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SHADES: The Scuba HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey

SHADES is a new, major, extragalactic sub-mm survey currently being undertaken with SCUBA on the JCMT. The aim of this survey is to map 0.5 square degrees of sky at a depth sufficient to provide the first, major (~300 source), unbiased sample of bright (S(850) > 8 mJy) sub-mm sources. Combined with extensive multi-frequency supporting observations already in hand, we aim to measure the redshift distribution, clustering and AGN content of the sub-mm population. Currently 40% complete, the survey is due to run until early 2006. Here I provide some early example results which demonstrate the potential power of our combined data set, and highlight a series of forthcoming papers which will present results based on the current interim sample of ~130 850-micron sources detected within the Lockman Hole and SXDF SHADES survey fields.