Experts to analyse 'unusual' weather

Meteorologists and scientists will meet at the Met Office to try to understand the UK's strange weather patterns.

Herschel telescope switched off

Controllers sever all communications with Europe's billion-euro Herschel space telescope, formally bringing to a close the observation phase of the mission.

Gagarin air crash details emerge

New details have emerged about the air crash that killed Yuri Gagarin - the first man in space.

China retakes supercomputer crown

A China-based supercomputer has been ranked the world's fastest, offering nearly double the processing speeds of the US's most powerful system.

Overseas climate change threatens UK

A new report suggests that climate change in other countries will impact the UK more quickly than rising temperatures at home.

Ash genome reveals fungus resistance

Scientists sequence the genome of a type of ash tree which is resistant to the deadly fungal disease sweeping the country.

Big freighter docks with station

Europe's 20-tonne freighter, the Albert Einstein ATV, docks with the International Space Station high over the Pacific Ocean.

Paracyclist 'has no fat under skin'

Budding Paralympic cyclist Tom Staniford has no fat on his face or his limbs as a result of a rare genetic mutation that has finally been diagnosed by sequencing his genome.

Trans-US solar plane reaches Dulles

A solar powered plane aiming to cross the US lands at Washington Dulles airport, completing the fourth leg of the coast-to-coast endeavour.

Perfect pitch may not be 'perfect'

People classified with perfect pitch may not actually be as in tune with the sounds they hear as they think, a study finds.

Science plan lands 'star' researcher

A £50m project to attract world-class scientists to Wales makes its first appointment - a leading stem cell researcher looking at diseases of the nervous system.

A350 marks new phase in aero-engines

Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engine, fitted to the new Airbus A350, is claimed to be the most efficient aero power unit yet designed.

Deep-diving mammals' secret revealed

Study solves the mystery of one of the most extreme adaptations in the animal kingdom: how marine mammals store enough oxygen to hold their breath for up to an hour.

Portrait honours physicist Higgs

The Royal Society of Edinburgh unveils a new portrait of scientist Prof Peter Higgs who gave his name to the so-called "God particle".

Men 'to blame for the menopause'

Men choosing young women as partners meant fertility in older women was pointless, leading to the menopause, researchers suggest.

Opera restored after 200 years

The original ending has been restored to a 216-year-old opera after the manuscript was put through one of the world's most advanced X-ray machines.

PM launches new £1m 'Longitude Prize'

David Cameron pledges a £1m payment to anyone who can "identify and solve the biggest problem of our time".

Government scientists' 'voices lost'

One of the UK's most influential science communicators says some of the country's best researchers are not being heard by the public, especially in times of crisis.

Medieval leprosy skeletons sequenced

The genetic code of leprosy-causing bacteria from 1,000-year-old skeletons has been laid bare, showing the bug has hardly changed over the past millennium.

Airbus A350 completes maiden flight

The newest aircraft from European planemaker Airbus, the A350, successfully completes its maiden flight from Toulouse.

Black hole caught napping after meal

Astronomers point X-ray telescopes at a galaxy's central black hole, last seen snacking on a cloud of gas - but it seems to have fallen dormant.

Cheetah acceleration key to success

A study of the movements of cheetahs suggests that their hunting prowess comes not from sheer speed, but from rapid acceleration and deceleration.

Bee ban pesticides have wider impact

A class of pesticides linked to the death of bees may be harming other species and the wider environment.

Record rise in US oil production

A report by oil giant BP highlights that the US saw the largest single year increase in oil production ever recorded in 2012.

British wheat crop 'down by third'

Britain's wheat harvest could be a third smaller than it was last year because of extreme weather conditions, the National Farmers' Union warns.

China outsources carbon emissions

New research shows China is outsourcing carbon dioxide emissions within its own borders, just as the West outsources emissions to China.

Chagos marine park ruled lawful

A UK government decision to create a marine park around the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean is upheld by the High Court in London.

Shark 'nursery' found on coral reef

Edinburgh marine biologists discover a deep-sea shark spawning ground on Scotland's only inshore coral reef.

Cuckoos clocked using satellite tags

Four cuckoos caught at sites in Lochalsh and Skye are fitted with satellite tags in an effort to track their migrations to Africa.

Police inquiry over eagle nest claim

Police are investigating allegations that a white-tailed eagle nest was destroyed on an estate in Angus, the BBC learns.