The new Chang'e 4 space mission will launch in June, when a Long March 4C rocket (left) will carry a 425kg relay satellite and place it 60,000km behind the moon. A second launch later in the year will send a lander and rover (previous Chinese rover, top right) to the far side of the moon, which will be guided to a safe landing by the satellite. The rover will also contain a 'gardening kit' to pave the way for a human outpost by examining how plants grow on the lunar surface. It will be the first ever landing on the lunar far side, an unexplored region of the Moon called South Pole-Aitken Basin, a vast basin in the southern hemisphere of the far side which extends from the South Pole to Aitken crater (pictured).
F-35 could finally see combat as Marines reveals plan for 2018 'baptism of fire' mission
The much delayed F-35 could finally be put into combat for the first time in 2018, it has been revealed. The F35-B, which can take off and land vertically on an amphibious assault ship, is expected to deploy with two Marine expeditionary units to the Pacific and Central Command theaters in the spring and summer, officials said. It comes ten years after the much delayed and overbudget plane took its first flight.
Great balls of ice! Unusual frozen spheres spotted on the shores of Lake Michigan as temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast plummet
The bizarre phenomenon of floating ice balls has once again appeared in Lake Michigan amid frigid weather this holiday season. Video uploaded to Newsflare shows the balls floating off the lake's shores at the pier of St Joseph Lighthouse in St Joseph, Michigan. The filmer writes: 'Unique ice balls forming along the shore of Lake Michigan. The balls form when chunks break off massive ice sheets on the lake in winter.
How light pollution REALLY affects your view of the night sky: Stunning short film reveals dramatic differences across the United States
It might be easy to forget the brilliance of the night sky when brightly lit skylines and cities that ‘never sleep’ have become the norm for so many. But, a stunning new short film now stands as a stark reminder. ' Lost in Light II - a short film on Light Pollution ,' from filmmaker and night sky photographer Sriram Murali, pans across several ‘levels’ of light pollution, from San Francisco (level 8) to Goblin Valley State Park, Utah (level 1).
- China set for groundbreaking 2018 mission to the far side of the moon - and will try to grow plants and insects on the lunar surface
- F-35 could finally see combat as Marines reveals plan for 2018 'baptism of fire' mission
- Egyptian mummy can 'live forever' after researchers use hi-tech scan to read secret writing and reveal his name
- There really ARE plenty more fish in the sea! It's the busiest day EVER for dating sites with millions expected to sign up for love (with swiping expected to peak at 11pm)
- Fire, hurricanes and quakes: How North America was hit with record numbers of natural disasters in 2017
- The ultimate guide to self-control: Behavior expert explains how to make your resolutions last past February 1
- Samsung hit by ANOTHER battery crisis as Galaxy Note 8 users say they are unable to switch their phone back on after letting the battery run down
- The ultimate TV? LG reveals record breaking 88inch OLED TV that can show 8K pictures (but good luck finding anything to watch on it)
- A quarter of the world could become a DESERT if global warming increases by just 2ºC
- WhatsApp stops working on these phones TODAY: App no longer operates on Blackberry handsets and Windows Phone 8.0 or older
- Great balls of ice! Unusual frozen spheres spotted on the shores of Lake Michigan as temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast plummet
- Forget weight loss - embrace your inner child this year: Psychologist explains why 'kidulting' is better for you than a detox or gym membership
- The Gremlins are coming! US military to test 'flying aircraft carriers' that can launch swarms of tiny killer drones in 2019
- Israeli archaeologists discover 2,700-year-old clay seal that once belonged to a biblical governor of Jerusalem
- Jurassic BARK! Scientists believe a giant ‘scaly dog’ roamed the Isle of Sky in prehistoric times after discovering rare 170million-year-old jawbone
- Calls for more US students to be taught how to spot 'fake news' online
- Are these photos REALLY proof that polar bears are being killed by climate change? Doubts raised over claims after it emerges that no post mortem was carried out
- A quarter of the world could become a DESERT if global warming increases by just 2ºC
- WhatsApp stops working on these phones TODAY: App no longer operates on Blackberry handsets and Windows Phone 8.0 or older
- China set for groundbreaking 2018 mission to the far side of the moon - and will try to grow plants and insects on the lunar surface
- Middle-aged VIRGIN men have HALF the risk of catching prostate cancer compared to sexually-active males, study suggests
- F-35 could finally see combat as Marines reveals plan for 2018 'baptism of fire' mission
- Jurassic BARK! Scientists believe a giant ‘scaly dog’ roamed the Isle of Sky in prehistoric times after discovering rare 170million-year-old jawbone
- The Gremlins are coming! US military to test 'flying aircraft carriers' that can launch swarms of tiny killer drones in 2019
- Samsung hit by ANOTHER battery crisis as Galaxy Note 8 users say they are unable to switch their phone back on after letting the battery run down
- The ultimate TV? LG reveals record breaking 88inch OLED TV that can show 8K pictures (but good luck finding anything to watch on it)
- MOST READ IN DETAIL
GADGET REVIEWS
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Prosthesis explained: A look at the racing anti-robot at CES
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Would you ride this? 'Jyro' is a one-wheeled electric rideable
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Icaros the virtual reality fitness & gaming machine at CES 2017
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LG shows off their next generation robots at CES 2017
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Kérastase and Withings unveil the world's first smart hairbrush
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Cringeworthy moment driverless demo goes wrong during reveal
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Latest gadgets on display at Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas
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LG reveals their ultrathin 'wallpaper' TV at CES 2017
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Daily Mail tries out portable, immersive Royole headset
Former Nasa scientist wants to create a new breed of SUPERHUMANS by 'helping people genetically modify themselves' using DNA injections (and he's even tried them on himself)
California-based Dr Josiah Zayner, 36, made headlines last month when he became the first person known to have edited his own DNA (artist's impression top left). The biochemist attempted to give himself super strength by removing a protein that inhibits muscle growth in his left arm, via an injection of DIY gene therapy. Now Dr Zayner (main image) has said we are 'slaves to the genomes we have', claiming humanity will develop into a new species thanks to widespread genetic engineering.
