It’s predicted that by 2030, over 125 million electric vehicles will be owned by people worldwide. But where’s the lithium that powers their batteries coming from? Most of the world’s stocks of this lightest of metals are found in brine deep beneath salt flats, high in the Andes. In Argentina, in Jujuy – the province

Next year, Nasa will send a mission to Mars. The woman in charge of making the helicopter that will be sent there – which is set to become the first aircraft to fly on another planet – is MiMi Aung. At 16, MiMi travelled alone from Myanmar to the US for access to education. She

The European spacecraft that aims to take the closest ever pictures of the Sun is built and ready for launch. The Solar Orbiter, or SolO, probe will put itself inside the orbit of Planet Mercury to train its telescopes on the surface of our star. Other instruments will sense the constant outflow of particles and

Media playback is unsupported on your device Nasa astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir have made history by completing the first ever all-female spacewalk. They spent seven hours outside the International Space Station (ISS) replacing a failed power control unit. Ms Koch had already carried out four spacewalks but it was the first such mission

Media playback is unsupported on your device Scientists developing techniques to count great whales from space say the largest ever recorded mass stranding event was probably underestimated. The carcasses of 343 sei whales were spotted on remote beaches in Patagonia, Chile, in 2015 – but this survey work was conducted from planes and boats, and

The prime minister is to chair a new cabinet committee on climate change to drive action to cut emissions across the government. It follows long-standing criticism that some departments – especially transport – have failed to play their part in combating global heating. This sort of top-level co-ordination is what green groups have been urging,

The plastic carrier bag has become something of a symbol for the problems caused by plastic pollution. But according to the family of the man who created it, Sten Gustaf Thulin, his design was supposed to help the planet and he’d be shocked and upset to see what it’s become. The Thulin family make no

In our oceans the scale of disasters is measured in millions, billions, and trillions, while solutions amount to single digits: individuals or institutions working to impact a chosen issue with approaches often both brilliant and quixotic. Putting such individuals in close contact with both whales and billionaires is the strange alchemy being attempted by the

New research shows that human “mini-brains” develop more slowly than those of other primates. “Mini-brains” are miniature collections of cells that allow scientists to study how the brain develops. A Swiss team has grown artificial human, chimp and macaque versions in their lab from stem cells. In a study published in Nature journal, the team

The first figures have emerged demonstrating that Brexit uncertainty has adversely affected UK research. They show Britain’s annual share of EU research funding has fallen by nearly a third since 2015. The analysis by the Royal Society suggests scientists are choosing not to work in Britain, with a 35% drop in those coming to the

Extinction Rebellion activists are continuing protests despite a London-wide ban by police. The group says it will challenge the ban, saying it believes it is unlawful. Lawyers and politicians have also criticised the move. Meanwhile climate change protesters targeted the Department for Transport and MI5 on Tuesday morning. A government spokeswoman said protests “should not

Media playback is unsupported on your device Boris Johnson’s government has set out “ambitious” policies on crime, health, the environment and Brexit in a Queen’s Speech that opposition parties have dismissed as an “election manifesto”. Plans for tougher sentences for violent offenders and legal targets for cutting plastic pollution are among 26 bills set out

Microplastics are found everywhere on Earth, yet we know surprisingly little about what risks they pose to living things. Scientists are now racing to investigate some of the big unanswered questions. Daniella Hodgson is digging a hole in the sand on a windswept beach as seabirds wheel overhead. “Found one,” she cries, flinging down her

The UK government must tell the public small, easy changes will not be enough to tackle climate change, warn experts. Researchers from Imperial College London say we must eat less meat and dairy, swap cars for bikes, take fewer flights, and ditch gas boilers at home. The report, seen by BBC Panorama, has been prepared

Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who became the first person in history to spacewalk in 1965, has died aged 85. Tethered to a spaceship by a 4.8m (16ft) cable, the Russian floated above Earth for 12 minutes. “You just can’t comprehend it. Only out there can you feel the greatness – the huge size of all

A grey seal rescued on the North Sea coast has become the 50th to be treated by a wildlife centre for injuries caused by discarded man-made rubbish. The animal, a male named Scylla, was found with an infected wound caused by a fishing net embedded around his neck. The RSPCA centre in Norfolk said 2019

Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for “his efforts to achieve international peace and co-operation”. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize is the 100th to be awarded, but why is it so prestigious and who are some of the previous winners? Who are some of the famous past winners? Former

A Paralympic medallist climbed on top of a British Airways plane at London City Airport as part of ongoing protests by Extinction Rebellion. James Brown, who is visually impaired, filmed himself clinging to the fuselage as he streamed a live message online. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick described the action as “reckless, stupid and

A power company is cutting electricity to around 800,000 homes, businesses and other locations in Northern California, in an attempt to prevent wildfires. Large swathes of the San Francisco Bay Area – though not the city itself – have lost power, angering residents. The region’s utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), has warned the

Three scientists have been awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries. John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino share the prize for their work on these rechargeable devices, which are used for portable electronics. At the age of 97, Prof Goodenough is the oldest ever Nobel laureate.