Science News from a British perspective

Martian soil sample 'like Hawaii'

The results are in from the Mars rover Curiosity's first taste of Martian soil - and it looks like what geologists see on the Hawaiian islands.

• Mars rover starts 'to eat dirt'
• Mars rover to scoop sand sample
• Gale Crater: Geological 'sweet shop'

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Bananas could be future staple

Plants from the banana family could become a critical food source for millions as a result of global warming, say scientists analyzing world food security. 305

• Fyffes warns of fruit price rise

Earliest fossil flying fish found

New flying fish fossils found in China reveal earliest evidence of over-water gliding in vertebrates. BBC Nature

• Courtship role for dino feathers
• Rare turtle fossil found in landfill