Competitors in the men's and women's marathons at the 2000 Sydney Olympics had an exciting glimpse of the future. The pace vehicle that led them round the 42 km circuit looked like a typical family wagon, but looks were deceptive. Under the bonnet was a stack of fuel cells, not an internal combustion engine. And as the car glided silently forward it emitted no smelly fumes or greenhouse gases – just a little water vapour.

A comprehensive exhibition of scientific products and services opens in Melbourne today at Science 2001, organised by Science Industry Australia.

One of the features of National Science Week each year is the award of the Unsung Hero of South Australian Science. This year's recipient was Associate Professor Gil Hollamby from the Adelaide University's Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.

The Biotechnology Innovation Fund (BIF) is a new Commonwealth Government program, supported by the National Biotechnology Strategy and the innovation statement Backing Australia's Ability, which aims to increase the rate of commercialisation of Australian biotechnology ventures by reducing the cost of demonstrating `proof of concept´ for new biotechnology initiatives.

Australian archaeologists are once again at the forefront of the debate over the origin of modern humans, this time in Asia. The archaeologists have been studying the fossil record in East Asia for clues to whether Homo sapiens arose in Africa and spread throughout the world (the Out of Africa Model) or whether Homo sapiens evolved simultaneously throughout the Old World (the Multi-regional Continuity Model).

The Academy is presenting the symposium 'Cracking the code - using the code: The Human Genome Project and its applications' on Friday 4 May, 9.00 am - 3.50 pm, in the Shine Dome, Canberra.

The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments and the CSIRO have agreed to establish two new centres of excellence in Technical Textiles and Advanced Wool Products in Geelong, Victoria, aimed at stimulating advanced training, education, research and product development in textiles, clothing and footwear (TCF) industries.

CSIRO research has contributed to the development of a cervical cancer detector with the potential to save lives and replace the PAP smear.

Chimps are to be enlisted in the search for genes that cause diseases in humans and that have so far eluded scientists.

CSIRO scientists are researching an important new weapon in the war against heart disease - plant sterols.

Monash Scientists have successfully grown a genetically engineered plant containing a measles vaccine in a technique that may eventually lead to simpler and cheaper immunisation programs for a range of viral diseases, including HIV and malaria.

Once there was talk of eradicating measles. Yet for now the World Health Organisation is aiming only to cut deaths by half. But virologists warn that measles could stage a murderous comeback if we do not vaccinate more of the world' p soon.< children s>

How Australia can participate in the world-wide photonics revolution - the science of using light to carry information - was the central focus of a national forum hosted by CSIRO in Sydney.

The Minister for Industry, Science and Resources, Senator Nick Minchin, has launched five projects by Australian organisations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

The Premier, Steve Bracks, said he expected Victoria would be internationally recognised as one of the top five biotechnology locations in the world by 2010.