Scientists have found a long-awaited explanation as to why humans have for centuries maintained orderly societies: the fear of an angry god.

Does learning to walk and talk early signal academic excellence in adulthood?

Heart disease kills more people in New Zealand than in most other OECD countries, according to a recent international OECD health report.

Queen Elizabeth has it. So does fashion designer Victoria Beckham. And actress Kristen Stewart - poor thing, she's practically the poster girl.

How good's your eyesight? This optical illusion could reveal if you need glasses.

Microbiologist Adam Roberts went digging through men's beards in search of poop.

The moon can influence the rainfall on Earth, scientists have found.

A British astronaut has tweeted epic photos of New Zealand from space on his Twitter account.

British scientists have received official permission to genetically modify human embryos.

Morning grumpiness has long been attributed to a lack of coffee, but new research has cast doubt on whether a caffeine fix can lighten your mood.

By encouraging the belief that personality can change and develop over time, we may be able to help people exorcise the ghosts of their romantic pasts.

Some wrong ideas are innocuous, but others can do the world serious harm.

It's probably not the news a wife or partner wants to hear, but science reveals why male bonding is good for men's health.

Physicist Andreas Wahl set out to show bullets travel at a much slower speed underwater by allowing a submerged gun to be fired directly at him.

Physicist Andreas Wahl stood in front of a gun at point blank range to show what happens to bullet velocity under water.

Humans aren't going to last forever, no species ever has. It's hard for me to believe there's anything afterwards.

The Cavendish banana is facing extinction from a deadly fungus and may have to be genetically engineered into a new variant, experts say.

Scientists analyzing dinosaur fossils believe they've figured out why some had cumbersome horns and frills: to attract mates.

Kiwi scientists are sampling Sub-Antarctic trees to better understand the mysterious Antarctic Convergence.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly uses hydrophobic paddles to move a ball of water on the International Space Station.

Inside the rear cargo bay at Scott Base's Hillary Field Centre, it sounds - and feels - like an anti-aircraft gun is letting loose just a few metres away.

For the first time in more than 10 years it is possible to see all five "bright" planets together in the sky.

Controls are now in place to restrict the movement of some fruit and vegetables outside of a defined circular area.

Are we willing to accept such compromises when watching science fiction? I guess it depends on how captivating the movie is and how pedantic we are.

Could more science be slipped into science fiction, including the Star Wars movies, without spoiling the fun? Michael Brown investigates.

A study on mice has revealed the class A drug can trigger out of control "autography", a process which causes cells to digest themselves.

Near the margin where Pram Point drops on to the McMurdo ice shelf stands a small shack, set against a dramatic and ever-changing Antarctic backdrop.