to refurbishments paid by National Lottery money. They sometimes provide an interesting social history, like those which were once schools with only about 20 pupils, but were later turned into village halls.

Flea circus

Staying overnight with villagers gave Husband a glimpse of some of the memorable characters who help to keep the village hall thriving.

One host got out his flea circus to entertain the visitors. And another woman was very disapproving when Husband told her after the show that he was going to the pub with McMillan.

"The hall and the church are the only things left so they are a vital part of village life and that's why people work so hard to keep them going, by putting on events and working out costs and paying the bills.

"There are these people everywhere who put themselves forward to get stuck in and it's great. Most of them are women."

He's confident that thanks to people like this, the future of the village hall is secure, and this pillar of English life will continue to prosper.

Everything you need to know about British life Top 10 special

If you think you know everything about Britain - then this list will put you to the test.

From the top songs played at weddings to the most famous one-eyed Britons, we bet you won't be able to guess them all.

Forget Trivial Pursuit. This is the real way to challenge your family's knowledge this Bank holiday Monday...

Top 10 house names in the UK
1 The Cottage
2 Rose Cottage
3 The Bungalow
4 The Coach House
5 Orchard House
6 The Lodge
7 Woodlands
8 The Old School House
9 Ivy Cottage
10 The Willows
Source: HBOS

10 Of the worst times to have lived in Britain
1 793 On 8 June Vikings made their first attack on England, sacking the monastery at Lindisfarne, Northumberland. This marks the beginning of the Viking age, when much of the country was ravaged by invaders.

2 1348–49 The Black Death arrived in Britain via ships landing at Bristol in the summer of 1348. By May of the following year 30–40 per cent of the population, some 800,000 to 1,500,000, were dead.

3 1665–66 The Great Plague wiped out a large proportion of London’s inhabitants, variously estimated at between 10,000 and 100,000, perhaps as much as one-fifth of the population. By the time of the Great Fire of London (2–3 September 1666), which killed few people, it was already waning.

4 1703 The Great Storm of 24 November–2 December 1703 was probably the worst ever to affect Britain. Trees were uprooted, buildings destroyed, flooding occurred and many ships, including Royal Navy vessels, were lost. Among the 8,000–15,000 dead were Richard Kidder, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and his wife, Elizabeth, killed when a chimney fell through the roof onto their bed.

5 1740 In the coldest winter to strike Britain since records began, many died of cold or during the famine and drought that followed. Icebergs appeared in the English Channel, water transport was halted and watermills and wells froze, with the result that coal became scarce and food prices rose rapidly. A‘Frost Fair’ was held on the frozen Thames on which the ice was so thick that a whole ox was roasted.

6 1845–49 Ireland, at this time part of Britain, suffered its devastating potato famine – a blight that destroyed the country’s staple crop – with an estimated million people dying. Many emigrated to the USA and other countries.

7 1849 Following a cholera epidemic in 1832, another struck with as many as 12,847 Londoners dying in the last three months of the year, along with 5,308 in Liverpool, 1,834 in Hull and many elsewhere. It was not until 1854 that Dr John Snow discovered the link between a cholera outbreak in Soho, London, and the water supply.

8 1858 Known as the year of the ‘Great Stink’, when sewage draining into the Thames, combined with a hot summer, made the river unapproachable. Many riverside buildings, including the House of Commons, were virtually uninhabitable. This was the final spur to the major improvement of London’s sewers in the 1860s, masterminded by engineer Joseph Bazalgette.

9 1918 During the final months of the First World War, Britain was hit by an influenza pandemic in which some 225,000 died. It began in March 1918 and spread rapidly as a result of postwar movements of troops and refugees.

10 1940–41 The period from 7 September 1940 to 10 May 1941 was the period of the Blitz, when an estimated 18,800 tons of bombs rained down on London. Some 1,436 people were killed on the night of 10–11 May 1941 alone, and even people sheltering in Underground stations previously believed to be safe were killed when Marble Arch, Balham and Bank received direct hits. In all, some 43,000 died.

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Top 10 British cities most visited by overseas tourists
Total spending and estimated overseas visitors (2006)
1 London £7,822,000,000 15,593,000
2 Edinburgh £484,000,000 1,338,000
3 Manchester £335,000,000 912,000
4 Birmingham £243,000,000 779,000
5 Glasgow £241,000,000 741,000
6 Liverpool £198,000,000 625,000
7 Oxford £193,000,000 449,000
8 Bristol £129,000,000 403,000
9 Cardiff £127,000,000 355,000
10 Cambridge £149,000,000 348,000
Source: National Statistics

Top 10 cats' names in the UK
1 Molly
2 Felix
3 Smudge
4 Sooty
5 Tigger
6 Charlie
7 Alfie
8 Oscar
9 Millie
10 Misty }
Source: RSPCA survey

Top 10 dogs' names in the UK
1 Max
2 Molly
3 Sam/Sammy
4 Meg/Megan
5 Ben
6 Holly
7 Charlie
8 Oscar
9 Barney
10 Millie/Milly
Source: Oscar Pet Foods

The 10 most well-known one-eyed Britons
1 Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910) A pioneer doctor and women’s rights activist, Blackwell was prevented from becoming a surgeon by the loss of sight in one eye.
2 Gordon Brown (b. 1951) The British prime minister was left blind in his left eye as a result of a childhood rugby accident.
3 Joe Davis (1901–78) Despite being almost blind in his right eye, Davis became a professional snooker player and was world champion in 1927–40 and 1946.
4 George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) The German-born (but from 1727 British) composer started turning blind in 1751, becoming completely blind in one eye.
5 Rex Harrison (1908–90) As a result of childhood measles, the British actor best known for his role of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady had little sight in his left eye.
6 Eric Hosking (1909–91) A photographer specialising in birds, Hosking lost his left eye in 1937 when he was attacked by a tawny owl. His autobiography was titled An Eye for a Bird.
7 Samuel Johnson (1709–84) Although almost blind in his left eye and with weak vision in his right, Johnson managed to compile the great dictionary that bears his name.
8 Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) Naval hero Nelson’s right eye was injured by stones from a cannon blast during the siege of Calvi, Corsica, on 12 July 1794. He did not, as some portraits suggest, wear an eye patch.
9 Peter Sutcliffe (b. 1946) The so-called Yorkshire Ripper was attacked by another inmate in Broadmoor Prison on 10 March 1997, losing the sight of his left eye.
10 Archibald Wavell (1883–1950) The British military commander and Viceroy of India (1943–7) lost his left eye on 16 June 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres.

British toys of the decades
1970 Sindy
1971 Katie Kopykat writing doll
1972 Plasticraft modelling kits
1973 Mastermind board game
1974 Lego Family set
1975 Lego Basic set
1976 Peter Powell kites
1977 Playmobil Playpeople
1978 Britains Combine Harvester
1979 Legoland Space kits
1980 Rubik’s Cube
1981 Rubik’s Cube
1982 Star Wars toys
1983 Star Wars toys
1984 Masters of the Universe
1985 Transformers
1986 Transformers
1987 Sylvanian Families
1988 Sylvanian Families
1989 Sylvanian Families
1990 Teenage Mutant Turtles
1991 Nintendo
1992 WWF Wrestlers
1993 Thunderbirds Tracey Island
1994 Power Rangers
1995 POGS
1996 Barbie
1997 Teletubbies
1998 Furby
1999 Furby Babies
2000 Teksta
2001 Bionicles
2002 Beyblades
2003 Beyblades
2004 Robosapien
2005 Tamagotchi Connexion
2006 Doctor Who Cyberman Mask
2007 In The Night Garden Blanket Time Iggle Piggle
The British Toy Retailers Association

10 British design icons
1 Concorde, British Aircraft Corporation/Aérospatiale, 1969
2 London Underground map, Harry Beck, 1931
3 Supermarine Spitfire, R. J. Mitchell, 1936
4 Mini, Alec Issigonis, 1959
5 World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, 1991
6 Routemaster bus, Douglas Scott, A. A. Durant, Colin Curtis, 1954
7 Catseye, Percy Shaw, 1934
8 Tomb Raider video game, Cors Design, 1996
9 Grand Theft Auto video game, DMA Design, 1997
10 K2 Red telephone box, Giles Gilbert Scott, 1926

