Silbury Hill is one of Britain’s greatest ancient monuments. For thousands of years it has stood as one of the tallest man-made structures in the world, yet modern man has put it in danger. Tunnels put in by archaeologists were not properly filled in. Silbury Hill started to collapse almost five years ago. At the time English Heritage called for urgent funds to fix the hill. How long will it be before the hill is stabilised?

Help to get at least 1,000 signatures by signing this electronic petition. Please get your friends, family and colleagues to do so as well. To lose Silbury Hill would be a tragedy for future generations; saving it would be one way of honouring our Ancestors.

I was appalled when I read a Telegraph article online last night about how American scientists plan to create mice with brains completely composed of human cells.

I’m actually a reluctant advocate of stem cell research and even tolerate within my own conscience the notion of testing on animals although I am by no means convinced that it is necessary or even advantageous to do so. I am certainly completely against the testing of cosmetics, or chemicals that go into cosmetics, on animals. I am also completely against testing anything on our primate cousins. I believe we are at a stage of scientific and societal development now where we could most likely conduct the majority of tests on living tissue painlessly taken from animals or cultured in dishes.

I can see beyond the emotive surface of this news story and grasp what the scientists are wanting to achieve. Mine is not an entirely emotional response. But I cannot help recalling Mary Shelley’s famous book Frankenstein in which the idea of humanity tampering with the basics of life is a cause for concern, the central notion being that we risk losing our humanity in the process.

I think Shelley, like her famous poet husband, was a visionary writing ahead of her own time. I share her concerns and wonder if the occasional ends can always be said to justify the means.