Hubble makes 3D dark matter map
Astronomers map the cosmic "scaffold" of dark matter upon which stars and galaxies are assembled.

Chick success for Asian vultures
Conservationists celebrate the arrival of the first oriental white-backed vulture chick to be born in captivity in India.

Vast halo extends galaxy's size
The Andromeda galaxy, our largest galactic neighbour, may be five times bigger than previously thought.

UK space enters 'critical period'
The UK space industry says it will lobby hard to get government to release more funds for innovation programmes.

'New stem cell source' discovered
US scientists say they have discovered a source of stem cells which does not involve the use of human embryos.

Hybrid embryo ban threat
UK scientists planning to mix human and animal cells to find disease cures fear authorities will ban their work.

GM betting on a greener future
Why General Motors is showing off its green credentials at this year's Detroit motor show.

Bill Gates hails 'digital decade'
Microsoft boss Bill Gates outlines his vision of the connected future, saying the "digital decade is happening".

'Plutoed' voted US word of year
"Plutoed" - to be demoted as the former planet - is voted word of the year by the American Dialect Society.

The Sky at Night enters 50th year
Sir Patrick Moore has presented the 650th episode of BBC One's astronomy programme The Sky at Night.

Black hole found in ancient lair
Scientists find a black hole in an unusual location - inside a compact group of ancient stars.

Appliance of science into profit
Four years after the death of Dolly the sheep, Scottish biotech firms appreciate that financial knowhow is as key as scientific breakthroughs.

'Proof' of methane lakes on Titan
The Cassini probe spies "definitive" evidence for lakes of liquid methane on Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

Drill ban sought for Alaskan park
Legislation is introduced in the US to try to make a ban on drilling in an oil-rich Alaskan wildlife refuge permanent.

'Dustbin' UK tops landfill table
The UK dumps more household waste into landfill than any other EU state, figures show.

Ryanair hits back in 'green' row
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary hits back at criticism from the UK's climate change minister over carbon emissions.

'No proof' organic food is better
There is no evidence organic food is better than food grown conventionally, minister David Miliband says.

2007 to be 'warmest on record'
The world is likely to experience the warmest year on record in 2007, the UK's Met Office forecasts.