Top 10 sings played at weddings in the UK
1 Amazed - Lonestar
2 Everything I Do (I Do it For You) - Bryan Adams
3 Angels - Robbie Williams
4 You’re Beautiful - James Blunt
5 Don’t Want To Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
6 Still The One - Shania Twain
7 Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden
8 Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison
9 From This Moment On - Shania Twain
10 I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
Source: Performing Right Society

Top 10 songs requested at funerals in the UK
1 Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
2 Angels - Robbie Williams
3 I’ve Had the Time of My Life - Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley
4 Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler
5 Pie Jesu from Fauré’s Requiem
6 Candle in the Wind - Elton John
7 With or Without You - U2
8 Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
9 Every Breath You Take - The Police
10 Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Source: The Bereavement Register

Best-selling DVDs in the UK
1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
3 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
4 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
5 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
6 Shrek 2
7 The Shawshank Redemption
8 Gladiator
9 Casino Royale
10 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Source: British Video Association/The Official UK Charts Company

Top 10 longest-running programmes on British television
Programme (first broadcast)
1 Panorama (11 Nov 1953)
2 What the Papers Say (5 Nov 1956)
3 The Sky at Night (24 Apr 1957)
4 Blue Peter (16 Oct 1958)
5 Coronation Street (9 Dec 1960)
6 Songs of Praise (1 Oct 1961)
7 Horizon (2 May 1964)
8 Match of the Day (22 Aug 1964)
9 The Money Programme (5 Apr 1966)
10 Gardeners’ World (5 Jan 1968)

Top 10 British TV catchphrases
1 ‘I don’t believe it’ Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson), One Foot in the Grave
2 ‘Yeah, but, no, but . . .’ Vicky Pollard (Matt Lucas), Little Britain
3 ‘Lovely jubbly’ Del Boy (David Jason), Only Fools and Horses
4 ‘Am I bovvered?’ Lauren Cooper (Catherine Tate), The Catherine Tate Show
5 ‘I’m a laydee’ Emily (Eddie) Howard (David Walliams), Little Britain
6 ‘Deal or no deal?’ Noel Edmonds, Deal or No Deal
7 ‘Here’s one I made earlier’ Various presenters, Blue Peter
8 ‘Suit you, sir’ Ken (Paul Whitehouse) and Kenneth (Mark Williams), The Fast Show
9 ‘I’m the only gay in the village’ Dafydd Thomas (Matt Lucas), Little Britain
10 ‘Just like that’ Tommy Cooper
Source: www.onepoll.com survey, 2008

Top 10 Best-selling biscuiots in the UK
Shown by percentage of retail market by value (2005)
1 McVitie’s, Digestive United Biscuits, 6.44
2 KitKat, Nestlé, 5.26
3 Mini Cheddars, United Biscuits, 4.57
4 Twix, Masterfoods, 2.2
5 Penguin, United Biscuits, 2.07
6 Cadbury Fingers, Burton’s Foods, 2.04
7 Maryland Cookies, Burton’s Foods, 1.68
8 Jammie Dodgers, Burton’s Foods, 1.53
9 McVitie’s Hob-Nobs, United Biscuits, 1.47
10 Blue Riband, Nestlé UK, 1.41

Most common pub names in the UK
1 Crown, 704
2 Red Lion, 668
3 Royal Oak, 541
4 Swan, 451
5 White Hart, 431
6 Railway, 420
7 Plough, 413
8 White Horse, 379
9 Bell, 378
10 New Inn, 372
Source: CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) survey, 2007

Extracted from Top 10 of Britain by Russell Ash, published this week by Hamlyn, priced £10. Available in all good bookstores.

Victorian seafront lift reopened

The lift, opened in 1890, connects Marine Parade with Madeira Drive

A Grade II listed Victorian lift has been reopened in Brighton following a £250,000 restoration scheme.

The Madeira lift, which links the city's upper and lower promenade, was closed to the public in July 2007.

Old-fashioned railings and bollards have also replaced the concrete barriers along Madeira Drive to improve the look of the seafront.

Brighton and Hove City Council said work to refurbish the lift car would be carried out at the end of the season.

Opened in 1890, the lift links Marine Parade with Madeira Drive.

World marbles players brave rain

A competitor picks a new tolley to use in the opening matches

More than 200 spectators braved the rain to watch as 18 teams competed in the annual World Marble Championships.

The event - the biggest date in the game's calendar - has been taking place at the Greyhound Inn in Crawley, West Sussex, on Good Friday since 1932.

Teams of six take to the marble ring in a series of knock-out rounds. The object is to knock all 49 marbles from the ring with a larger "tolley" marble.

Defending champions the Yorkshire Meds, from Leeds, won the world title again.

One of their team, Halim Tata, also won the individual competition.

'Family atmosphere'

Earlier, Steve Jenkins, who plays with the Black Dogs team, said the sport was thriving.

"I've been coming to the competition for 30 years and you see the same old faces," said 51-year-old Mr Jenkins.

"You can't beat the friendly, family atmosphere.

"The Black Dogs have won 13 times. We're all getting on a bit but we're still raring to go."

An individual contest also took place, with 13 competitors, and a separate competition for over-50s had a record number of 31 entrants.

Fudging and cabbaging

Two teams travelled from Germany to take part but the competitor from furthest afield was Neil White, from the USA.

Mr White, 49, moved to Denver, Colorado, three years ago but combines the competition with his holiday and family visits.

When asked what skills were needed to make a good marbles player, he said: "Don't get too drunk, but get drunk enough."

Mr Jenkins that said if a competitor turned up on the day without a formal entry, they could take part.

"But once you get to the quarter and semi-finals, then it starts to get taken more seriously," he said.

No cheating is allowed, and competitors who are found guilty more than twice of fudging or cabbaging - names for different types of fouls - are disqualified.

TV host Lennie Bennett dies at 70

Lennie Bennett carved out a career as a game show presenter

Comic entertainer and game show host Lennie Bennett has died at the age of 70, his agent has confirmed.

The TV personality first appeared on stand-up show The Comedians in 1971, and became the presenter of shows including Punchlines during the 1980s.

The Blackpool-based performer starred alongside Jerry Stevens on their own comedy show Lennie and Jerry in 1978.

Bennett moved out of the limelight and was last seen on a game show hosts' edition of The Weakest Link in 2003.

Star turn

Irish comedian Frank Carson, who also appeared on The Comedians, said that Bennett was "a very good comedian and a very good performer".

The funnyman, who also lives in Blackpool, told the resort's Gazette newspaper: "Lennie was an absolutely wonderful fellow and we had lots of laughs together."

Bennett appeared on a special edition of The Weakest Link in 2003

The newspaper reported that Bennett died after a fall at his home.

Bennett was a familiar face on TV screens during the 1980s, becoming a regular star turn on popular quiz shows Blankety Blank and Celebrity Squares.

Punchlines ran for 150 shows, and during his heyday, Bennett became famous for his mop of tightly-curled hair.

He also performed in 12 Royal Variety Shows, and had a brief stint as a chat show host on London Weekend Television in 1982.

The performer - who was born Mike Berry - was a newspaper reporter before making a break into showbusiness.

The later years of his career were spent on the after-dinner speaking circuit and hosting entertainment for corporate clients.

10 things we didn't know last week

Snippets from the week's news, sliced, diced and processed for your convenience.

1. Breaking wind is a bookable offence in football.
More details

2. Black soldiers fighting for the Free French Forces were removed from the unit which led the liberation of Paris to ensure a "whites only" victory.
More details

3. Many of the mosques in Islam's holiest city, Mecca, point the wrong way.
More details

4. Britain pays an annual sum to Ireland to cover healthcare costs of Irish workers who have returned home.
More details

5. Jellied hoof meat from horses is a delicacy in Siberia.
More details

6. Potholes are aggravated by cold weather.
More details

7. Car ownership in India is about nine per thousand people.
More details

8. Mexico City was once a floating city.
More details

9. Six percent of England's streets are littered with rubber bands.
More details

10. More than 97% of all e-mail traffic is spam.
More details

Signs of earliest Scots unearthed

The flints were found in a ploughed field near Biggar

Archaeologists have discovered the earliest evidence of human beings ever found in Scotland.

