Climate change impacts could mean uncertain transformations of global agriculture systems by 2050, according to a new paper from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. …

It’s that time of the year again. You probably think I mean Christmas, but as a virologist the sight of glitter, fairy lights and moulting pine trees immediately makes me think of the flu season. And…

I finally received a Foldscope beta test kit. “Foldscope is an origami-based print-and-fold optical microscope that can be assembled from a flat sheet of paper,” according to the website. The…

A new paper has found that inhibiting or blocking stem cells ability to make a specific decision, leads to better cell growth and could lead to defined ways to differentiate stem cells. Th authors…

Here is a flower we all (in the northern hemisphere at least) associate with Christmastime, Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as the Poinsettia (or Weihnachtsstern = Christmas Star in Germany…

Despite a malfunction that ended its primary mission in May 2013, the Kepler spacecraft is still alive and working and its data has found a new "super-Earth". NASA's Kepler spacecraft detected…

Freedom of speech is an Enlightenment ideal - unless it is someone we disagree with politically, then it is common to say they are being an ideologue, when it comes to politics, or on the take, when…

In the former mining area Herrerias in Andalusia, the deep waters of Pit Lake Guadiana show extremely high concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2).  Levels are so high that if it were…

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a strong oxidizer. You may know it as a wound disinfectant or as a bleaching agent for hair and teeth but it is also created naturally in our bodies, as part of our…

What rising sea level? Peter, CC BY-SA By Mark Maslin,University College London There are many complex reasons why people decide not to accept the science of climate change. The doubters range from…

An overdose of self-esteem won't build character. Shutterstock By Kristján Kristjánsson, University of Birmingham In the last few months the UK’s two main political parties have entered into an…

Though it has higher risks in older people, and those are well-known and cautioned against, prescription use of benzodiazepines increases steadily with age, despite the known risks for older…

Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon bowled by Mohammed Sharmi last week. AAP/ David Mariuz By Tim Trudgian, Australian National University Imagine you are captain of the national cricket team. With 20 minutes…

A decade ago, gas was cheap, the American economy was booming and so was partisan rhetoric about a disconnect on science related to politics. One side was good, one was bad. President George W. Bush…

Though deaths due to drug use and hepatitis C have gone up, falling death rates due to cancer and heart disease have resulted in a global life expectancy increase of 5.8 years in men and 6.6 years in…

Many people addicted to prescription medications do not think that they have a problem. These addictions often begin as an injury. Few realize how quickly dependency can spiral out of control. NFL…

Airline pilots can be exposed to the same amount of UV-A radiation as if they visited a tanning bed, because airplane windshields do not completely block UV-A radiation. Airplane windshields are…

In 2009, researchers detected methane on Mars, suggesting the planet may be biologically or geologically active.  Now NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has measured a tenfold spike in methane in the…

A man relaxes in some decidedly un-Scottish weather outside the venue for this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. AAP Image/ Dave Hunt By Andrew King, University of Melbourne; David Karoly,…

In an era where hackers can easily hack into department store credit card records or Sony Corporation and the US National Security Agency is spying on everyone, it's no surprise people with a choice…