Optical and near‐infrared (near‐IR) observations of the Type Ic supernova (SN Ic) 2004aw are presented, obtained from −3 to +413 d with respect to the B‐band maximum. The photometric evolution is characterized by a comparatively slow post‐maximum decline of the light curves. The peaks in redder bands are significantly delayed relative to the bluer bands, the I‐band maximum occurring 8.4 d later than that in B. With an absolute peak magnitude of −18.02 in the V band the SN can be considered fairly bright, but not exceptional. This also holds for the U through I bolometric light curve, where SN 2004aw has a position intermediate between SNe 2002ap and 1998bw. Spectroscopically SN 2004aw provides a link between a normal SN Ic like SN 1994I and the group of broad‐lined SNe Ic. The spectral evolution is rather slow, with a spectrum at day +64 being still predominantly photospheric. The shape of the nebular [O i]λλ6300, 6364 line indicates a highly aspherical explosion. Helium cannot be unambiguously identified in the spectra, even in the near‐IR. Using an analytical description of the light‐curve peak we find that the total mass of the ejecta in SN 2004aw is 3.5–8.0 M⊙, significantly larger than that in SN 1994I, although not as large as in SN 1998bw. The same model suggests that about 0.3 M⊙ of 56Ni has been synthesized in the explosion. No connection to a GRB can be firmly established.

The results suggest that topical application of clobetasol in an adhesive denture paste is an effective drug for symptomatic oral vesiculo-erosive and/or ulcerative lesions.

The paper reports the main results of the EU project Millennium in the Mediterranean area over the last 500 years. It analyses a long series of temperature from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece. The series are obtained by combining indices from documentary sources from AD 1500 to the onset of regular instrumental observations. There is an ongoing discussion regarding the proper way of combining documentary and instrumental data and how to translate accurately the conventional indices from −3 to +3 into modern units, i.e. degree Celsius. This paper produces for the first time a number of early instrumental observations, in some cases (i.e. Italy and France) covering 350 years, including thereby the earliest regular observations after the invention of the thermometer. These Mediterranean data show that anomalous temperatures usually had only a locally limited effect, while only few extreme events had a widespread impact over the whole region, such as the summer of 2003. During the period from 1850 to the present day, the Mediterranean temperature anomaly was close to the Northern Hemisphere in spring and summer, while it was warmer in autumn and winter. Compared with the long-term instrumental records (i.e. 1655 onwards), the recent warming has not exceeded the natural past variability characterized by heating-cooling cycles with no significant long-term trends.

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