The flints were unearthed in a ploughed field near Biggar in South Lanarkshire.

They are similar to tools known to have been used in the Netherlands and northern Germany 14,000 years ago, or 12,000 BC.

They were probably used by hunters to kill reindeer, mammoth and giant elk and to cut up prey and prepare their skins.

The discovery conjures up a picture of wandering groups of hunters making their way across dry land where the North Sea is now, after the end of the Ice Age.

The details are revealed in the latest edition of British Archaeology magazine.

The editor, Mike Pitts, said the finds were "the most northerly evidence for the earliest people in Britain".

Similar finds have been made in England, but they have mostly been south of the river Humber.

Up until now, the earliest evidence for humans in Scotland has come from sites such as Cramond, near Edinburgh.

Waste pits and discarded hazelnut shells found there have been dated to about 8,500 BC.

Tam Ward, from the Biggar Archaeology Group, which carried out the dig, said: "To push Scotland's human history back by nearly 4,000 years is remarkable.

"We didn't set out to do that," he added. "What we wanted to do was tell the story of the landscape."

He warned that "a lot of people won't believe this. Not until they see the hard evidence".

"But it'll be great fun proving them wrong. We've got the physical objects, so we can just put them down on the table and say argue with that".

This pointed flint would have been used as an arrow head

At first the flints were thought to date from the Neolithic period - about 3,000 BC.

But their true significance was later realised by Torben Ballin, an expert in stone finds, and Alan Saville from the National Museums of Scotland.

Mr Saville told BBC Scotland: "There would have been a temporary camp site where the flints were found, so there's a faint possibility that there might be post holes and waste pits there."

He added that the chances of finding that evidence were "fairly slim, but we live in hope".

He said the diggers from Biggar were planning to go back to the site in the summer to explore it further.

Historic Scotland provided some funding for the work.

Quiztime Pub Quiz

1. Which TV channel was the first to broadcast in colour in the UK?
BBC-2
2. Who came seconded to Tony Blair in the 1994 labour leadership election?
Margaret Becket
3. Representing their three original outlets, which food company's logo features three dots?
Domino's Pizza
4. What is the shape of a Viagra tablet?
Diamond
5. What term is used to describe a plant growing in high altitude mountainous areas?
Alpine
6. What keeps growing until you are 35 then starts to shrink?
Your Skeleton
7. England is one of only two countries in the European Union without an official second language, which is the other one?
Portugal
8. The trade name of which brand of bread is taken from the Latin for "strength of man"?
Hovis
9. On which holiday island are the resorts of Puerto de la Cruz and Los Cristianos?
Tenerife
10. In Britain how many albums need to be sold to achieve a Gold Disc?
100,000
11. What name is given to a cow which has had no calves?
Heifer
12. According to the Riot Act how many people can be regarded as an unlawful assembly?
Twelve
13. True or False - The Army still trains carrier pigeons to send messages from the front?
False
14. What have Elvis Presley, Henry Cooper and Mark Thatcher in common?
All Twins
15. What was the score after 90 minutes in the 1966 World Cup Final?
2-2
16. Which county refers to itself as 'Shakespeare's County'?
Warwickshire
17. In Weightlifting, how many judges must be satisfied in order for it to be a good lift?
Two (out of three)
18. Which slang term derives from olden day smugglers who hid brandy in their thigh boots?
Bootleggers
19. Which two consecutive months in a year total the most days?
July & August
20. Family Fortunes Question - Top Answers Required - Name a chore that husbands do badly?
Ironing / Making the bed / Cooking / Shopping / Polishing

21. Which Year - During which year did government health warnings appear on British cigarettes?
1989
22. What forms the Buckingham Palace garden party lawn that could be turned into a cup of tea?
Camomile
23. What animal is used as the symbol for Britain's Wildlife Trust?
Badger
24. Which Japanese sportsmen were banned, in 1994, from having head implants to bring them up to regulation height?
Sumo Wrestlers
25. What part of the human body contains an average of 550 hairs?
Eyebrows
26. Who was on the British throne when both Laurel and Hardy were born?
Queen Victoria
27. What name is given the baseball equivalent of a wicketkeeper in cricket?
Catcher
28. Who was the Roman God of the Sea?
Neptune
29. What colour fire extinguisher contains dry powder?
Blue - new appliances are now all red with stickers explaining contents on outside.
30. Which animal is on top of Rugby's Calcutta Cup?
Elephant
31. Four dictators led countries during the second world war - Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and Franco - but which one came to power first?
Mussolini
32. The law of the sea divides it into three zones. The first is Internal Waters, the second is Territorial Waters, name the third?
High Seas
33. How many laps of the track are needed to complete the ten thousand metres event in athletics?
Twenty Five
34. What name is given to a covered walkway to the side of an open courtyard in a convent or monastery?
Cloister
35. Which electrical goods manufacturer takes its name from the Japanese for "three oceans", Sony, Sanyo, Mitsubishi, or Toshiba?
Sanyo
36. In which sport are penalties awarded for slashing, holing and spearing?
Ice Hockey
37. In knitting abbreviations, what is meant by the letters 'BH'?
Button Hole
38. What is the red outer covering of Edam cheese made from?
Wax
39. According to a survey, what percentage of men say they would prefer to go to the pub than shop with their wives: 70, 80 or 90%?
Ninety percent (I just push the trolley and keep my mouth shut!)
40. True or False - Two men went to the electric chair in Florida in 1941, their names were Willburn and Frizzel?
True

Tiebreaker - How many bullets were found in the bodies of Bonnie & Clyde?
104

Cheers to Cask Ales

Brits show lack of cask ale knowledge

Cask Ale Week is underway but research by Greene King shows that Brits are surprisingly ignorant about the country’s national brew.

A survey of 1,000 people by research company TNS commissioned by the Suffolk brewer shows more than 50 per cent of people don’t know that barley is one of cask beer’s main ingredients, although three-quarters do know that it contains hops.

Meanwhile, only half of those polled realised cask was a pub-only product and 10 per cent though it was a type of lager.

Greene King head brewer John Bexon said: “Most Brits know that wine is made from grapes, yet there’s a surprising lack of knowledge about our own national drink.

"It’s true that you don’t need to know anything about ingredients and brewing processes to appreciate the taste and flavour of a great pint and for a lot of cask beer drinkers it may not matter that it is a fresh, natural product.

He added: “National Cask Ale Week provides the perfect opportunity to educate a new generation about real ale and - most importantly when local social institutions are under threat - to encourage them to get off their sofas and go to the pub.”

The research also reveals that youngsters know the least about the country’s national drink.

Almost 10 per cent of 18-24 year-olds believe milk and chocolate are among the main ingredients of cask beer.

And regionally Londoners know the least about cask beer: 20 per cent think it’s a type of lager and seven per cent think it’s a canned or bottled beer.

Six per cent believe that salt is one of its main ingredients and 12 per cent believe that corn or maize is.

Yorkshire folk are the most knowledgeable about cask ale with almost 60 per cent aware that it is available only in pubs and 40 per cent knowing that it is fresh and natural.

For more information about Cask Ale Week visit www.caskaleweek.co.uk

GET UP TO DATE DRINKS NEWS VIA THE PUBLICAN ONLINE

Concorde 40th anniversary marked

Concorde was retired in 2003 due to a drop in demand for flights

Celebrations are taking place to mark the 40th anniversary of the first test flight by Concorde, from Filton to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

On the 9 April 1969, the plane flew for 22 minutes over the Bristol Channel, then landed at the airbase.

The luxury supersonic plane was retired by British Airways in 2003 because of a drop in demand for flights.

Former Concorde staff will gather later at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton to mark the anniversary.

The 9 April flight took place five weeks after a similar test run in Toulouse, France.

The aircraft finally went into service in 1976.