Why the Romans are to blame for our cheeky humour: Incredible 4th Century Tanatalus bowl that soaked unsuspecting drinkers in wine could be the world's first practical joke
The Tanatalus bowl (main image and inset), found in Vinkovci, eastern Croatia, soaked unsuspecting dinner party guests (top left, stock) in wine could have been the earliest prankster device. The find, which is the first known example of a 'greedy cup', could even have been enjoyed by Roman emperors. From the outside, this silver vessel appears to be a normal drinking mug. However, the sculpture leads onto a pipe that causes the liquid to drain from the bottom when the bowl is filled to a certain height (bottom left).
First glimpse of Falcon Heavy: SpaceX raises Elon Musk's 'megarocket' on Cape Canaveral launchpad
The Falcon Heavy is expected to blast off early next year on an unmanned mission with a unique payload - Elon Musk's cherry red Tesla roadster car. Now SpaceX has raised the rocket for the first time on the same pad as the Saturn V Apollo 11 moon rocket. f all goes according to plane, the Falcon Heavy will lifting off and enter orbit before two of its booster rockets separate off and return to Earth at Cape Canaveral in controlled landings. The centre core of the rocket will separate from the main module, containing Musk's car, and then begin its own controlled descent back to Earth, landing on a drone ship.
The broken berg: Stunning NASA image captures newly created iceberg cracking into 20 pieces
In September 2017, a new iceberg calved from Pine Island Glacier, one of the main outlets where the West Antarctic Ice Sheet flows into the ocean. However, just weeks later B-44 shattered into more than 20 fragments. NASA says an area of relatively warm water, known as a polyna, has kept the water ice free between the iceberg chunks and the glacier front. The polynya’s warm water could have caused the rapid breakup of B-44, it is believed.
Real-life Transformers: £50,000 folding electric car modelled on shape-shifting robots is developed in Japan
Called 'Earth-1', the folding car (pictured) was developed by Tokyo-based firm Four Link Systems and was designed after the shape-shifting robots that feature in the popular anime series 'Mobile Suit Gundam'. The £52,000 ($70,000) concept vehicle is expected to gain approval to run on public roads soon, opening the way to public sales.
Intersex shark, the first of its kind in the world, is discovered by stunned fisherman off the coast of Taiwan
The intersex Pacific spadenose shark was caught in a fishing trawl in the southern Taiwan Strait, and landed at Xiamen, China, earlier this year. Measuring just 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) long and weighing 0.4 kg (0.79 lbs), the predator is one of only a handful of intersex sharks ever found, and the first of its species. At first it appeared to be a fully grown male, with a developed pair of penis-like appendages called claspers (file photo in inset) that extend from the pelvic fin. But a study of the animal's interns found it had a complete pair of ovotestes - gonads that contain both ovarian and testicular tissue. The Pacific spadenose shark is a close relative of the Silvertip (file photo).
The ultimate bird's eye view: Camera mounted on the back of an eagle gives incredible perspective as it soars some 12,000ft above the Swiss Alps
This is the spectacular first-person view of an eagle soaring above the Aiguille du Midi, one of the Mont Blanc mountains in the Swiss Alps. The two-minute clip shows exactly what the bird sees as it flies some 12,000 feet high. Published on YouTube in 2014 by web channel FREEDOM, the clip forms part of a selection of footage taken with cameras attached to eagles' backs. The viral video has been viewed more than 600,000 times.
