BBC News

BBC News - Science & Environment

Higgs boson breakthrough was UK triumph, but British physics faces 'catastrophic' cuts

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:40:16 GMT

Britain is preparing to cancel its contribution to one of the Large Hadron Collider's next major upgrades.

Elon Musk's stratospheric rise to trillionaire status - in charts

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 23:05:39 GMT

The BBC breaks down how the tech mogul's fortune has grown.

The Interview

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Rebecca Morelle speaks to astronaut Jeremy Hansen ahead of the Artemis II Moon mission.

Are we in for a summer of serial heatwaves?

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 03:16:46 GMT

Forecasters have suggested that summer is likely to be warmer than average with an increased chance of more heatwaves, as Simon King explains.

Environmental plan is largely off track, warns watchdog

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:24:47 GMT

A report says many of the measures are "well within the reach" of government and it was a matter of "moving away from planning into delivery".

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

How do you research the impacts of social media on young people?

First red squirrel kits born at sanctuary

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:37:05 GMT

Sanctuary staff say the litter will help boost population numbers of an endangered British species.

Golden eagle released in conservation project shot with 17 pellets

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:43:59 GMT

Gamekeepers in the Lammermuir Hills spotted the bird with damaged wings around the beginning of June.

From cool-down spots to chalk on windows - how Europe is coping with the heat

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:19:21 GMT

People across the continent are taking measures to cope with the searing temperatures gripping Europe.

Why cheap power could matter more than clean power in the push for net zero

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:20:22 GMT

The question of how important making our electricity clean is to going green is coming under increasing scrutiny

The UK's summers are getting hotter - but how prepared are we?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 23:46:03 GMT

Based on current trends parts of the UK are set to see 40C summers regularly within a couple of decades.

Calls for government action on chemical pollution

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:52:54 GMT

Cherwell District Council leader urges forever chemical pollution action around former RAF base.

From blast off to splashdown: My days following Nasa's historic mission to the Moon

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 23:17:07 GMT

BBC Science Editor Rebecca Morelle reflects on how it felt to watch history being made.

Hundreds of schools plan closures ahead of red heat alerts

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:26:39 GMT

The temperature topped 34.6 C in Wisley, England, on Tuesday while Scotland and Northern Ireland saw their hottest days of the year.

Heat pump growth stalls as government support cut, warns climate watchdog

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:32:02 GMT

The growth in sales has slowed significantly after a critical government grant programme was cut.

Weekly quiz: Where will Prince George be going to school?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 17:24:31 GMT

How much attention did you pay to what happened in the world over the past seven days?

Elon Musk becomes world's first trillionaire as SpaceX soars in stock market debut

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:00:52 GMT

Musk is now worth $1.11tn according to the Bloomberg rich list, while SpaceX listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange with a value of $2.2tn.

Survey finds 'significantly more' ancient woodland

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:17:44 GMT

A wildlife trust says there are 50% more sites in Hertfordshire than previously recorded.

The UK's summers are getting hotter - but how prepared are we?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 23:46:03 GMT

Based on current trends parts of the UK are set to see 40C summers regularly within a couple of decades.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Is it time to start considering solar geoengineering to help us combat extreme heat?

Drowning deaths soar in France as Europe buckles in peak of heatwave

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:27:17 GMT

Forty people have drowned in heatwave-related deaths in France since last Thursday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu says.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

How engineers fulfilled Gaudi’s once impossible vision for the Sagrada Familia.

Europe's deadly heatwave breaks German record and halts public events

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:14:36 GMT

Germany's highest ever temperature of 41.3C is recorded provisionally in Saarbrücken, over the border from France.

In pictures: Britain swelters in record-breaking June heat

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:48:24 GMT

A rare red weather warning is in place as extreme temperatures continue across much of the UK.

The 40 minutes when the Artemis crew loses contact with the Earth

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:02:53 GMT

As the astronauts pass behind the Moon they will experience a moment of silence and solitude as communication with the Earth is blocked.

Environmental plan is largely off track, warns watchdog

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:24:47 GMT

A report says many of the measures are "well within the reach" of government and it was a matter of "moving away from planning into delivery".

Future generations being failed if more trees not planted, experts say

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:07:57 GMT

Statistics show the number of trees being planted is increasing, but conservationists say it is not meeting targets.

Fossil identified as first dinosaur ever found in Antarctica

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:58:10 GMT

Argentinian geologist Eduardo Olivero became the first scientist to find the remains of a dinosaur in Antarctica in 1986.

Hottest June day on record for the UK as temperature reaches 36C

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:23:41 GMT

A rare red warning for extreme heat is in effect as soaring temperatures continue.

The debate about whether the NHS should use magic mushrooms to treat depression

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:47:15 GMT

Many clinical trials to test the use of psychedelic medicines for conditions such as depression have been underway since 2022 - with surprising results

Europe's deadly heatwave breaks German record and halts public events

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:14:36 GMT

Germany's highest ever temperature of 41.3C is recorded provisionally in Saarbrücken, over the border from France.

Drowning deaths soar in France as Europe buckles in peak of heatwave

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:27:17 GMT

Forty people have drowned in heatwave-related deaths in France since last Thursday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu says.

Elon Musk gets public trading of SpaceX under way from Texas

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:56:12 GMT

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said he gave the company "less than a 10% chance of succeeding at all" when it first started, and it is now going public "with the largest IPO ever".

Simpler, older version of Stonehenge found three miles from famous site

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:11:29 GMT

The structure consisted of two posts that lined up with the solstices 5,000 years ago.

Space industry giants visit fabrics factory

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:49:48 GMT

Delegates from Nasa and Space X were among those visiting the firm that makes specialist fabrics.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

What role will humans play in the future of scientific research?

Why this heatwave feels worse than the last one

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:24:39 GMT

A combination of factors is making this heatwave more uncomfortable than some we have had in the past, as Simon King explains.

The science of soulmates: Is there someone out there exactly right for you?

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:01:47 GMT

For many, the idea of soulmates still shapes how love is understood.

Future generations being failed if more trees not planted, experts say

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:07:57 GMT

Statistics show the number of trees being planted is increasing, but conservationists say it is not meeting targets.

Heat pump growth stalls as government support cut, warns climate watchdog

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:32:02 GMT

The growth in sales has slowed significantly after a critical government grant programme was cut.

COP30: Trump and many leaders are skipping it, so does the summit still have a point?

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:09:19 GMT

The US president is notably absent from these UN climate talks, as are other world leaders, all of which prompts questions about the purpose of COP today.

Amber extreme heat warning extended before cooldown ends record-breaking heatwave

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:38:36 GMT

The record-breaking heatwave is set to end with cooler and more unsettled weather by Sunday.