New Zealand's iconic yellow-eyed penguins slipping to extinction as breeding grounds fall silent
The iconic species is set to go extinct on the Otago peninsula as soon as the 2040s.
First humans emerged in Africa 2.8 million years ago during sudden climate change
The famous 'Lucy' species went extinct as the land dried out, while the earliest humans thrived.
Controversial placenta treatment could cure radiation poisoning after nuclear disaster
Macaques treated with placental stem cells had higher survival rate after being exposed to radiation, study claims.
Your liver swells and shrinks by almost half its size every day
The whole liver grows in size to cope with extra stress when we eat and drink.
Lulu the killer whale overdosed on posioned seals in UK's toxic coastal waters
The West Scottish killer whale pod hasn't bred in 20 years and is 'doomed to extinction'.
Last dinosaur alive? 'African T-Rex' went extinct right at the end of their reign on Earth
The dinosaur had extraordinarily tiny arms.
Wild dolphins' immune systems are failing because of ocean pollution
The mammals are starting to carry diseases that could be passed to humans.
Scientists discover what causes Tourette's syndrome
Four genes involved in brain development have been linked to the condition.
Huge meteorite blast 1.85 billion years ago that changed the world
These are the first volcanoes shown to be created by a massive meteorite impact.
Oklahoma's largest ever earthquake was caused by humans drilling for oil and gas
Injecting wastewater into the ground was the likely cause, not fracking.
'Exercise pill' boosts endurance by 70%, offering hope for weight loss
People too old or ill to exercise could get some of the benefits in tablet form, a study in mice suggests.
145m-year-old feathered dinosaur sheds light on the origin of flight
The discovery shows that advanced aerodynamic feathers evolved much earlier than thought.
Scientists reveal the first ever map of the bipolar brain
The grey matter is thinner in areas responsible for motivation and inhibition in people with bipolar disorder.
Certain common antibiotics linked to higher risk of miscarriage
But many widely used antibiotics carried no extra risk of miscarriage.
Superbugs kill the equivalent of a full Boeing 747 in Europe every week
We could be back to 'fresh air and sunshine' to fight TB again, says UK's chief medic Dame Sally Davies.
Iron Age warriors were better at breeding horses – we've ruined them with inbreeding
Analysis of ancient bones paints a picture of healthy, sturdy horses.
DNA from ancient humans discovered in 240,000-year-old soil
The finds include 50,000-year-old genetic material from Neanderthal urine in Belgium.
This is how we'll build houses out of soil on Mars
Bricks made from Mars-like soil are stronger than reinforced concrete.
Will gene edited-humans lead to a healthy utopia or an obsessive, perfectionist society?
Too much control could edit away diversity and tolerance in society.
Human history in America is 100,000 years longer than we thought
Earliest evidence of hunting and killing a massive beast has been pushed back to 130,000 years ago.
These 77,000-year-old stone tools are the oldest, most sophisticated ever discovered in South Africa
The stone points are thought to have been used as tips for arrows or spears.
Mysterious shapes and patterns discovered in Arctic and Antarctic sea floor
The marks were carved into the sea floor in the polar regions thousands of years ago.
Fragile Larson C ice sheet warmed by strong Antarctic mountain winds
Föhn winds are blowing across the top of the ice sheet, while warm sea water melts it from below.
500,000-year-history of New Mexico earthquake fault revealed
Loma Blanca fault went through a cluster of strong earthquakes.
Plastic-munching caterpillars discovered that could eat billions of kilograms of waste
Wax caterpillars can leave plastic shopping bags in tatters after just a few hours.
A devastating eruption made thick, silvery 'Venus' hair' grow all over an underwater volcano
The otherworldly mats of floating strands were discovered at the top of Tagoro submarine volcano.
Treasure trove of bronze and copper reveals incredible speed of flash Inca invasion
Bronze jewellery, stone tools and intact pottery were abandoned as the native Colla people fled.
Living in a cold, dark country linked to greater risk of alcoholic liver disease
International data backs up the reputation of northern countries as being home to more heavy drinkers.
A third of Hong Kong's licensed ivory traders are encouraging buyers to smuggle ivory to China
Worldwide, an elephant is poached for its ivory every 25 minutes.
Can recreational drugs be good for you?
Surgeons take psychoactive substances to improve their alertness and it may be safer than lots of coffee.
