Science

When Covid-19 sparked lockdowns around the world, emissions of one of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change, atmospheric carbon dioxide, plummeted. But is this record drop a short-term effect of the 2020 pandemic or a ‘new normal’? BBC Weather’s Ben Rich explores the impact of coronavirus on the global climate. Motion graphics by Jacqueline

Do cats really do have nine lives? Well this cat rescued by a waste plant worker in Ulyanovsk, Russia does. Since being pulled from the conveyor belt at the factory 700 miles southeast of Moscow, the cat went on to become a local celebrity and has since been adopted by the Ulyanovsk region’s environment ministry

Octopuses throw punches at fish and it could be out of spite, scientists say. Marine biologists filmed these interactions in the Red Sea but it has also been captured elsewhere. It’s not entirely clear why they lash out but scientists say it may be a way of keeping the fish in line. Fish and octopuses

Caitlin was partnered with her guide dog Honey last year. She says the retriever-black labrador cross has given her more confidence, independence and allowed her to socialise more often. But where do guide dog puppies in the UK come from? The BBC followed Caitlin as she went to the Guide Dog National Breeding Centre, thought

Residents of the port town of Seydisfjordur in east Iceland have been moved to safety following a mudslide after record levels of rainfall. Some houses were destroyed by the deluge of mud and rocks. An 11-year-old boy has told how he and his father didn’t have time to dress before running from their home.

Scientists are using jellyfish to help solve three problems – removing microplastics from the water, developing new medicines and providing a sustainable source of food. A video for People Fixing the World by Ruth Evans, Daniel Gordon and Tom Heyden.

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. But a small town in Italy called Prato has built its fortune on transforming old scraps into new clothes, particularly knitwear and wool. Could Prato represent a model for sustainable fashion? Reporter: Sofia Bettiza Editor: Sofia Bettiza Filmed by: Paolo Patruno

Geminid meteor shower dazzles night skies. Video, 00:00:56Geminid meteor shower dazzles night skies

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the most active on record, according to the US National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. There were a record-breaking 30 named storms, 12 of which made landfall in the continental United States. It was the fifth consecutive year of above-normal Atlantic hurricane activity. But is this a result

A new high powered telescope in the Australian outback has led astronomers to an intriguing new discovery. “Odd radio circles” or ORCs have never been seen before and have left scientists baffled. Astrophysicist Professor Ray Norris explained to the BBC why the mysterious circles have the space community so excited. Video by Isabelle Rodd

Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast is a surfing and tourism hotspot. But for the past six months its most popular attraction, Main Beach, has been steadily eroding. Professor Rodger Tomlinson from the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management, explained to the BBC how his team had identified the cause of the erosion:

The UK is the first country in the world to approve mass use of a Covid vaccine. Immunisations with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, approved by the British medicines regulator, the MHRA, could start early next week for people in some high-priority groups, with 800,000 doses arriving in the UK in the first delivery. The BBC’s Laura

England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer says the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine will not be rushed. He was responding to reports that the vaccine could also be approved before Christmas by the clinical regulators. Professor Van-Tam was appearing on the BBC’s Your Questions Answered, to talk about the recent approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Sir David Attenborough speaks to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as he issues a stark warning on the climate crisis and puts the issue at the heart of the UN’s global mission. Read more: The year 2020 set to be in top three warmest

What happens once a coronavirus vaccine is approved? Kalipso Chalkidou, director of global health policy at the Center for Global Development and Nicole Hassoun, an ethicist at Binghamton University in the US, discuss five challenges we’ll need to overcome to vaccinate billions of people around the world. Hear more from Prof Chalkidou on BBC Health

Cassidy Kramer is part of the Inupiaq community, who have relied on Alaska’s land for thousands of years. Like her father, she goes hunting and fishing to provide for the people around her. But Cassidy fears that her way of life could be gone before she starts a family of her own. Around her, the