The Saturn moons Mimas and Pandora remind us of how different they are when they appear together, as in this image taken by Nasa's Cassini spacecraft.

Kiwi scientists have proven there's a reason why some people enjoy the smell of things that others might retch at.

A New Zealand-born archaeologist involved in the discovery of a new species of people, known as "hobbits'', has died.

Researchers in Utah say they have discovered a new type of big-nosed, horned-faced dinosaur that lived about 76 million years ago.

Auckland neuro-scientists have made important discoveries in how Alzheimer's and Parkinson's may affect the brain.

We are not alone. Scientists have discovered a second blue planet in the Universe, although this one is decidedly inhospitable and unlikely to support life.

Act Party leader John Banks will make a rare vote against his coalition partner National this week to maintain his passionate defence of animal rights.

For one of the harshest places on the planet, Antarctica in the winter does have its delights.

Scientist, engineer and Rocketlab founder Peter Beck wants to make reaching space as easy as buying a new car. And with many powerful international backers, he just may achieve his mission, discovers Alan Perrott.

Te Tamaki Paenga Hira (Auckland War Memorial Museum) has visitors journeying into the unknown in a major new marine exhibition, Moana - My Ocean. Scientists from across New Zealand have contributed to the new, free marine exhibition which opened Friday 21 June and will run until 28th October 2013. Spanning everything from rare deep sea marine specimens to massively magnified phytoplankton to a Hauraki Gulf boil-up that brings a mid-ocean feeding frenzy to life with artificial intelligence, the exhibition has been two years in the making.

Judy-Anne Osborn asks "Could a dire new infection sweep the world in a matter of weeks? Might the disease be so strange it alters the behaviour of people beyond recognition, making them predatory and fearless?"

Scientists are trying to solve the mystery cause of persistent high levels of water pollution at some of Auckland's west coast beaches.

Japanese scientists are expecting to be granted approval to grow human organs in animals and then harvest them for transplant within the next year.

The young cyclist pumps her legs upon the pedals of the ergometer, her face turning red and wet within a few short seconds.

The US space agency NASA has come up with a startling image of an eclipse.

The closest most of us will get to Antarctica is nature documentaries like Frozen Planet - but the white continent's relevance to us and our future is far greater than we think.

University of Otago microbiologist Prof Greg Cook and the university's new infectious disease containment laboratory have found themselves in the research front line in the international war against tuberculosis.

A climate change campaigner says he is hopeful that the world can avert a catastrophic global warming scenario.

Nasa's Mars rover Curiosity finally caused some real curiosity last week with a photo of what appeared to be a "rat" on Mars, writes Rhys Darby.

A pathology service has become the first in New Zealand to use a a high-tech barcode tracking system to help eliminate the risk of laboratory botch-ups.

The use of twins to reveal the genetic roots of human attributes has had a mixed history, though the technique offers rich scientific pickings.

Barbara Oliver has had an intriguing relationship with her identical twin sister, Christine, over the decades. Throughout their childhoods they were treated as two versions of the one person: they were dressed the same and given the same hairstyles.

Leading scientists, farmers, politicians, foresters and business people will descend on Parliament today to take part in a climate change conference.

A group that helped sway Hamilton City Council to stop fluoridating its water is now taking aim at Auckland, Wellington and other centres.