Weevils rarely get to be the heroes of any kind of story. But their PR right now is at an all-time high, thanks to their efforts in gobbling up a killer weed ravaging American waters.  

Now you can score yourself a passport and local currency to go and live on the most rubbish place on earth. (Even Al Gore's got one.)

Ever wondered what the solar system looked like at the precise moment you burst forth into the world? (Possibly not, but in case you had, well – now you can see a snapshot of it. And you can even get it printed on a poster.)

What would make you expose yourself to hoards of mosquitoes, cover yourself in someone else’s sweat, or have a red hot go at a spot of self-catheterisation? 

A hypnotic and other-worldly short film captures a spinning ice circle in a North American river.

We’ve done a lot of research into what it’ll take to live on Mars. But one activity has been frustratingly neglected: human reproduction. Here’s what we know about this surprisingly complex endeavour. 

Trees with ‘crown shyness’ avoid touching each other – and they make some nice-looking patterns in the process.

Forget navigating by the stars: next time you find yourself lost in the bush without a compass, grab yourself a cow. 

From ‘degomble’ to ‘greenout’ and ‘offensive potatoes’, Antarctic lingo really is its own unique ‘fingy’. This list breaks down the continent’s strange terminology.

We interviewed the now outgoing ‘planetary protection officer’ back in autumn. Read our profile of one of the strangest jobs on the planet here.