Rosetta to make final home call
Europe's Rosetta probe will make its final Earth flyby on Friday as it seeks to position itself to chase down a comet in 2014.

Crime rings boost ivory smuggling
The last year has seen a big increase in illegal ivory trade with organised crime involved, says the world's monitoring agency.

Lithium clue for planet-hunters
Astronomers tell the journal Nature that Sun-like stars with orbiting planets tend to be depleted in the element lithium.

Sniff test to preserve old books
The key to preserving old, treasured books is contained in the compounds that produce their smell, say scientists.

Poor nations vow low-carbon path
Poor countries vulnerable to climate change plot a low-carbon future and challenge richer states to match them.

Poor nutrition 'stunting growth'
Poor nutrition is still causing major problems in the developing world - despite some progress being made.

Missing link dinosaur discovered
Scientists discover a fossilised dinosaur skeleton that is the missing link between the earliest dinosaurs and giant sauropods.

Six-year limit on DNA of innocent
The DNA of most innocent people arrested in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will not be kept for more than six years, the Home Office says.

Deepest southern hemisphere fish caught on camera
The deepest living fish ever spotted in the southern hemisphere are caught on camera.

Astronaut trial
Ex-astronaut gets probation for attack on love rival

Making a change?
How the Marine Bill could affect one area in Dorset

Launch pad
Why humanity needs a 'space race' for this planet

Construction job
Russia resumes work to complete the space station

Saving the trillionth tonne of coal
Policy makers must never allow human activity to allow the trillionth tonne of carbon dioxide to be emitted into the atmosphere.

Casting a net far into the future
Governments and the fishing industry must collaborate in developing legislation to protect both fish and the seas in which they live.

'Bumper year' for UK water voles
UK water voles enjoyed a "bumper year" in 2009, a study says.

GPS used to preserve ants' nests
GPS satellite technology is used to record the locations of rare ants' nests ahead of work to fell thousands of trees.

Digital cloud plan for city skies
A giant "digital cloud" that would "float" above London's skyline is outlined by an international team of architects and designers.

Yangtze 'facing climate threat'
Environmentalists say China's Yangtze river basin faces a future of more extreme weather events, threatening its ecosystems.

Ricin 'antidote' to be produced
An anti-toxin that protects against ricin poisoning is to move into production for the first time, after eight years of research.

Soyuz launches to space station
A Russian Soyuz rocket has launched from Kazakhstan carrying a new docking compartment for the International Space Station (ISS).

Penis tissue replaced in the lab
Tissue created in a laboratory has been used to completely replace the erectile tissue of the penis in animals.

Koalas 'could face extinction'
Australia's koalas could be wiped out within 30 years unless the government takes urgent action, conservationists warn.

Plant experts unveil DNA barcode
Experts agree on a "DNA barcode" system that gives every plant on Earth a unique genetic fingerprint.

Shark bite prompts surprise birth
A pregnant shark at a New Zealand aquarium was bitten by another shark, unexpectedly releasing four baby sharks as stunned visitors watched.