Science News

Still limping along behind Nature, science - in this case the science of waterproof surfaces - shifts its focus from the water-repellent Lotus leaf to the still more water-repellent Nasturtium leaf and the beautiful wings of the Morpho butterfly. The result has been 'the most super-hydrophobic surfaces yet' - yet made by the hand of man, that is. Why is it that biotechnology never seems to get beyond such minor improvements on what we already have? Where are the suspension bridges we were promised, made of synthetic spider silk? I was looking forward to those...
  Also on the science front, I was delighted - as an inveterate nut-eater - to read the latest on the indubitable benefits my favourite snack. By my calculations, if I eat five handfuls a day I'll never die.