Universities are encouraged to develop commercial uses for the so-called miracle material graphene, with an government investment fund of £21.5m.

One of the world's largest offshore wind farms off the east Kent coast is on target to become fully operational in the spring.

Nicaraguan authorities order the evacuation of several hundred people as the San Cristobal volcano starts spewing out hot gases and ash.

Scientists say they have found a way to distinguish different types of dementia without the need for invasive tests.

A UK project to drill through 3km of ice to reach a lake sequestered for thousands of years has been called off following problems with borehole drilling.

A huge colony of an elusive and brightly coloured shellfish species is discovered in coastal waters in the west of Scotland.

China allows commercial services in Asia to start using satellite-based location service Beidou - a rival to the US' GPS system.

A unique breed of wild cattle in Northumberland has a knack of surviving - and has done for hundreds of years.