Agilent Labs reckons that it still supports "the values that have made Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett’s company a success". At least they have a stab at telling us what they do.

An academic finds that basic research comes in various shades of purity, and that scientists can change their use of the term in mid sentence.

Are patents too easy to acquire – or too hard? The UK is trying to find out, writes Nuala Moran

134,073: the number of patents filed for via the Patent Cooperation Treaty in 2005, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization – a rise of 9.4 per cent over 2004.

French researchers have discovered that an anti-rejection drug could treat Huntington's disease. Intellectual Property based on the research is available for licence.

Everyone wants to encourage innovation. But, says Alain de Serres from the OECD, a survey of the world’s leading industrial countries shows they are going about it in different ways and with very different results.

Researchers in Denmark have invented a bioplastic material made from dairy products that could replace traditional polymer-based packaging. The technology is currently available for licensing.

If you think it’s hard to do a biotech start up, try doing it in Poland. You’ll face international condescension, local incredulity and the mysteries of Polish law, says Charles Goldfinger.

Acrobot Ltd., a spin-out from Imperial College London, is currently fund raising and is seeking partnerships and licence agreements.