BBC News

BBC News - Science & Environment

'Don't swim' at 12 of 14 river bathing sites, as more locations announced

Fri, 15 May 2026 04:13:45 GMT

Too much bacteria linked to faeces found at almost all England's designated river bathing sites

Citizen scientists needed to protect wildlife

Sun, 24 May 2026 16:42:22 GMT

Data for animals, such as foxes, will be welcomed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Nearly 30 illegal waste 'super sites' revealed in new government watchlist

Fri, 22 May 2026 14:28:43 GMT

The list, published by the Environment Agency on Friday, includes 28 so-called "super sites" that contain more than 20,000 tonnes of waste.

Muck spreading ban to protect rivers doesn't work, new minister says

Fri, 22 May 2026 16:03:18 GMT

The regulations were championed by river campaigners but angered many farmers across Wales.

Musk could become world's first trillionaire

Fri, 22 May 2026 16:00:34 GMT

Elon Musk's SpaceX has revealed its plans to go public in the US, allowing people to trade shares in the firm on the stock market.

Europe's oldest science park could be redeveloped

Tue, 19 May 2026 05:16:57 GMT

Cambridge Science Park submits plans which could create 20,000 jobs and new public spaces.

Rise in solar panel sales as people 'want to save money'

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:18:57 GMT

One director, who has just bought 2,000 panels, hopes to safeguard the company's future bills.

Moment SpaceX rocket explodes in the Indian Ocean after splashdown

Sat, 23 May 2026 03:03:12 GMT

Elon Musk's SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship V3 rocket, which landed in a planned fiery explosion on Friday.

Massive Alaska megatsunami was second largest ever recorded

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:25 GMT

New research suggests glacier melt driven by climate change is increasing the risk of giant waves.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 21 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

El Niño is stirring in the Pacific Ocean and may well be one of the strongest yet.

Artemis II: Nasa targets early April for Moon mission

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:21:11 GMT

Nasa says technical problems that have delayed the rocket are fixed and it is ready for launch.

How to keep cool at your summer festivals

Fri, 22 May 2026 23:40:30 GMT

As the summer festival season kicks off, temperatures are set to soar this bank holiday weekend.

Muck spreading ban to protect rivers doesn't work, new minister says

Fri, 22 May 2026 16:03:18 GMT

The regulations were championed by river campaigners but angered many farmers across Wales.

How to keep cool at your summer festivals

Fri, 22 May 2026 23:40:30 GMT

As the summer festival season kicks off, temperatures are set to soar this bank holiday weekend.

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

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.

UK should set maximum working temperature rules, advisers say

Tue, 19 May 2026 23:40:12 GMT

Successive governments have failed to prepare the UK for extreme heat, the climate watchdog says.

The Interview

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:30:00 GMT

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

White-tailed eagles to be released in Exmoor despite farmer warnings

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:08 GMT

Some farmers fear the reintroduction of the UK's biggest bird of prey will threaten their livestock.

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

How do hurricanes and typhoons form and is climate change making them stronger?

Thu, 21 May 2026 15:28:27 GMT

These powerful tropical storms are generally becoming more intense as the world warms.

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.

New charter gives River Wye the right to be free from pollution

Sun, 24 May 2026 13:33:53 GMT

The Wye has become the first river in the UK to have a charter covering it from source to sea.

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.

What are UV levels and how can you protect yourself?

Wed, 20 May 2026 09:10:35 GMT

How dangerous is UV radiation and how can you protect yourself when levels are high?

The space race to create gym equipment for future astronauts

Fri, 22 May 2026 23:42:07 GMT

Scientists are attempting to build exercise equipment to be used on future space flights.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

We explore the mechanisms causing Europe's warming twice as fast as the global average.

Six ways to keep your home and yourself cool in hot weather

Wed, 20 May 2026 09:23:43 GMT

Six simple things you can do to help keep your house cool when temperatures rise.

Rare species found in Scotland's declining rainforest

Fri, 22 May 2026 05:01:57 GMT

A citizen science project is aiming to document species on the Cowal Peninsula for the first time in 50 years.

How do hurricanes and typhoons form and is climate change making them stronger?

Thu, 21 May 2026 15:28:27 GMT

These powerful tropical storms are generally becoming more intense as the world warms.

Canada's Mark Carney speaks with Artemis II crew on Earth

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:02:45 GMT

The prime minister met Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and other crew members in Ottawa.

First osprey chick of the year hatches

Sat, 23 May 2026 06:23:12 GMT

The chick emerged from its egg in a nest at Poole Harbour on Friday at 15:10 BST.

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.

US firm set to buy satellite station in £37m deal

Fri, 15 May 2026 11:03:06 GMT

A Texas-based company wants to expand its deep space communitcations network.

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 07 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

We explore whether Pluto should regain its title as the solar system’s ninth planet

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 14 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

What do we know about the disease following its outbreak on a cruise ship this month?

First stop, the Moon. Next stop, Mars? Why Nasa's mission matters

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:50:21 GMT

Lunar discoveries and a space race with China is seeing the US invest time and money to get to the Moon - and beyond.

Is it safe to swim at England's bathing sites?

Fri, 15 May 2026 15:41:17 GMT

Signs warning people not to swim are in place at almost all of England's official inland river bathing sites due to concerns the water could be unsafe

Rare coastal grassland restoration completed

Sat, 23 May 2026 15:13:08 GMT

Almost £1m is spent successfully restoring magnesian limestone grasslands in County Durham.

The space race to create gym equipment for future astronauts

Fri, 22 May 2026 23:42:07 GMT

Scientists are attempting to build exercise equipment to be used on future space flights.

Waste carrier licences to be tightened as part of illegal dumping crackdown

Mon, 18 May 2026 01:11:02 GMT

The proposed changes come after a cow named Beau Vine got approved for a waste removal licence.

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.