The future of mind-controlled robotic limbs

Chris Wickham|Published

Experts are calling this a remarkable step forward for prosthetics controlled directly by the brain.

New stretchy material inspired by nature

Chris Wickham|Published

The stretchable electronics industry is in its infancy but devices that are able to flex without breaking could revolutionise devices.

Map shows universe’s ‘adolescence’

Chris Wickham|Published

A team of astronomers have produced the first map of the universe as it was 11 billion years ago.

New planet discovered in Goldilocks Zone

Chris Wickham|Published

A team of astronomers have discovered a new planet orbiting a nearby sun at just the right distance for an Earth-like climate that could support life.

ET, please phone Earth

Chris Wickham|Published

Scientific discussion about the possible existence of alien life is becoming more mainstream.

The rising tide of misconduct in science

Chris Wickham|Published

Fraud can taint any profession but in science it seems to be rising particularly fast.

A diamond bigger than Earth?

Chris Wickham|Published

Astronomers have discovered a planet twice the size of Earth made largely out of diamond.

Lost in migration: Earth overdue for a flip

Chris Wickham|Published

Scientists say Earth's magnetic field is weakening and could all but disappear in as little as 500 years as a precursor to flipping upside down.

Honeybee homicide case unproven - study

Chris Wickham|Published

British scientists have shot down a study on declining honeybee populations that triggered a French ban on a pesticide.

One big quantum leap for science

Chris Wickham|Published

Researchers who wrote the rulebook for quantum teleportation are among the 2012 Thomson Reuters tips to win Nobel prizes for science.

Ultra-cheap ultrasound in development

Chris Wickham|Published

Engineers in Britain have developed an ultrasound scanner that could improve prenatal care in parts of the developing world where this technology is out of reach. ...

Theory of dark energy is real, say experts

Chris Wickham|Published

Dark energy, the mysterious cosmic force thought to be the fuel behind the accelerating expansion of the universe, is real, according to a team of astronomers.

Cheap and cheerful: colour that never fades

Chris Wickham|Published

Scientists have found nature's way of creating colour that never fades, a technique they say could replace pigments used in industry with natural plant extracts. ...

UK woman first to take robotic suit home

Chris Wickham|Published

A British woman paralysed from the chest down has become the first person to take home a robotic exoskeleton that enables her to walk.

World over-using underground water - study

Chris Wickham|Published

The world is depleting underground water reserves faster than they can be replenished due to over-exploitation, according to scientists.

Earth bracing for the coming storm

Chris Wickham|Published

It's the stuff of science fiction usually associated with tales of rogue asteroids on a collision course with Earth.

Turn the lights off, be happy

Chris Wickham|Published

Sitting in front of a computer or TV screen late into the night could increase your chances of depression, according to a study.

The science behind the Higgs particle

Chris Wickham|Published

Picture George Clooney (the particle) walking down a street with a gaggle of photographers (the Higgs field) clustered around him.

Scientists to unveil milestone in Higgs hunt

Chris Wickham|Published

The world of science now awaits a mass of evidence big enough to be deemed a formal discovery.

Boldly going where no probe has gone before

Chris Wickham|Published

The Voyager 1 probe has reached the edge of the solar system, Nasa says.

Green light for world’s biggest telescope

Chris Wickham|Published

The European Extremely Large Telescope will directly image planets outside the solar system and those orbiting other suns in so-called “habitable zones”.

Paralysed rats walk again in lab study

Chris Wickham|Published

“This is ground-breaking research and offers great hope for the future of restoring function to spinal injured patients. ”

Scientists urge action on world’s biggest problem

Chris Wickham|Published

For the first time, scientists argue that looming shortages in water and energy supplies should be treated as a single issue.

Antarctic ice shelf threatened by warming

Chris Wickham|Published

Scientists are predicting the disappearance of another vast ice shelf in Antarctica by the end of the century.

Silkworms, squid inspire smart materials

Chris Wickham|Published

The structure of silkworm cocoons, which are extremely light and tough, have properties that could inspire advanced materials.