Solar power in Europe New technology uses solar energy to super-heat water which is used to drive steam turbines producing electricity. These plants are already in use in Spain. Test plants have been built in north Africa and the Middle East. Naomi Fowler reports on progress in other areas of Europe, including Italy where there is a strong political push for nuclear power. In many countries, current legislation assists existing electricity producers over new technologies. Islands of the sub-Antarctic The sub-Antarctic is passed through when travelling south. It is the area subjected to the Antarctic circumpolar current, plus a few islands further north. Study of the area has been minimal. The circumpolar current links the three great oceans and carries water, heat and salt. The area has been heavily exploited. A major concern is the introduction of alien species to the islands. The region is ideal for a wide range of scientific studies. Exotic species invade warming southern waters Water temperatures are rising along the Antarctic Peninsular. There are signs that animals and plants from northern waters are moving south. King crabs are encroaching on pristine ancient environments. The organisms which have adapted to small temperature ranges, e.g. minus one degree to zero, are not suited to temperatures just one or two degrees higher. This contrasts with tropical species which can survive in a temperature range of 20 degrees. Warming is a major threat to Antarctic life. Behaviour of ultracold atoms Wolfgang Ketterle was awarded the Nobel prize in 2001 for his work on ultracold matter. He describes how a gas is cooled to absolute zero, and the remarkable properties the atoms display when so cold. Revolutionary fibres using nanotechnology Xungai Wang shows Robyn Williams some of the new materials produced at Deakin University´s Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation. A treated polyester fabric is superhydrophobic - it hates water. Water just flows off and isn´t absorbed. Polymer nanofibres can be used for a variety of applications. Carbon nanotubes add strength, being the strongest material discovered. Photochromic wool is a powder but flows like a liquid. When added to synthetic fibre, such as polypropylene, it changes the properties of the fibre giving it properties of natural fibre.