Interviewing underage teenage boys about drinking needed the full approval of local hospital ethical committees overseeing the research at the eight centres in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany.

The death of Lonesome George in June this year was mourned by environmentalists worldwide. The centenarian reptile from the Galapagos was said to be the last Pinta Island tortoise left, and his passing meant the extinction of his subspecies. But now it seems George wasn't as lonely as scientists imagined.

The death of Lonesome George in June this year was mourned by environmentalists worldwide.

Endangered animals in Brazil may be cloned to help ensure their survival, if plans by Brazilian genetic researchers go ahead.

Curing cancer in mice is unlikely to lead to a breakthrough for humans. So why do we persist in carrying out bizarre and freakish experiments?

Indian authorities investigating a rape case say a sprinter who won a women's relay gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games is actually a man.

Researchers have discovered a new gene they say helps to explain how human evolution diverged from the last common ancestor we shared with chimpanzees.

A bug-busting “black box” is being developed that can rapidly identify the source of hospital infections and help staff to stop them spreading.

Is the human species doomed to intellectual decline? Will our intelligence ebb away in centuries to come leaving our descendants incapable of using the technology their ancestors invented? In short: will Homo be left without his sapiens?

Britain needs a radical rethink of its defences against emerging plant diseases brought in from abroad, such as the chalara fungus now threatening ash trees, the Environment Secretary, Owen Patterson, said.

Preventative surgery for women at risk of breast cancer has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years – with experts saying it could cut the risk by up to 90 per cent.

We were part of an international effort to find the breast cancer genes in the 1990s when Myriad saw what we'd done, raised the extra £40m needed to name the gene, and beat us there.

Company 'decided to withhold its trade secrets'

Whoa, ladies! Before you get all indignant about the Peter Rippon's dismissal of the testimony of women, lets consider the issues...