They believe that water holds a memory or "imprint" of the active ingredient which is more powerful than the ingredient itself.Others use less dilute solutions, often diluting the remedy six–fold.The Korean findings may go some way towards explaining the great paradox of homeopathic medicine – that you can make a treatment more powerful by weakening its concentration.German chemist Kurt Geckeler and his colleague Shashadhar Samal stumbled on their discovery while studying football–shaped molecules called fullerenes at the Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, New Scientist magazine reported last night.They found that the molecules kept forming untidy aggregates in solution, and Geckeler asked Samal to look for ways to control the clumping.Geckeler said: "When he diluted the solution, the size of the fullerene particles increased. It was completely counter–intuitive."Further experiments showed that the phenomenon was no fluke. The same effect was seen with a sugar–like molecule called cyclodextrin, the organic molecule guanosine monophosphate, DNA, and sodium chloride – common table salt.Dilution made the molecules cluster into aggregates five to 10 times bigger than those in the original solutions.Growth depended on the concentration to start with "The history of the solution is important," said Geckeler. "The more dilute it starts, the larger the aggregates."The effect was only seen in "polar" solvents, such as water. Molecules dissolved in a polar solution have a pronounced positive charge at one end and a negative one at the other.This may be responsible for the clustering. In homeopathy, diluting a remedy may increase the size of particles until they become biologically active.The results echo the controversial claims of French immunologist Jacques Benveniste who in 1988 claimed that a solution which had once contained antibodies still triggered an immune response.Benveniste claimed the solution contained "imprints" in the water structure corresponding to where the antibodies had been.Peter Fisher, director of medical research at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, said: "It doesn't prove homeopathy, but it's congruent with what we think and is very encouraging."The whole idea of high–dilution homeopathy hangs on the idea that water has properties which are not understood.

The fact that the new effect happens with a variety of substances suggests it's the solvent that's responsible. It's in line with what many homeopaths say, that you can only make homeopathic medicines in polar solvents."Geckeler and Samal are now eager for other researchers to follow up their work."We want people to repeat it," said Geckeler "If it's confirmed, it will be groundbreaking.". The 45th London Film Festival opened last night with its director hailing it as the new first port of call for American film makers to launch their Oscars offerings. The 45th London Film Festival opened last night with its director hailing it as the new first port of call for American film makers to launch their Oscars offerings.The festival, which has grown considerably in stature in recent years, hosted the world premi? of Robert Altman's Gosford Park for its gala opening in London. Stars of the film – Dame Maggie Smith, Alan Bates and Sir Derek Jacobi – were at the Leicester Square premi?, which was followed by a dinner party and dancing.That a leading international director should choose the London Film Festival to launch a movie that is likely to be in the running for the Oscars is a testament to how the event has matured.Among other premi?s of the 180 films slated for the next 16 days is K-Pax, about a hospital patient who claims to be from another planet. It stars Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.Adrian Wootton, the festival's director, said: "Our advance sales are up 10 per cent on last year and this is the biggest opening night we have had for five years. To show the world premi? of a Robert Altman film that was actually completed only a week ago is quite a coup.

The reason that we are getting these films is that we have demonstrated that because of our profile and international status it's worth the big boys coming. And people are undoubtedly using the festival as a pre-Oscars launch."Other highlights of this year's festival include Francis Ford Coppola's reworking of his cult classic Apocalypse Now; Last Orders, an adaptation of Graham Swift's Booker prize-winning novel, starring Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren; Mulholland Drive, directed by David Lynch; Novocaine, a black comedy with Steve Martin and Helena Bonham Carter; and Monsters, Inc. by the animation studio Pixar, featuring the voice of Billy Crystal.One prominent absentee will be Bruce Willis, who was expected for the screening of his film Bandits but has decided against flying in the present climate. His decision to miss the event has attracted criticism.Adrian Wootton added: "It is only four years since we took on the re-engineering of the London Film Festival into one with a truly international reach ...