Where do the realms of quantum mechanics and classical physics begin to overlap? It's a long-argued question of philosophical interest and practical importance. Now the world's smallest double slit experiment, performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source and using as "slits"the two proton nuclei of a hydrogen molecule, has shown that quantum particles start behaving in a classical way on a scale as small as a single hydrogen molecule.

  Adults with influenza infections serious enough to require hospitalization are much less likely to die from the disease if they are given antiviral medications, according to a new study.

  The public health costs of global climate change are likely to be the greatest in those parts of the world that have contributed least to the problem, posing a significant ethical dilemma for the developed world, according to a new study.

  Rilonacept (IL-1 Trap) may substantially decrease both disease activity and pain in patients with chronic active gout, according to new research. Gout is a painful and potentially disabling form of arthritis that has been recognized since ancient times. Initial symptoms usually consist of intense episodes of painful swelling in single joints, most often in the feet, especially the big toe.

  Ready-to-eat meats are popular with consumers. But after the initial food processing, they are also vulnerable to recontamination by pathogenic bacteria. A solution turns out to be an application of an antimicrobial-incorporated edible film coating that will fend off the pathogens.

  Disasters are getting worse it seems so federal and state support must now be given to programs that enable local governments to work effectively with communities to prepare for and respond to natural and technological disasters, according to a new analysis in the International Journal of Emergency Management.

  A tiny "electronic nose"that MIT researchers have engineered with a novel inkjet printing method could be used to detect hazards including carbon monoxide, harmful industrial solvents and explosives. Led by MIT professor Harry Tuller, the researchers have devised a way to print thin sensor films onto a microchip, a process that could eventually allow for mass production of highly sensitive gas detectors.

  In early inflammatory arthritis, higher rates of remission are achieved if treatment is started early with conventional therapies and patients are more closely followed, according to new research.

  Combining light-activated cancer drugs with tumour-seeking antibodies could provide a more effective way of treating many cancers, according to new research. The study describes how scientists have successfully attached 10 light-activated drug molecules to an antibody which recognises and homes in on the cancerous cells. The researchers have shown that using this method means highly potent drug molecules are delivered to precise cancer targets much more effectively than if they are not attached to the antibody.

  A single injection of intra-articular botulinum toxin Type A may significantly decrease pain and improve shoulder function in osteoarthritis sufferers, according to new research.

  Computer scientists have found a security vulnerability in Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system. The significance of the loophole: e-mails, passwords, credit card numbers, if they were typed into the computer, and actually all correspondence that emanated from a computer using Windows 2000 is susceptible to tracking.

  Diets high in fat and sugar may not be the only things contributing to American children's expanding waistlines. Kids who aren't getting enough sleep also may be at an increased risk for being overweight. Children who got less shut-eye -- fewer than 9 hours each day -- were at an increased risk of being overweight, regardless of their gender, race, socioeconomic status, or quality of the home environment, according to a recent study.

  A technique allowing a prosthetic arm to respond directly to brain signals has the potential to provide more arm and hand movements, beyond the four the technique has already achieved, a new study shows. The researchers have begun work with two US Army medical centers to help soldiers who have lost limbs.

  Men who are overweight or obese when diagnosed with prostate cancer are at greater risk of death after treatment. A greater body mass index (BMI) at the time of cancer diagnosis was an independent risk factor for prostate cancer-related death.