It revolutionised air travel with the journey time from London to New York being reduced to three and a half hours.

After being taken out of service, the planes were sent to aircraft museums.

The prototype is now on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

London Grill

It's... Darcy of the Dead

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

It's an opening line that might make Jane Austen turn in her grave - or rise from it with her arms out-stretched.

For writer Seth Grahame-Smith has taken Austen's Regency classic and turned it into Pride and Prejudice with Zombies.

The novel, which uses the the vast majority of Austen's original text, is being touted as the first mainstream literary "mash-up".

It's a bizarre mix of genres which sees Elizabeth Bennet as a kung-fu expert dedicated to wiping out the zombie menace in the quiet village of Meryton.

The publication of the book comes amid plans for a sci-fi horror film in which aliens wreak havoc on a Jane Austen-style period drama.

Elton John's film company, Rocket Pictures, is to start filming Pride and Predator in London later this year.

Fake £1 coin estimate 'doubled'

How to spot a fake pound coin

The number of fake pound coins in circulation may be twice Royal Mint estimates, the BBC has learned.

Official figures suggest around 2.5% - or one in 40 - are copies, but coin testing companies say it is one in 20.

Andy Brown of Willings, a firm which makes machines to check coins for other businesses and organisations, says there could be 73 million fake coins.

There have been calls for the Treasury to take a greater role in dealing with the problem.

Wide of mark

Mr Brown said car parking firms, vending machine operators, local councils and even banks have sent their coins to Willings to be checked.

He said: "We would estimate that as many as 5% of coins we test are fakes.

"We've been collating them for the past four months or so, and already have a collection of several hundred."

The figures quoted by the Royal Mint were wide of the mark, he added.

Former Queen's Assay Master Robert Matthews - a leading authority on fake coins - is also worried.

Provided the coins are just being accepted and passed through the system nobody cares... it's only when people start rejecting the coins that people come to us Andy Brown Coin testing firm Willings How to spot a fake pound coin

He said: "The Mint is really trying to play down the problem and keep it as low-key as possible.

"They've not produced any publicity material for banks etc to tell us how to differentiate between real and fake coins.

"They don't want to undermine public confidence in the coins, you might get people refusing to take them."

Although it says little in public, the Royal Mint is taking action - testing far more coins than before.

It redoubled its efforts last September after the BBC revealed around one in 50 pound coins was fake.

In the last quarter of 2008 the Mint removed 270,000 fake pound coins from circulation compared to 97,000 for the whole of the previous year.

'No regulation'

The problem is that finding the fakes is not in anyone's interests.

As soon as a coin accepted in good faith is found to be counterfeit, it is immediately rendered worthless - and in addition attempting to pass it on is an offence.

Mr Brown said: "Provided the coins are just being accepted and passed through the system nobody cares. It's only when people start rejecting the coins that people come to us."

A fake pound coin (right) alongside the real thing

Not surprisingly, it is local authorities and the post office, rather than private individuals or small businesses, who are working hardest to identify the fakes - even if that means taking a financial hit.

The aim for those dealing with coin-operated machines is to find mechanisms that will reject even the best forgeries.

Mr Brown said: "We've been working for the last six months to create a new data file for our machines to detect fake coins.

"We can manage a 50-60% detection rate while the machines being used by the Royal Mint can only pick up around 30-40%."

That means even when fake coins do pass through security checks at accredited cash centres, two thirds will come right back into circulation.

'Better detection'

Mr Brown believes the Royal Mint's official figures on the number of fake coins will continue to rise.

"Their percentage will go up as they get better at detecting fakes," he said.

Mr Matthews, meanwhile, says there is no regulation and thinks it is time the government took ownership of the problem.

He said: "There's a whole raft of organisations who should have been tackling this who haven't been tackling it.

"It's like a game of pass the parcel. In the final analysis it's the Treasury who should be dealing with this - and checking the work of the cash centres."

And for the rest of us? Finding a fake coin can be done by hand - just check the rim inscription for authenticity, or check the Queen's head on one side and the pattern on the reverse line up.

But given that fake coins are worthless, you will almost certainly be better off not even looking.

Oral sex linked to throat cancer

Scientists looked at tissue samples from patients

A virus contracted through oral sex is the cause of some throat cancers, say US scientists.

HPV infection was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use, the Johns Hopkins University study of 300 people found.

The New England Journal of Medicine study said the risk was almost nine times higher for people who reported oral sex with more than six partners.

READ MORE

Butterflies hit by damp summers

Fewer than 50 High Brown Fritillary colonies exist in the entire country

The torrential rain of recent summers has hit the UK butterfly population hard, say conservationists.

Numbers are at a new low according to data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, and the miserable British weather is said to be a key factor.

Wet conditions limit the insects' ability to fly and find food, and also hamper the creatures' breeding success.

Butterfly Conservation says that for 12 species, 2008 was their worst year since records began in the mid-1970s.

Lack of sun

The fluttering iridescence of a butterfly, floating on a gentle breeze, or settling on a flower, is one of the images of summer - and yet conservationists warn that these beautiful creatures may be somewhat rarer this year.

A lot of species can bounce back quite quickly Dr Tom Brereton, Butterfly Conservation

The Monitoring Scheme data suggest the pouring rain and cold weather much of Britain suffered in June, July and August last year caused butterfly numbers to fall sharply.

"Two things have contributed to last year's decline," said Dr Tom Brereton, the head of monitoring at Butterfly Conservation.

"Firstly, there was a knock-on effect from the previous year, when the weather was also pretty bad. Indeed, this time last year we were saying that 2007 had been the worst for many years, so many species got off to a bad start."

"Secondly, of course, this was followed up by another summer which, although temperatures were not too bad, was wet and lacking in sunny days."

Conditions are key

Dr Brereton said that most species needed sun and an average temperature of 15-16 C to fly. Most species did not really fly in the rain, he explained.

Last year was particularly unfortunate because of the many butterfly-specific conservation projects which have started across Britain - but the butterflies have not been there to reap the benefits.

The Small Tortoiseshell has seen its numbers plummet over the last decade

So will there be any butterflies fluttering by this year?

"A lot of species can bounce back quite quickly," Dr Brereton said.

"We've certainly seen that with butterflies before. A lot of the commoner species, if we get the right conditions, should be OK.

"But for some species which are at a really low ebb - like the Woodwhite and the Brown Fritillary, which are down to a handful of colonies across the country - there's a chance that they could have died out in some areas."

Good news

Dr Brereton added that there was a possibility that some colonies might be wiped out altogether this winter if they had succumbed to factors such as predation by small mammals or other insects.

But, he said, there were some species that actually did quite well in 2008.

"The Ringlet and the Large Heath - which needs to be pretty hardy because it lives in bogs - both had very good years last year." Both species do not mind flying in the rain.

And there are things that the public can do to help the butterfly population along this year.

"Gardens can be important oases for butterflies - sometimes you can see more of them in gardens than on a country walk," Dr Brereton said.

"Ivy's very good as a nectar source in the autumn, and species like the Small Tortoiseshell and the Comma can roost in ivy over the winter. Any colourful flowers are good, and the caterpillars of a lot of British butterflies are grass eaters - so allowing native species of grass to grow a bit longer in the summer will help.

"It's easy to criticise farmers, but we do put chemicals on our gardens as well, and we're not growing a crop - so reducing chemical inputs will also help."

The Duke of Burgundy: Hoping for a good summer ahead

Castle's £3.2m revamp completed

Clitheroe Castle is expected to re-open in May

A £3.2m project to refurbish Clitheroe Castle museum and its keep has been completed, with the building due to re-open in May.

Visitors to the Lancashire attraction will experience new interactive galleries, improved disabled facilities and a new restaurant area.

The castle's Norman keep, dating back to 1186, has also had the surrounding gardens redesigned.

The museum has the capacity to attract more than 20,000 visitors a year.

How scratching can stop an itch

Nerve cells play a key role in itching

Scientists have shown scratching helps relieve an itch as it blocks activity in some spinal cord nerve cells that transmit the sensation to the brain.

