SCIENCE

Robots could soon assume the role of miners but they will not be harvesting minerals from the depths of the earth, instead they will be transported into space, where they will be deployed to explore the hundreds of asteroids that regularly pass near our planet.

Flag carrier Qantas is on an apparent collision course with the New South Wales (NSW) government insofar as the construction of a second Sydney airport is concerned.

Actor Mickey Rourke is well known for his love of dogs. He was reportedly heartbroken over the loss of Loki, his Chihuahua, three years ago.

Attention Earth Day shoppers: The most highly anticipated, wildly expensive energy-saving light bulb out there, the L Prize-winning winning 60-watt equivalent LED from Philips, will hit store shelves this Sunday.

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists examines an electric vehicle’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia's carbon dioxide emissions went up in 2011 due to more vehicle use and gases that leaked from coalmines. It resulted in the release of 546 million tonnes of more C02 from those two sources. The data came from Australia's report of the National Greenhouse Accounts to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

To address the high cost of aviation fuel, flag carrier Qantas is experimenting with the use of refined cooking oil to power its jets.

A Qantas flight between Sydney and Adelaide today is using a 50-50 mix of conventional fuel and refined cooking oil. The biofuel costs far more than conventional fuel, partly due to its importation from the United States.

Plans for conserving Australian species rely on successfully collaborating across regions and across jurisdictions. It makes sense: species don't recognise state or local government boundaries. But at the same time, funding for conservation is premised on competing, not cooperating. How can these collaborative approaches succeed without secure and stable financial support?

Men are more inclined than women to spend 30 minutes in exercise daily, MyHealthNewsDaily reports. Women spent an average of 18 minutes a day for moderate-to-vigorous exercise, while men spent 30 minutes a day for moderate-to-vigorous exercise, a new U.S. study shows.

Everyday laundry and cleaning tasks are some of the worst offenders when it comes to 'greening' your home. We all know what the main culprits are, but there are plenty of little things you can do to make a difference and save money too...

In response to complaints from businesses that their cost of compliance with environmental laws is going up, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard ordered on Thursday the streamlining of state and federal laws.

Less than three months before the Gillard government starts to collect the carbon tax on July 1, the measure continues to generate criticism from various sectors of Australian society. A tax expert questioned the carbon tax's constitutionality on Tuesday and charities warned on Wednesday of its impact on the services it provides poor people.

Scientists are hatching a plan to turn discarded eggshells into eco-friendly bioplastics, with potential uses ranging from medicine to food packaging.

Watch in awe as the world's eddying ocean currents swirl in Van Gogh-esque grandeur.

Anti-environmental behavior reaches a tipping point of public disapproval, signaling that the sustainability message has permeated the masses.

A group of teens and young adults are suing the U.S. government, pushing it to protect the atmosphere as a 'public trust' asset. But first, a judge must decide whether to let an industrial trade association join the feds' defense.

Can plants talk? A new research found that plants “make clicking noises to communicate” with other plants, aside from reacting to sounds.

A new study says drinking soft drinks or “fizzy drinks” increases the chance of heart disease and high blood pressure among children later in their life.

Four former executives at Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drug company. -- Henry McKinnell, John LaMattina, Karen Katen, Joseph Feczko -- as well as Gail Cawkwell, Pfizer's current Vice President of Medical Affairs, will all face trial for allegedly concealing the unfavorable results of drug trials involving Celebrex and Bextra.

The vulnerability of Pacific Island countries to climate change has been the subject of significant media coverage, including Kiribati's recent request that its people be moved to Fiji to avoid rising seas.

Low oxygen (hypoxia) predicts prostate cancer recurrence after radiotherapy. -Measuring prostate cancer hypoxia could help identify the best treatment for patients. -New treatments that target prostate cancer hypoxia could improve patient outcome.

Earth-hour was celebrated on the 31st of March. Millions of people turned off their lights across the globe.

New documentary to focus on the unsustainable demands on the Colorado River system.

Earlier this week, the 53rd of Japan's 54 nuclear reactors was shutdown for regular inspection, leaving just one reactor operating in the country.

High-gain nuclear fusion could soon be a possibility according to new computer simulations.

Xstrata won its legal battle against environmentalists and farmers to operate the open cut mine in Surat Basin in southern Queensland. The legal victory for Xstrata came after a court ruled that environment change is not sufficient reason to stop the development of one of the biggest coal mines in Australia.

Those who get less than six hours of sleep or longer than eight hours are more prone to suffering heart problems than those who get six to eight hours of sleep every night, according to a study.

International carbon markets are on the nose in some quarters. From some on the left they are seen as a cheap way to absolve polluters' sins without having a real impact on reducing emissions.