BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Space shield to block radiation

The plasma-filled shield would offer protection from harmful particles

British scientists are planning to see whether a Star Trek-style deflector shield could be built to protect astronauts from radiation.

They argue that magnetic shields could be deployed around spacecraft and on the surfaces of planets to deflect harmful energetic particles.

Several countries' space agencies have announced their intentions to resume human exploration of the Solar System.

Scientists hope to mimic the magnetic field which protects the Earth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6567709.stm

BBC NEWS | Business | US video games sales hit record

Halo 3 helped boost sales of Microsoft's Xbox console

Blockbuster titles and the success of Nintendo's new console helped make 2007 a record year for US video game sales, according to a research group.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7195511.stm

BBC NEWS | Technology | State of Play: Violence and video games

Puzzle Quest is a hypnotic 'violent' game

The debate around video games and violence rears its head every few months. But are the right questions being asked?

Like most of the electrified world, I am currently hypnotised by Puzzle Quest.

A variation on the classic task of matching three gems, it integrates role playing game elements into a simple puzzle game, producing something that has all the short-order appeal of Tetris, and all the long-term pull of Final Fantasy.

And hypnotised isn't a word I use lightly. The gentle clatter of gems and the steady whirl of primary colours soon become all-consuming.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6943835.stm