Science

ICYMI: Piano playing in surgery and Covid robots. Video, 00:00:50ICYMI: Piano playing in surgery and Covid robots

We hear a lot about pollution from single-use plastics like bottles and packaging, but tyre wear from vehicles is another big environmental issue. A study by the UK’s Air Quality Expert Group, which advises the government, recently warned about a lack of legislation to limit or reduce tyre microplastics. Now a group of graduate design

Four astronauts travelling in the SpaceX Dragon capsule have arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is considered a landmark achievement for private space travel. Read more: Dragon capsule docks with space station

Massive waves have been filmed hitting the shores of the Colombian island San Andrés in the Caribbean. Hurricane Iota comes just two weeks after another devastating storm, Eta, hit the Caribbean and travelled further into Central America. Iota is the strongest Atlantic hurricane of the year and only the second November hurricane to reach category

The 2020 Woman’s Hour Power List has been revealed and this year it’s celebrating women who are making an impact by helping to protect our planet. Here are just some of the inspiring women who feature, from Green Party MP Caroline Lucas to young activists and campaigners like Mya-Rose Craig, Mikaela Loach and Ella Daish.

A Hampshire GP is laying claim to land on Mars by using high-powered lasers to “terraform” the red planet. Phil Davies has been trying for more than a decade to highlight the “terrible plight” of the 43-year-old Outer Space Treaty. He now leads a global campaign to own part of the planet, in a bid

Trove of sarcophagi unearthed in Egypt. Video, 00:01:33Trove of sarcophagi unearthed in Egypt

Lakshmi Narayan Reddy’s home in the southern Indian city of Visakhapatnam has become a popular spot for the city’s ring-necked parakeets. Hundreds of them flock to his terrace three time a day, where he sprinkles grains of rice for them to peck. It’s now become a daily routine and one that he has perfected over

‘Stop the count’ or ‘count the votes’? Video, 00:01:05‘Stop the count’ or ‘count the votes’?

Australia’s peak bushfire season is rapidly approaching – with all eyes on whether the blazes will be anywhere near as bad as the devastation of last year. As well as claiming more than 30 lives and destroying thousands of homes – the country’s wildlife was also terribly hit. One of the worst-affected areas was Kangaroo

Strong winds and low pressure linked to Hurricane Epsilon in the North Atlantic created huge waves off the coast of Cornwall, attracting daredevil surfers and body boarders. The RNLI warned of a “colossal swell” and “extremely dangerous conditions”, advising people to stay out of the water. Yet professional surfer Reubyn Ash joined others in a

The US space agency, Nasa, has revealed conclusive evidence of water on the Moon. Unlike previous detections of water in permanently shadowed parts of lunar craters, scientists have now detected the molecule in sunlit regions of the Moon’s surface. But what does this mean for future missions to the Moon? And beyond? And what else

Three small sharks, dubbed “baby sharks” after the popular children’s song, had to be rescued when they became trapped in shallow water. The smooth-hound sharks, often found in UK waters, were thought to have squeezed through a tidal flap in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, leading to a shallow dyke just 1ft (30cm) deep. Ben Norrington and Andrew

A new polar research ship, named after the presenter and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, has left a shipyard in Birkenhead to test scientific equipment and conduct sea trials. RRS Sir David Attenborough will look at how climate change is affecting the continent and its surrounding waters. Aboard the ship is Boaty McBoatface, the robotic submarine

Nasa scientists cheered as their spacecraft, Osiris-Rex, successfully touched down on Asteroid Bennu to collect rocks and dirt from the surface, to bring back to Earth. The meticulously planned move, which lasted just a few seconds had been planned for many months. “The team is exuberant; emotions are high; everyone is really proud,” said principal

Australian researchers recently found that over 90 species of endangered fish are caught legally by industrial fisheries globally. In the wake of the study, scientists have again suggested eating more jellyfish as a sustainable option. Why? Marine biologist Lisa-ann Gershwin says there are a few reasons. Video by Isabelle Rodd