Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be discovered

Once Art Borkent starts speaking about biting midges, he rarely pauses for breath. Holding up a picture of a gnat trapped in amber from the time of the dinosaurs, the 72-year-old...

The magical art of Olivier Redon

Look at the Coca-Cola can in the main image.

It is not a can, but an optical illusion – a trick of perspective. Can you work out what is going on?

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Look west after sunset this week to see the pair converge in the dusk, closing in on a near-conjunction on 8 March

Look west as the evening twilight gathers this week for a chance to spot the planets Venus and Saturn. The accompanying chart shows the view looking west from London at 18.10 GMT on 2 March.

Venus will be the brighter of the pair, dominating the sky at magnitude –4. Saturn will...

Award-winning science fiction and horror writer died in Colorado on 21 February with family at his side

Dan Simmons, the author of more than 30 novels and short story collections spanning horror, political thrillers and science fiction such as Hyperion and The Terror, has died at age 77.

Simmons died in Longmont, Colorado on 21 February, with his wife and daughter at his side, his obituary...

Eclipse will feature a deep, coppery-red full moon on 3 March, with scientists predicting the best times to see it

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North America, Australia and New Zealand will be treated to a rare total lunar eclipse on Tuesday known as a “blood moon”.

As the full moon dips into the planet’s...

Discussions over what measures to implement to protect children’s wellbeing will last for three months.

Regulator says Prof Jacob George will no longer be involved after gender-criticial social media posts from last year

A health official who reportedly intervened to pause a clinical trial on the use of puberty blockers has been removed from any further involvement due to accusations of bias.

Prof Jacob George, who was appointed chief medical and scientific officer at the Medicines and Healthcare...

When I found out my father had been adopted, I was curious to know more about his side of the family. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would discover …

Above my grandma’s bed hung a framed black‑and-white photograph of my dad. As a small child I quietly admired it; his luminous eyes, dark hair and gentle smile. He embodied a tender yet spirited early adulthood, staring into the...

Researchers are recreating ancient odours for museumgoers as interest in the archaeology of smell grows

From the interior of Queen Elizabeth II’s car to the scent of ancient Egyptian funerary practices, museumgoers are getting a whiff of the past like never before.

Experts say the approach is more than a pungent stunt: it’s part of a broader effort to try to reconstruct the sensory worlds of...

Understanding biodiversity within species is key to our understanding of why nature works the way it does, say researchers

Words and photographs by Roberto García-Roa

Twelve miles from the heart of Rome, Dr Javier Ábalos pauses his walk, lifts his sunglasses and points. To his right, perched on a rocky wall, sits a beautiful lizard. Its body is coated in charcoal-black tones speckled with...

Early trials of the drug VIR-5500 showed it shrinking tumours in some patients

A new drug for advanced prostate cancer has shown promise in early trials experts have said, with the medication shrinking tumours in some patients.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in many countries, including the US and UK. About 1.5 million men are diagnosed worldwide each year.

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Director Koshi Nakanishi says balancing action and horror within the game has been a huge challenge.