LARES 'mirror ball' sat will test Einstein's theory
A small satellite that will measure whether Earth drags space-time as it spins will launch from Kourou, French Guiana, on a new European Space Agency rocket on 9 February
Nine lost treasures – and why science wants them back
From moon rocks to a sea monster's skin, some of science's most prized finds are lost – and with them, secrets of life on Earth and where humans came from
Strips of land linking wildlife reserves are one of the most widely used tools in conservation. Shame nobody checked that they work, says Fred Pearce (full text available to subscribers)
Private spacecraft move forward as Soyuz struggles
All eyes are on private rocketeers after the latest problem with Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which is now the only means of sending crews to the International Space Station