Science

Surgeons could perform operations without cutting the skin by using a new magnetic manipulation technique, the scientists who invented it say. They hit upon the idea after seeing teenagers use strong magnets to attach jewelery to their lips without piercing them.

In animal tests, the researchers were able to remove a kidney using the technology. Magnets outside the body were used to position a camera and surgical tools within. More details at EurekaAlert.

The world's first intercity magnetic levitation train line, capable of running at up to 500 kmh (310 mph), will be built in China, authorities have confirmed today. The first section of the line is scheduled to open in 2010, China Central TV news reported.

Scientists in Japan have created a key component of an artificial immune system that they say functions as well as the body's natural defences against infection. In animal tests, the scientists were able to create an artificial lymph node that hosted disease-fighting cells, they report in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

A system that can guess a person's age just by looking at their face could be used to keep underage kids and teenagers out of video game arcades and liquor stores, its inventors believe. It could also help detect unwanted adults entering schools.

The Japanese-developed technology takes only 0.2 seconds to put an approximate age to any face picked up by its cameras.

US astronauts who claim to have spotted the Great Wall of China from space must be imagining things, Chinese scientists say. The Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space, because the human eye cannot resolve such fine detail, a team of academics stated in a recently published paper.

At least two US astronauts say they spotted the Great Wall from earth orbit – above 150km. They include last man on the moon, Gene Cernan; and international space station crewmember Ed Lu.