Luxury finishes on mainstream...

Luxury finishes on mainstream cars are a step closer, as boffins have worked out how to add a touch of class to budget trim. They"ve discovered an easy way to stick a veneer of good-quality materials to standard cabin components, so that even basic models can feel like range-toppers. The scientists - of Battelle, a technology company in Ohio, US - say the technique is carried out as the parts come out of the moulding machines.

Flour power has arrived!...

Flour power has arrived! Boffins have invented an energy-boosting additive for diesel fuel made from wheat. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin in America have developed a lab technique that extracts 90 per cent of the plant"s energy and turns it into ethanol. It can then be added to diesel, reducing the amount of actual fuel needed.