Backyard
Nature's Direct Feed from |
Last updated on May 24th, 2013
| Cockroaches evolving to evade traps: Click here |
| Cockroaches are outsmarting our efforts to kill them by evolving to avoid the taste of sugar traps, a study reveals. |
| Genetics of white tigers pinpointed: Click here |
| Chinese scientists trace the rare white colouration in Bengal tigers to a single change in a gene that affects a host of animals, including humans. |
| Richard III buried in 'untidy grave': Click here |
| The remains of King Richard III, discovered under a city car park, were buried in a "hastily dug, untidy grave", researchers reveal. |
| Barrick Gold fined for Chile project: Click here |
| Chilean authorities fine the world's largest gold mining company, Barrick Gold Corp, more than $16m for environmental offences at an Andean mine. |
| Iceland expands volcano monitoring: Click here |
| Installation is under way of an expanded monitoring system for Iceland's volcanoes, which it is hoped will give the world more warning of the next big eruption. |
| Nasa to lease shuttle launch pad: Click here |
| Nasa is looking for commercial operators to lease a historic launch pad in Florida used for the first Moon missions and by the space shuttles. |
| Trans-US solar plane sets new record: Click here |
| The Solar Impulse plane sets a new record for distance flown by a solar-powered craft as it completes the second leg of a bid to cross the US. |
| Ecuador satellite space crash fears: Click here |
| Space engineers in Ecuador are trying to establish if the country's only satellite has been damaged in a crash with space debris. |
| Cave paintings uncovered in Mexico: Click here |
| Archaeologists in Mexico find 4,926 cave paintings in red, yellow, black and white in the north-eastern region of Burgos. |
| Feet home to more than 100 fungi: Click here |
| Fungi live all over the human body but their favourite spots are the heel, under toenails and between the toes, according to a US study. |
| Climate 'spurred human innovation': Click here |
| Abrupt climate change in Africa helped trigger technological and cultural advances in early modern humans, according to new research. |
| Ospreys first in England to hatch: Click here |
| Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust capture osprey chicks hatching on camera for the first time. |
| Wildcat extinction 'in 24 months': Click here |
| A scientist who has developed a genetic test to identify pure Scottish wildcats says the species could be extinct within two years. |
| Iodine lack 'may lower UK baby IQs': Click here |
| Mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy could be dimming the intellect of some babies born in the UK, say researchers who studied 1,000 families. |
| Vitamin C can kill drug-resistant TB: Click here |
| Vitamin C can kill multidrug-resistant TB in the lab, scientists reveal. |
| Irish potato famine pest identified: Click here |
| Scientists have used plant samples collected in the 19th Century to identify the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine. |
| Vaccine developed for farm disease: Click here |
| A vaccine to protect sheep and cattle from a livestock virus spread by midges has been approved by government vets. |
| Rover drills second rock sample: Click here |
| Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover drills a second sample of Martian rock to deliver to its onboard laboratories for analysis in the coming days. |
| UK astronaut given station date: Click here |
| UK astronaut Tim Peake is to fly to the International Space Station, launching on a Soyuz rocket in November or December 2015. |
| 'Worrying declines' for UK species: Click here |
| A stocktake of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species studied have declined in the past 50 years. |
| Green light for 'biggest' wave farm: Click here |
| Plans for the world's largest commercial wave farm off the Western Isles move forward after minister give full consent for the project. |
| 2013 cold start may mean fruit boom: Click here |
| UK fruit growers could enjoy a much better harvest of apples and pears this year, following the dismal crop in 2012, experts believe. |
| Fifty-five beaches meet new rules: Click here |
| Fifty five beaches in England meet tough new EU standards on water quality to achieve Blue Flag awards. |
| Flightless penguin puzzle 'solved': Click here |
| The underwater prowess of the penguin may have cost the bird its ability to fly, scientists believe. |
| Ant abilities could aid robot design: Click here |
| A study showing how ants tunnel their way through confined spaces could aid the design of search and rescue robots, say scientists. |
| VIDEO: 'Tough times for toads': Click here |
| A "stocktake" of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species have declined in the past 50 years - and one in 10 could end up disappearing. |
| First crane egg in 400 years laid: Click here |
| A nesting crane lays the first egg laid by that breed of bird in southern Britain in more than 400 years. |
| Late arrival for rare butterflies: Click here |
| The UK's spring butterflies are being welcomed by enthusiasts, but weeks later than they usually arrive. |
| VIDEO: Turtle rescued after swallowing plastic: Click here |
| An injured turtle found by a fisherman in Florida has been returned to the sea after being treated at a rescue centre. |
| VIDEO: 'Worrying declines' for UK species: Click here |
| A major new report from 25 wildlife organisations, assessing the state of Britain's Nature, is warning that many species of wildlife are facing extinction in the UK unless urgent action is taken. |
| VIDEO: Journey into an Icelandic volcano: Click here |
| Dr Freysteinn Sigmundsson shows the BBC's Neil Bowdler around the Thrihnukagigur volcano in Iceland. |
| AUDIO: Attenborough: We're destroying things: Click here |
| David Attenborough examines news that a "stocktake" of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species have declined in the past 50 years - and one in 10 could end up disappearing. |
| VIDEO: Cockroaches evolve to beat traps: Click here |
| A mutant strain of cockroach that can outsmart the sugar traps used to kill them has evolved, scientists in the US have found. |
| VIDEO: 'First crane egg in 400 years': Click here |
| The first crane egg in southern Britain in more than 400 years has been laid by a nesting bird. |
| VIDEO: Ant engineering seen in slow motion: Click here |
| Detailed slow-motion footage showing how ants tunnel their way through confined spaces could aid the design of search and rescue robots, say scientists. |
| AUDIO: Space travel is 'logistical nightmare': Click here |
| Colin Pillinger, famous for the "Beagle 2 Mars" mission, says the value of sending astronaut Tim Peake into space "should not be underestimated". |
| Viewpoint: Mars - what we've learnt in five years: Click here |
| What we have learnt from Martian probes |
| Bloodhound diary: Rolls of advice: Click here |
| The suspension component that could support a full grid of F1 cars |
| Residents revel in straw bale homes: Click here |
| Leeds residents move into their new eco-friendly straw dwellings |
| Can science be kick started?: Click here |
| Could attempts to crowd-fund research skew science? |
| Just how bad is an EF5 tornado?: Click here |
| Oklahoma tornado upgraded to an "EF5" - but what does that mean? |
| How the men from the ministry saved England's heritage: Click here |
| How historic UK sites were saved from destruction |
| Gunboat diplomacy and Crofters' War: Click here |
| How gunboat diplomacy led to attempts at land reform |
| Can China become a hi-tech economy?: Click here |
| Can China harness its millions of cheap graduates? |