When black holes meet: inside the cataclysms that cause gravitational waves

Feb 11, 2016 15:47 pm UTC| Science

It has long been predicted that when two black holes merge, they ought to give out a staggering amount of energy in the form of gravitational waves. To put the breathtaking scale of this outburst into perspective, its...

Explainer: gravitational waves and why their discovery is such a big deal

Feb 11, 2016 15:44 pm UTC| Science

Scientists working at the LIGO experiment in the US have for the first time detected elusive ripples in the fabric of space and time known as gravitational waves. There is no doubt that the finding is one of the most...

Gravitational waves found: how we proved the power of the dark side

Feb 11, 2016 15:42 pm UTC| Science

One hundred years ago Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity predicted the existence of a dark side to the cosmos. He thought there were invisible gravitational waves, ripples in space-time produced by some of...

Opposition to genetically modified animals could leave millions hungry

Feb 11, 2016 08:00 am UTC| Insights & Views Science

In a world with a ballooning population and deteriorating environment, we will need to use every trick in the book to stave off mass starvation, disease and political chaos. According the Food and Agriculture...

Explainer: what is the gut microbiota and how does it affect mind and body?

Feb 07, 2016 15:07 pm UTC| Science

The human gastrointestinal tract harbours trillions of microorganisms, consisting of up to 1,000 or so different bacterial species. These bacteria, known collectively as the gut microbiota, perform a number of vital...

The long hunt for new objects in our expanding solar system

Feb 04, 2016 02:06 am UTC| Science

Recognise these planet names: Vulcan, Neptune, Pluto, Nemesis, Tyche and Planet X? They all have one thing in common: their existence was predicted to account for unexplained phenomena in our solar system. While the...

Explainer: what are the 'nacreous clouds' lighting up the winter skies?

Feb 03, 2016 14:19 pm UTC| Science

People in the polar regions of the world, such as Scandinavia and Canada, sometimes get to watch majestic, rainbow-coloured clouds drift across an otherwise grey winter sky. Over the past few days, observers from across...