However, the effect only seems to occur during itchiness itself - scratching at other times makes no difference.

While it is widely-known scratching relieves an itch, the physiological mechanisms for how this works are little understood.

The University of Minnesota study appears in Nature Neuroscience.

We all know that scratching helps alleviate itch, but this elegant study helps to show how this mechanism works Professor Patrick Haggard University College London

Previous research has suggested that a specific part of the spinal cord - the spinothalamic tract - plays a key role.

Nerve cells in this area have been shown to be more active when itchy substances are applied to the skin.

Blocks activity

The latest work, in primates, found that scratching the skin blocks activity of nerve cells in the spinothalamic tract during itchiness - preventing the spinal cord from transmitting signals from the scratched area of skin to the brain.

ITCHING There are many causes of itch, including more than 50 diseases including shingles, Aids, gallbladder problems and Hodgkin's Disease The itch produced by many diseases can greatly affect quality of life and can not be treated currently For many types of itch, it is not clear that itch serves any clear purpose

Researcher Dr Glenn Giesler hopes the work could lead to ways to relieve chronic itch effectively for the first time. However, he said more information was still needed about the chemistry underpinning the effect.

Professor Gil Yosipovitch, an expert on itching from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, said the finding was "potentially significant".

He said: "Although there is a long way to go, methods that can induce a pleasurable scratch sensation without damaging the skin, via mechanical stimuli or drugs that can inhibit these neurons, could be developed to treat chronic itch."

However, Professor Yosipovitch stressed that scratching and itching were complex phenomena involving factors such as emotions as well as physiology.

"The main open question is what happens in patients who suffer from chronic itch where scratching may actually aggravate itch perception."

Professor Patrick Haggard, of University College London, said: "We all know that scratching helps alleviate itch, but this elegant study helps to show how this mechanism works.

"It's an interesting illustration of a very general principle of the brain controlling its own inputs, in this case by making movements that triggers an interaction between scratchy touch and itch."

Dr Paul Bays, based at UCL's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, agreed that the study provided an important part of a physiological explanation for how the sensation of itch is reduced.

"However, it is still unclear why scratching should have this effect, or why it is only effective for itches and not for painful sensations - which are transmitted to the brain through the same pathway."

Vintage tractors in charity trip

The tractors had belonged to Mr Williamson's father

Two men expect to take 12 days to travel a 970-mile route from Land's End to John O'Groats in two vintage tractors.

James Williamson and Johnny Sinclair, both from the Highlands, must avoid motorways during May's charity effort.

They will ride a 1965 Massey Ferguson 135 and a 1955 Ferguson tractor now widely known as a Grey Fergie.

The machines belonged to Mr Williamson's father Don, who died three years ago from cancer.

The journey aims to raise £9,700 for Leukaemia Research.

Mr Williamson and Mr Sinclair, who will transport the tractors to Land's End on a trailer, have been given survival suits used by North Sea oil rig workers in case weather conditions are bad. The tractors do not have cabs, leaving the drivers open to the elements.

Roads named after Discworld books

Sir Terry Pratchett unveiled the road names in the town

Discworld author Sir Terry Pratchett has unveiled road names at a new housing estate in Somerset which were named after the fictional world.

Peach Pie Street and Treacle Mine Road are included in a list named in honour of the comic fantasy novels at the Kingwell Rise development in Wincanton.

On Sunday Sir Terry visited the town to unveil the road names.

Wincanton was officially twinned in 2002 with the fictional city of Ankh-Morpork from the Discworld novels.

Developer George Wimpey asked residents to vote for their favourite road name from a shortlist of 14 suggestions made by Sir Terry.

He said: "I think it's a lovely idea, even though it makes my head spin to think of the books becoming a little closer to reality."

Richard Goad, of George Wimpey, said: "With Wincanton's well-established links with Ankh-Morpork, it seemed fitting to name the roads at Kingwell Rise after places in Discworld."

Councillor Colin Winder, former Mayor of Wincanton, said: "The association with Discworld works extremely well for our town, helping to boost the local economy.

"I even know of three families who moved to Wincanton because of this quirky connection."

Forum unveils Europe's biggest TV

The screen is part of a free project run by three partners

Europe's biggest public screen is being unveiled in Norwich in a partnership which includes the BBC and aims to nurture and showcase local talent.

Fusion, based at the Forum, is 24m by 2.5m (78.7ft by 8.2ft), and will play film, image and sound made by people from around the region.

It is part of a free project run by The Forum Trust, City College Norwich and BBC East.

People will also be able to visit and use an open BBC studio to create work.

BBC Voices and BBC Open Studio will give people the chance to make use of professional expertise and attend creative workshops free.

Rare hedgehogs go into the wild

The female hedgehog was found last summer in Shropshire

Two rare blonde hedgehogs have been released into the wild after being rescued last year.

The rare male and female were among only three to be admitted to the RSPCA's Stapeley Grange in Nantwich, Cheshire, in the last 15 years.

The female, found in Gobowen, Shropshire in July last year, was released at Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Tudor Park, Runcorn.

The male, found in Anglesey, is now living at Tatton Park in Knutsford.

The two animals are not true albinos but their blonde features are due to a rare, recessive gene.

The male is now living at Tatton Park in Knutsford

Andrew Smith, supervisor at Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, said the hedgehogs were being accommodated at the two sites so they could live in a wild environment with a degree of safety and protection.

They were not released where they were found because blonde hedgehogs can be attractive to predators.

"Blonde hedgehogs are extremely rare so it was a real delight to have two in our care," Mr Smith said.

"We've worked hard to get them back to a healthy weight and are thrilled they've responded so well.

"We're now looking forward to seeing them both thrive in their happy new homes."

10 uses for a red rubber band

Red Kabbalah wristbands cost money. Red rubber bands are free.

The Royal Mail is under pressure to stop its posties from dropping red rubber bands onto the ground. But are there any uses that could be found for the ubiquitous bands to spare them the effort?

1. Use them as cheap Kabbalah wrist bands. Madonna wears one and buying them from the Kabbalah Centre costs $26 for enough red string to make seven bands.

They say: "The Red String protects us from the influences of the Evil Eye. Evil Eye is a very powerful negative force. It refers to the unfriendly stare and unkind glances we sometimes get from people around us."

2. Consider them a collector's item. There is a fad among scooter-riding children to collect the bands by putting them over the T-bar and dropping them down the central column. Encourage your child to collect the most.

No-one wants these all over their doorstep

3. Use them to build a giant red rubber band monument on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square to either of the London inventors credited with creating the rubber band. The invention is variously attributed to Thomas Hancock or Stephen Perry.

4. Fire them at candidates to indicate support at a Labour or Republican party rally.

5. Consider the bending down and the picking up of the bands as exercise. It shouldn't be too hard to keep up a regular rhythm as the red bands were chosen by the Royal Mail so they were easy to spot.

6. Use them to mark Chinese new year. Red is considered lucky by many in China and is worn during festivities. It's a mere 314 days until the next festivities.

7. Make a red rubber band ball. This is similar to a manila rubber band ball. But red. Like a cricket ball.

If you are a patient/obsessive person you might consider this option

8. Use them to enrage bulls. Ignore those people who think that bulls are colour blind and therefore just as likely to be annoyed by a manila coloured band. Coin a new simile - "like a red rubber band to a bull".

9. Give your child's Barbie or Barbie-style doll a fetching red belt, or a Rambo-style red headband for that matter.

10. Gather them and sell them back to the Royal Mail.

James Bond museum opens its doors

A Lotus Esprit featured in the Spy Who Loved Me is among the exhibits

A James Bond fan has opened a museum dedicated to the gadgets and cars made famous by the fictional secret agent.

Peter Nelson, 48, from Cumbria, spent 20 years, travelled thousands of miles and spent hundreds of thousands of pounds to amass his collection.

And now he has put items including a Lotus car and the original golden gun on show at the Bond Museum in Keswick.

The attraction is opening on the 100th anniversary of Bond producer Albert Broccoli's birth date.

Mr Nelson, a retired dental surgeon, said his Bond museum would be the first of its kind in the world.

