‘Gribble’ crustacean turns wood into biofuel

A wood-boring marine pest that plagued seafarers for centuries may be key to biofuel breakthrough say scientists

Blame it on the rain: why Scots favour ginger

A genetics research student has stumbled on an explanation for why a disproportionate number of Scottish people are redheads

Huge asteroid killed off dinosaurs

Scientists find reason behind extinction 65 million years ago

Chameleons provide bones of contention

Zoological discoveries have helped us to understand not only animals, but also ourselves and our environment

Plant lice could be Japanese knotweed’s nemesis

The psyllid, Aphalara itadori, is to be introduced at selected sites in Britain in trials to control the invasive plant

‘Gribble’ crustacean turns wood into biofuel

A wood-boring marine pest that plagued seafarers for centuries may be key to biofuel breakthrough say scientists

Deal could be struck to protect species

New rules to restrict trade in bluefin tuna and ivory will be debated at a meeting of 175 countries in Doha, Qatar

Arctic methane ‘leaking faster than predicted’

Huge quantities of greenhouse gas that is frozen below the seabed are showing signs of destabilising, researchers warn

Blame it on the rain: why Scots favour ginger

A genetics research student has stumbled on an explanation for why a disproportionate number of Scottish people are redheads

Dog show or freak show?

Pedigree dogs have been shown off for 150 years, but is their owners’ pursuit of perfection now putting animals at risk?

Gene test ‘could personalise cancer care’

British advance may help doctors to predict which types of chemotherapy are most likely to benefit breast tumour patients

Polar bear is a ‘new’ species

Polar bears may have come into existence only 150,000 years ago, when trapped brown bears had to adapt to an ice age

Disasters reveal difference in survival instincts

Comparison of Titanic and Lusitania shows self-preservation trumped by social pressure when there is time to think

Grave reveals black aristocrat in Roman York

Grave containing a woman’s skeleton and jewellery belonged to a North African member of 4th-century high society

Older people need less sleep 'a myth'

We lose our ability to sleep in one chunk as we age but the elderly would feel better and more alert if they slept more

Twin threats to Britain's undersea life

Deep-sea trawling and acidification of oceans threaten underwater mountains and cold-water coral reefs, scientist warns

‘Brain flushing’ saves premature babies' lives

A pioneering British medical technique flushes out the brain to remove the toxic products of a deadly haemorrhage

Drink up girls: wine isn’t fattening

Women who like wine after work can relax: they are likely to gain less weight than those who stick to mineral water

Who are you, Robert Winston?

From Macs to moustaches, the fertility expert reveals all about life at the cutting edge

Patient trials begin of new genital herpes vaccine

Trials begin of promising new vaccine that may prevent people with genital herpes passing the virus to their partners

The Eureka Quiz

Three levels of difficulty and - most importantly - the answers

We could do nothing, but that's pretty silly

The director of the SETI centre in California explains whether she thinks we'll ever get to meet ET

'I'm convinced there's life out there'

The founder of SETI has spent 50 years scouring the Universe for aliens. He's as hopeful as ever that we'll find them

The big question: Is there anyone out there?

Four experts in the world of science and astronomy give their view on whether intelligent life exists elsewhere

Pay rise for MPs, pay freeze for doctors

Doctors, NHS managers and civil servants will get no increase but MPs will get a 1.5 per cent rise, Gordon Brown announced

My Week: The National Bullying Helpline*

You’re calling from Buckingham Palace? No, we’ll take your word for it. We’ve had people from al-Qaeda on this morning

Catholic bishops enter pre-election fray

Parties are told to heed religious voters in marginals as the Catholic Church condemns the loss of virtue in public life

Hospitals can keep charity donations

The Treasury has deferred for a year a rule change that would have meant all gifts going into the general NHS budget

Is there anybody out there?

Scientists believe there could be 10,000 civilisations in our galaxy and millions are being spent trying to find them

We could do nothing, but that's pretty silly

The director of the SETI centre in California explains whether she thinks we'll ever get to meet ET

'I'm convinced there's life out there'

The founder of SETI has spent 50 years scouring the Universe for aliens. He's as hopeful as ever that we'll find them

Sorry aliens, we're just not that into you

If we were really serious about finding aliens, wouldn't we have tracked some down by now?