BBC Science/Nature News
Smallest planet shrinks in size - The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft show.
Sulston argues for open medicine - Nobel Laureate Sir John Sulston says medical profits are taking precedence over the needs of patients.
Badger cull proposals 'rejected' - The government has decided against a cull of badgers in England to control TB in cattle, the BBC understands.
Italy declares Pompeii emergency - Italian ministers declare a "state of emergency" at the ancient ruined city of Pompeii as it sinks deeper into disrepair.
Physics names winners and losers - 2bn in the next three years, but some programmes face cuts.
Stolen fossils back in Argentina - Four tonnes of dinosaur bones and other fossils stolen from Argentina are back home after being seized in the US.
Australia 'needs carbon trading' - An Australian government advisor on climate change calls for a national emissions trading scheme to combat global warming.
Diamonds hint at 'earliest life' - Tiny slivers of diamond may contain the earliest traces of life on Earth, a study finds.
Extinction risk 'underestimated' - Current methods used to assess species on the brink overlook some key factors, a team of scientists claim.
US 'pregnant man' gives birth to baby girl - An American man who was born female but underwent gender reassignment gives birth, US media report.
Feeling the heat - centuries of knowledge of surviving in world's drylands at risk - Centuries of knowledge needed to survive in the world's drylands are being sacrificed in the name of progress.
Mechanics of curbing climate change - Despite recent criticisms, the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism is delivering the goods.
Climate regrets - Japan rues being bundled into a Kyoto deal
Machine music - Punk-loving robots pogo in the name of science
Ocean robbery - Illegal fishing is a blight on nature and the poor
Phoenix diary - Did 1970s mission find life on Mars, or was it a mirage?
Green response - Writers' thoughts on your comments in our Green Room
Fire in the sky - What does Siberian blast tell us about asteroid threat?
Cold sore virus secret revealed - The secret of how the cold sore virus persists for a lifetime in the body may have been cracked by US scientists.
Doubt over date for Brit invasion - Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain in 55BC could not have occurred on the date stated in many history books, astronomers claim.
Violin secrets lie in the wood - The unique sounds of a Stradivarius violin may come down to the density of the wood it is made from.
Mother's junk food 'harms child' - Eating a poor diet when pregnant or breastfeeding may cause long-lasting health damage to the child, animal studies suggest.
France plans revolution in space - As it takes over the EU's rotating presidency, France says it wants to give European space policy a new political direction.
Africa moves to stop fish theft - African governments meet to stop illegal and unregulated fishing that costs the continent $1bn a year.
Climate concerns halt coal plant - The US state of Georgia blocks construction of a new coal power plant based on concerns over carbon emissions.
Anger at Kenya biofuel approval - Environmentalists ask Kenya to revoke a decision to allow a biofuel project to go ahead in coastal wetlands.
Report finds golden eagle decline - The use of illegal poisons is identified as one of the main reasons behind a fall in eagle numbers.
Turtles return home after UK stay - Two loggerhead turtles are flown to Gran Canaria and returned to the wild after washing up on UK shores.