He said: "I've got the Octopus from Octopussy and the original golden gun from The Man From The Golden Gun.

"And I've got the Diamonds Are Forever Mustang and that's the actual stunt car that went on two wheels.

"I got a phone call from a policeman in New York and he said `I've got the car', and all the paperwork was there so I went to New York and bought that."

Glamour and humour

Among the other highlights are the Lotus Esprit Turbo from The Spy Who Love Me.

The museum also boasts a Russian T55 battle tank from GoldenEye.

Mr Nelson has been collecting 007 memorabilia through auctions and donations from Bond filmmakers EON, actors and crew from the movies.

He added: "When I was a boy I read the Ian Fleming books first of all, and they really captured my imagination," he said.

"James Bond had that sophistication and glamour and humour, all those things that as a young boy you wanted in your life."

Mr Nelson, who also runs a Cars of the Stars motor museum in Keswick, said he has spent "hundreds of thousands" of pounds on the collection.

Quiztime Quiz

1. What does the male figure stand on, on the Oscar statuette?
A Roll of Film
2. Apart from cricket, which other game is played on Melbourne Cricket Ground?
Australian Rules Football
3. The song 'Getting to Know You' comes from which musical?
The King and I
4. In which British city was Tony Blair born?
Edinburgh
5. What is the most photographed, painted and climbed mountain in the world?
Mount Fuji
6. By what name was Manchester Airport originally known?
Ringway
7. How many pins form the back row in ten pin bowling?
Four
8. In the Harry Potter stories, what kind of establishment is Gringotts?
Bank
9. What do Australian call Trousers?
Strides
10. HELLO SNORTING SET is an anagram of which pop group?
The Rolling Stones
11. Which European country produces the greatest volume of wine?
Italy
12. From which 1980's hit record do these lyrics come from - "Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free, at night I lock the door, so no one else can see"?
Into The Groove / Madonna
13. True or false, Benny Hill (who wrote and sang about “Ernie, the Fastest Milkman in the West”) once worked as a milkman?
True
14. During which war was 'The Battle of Marston Moor'?
English Civil War
15. Which word can precede Opera, Relief, and Strip?
Comic
16. What name is given to a female badger?
Sow
17. In the "Star Wars" films, who was the only officer in the Imperial Forces who didn't have a rank?
Darth Vader
18. Which company makes Quavers?
Walkers
19. In which Disney film did Anita and Roger Radcliffe appear?
101 Dalmatians
20. Quiztime Survey Question - Name five Shakespeare plays that are most commonly known to start with the word ‘The’?
The Merchant of Venice / The Tempest / The Taming of the Shrew / The Merry Wives of Windsor / The Comedy of Errors / The Two Gentlemen of Verona

21. In which year did The Soviet Lunik II become the first spacecraft to land on the Moon and In which year was the first launch of the Space Shuttle?
1959 / 1981
22. What is the theatre equivalent of the film industry's Oscar?
Tony
23. Which horse, with the same name as a Steve McQueen film, has won a Grand National?
Papillon
24. From what part of the pig is brawn made?
Brain (accept head)
25. Which two bones meet at the hip joint?
Pelvis / Femur
26. What type of bird is a "Green Leek"?
Parrot
27. Which country is the world’s largest cheese exporter?
The Netherlands (Holland)
28. In which film does Sandra Bullock find herself hunted by the police as a result of a computer error?
The Net
29. In which city are the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund?
Washington
30. Which Royal House consisted of Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI?
House of Lancaster
31. What type of insect is a Viceroy?
Butterfly
32. Madonna has the signature of which screen idol tattooed on her bottom?
Marilyn Monroe
33. How many rooms are there on a Cluedo board?
Nine
34. What sport do the St Louis Blues play?
Ice Hockey
35. Which comedian has written novels called 'Gridlock', Popcorn' & 'Stark'?
Ben Elton
36. What was Sony's video recording system called when it was launched in 1975?
Betamax
37. Which bank paid £26 million in 2003 to shorten it's name?
Abbey (National)
38. Which actress starred in the film "Captain Corelli's Mandolin"?
Penelope Cruz
39. Which strong smelling herb, which tastes of aniseed, is most often used in fish dishes?
Fennel
40. Which movie star appeared in almost thirty movies and always wore the same coat?
Lassie

Tiebreaker - In which year did James Plimpton invent the 4 Wheel Roller Skates?
1863

10 things we didn't know last week

Snippets from the week's news, sliced, diced and processed for your convenience.

1. The song Agadoo by Black Lace is originally French.
More details

2. There are 19 countries in the G20.
More details

3. The American signal to stop is a cross of the forearms.
More details

4. It requires 60 tonnes of paint to paint the Eiffel Tower.
More details (Times)

5. Eating custard cakes daily does not prevent a very long life.
More details

6. Chicks count.
More details

7. Michelle Obama does high fives.
More details

8. When photographing a group of heads of state, the host should stand in the centre at the front and next to him should be the longest-serving leaders.
More details (Guardian)

9. Too many grapefruits is bad for you.
More details

10. The police tactic of confining demonstrators in a confined space is called kettling.
More details

Russia to unveil spaceship plans

The new ship would be launched towards the end of the next decade

The Russian space agency is expected to unveil development plans for a next-generation manned spacecraft on Monday.

Roscosmos should name the ship's prime developer, which has competed to win government funds for the project.

The proposed new spacecraft should enter into service sometime towards the end of the next decade.

It will replace the venerable three-seat Soyuz capsule, which has carried Russian cosmonauts into orbit for more than four decades.

Although Roscosmos has remained tight-lipped about the upcoming presentation, the agency has quietly released its requirements for a future manned transport system to the Russian space industry.

In doing so, the agency has shed some light on the ship's likely design and its possible missions.

The spacecraft, currently known only by the Russian abbreviation PPTS, for Prospective Piloted Transport System, would be able to reach low-Earth orbit or to enter orbit around the Moon.

Several configurations

The Earth-orbiting version of the ship would have a mass of 12 tonnes, carry a crew of six, along with no less than 500kg of cargo; while its "lunar cousin" would weigh 16.5 tonnes, have four seats and be capable of delivering and bringing back 100kg of cargo.

The unmanned cargo version of the vehicle would be required to carry no less than 2,000kg to Earth orbit, and return at least 500kg back to the planet's surface.

Roscosmos has reserved the option of making the crew module of the spacecraft reusable, reckoning that a cone-shaped capsule could fly up to 10 missions during its 15-year lifespan.

Soyuz also acts as the "lifeboat" at the International Space Station

In providing the technical specifications for the new spacecraft, the agency has also given a glimpse of its vision for the future of the Russian space programme.

Although the most capable version of the ship is meant to support expeditions to the Moon, "intermediate" configurations are intended for a variety of other tasks.

For example, the agency wants the future developer to evaluate the possibility of sending the ship into high-inclination orbits extending towards Earth's poles, usually frequented by Earth-observation and spy satellites.

While in Earth's orbit, the new spacecraft would have to be able to fly 30-day-long autonomous missions; or stay no less than a year in space when it is docked to the International Space Station, or to a possible future Russian space station. (Currently, Soyuz spacecraft, which serve as "lifeboats" for the International Space Station, have to be replaced roughly every six months due to potential deterioration of some of their systems, such as batteries and propellant).

Martian possibilities

In addition to docking to the station, the spacecraft would have to be able to conduct servicing of unmanned vehicles in space and even remove pieces of space junk from their orbits, as well as conduct unspecified military tasks.

The lunar version of the ship would be capable of flying no less than 200 days in space when docked to a space station in orbit around the Moon.

A number of Russian reports have described recent studies looking at the possibility of a lunar orbital station, LOS. Such an outpost would also serve as a hub for lunar modules, which would deliver crews from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon.

Europe will now pursue its own plans, but incorporate Russian technology

The 200-day mission requirement probably provides some hint about Russian plans to eventually build a permanently occupied lunar outpost, similar to Nasa's lunar base developed under its Constellation programme.

