David Cameron’s age according to a robot after 10 years as Conservative party leader December 6, 2015 It's hard work being a leader. Understandably, anyone put in charge of a country, or a political party's bid to do that, can expect to look a little greyer and a little more grizzled after a few years at the top. From a fresh-faced 39 year-old to a near 50 year old, David Cameron is celebrating [...]
Geminid meteor shower 2015: What causes it, where can I see it and when will it be at its peak? December 4, 2015 This evening, lots of shooting stars will appear in the sky, and will continue lighting it up for a good two weeks. The Geminid meteor shower is due to make its annual appearance over our heads from 4 to 17 December, and this year it promises to be as impressive as ever. At their peak [...]
British astronaut Tim Peake is going to run the 2016 London Marathon in space December 4, 2015 You don't have to actually be in London to run the London Marathon – in 2016, one British astronaut will be doing it from space. Tim Peake, who was is heading up to the International Space Station later this month, will take part in the Virgin Money Marathon using an interactive video app on Sunday 24 [...]
Feeling a bit glum? Maybe it’s because we just had the gloomiest November in 86 years December 4, 2015 November might not have been especially cold, but it was certainly very gloomy. According to the Met Office, we have just emerged from the “dullest” November in since 1929, and the dullest month overall since January 2013. They put this down to a “humid, cloudy south-westerly airflow”, which resulted in very low levels of sunshine, [...]
Nasa and Orbital ATK set to launch a Cyngus rocket to International Space Station today – but will the latest private-sector space mission succeed? December 4, 2015 The latest in a series of private-sector space missions will be launched today, in another effort to restock the International Space Station (ISS). Space technology company Orbital ATK is due to launch a Cyngus rocket packed with supplies from Cape Canaveral in Florida just after 5.30pm UK time. The craft will deliver 3.5kg of food, clothes, [...]
Cancer drug prices vary wildly across Europe, and Britain is paying much less than most of its neighbours December 4, 2015 When it comes to cancer medicines, there are no set price tags – the amount paid varies according to country. But the good news is that in the case of Europe, the UK fares pretty well. By looking at the average prices paid for 31 different cancer medicines across 16 countries in Europe, researchers in Austria [...]
Countdown to Christmas 2015: Six of the most amazing discoveries humans made this year December 4, 2015 This year, humans around the world have made big leaps forward in unravelling the secrets of the universe and answering some of science's most complex questions. From disease prevention to space exploration and artificial intelligence, pretty much every aspect of science has been lifted by an important discovery in 2015. And new findings are constantly coming [...]
The Ofcom 4G spectrum sale has been postponed until 2016 due to Telefonica and Hutchison’s O2 Three merger and BT and EE’s mobile mega deal December 3, 2015 The government's sale of 4G spectrum which is expected to net the Treasury at least £70m has been delayed by the deal between Hutchison and Telefonica to merge mobile its networks O2 and Three. The auction process was due to commence this month, however, it will now go ahead as late as summer next year to wait for an EU decision on [...]
Google makes “biggest-ever” purchase of renewable energy as it buys wind farms and solar projects December 3, 2015 Running a company as big as Google is an energy-intensive business. But now the search giant says it's come a step closer to powering itself entirely with renewables – with the "largest and most diverse purchase of renewable energy ever made by a non-utility company". The search giant said the purchase, of wind farms and solar energy [...]
The European Space Agency has launched the first part of its mission to find gravitational waves in space December 3, 2015 The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched its Lisa Pathfinder Mission, with the hope it could help prove a fundamental aspect of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. At just after 4am UK time, the spacecraft took off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana aboard a Vega rocket, and it is now heading towards the sun. The ESA [...]