1976, young microbiologist Peter Piot was sent to investigate an outbreak of a mysterious virus in a remote part of Congo, he could never have predicted how it would change his life.

Tom Chivers During a conversation with a doctor a couple of years ago, the subject of cancer diagnoses came up, in a tangential way.

A newly discovered beetle has been named after television naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

For many people, getting older brings a catalogue of vision problems that make everyday tasks such as reading and driving a challenge.

You can take a role in testing the effect of warming skin on memory. Or you can involve yourself in a bid to land a spaceship on the Moon....

A world-class surfing spot and one of Northland's most picturesque strands of coastline are among more than 40 swimming beaches hit with a "caution" label for water quality.

The Rosetta mission, which has for the first time put a spacecraft in orbit around a comet and landed a robotic probe on its surface...

The Year 2038 problem could cause a large number of the world's computers to stop working at 3.14am on Tuesday January 18, 2038.

China's government is said to be lifting a ban on imports of a genetically-modified corn variety that's commonly grown in the US.

French gourmets have traditionally shunned hot, spicy food - so they may be a little piqued by a study indicating that curry-loving men have higher testosterone.

Kiwis will have a chance to see one of the most world's spectacular meteor showers with the naked eye in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

The US Navy is working on a robotic fish that will be able to swim undetected into hostile waters and send back information on opponents' ships.

Exclusive: Some 268,000 tonnes of plastic are floating in the world's oceans. Here, we look at where it's to be found. Each dot on the map represents 20kg of plastic.

Perth beachgoers are being urged to take extra care after a spate of shark sightings.

A British medical laboratory scientist who worked illegally in New Zealand for five years has been censured and deregistered.

A shark attack expert says Western Australia's policy is like the Hollywood blockbuster movie 'Jaws'.

A proposed mission to the moon led by British scientists could pave the way for the construction of a lunar observatory.

It took months of planning, a nine-hour surgery and a team of 35 clinicians. But by the end, they had completed a ground-breaking double arm transplant on a quadruple amputee.

This year is set to be the hottest on record globally, with climate scientists pointing to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide as the most likely cause.

Kiwi scientists have attracted global attention for shedding new light on how our cells switch their genes on and off - an important step to understanding disease.

Scientists studying the DNA of Richard III, whose body was found buried beneath a Leicester car park, have revealed that there was marital infidelity among his descendants.

A new way of treating incurable illnesses such as cancer and Ebola could be possible after a scientific breakthrough that also sheds light on the origin of life.

A researcher's tireless efforts to ensure every Kiwi can have a safe, warm and dry home has been rewarded with the country's largest prize for science.

A giant ancient penguin far taller than any species alive today has been described for the first time after its fossil remains sat for decades inside an Auckland storage shed.