In a recent interview with the ITAR-TASS news agency, Aleksei Krasnov, the head of the manned space flight directorate at Roscosmos, said that the future spacecraft could serve as the "core" technology for a future Martian mission.

This apparently referred to the role that the vehicle might play as a delivery and return craft for the large complex that would be needed to raise a manned assault on the Red Planet.

By the time the new Russian spacecraft could enter service around 2018, the Soyuz family will have logged more than half a century in service.

In recent years, Russia and Europe did look at the possibility of developing the next-generation vehicle together, but the two parties could not agree on the work share. Europe will now separately pursue the possibility of upgrading its robotic ATV space freighter to a manned ship, but still using some Russian technology.

Powerful launcher

As reported by BBC News last month, Roscosmos has already completed a tender for the new rocket that would carry the future manned vehicles into space.

Although the agency has delayed the announcement of the winner until at least 6 April, many unofficial sources in Russia maintain that TsSKB Progress, based in Samara, will lead the development of the new rocket.

It is believed that the launch vehicle will feature a three-booster first-stage, each booster equipped with powerful RD-180 engines, burning a mix of liquid oxygen and kerosene.

Russia will also introduce a new fleet of launchers in the next few years

The engine was originally developed by Moscow-based NPO Energomash for the US Atlas 5 rocket and its performance to date has been impressive.

Ironically, Russian officials rejected a design of the yet-to-be flown Angara rocket that featured the RD-180. Now, the power plant, which has earned such a fine reputation across the Atlantic, could return vindicated to its native land

The second stage of the new manned rocket would probably sport a pair of RD-0124 engines, currently in use on the Soyuz-2 rocket. Thus, both stages of the future launcher would be equipped with the newest existing power plants, greatly reducing the cost and the risk to the overall project.

That's why the Lady needs a revamp

Britain's longest-established women's weekly is getting a makeover

A facelift at the age of 124 is no small matter, but one grande dame of publishing is getting just that.

The Lady magazine - first published in 1885 - is getting a new lease of life. Its new publisher - the great-grandson of its founder - has decided that The Lady needs to appeal more to the 40-45 year old woman with wider interests and opinions.

But the magazine is redolent of the past. The advertisements from the Lady in 1953 ("Urgently required: good general maid"; "Young governess required mid-June" and "Wanted for boy's house, Eton College, pantry-maid") don't look so different from 2009.

Interspersed with offers of holiday homes and home-made chutney, the current issue carries pleas for domestic help which could have come from the 1950s.

From the prosaic ("Live-in carer wanted") to the grand ("Couple for large estate" "Excellent cook required at manor house in Gloucestershire & W11 London") to the downright intriguing: "Housekeeper needed for job in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Must be able to organise and prepare for large banquets", The Lady is still the place for the moneyed - and titled - to recruit staff.

The magazine discovered its readers were aged about 78

Gentility is still its currency. The publicity material refers to the magazine as "she" and letters from correspondents are signed "Miss" and "Mrs".

Now, though, it will straddle the 19th and the 21st Century, publisher Ben Budworth explains.

"We are at pains to keep the magazine open for those who want to advertise for a butler," he says.

"But we now have columns for those made redundant, those over the age of 45, forced out of work. There's a good degree of ageism going on and we're keen to champion those people."

There will also be what he calls a 'yummy mummy' column, for those who are thinking about returning to work in jobs like PR, design or one of the professions. And opportunities for cottage industries, like jewellery makers, to advertise their wares.

In its new incarnation, the magazine will even have a website which will, promises Mr Budworth, be "all-singing, all-dancing".

No vulgarity

Established in 1885, The Lady has been published weekly ever since. Its continuity extends even to its offices in Bedford Street, occupied by the magazine since 1891.

It was set up "to deal with the many subjects in which Ladies are interested, in a manner at once fully and completely, yet not tiresome: to provide information without dullness and entertainment without vulgarity..."

Attitudes pertaining to The Lady and its clientele do exist in certain pockets Marie-Helene Ferguson The Lady

Providing entertainment without vulgarity is still the magazine's mission for its 30,000 subscribers. The vicissitudes of hen keeping, rather than rock chicks, worry readers.

And thank goodness for that, says Marie-Helene Ferguson, founder of the London School of Etiquette.

"I think it's quite refreshing and is an oasis - as a woman you can feel pressured with magazines, so I don't read them anymore. It's 'Gucci this week, Prada the next' - you end up feeling inadequate."

The Lady, she says, could challenge its upper-middle class readers a little more. "But there is a place for frippery. To have a place that's not handbags and sex is nice."

The magazine may have come a long way from the days when it was priced sixpence a copy. It epitomised an era when - under editor Nora Heald - regular contributors included Stella Gibbons, author of Cold Comfort Farm, and the waspish chronicler of social mores, Nancy Mitford.

Old-fashioned?

Do the women who used to read The Lady still exist? They do, says Ms Ferguson. Caps are still doffed in Britain, even if they are occasionally doffed metaphorically.

"I am in Norfolk where the example of feudal Britain is alive and well," she says. "There's a distinction between the classes which is much more marked than in London - it is much more meritocratic and democratic in London.

"Attitudes pertaining to The Lady and its clientele do exist in certain pockets."

She is not alone in trusting the magazine to find a nanny. Jean Broke-Smith, former principal of the Lucie Clayton school, remembers it fondly and says it represents a slice of the British character that will never disappear.

"I've just seen one of those old-fashioned prams, like something from Mary Poppins, with an old- fashioned nanny and I thought 'wow - perhaps it's still happening'," she says.

"I still think it's nice we haven't lost that little of British style - some of the past."

Historic passenger train returns

The passenger train travelled from Wareham, to Corfe Castle and Swanage. A passenger train has completed a journey from London to Swanage in Dorset for the first time in 37 years. The Purbeck Pioneer departed from Victoria station at 0845 BST and arrived just after 1400 BST. It ran on the Swanage Railway, from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage. The line was shut in 1972 and has since been restored by enthusiasts. It is the first passenger service to run the complete London to Swanage route since 1 January 1972. After shutting the Purbeck branch line, British Rail lifted seven miles of track south of Furzebrook that summer. Swanage Railway Trust have spent more than 30 years reviving the line Campaigners from the Swanage Railway Trust fought for the line to be rebuilt and watched it grow mile by mile over the years. They have been running trains on parts of their preserved line for some years but it was the first complete through service. They said the demand for tickets for the first train had been so big they are running a second train on Thursday. Moyra Cross, 87, was one of the original campaigners and has spent the last 40 years volunteering for Swanage Railway and working in the station shop at Swanage to help raise funds. She said: "I am so glad that I have lived long enough to see and enjoy it." Peter Sills, 51, and his 86-year-old father Frederick, a retired engineer, were among the last 500 passengers to travel from Wareham to Swanage on New Year's Day in 1972. The pair, from Wareham, were travelling on Wednesday's service from Wareham to Swanage and back. Peter said they would be carrying their last tickets from 1972, which cost 25p for a child and 50p for an adult. It took British Rail seven weeks to lift the tracks to Swanage in 1972 He added: "Riding on that last train from Wareham to Swanage as a 15-year-old was a very sad occasion because everyone thought the railway was gone for good. "What a contrast from the sadness of 37 years ago because I'm sure this first train from London to Swanage will be the first of many." The 12 carriages are made up of Mark One stock dating from the British Railways steam days of the 1950s and they are powered by a DB Schenker Class 66 diesel locomotive. The train travelled from London Victoria station via Guildford, Petersfield, Fareham, Southampton, Brockenhurst, Bournemouth and Poole to Wareham. It then left the London to Weymouth main line at Worgret Junction and ran down the three-mile (5km) previously freight train only line to Furzebrook before running on to the Swanage Railway at Norden.

Long sticks and elephants

Martin was the voice of landmark events - and spoof news reports

Our regular column covering the passing of significant - but lesser-reported - people of the past month.

