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James Lovelock is best known as the father of Gaia theory; the idea that all parts of our planet form a complex interacting system, like a single organism. His new book depicts Gaia in trouble. In this interview Lovelock sounds a final warning for planet earth and enthuses about his upcoming space trip.

Peeling sticky tape emits energy that extends into the X-ray regime, reports a study in Nature. The research provides evidence for a phenomenon that was first observed more than 50 years ago.

It is well known that unwinding sticky tape produces sparks of light that can easily be seen by the naked eye in a dark room. This phenomenon, known as triboluminescence, is produced by the friction generated when two contacting surfaces move relative to each other.

British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough talks to Nature about his obsession with birds of paradise.

David Attenborough: Scientist or Broadcaster?

New interpretations of the Antikythera Mechanism reveal that it could be used to predict eclipses, and that it had a dial recording the dates of the ancient Olympiads. The 2,000-year-old box of intricate gearwork provides a glimpse of the engineering prowess of the Hellenic world. The team discuss their results here.