An Oxford scientist, Professor Gero Miesenböck, has made female flies produce the male courtship song using remote brain control.   The brain control techniques, which Miesenböck pioneered 3 years ago, use a laser to trigger certain actions. The ‘song’, which flies make by vibrating a wing, is never produced by females, so the findings indicate an astonishing similarity in male and female fly brains.   “Anatomically, the differences are so subtle,” Miesenböck told the Telegraph, “How is it that the neural equipment is so similar, but the sexes behave so differently?”   Researchers suggest that fly brains may have a ‘master switch’ that determines male or female behaviour.

It looks like a new lease of life is to be breathed into Oxford Media Society this term, with a couple of good speakers already lined up in the form of John Witherow (Editor of the Sunday Times) and Nick Davies (of Flat Earth News fame). But it's going to have to host something a bit more exciting than speaker meetings if it wants to distinguish itself from the Union et al. Aldate would like to see workshops in law, new media, and perhaps even regular shorthand classes.   Imagine how thrilling* the OxStu/Cherwell rivalry could become if it were extended to competitive speed writing...     *insert pinch of salt here 

Roberta Klimt feels the enduring appeal of the fairy-tale.  

Magdalen College voted by 98 votes to 28 on Tuesday to reaffiliate to the student union.   The college has been disaffiliated since Trinity Term 2007. 

Dig out your fairy tales and dressing up boxes and let your imagination run wild with silks, sequins and props fit for a princess to make your loveliest dreams come true.