This June - for the first time since 1977 -the UK Government is hosting the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. Delegates will meet in Edinburgh to discuss a wide range of scientific and environmental issues affecting Antarctica,as well as its heritage and governance.The Treaty,signed by 45 nations, has been in place for nearly 50 years to ensure Antarctica remains a continent devoted to peace and science. Becky Allen gives a preview of the discussions and of the accompanying campaign to bring Antarctica to the public.

July sees the first anniversary of the London terrorist bombings. One year on, Andrew Silke examines the government's response and asks whether it is sound, given what we know about the psychology of terrorism. He finds that some elements of new legislation are justifiable, but that it shows no understanding of the best way to change behaviour. While it is generally ineffective,he says, it does satisfy the public's demand for a tough stance.

As we make the most of long days, the SPATalk in this issue invites us to think about prolonging the span of our lives. Aubrey de Grey argues that we should be setting about curing ageing so that we can live indefinitely. Jon Turney, on the other hand, has reservations. He doesn't see the urgency, and he judges we're in denial if we think that science can postpone our decline or death.

The scientific community is no longer in denial about falling recruitment to physics and chemistry. Chemistry undergraduate Danielle Miles's saga of teacher shortage, departmental closure and relocation, tells us all we need to know about the difficulties students can face in reading the subject. Andrew Ladds sums up the dire consequences of the decline in chemistry, and describes some of the initiatives under way to reverse the trend. Meanwhile, physics graduate Paul Bostock describes how his degree has fitted him for a career in the City.

The market for mobile phones has never been more buoyant: there are 5.5 million in the hands of young people in the UK alone. Mobiles increasingly have enhanced features such as colour screens, picture messaging, video cameras and internet browsers, and these have raised fears that children using them may be at risk from unsuitable material. The major mobile phone operators have developed and signed a voluntary Code governing new types of content, which aims to protect children. In an Exchange, Phil Willis MP sounds a warning about some mobile
operators, while Will Gardner asserts that the Code is not empowering parents in the way it was meant to do.

All of us would find life impossible without texting. Over one trillion text messages were sent in 2005, of which over 12 billion were sent in China alone during the Lunar New Year holiday. Alan Cox, who helped develop the technology, recounts how it came about - and reveals how hard it is to predict the killer app.

Wendy Barnaby, Editor

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