When Elvis Presley died in 1977 the news was relayed to Radio 4 listeners by the familiar tones of announcer Bryan Martin. He first appeared in radio as a child actor in 1946 and later wrote to the BBC asking for a job. He started as a studio manager, which paid considerably more than his earnings as a medical photographer, and then became an announcer on the World Service. He moved on to the Third Programme - now Radio 3 - before ending up at Radio 4 in the 1970s. As well as his presentation work, he also appeared in the News Quiz and, on a few occasions, introduced editions of The Goon Show. He took early retirement in 1992 after complaining of the decline in English language usage on the BBC; particularly the disappearance of the adverb.

She was partial to one-armed bandits

Comedienne Joan Turner's life was a classic story of riches to rags. Born in Belfast she had, by the 1960s, become one of the UK's best known performers, famed for her biting wit and a singing voice compared to that of Gracie Fields. After huge success on stage and in cabaret, she moved to television. But her high earnings were not enough to fund her drinking and gambling, and she lost work because of her irrational behaviour. A possible comeback in a 1977 production of the musical Oliver ended in her dismissal after two weeks for throwing wine bottles from her dressing room window. In 2001 she was discovered living as a destitute in a shelter in Los Angeles.

A game devised to tempt tourists

It may be a while before elephant polo becomes a mainstream sport but, for Jim Edwards it was an interesting addition to his eco-tourism business based in Nepal. After persuading the Nepalese government to set up a national wildlife park, he began to look for new attractions to bring tourists to the country. The first game in 1981 proved a steep learning curve for both riders and elephants but the big beasts soon got the hang of it, trumpeting excitedly whenever a goal was scored. Early attempts to use footballs proved unwise after the elephants persisted in stamping on them, so normal polo balls were used instead. The extremely expensive game spread to India and Sri Lanka despite the protest of one leading conservationist who insisted elephants were "not designed to play polo - and nor should they".

Rogers was prescribed the drug by her specialist - but the Trust refused

Thousands of women now have access to the anti-cancer drug Herceptin thanks to Ann-Marie Rogers. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, her oncologist prescribed Herceptin but her local health authority, Swindon Primary Care Trust, refused to supply it. Mrs Rogers began a long legal battle which ended in a landmark decision in 2006 when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Trust's decision was "irrational and unlawful". Herceptin was subsequently approved for funding but, unfortunately, Mrs Rogers has now lost her battle against cancer. Her actions mean that thousands of women can now benefit from the treatment.

Motown stickman Jones

Uriel Jones is not a name much bandied about among lovers of pop music but, together with the band The Funk Brothers, the drummer is said to have appeared on more top 10 hits than Beatles and Elvis Presley combined. The band was formed by Tamla Motown founder Berry Gordy to back his star names. As session musicians they were paid a pittance and received no credit on the record label. Jones played on a string of hits including Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Cloud 9 by The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder's For Once In My Life. He left Motown after Gordy abruptly moved the label to Los Angeles without bothering to tell his backing band.

Sweet by name...

When the gritty BBC police series Z-Cars hit the TV screens in 1962, many a female heart fluttered over the clean-cut character of PC Sweet, played by Terence Edmond. Z-Cars represented a milestone in police drama, and Sweet's demeanour was in stark contrast to some of the rougher-edged characters such as Chief Inspector Barlow. Edmond appeared in 75 episodes before his character died in a misguided attempt to save a young boy from drowning. His death, in a drama which was transmitted live, shocked the nation. After Z-Cars, Edmond took up writing and directing, but made his final screen appearance in 1994 in another police drama, The Bill.

Among others who died in March were Natasha Richardson, actress and member of the Redgrave dynasty; Maurice Jarre, composer of film soundtracks including Lawrence of Arabia and Dr Zhivago; Ali Bongo, TV magician; Chris Finnegan, former Olympic middleweight boxing champion; and Jade Goody, epitome of the cult of celebrity.

10 stories that could be April Fools... but aren't

Coming to a PE lesson near you

It's the day when some news stories are a little bit "out there", when jokers spring traps to make fools of the rest of us. But not every weird report is an April Fool. Here is a round-up of some of the day's seemingly hoax news stories which are actually true.

1. PE in schools is embracing yoga, martial arts and cheerleading because pupils don't like being outside in the rain. Some schools are also putting on Krypton Factor-style problem solving for pupils more interested in maths than sports, according to a report by Ofsted.

2. Porsche has announced a four-fold rise in profits, recession or no recession. The German car maker bucked the bad news coming out of the industry through its lucrative stake in Volkswagen, and despite selling 27% fewer cars.

3. Pubs are telling expectant mothers when they've had enough to drink. A pregnant woman was thrown out of a pub for ordering an alcoholic drink. Caroline Williams, on a night out in Hove, had drunk one pint of beer but was refused another half-pint. The brewery has apologised and is investigating.

4. Glamour model Jordan will run the London Marathon. She hopes to raise £250,000 for charities NSPCC and Vision.

5. Alan Shearer is manager of Newcastle United. Despite repeatedly being linked with the post in the past and resisting the temptation to leave the BBC's Match of the Day comfy sofa, the Toon footballing hero finally returns. But if Kevin Keegan was touted as the new Messiah, it's not clear what further superlatives can be used to describe the coming of the city's prodigal son.

6. The lottery tells jackpot winners by e-mail. Lottery winner Graham Forrest found out he had won £2.7m when he opened an e-mail sent to him at work. When the message from the National Lottery said it had some "exciting news" for him, Mr Forrest from Cumbria thought he had won £10. He rang his wife but at first she refused to believe him.

Oregon and the UK. Spot the difference

7. A man has won £400,000 in compensation after cutting his finger. Police mechanic Alexander Darg was checking an air bag fault in a police car when he accidentally slid his hand across a knife that had been left behind. He told the court he had been terrified of contracting the HIV virus.

8. Miss Universe says Guantanamo Bay is a "relaxing place, so calm and beautiful", after a five-day trip there. Dayana Mendoza, a model from Venezuela, visited the US base in Cuba as a morale-booster for troops and blogged about the experience.

9. A "magic torch" detects drug use. The torch, costing only £40, works when it is shone in the face of night clubbers. It uses UV light to detect the tiniest traces of cocaine or amphetamine on nasal hair and police in Blackburn are using it to stop drug users from entering clubs.

10. The White House is comparing the UK to Oregon. A briefing booklet accompanying Barack Obama on his European tour equates each country to a US state - Germany to Montana, the Czech Republic to Virginia and so on.

Thin speaker offers 'crisp sound'

The speaker could be wrapped around a lampshade

Anyone who has struggled to understand speaker announcements at train stations will be heartened by work initially done at Warwick University in the UK.

Engineers claim their new ultra-thin speakers, as well as looking good and being easy to conceal, will also deliver clearer, crisper sound.

The loudspeakers could replace public address systems in passenger terminals and shopping centres.

They could also be used as speaking posters to deliver adverts.

The system, dubbed flat, flexible loudspeaker (FFL), started life as a piece of tin foil and some baking paper.

These materials were first used to produce sound by Warwick University professor Dr Duncan Billson.

It provided proof of concept and since then the system has developed into a complex set of flexible laminates made up of different conducting and insulating polymers.

Traditional speakers work by converting an electric signal into sound. What makes the FFL different from existing speakers is that when stimulated by an electrical signal it moves air as a bulk mass rather than from a point source.

This means sound is more evenly distributed around a room without the blasting effect of traditional systems.

Steve Couchman, the chief executive of Warwick Audio Technology, the spin-off firm created to sell the speakers, said: "We believe this is a truly innovative technology. Its size and flexibility means it can be used in all sorts of areas where space is at a premium."

The speakers could be concealed inside ceiling tiles in the home, printed with a design and hung on the wall like a picture or even wrapped around a lampshade.

He said the firm had had interest in the speakers from audio-visual companies for use in digital signage.

Car manufacturers are also interested in the speakers because they allow sound to be directed which means, for example, music could be heard in the back of the car but not the front.

But the design could make the speakers particularly useful for PA systems, said Mr Couchman.

"The sound produced by FFLs can be directed straight at its intended audience. The sound, volume and quality does not deteriorate as it does in conventional speakers which means that public announcements in passenger terminals could be clearer, crisper and easier to hear."

The firm hopes to launch its first commercial product later this year.