Creepy 4,500-year-old doll with almond-shaped eyes and bushy eyebrows is unearthed in a Bronze Age child's grave
A prehistoric doll (left image) with almond-shaped eyes made of soapstone - comprising mainly talc and designed for a Bronze Age child - has been unearthed in Siberia. Another plaything, a mythical dragon-like animal head (bottom right image), made from antler or horn, was found in the same grave of a small child in Siberia's remote Khakassia region. The finds have been added to what has been described as 'the oldest toy collection in the world' following a series of 4,500-year-old discoveries in the area. The collection features a group of ghoulish figurines (one of eight pictured top right) discovered with a baby's remains in a birch-bark cradle two years ago, which have been hailed as the oldest rattles ever found.
The 'headless chicken monster' of the Gulf of Mexico revealed: NOAA dive captures footage of bizarre deep sea creatures
A remotely operated vehicle exploring the region has captured a look at a bizarre sea cucumber as it fed on the seafloor, known as the ‘headless chicken monster.’ The so-called headless chicken monster (left), a sea cucumber called Enypniastes eximia, was spotted during Dive 11 of the NOAA Okeanos mission in the Gulf of Mexico. Before wrapping up the expedition for the year, the team also captured footage of a metallic-looking squid (top right), and a colony of pink ‘ice worms’ (bottom right).
So that's what it was! Incredible time-lapse footage shows Elon Musk's Space X rocket blasting off for the last time this year after causing 911 calls and a Twitter frenzy because it was thought to be an ALIEN UFO
A photographer from Arizona captured an incredible 40-second time-lapse video of the latest SpaceX launch last week from central California. With nearly 2,500 original images the video is made up of 1,315 images taken by Jesse Watson. The strange sight caused a stir amongst the residents of Southern California with a number of calls to 911 and a twitter frenzy erupting. Elon Musk fuelled speculation with a mischievous tweet referring to it as a 'nuclear alien UFO from North Korea'.
From snow leopard cubs to miniature penguins: Bronx Zoo reveals its new arrivals in 2017
Ranging from a rare gelada (top right), the only one bred in a US zoo, to a colony of little penguins (bottom left) and a snow leopard, the The animals are not only attracting big audiences, but also helping safeguard their species future, the wildlife conservation society, which runs the zoo, says. The WCS operates five wildlife parks in New York City and works in nearly 60 countries and across the world's ocean saving wildlife and wild places.
The birth of our solar system: Hypnotic animation reveals how a stellar nursery could have formed in the 'wind bubble' of a massive dead star
Our solar system may have been born in a massive bubble around an ancient dead star, according to a new theory. Scientists say stellar wind from a giant type of star known as a Wolf-Rayet could have created a bubble with a dense shell, where dust and gas became trapped before condensing into stars. Supernovae of these stars, which burn the hottest of all stars, are known to produce certain materials that were abundant in the early solar system.
The horrifying alien creatures of the deep: Russian fisherman reveals his latest strange catches, including a bearded seadevil and fish with 'human teeth'
The Murmansk-based fisherman Roman Fedortsov has revealed a trove of terrifying catches, from eight-legged arthropods to fish with dagger-like teeth. These creepy images could make you think twice before dipping your toes at the beach again. These incredible creatures live in the 'twilight zone' of the ocean. This is the area between 660 to 3,300 feet (200 to 1,000 metres) below the surface which is known as the Mesopelagic zone. Some of these strange fish baffled even Mr Fedortsov. Pictured clockwise from top left; unidentified fish; an Angler fish; unidentified fish; unidentified fish; bearded sea devil and a frilled shark.
The giggling gorilla! Adorable moment orphaned ape laughs as she's tickled by one of her rescuers
This is the moment an orphaned baby gorilla rescued from cruel animal traffickers starts giggling uncontrollably while being tickled. Lulingu, whose parents were killed when she was just eight months old, can be seen laughing while playing with one of her rescuers at a sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The tiny ape rolls around in excitement and can be heard grunting as the carer tickles her under the armpits.
Can YOU tell what's real? Amazing video reveals a mind-bending optical illusion that makes flat objects look 3D
Not everything on this table is real, and what you’re actually seeing is a simple ‘anamorphic’ illusion created by Sage Hansen from Texas. The moment you move, the image becomes distorted and the viewer can see it is an illusion. Leonardo da Vinci was the the earliest known modern artist to use anamorphosis in 1485.
World's largest plane with a wingspan longer than a FOOTBALL FIELD taxis down the runway for the first time ahead of its 2019 test flight
Stratolaunch used the aircraft’s six Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines (bottom) to conduct a low speed taxi test (top right) at the company’s facility at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Stratolaunch successfully travelled down the runway at 25 knots (28 miles per hour/45km/h). Once low-speed taxi tests have been safely completed, the company will begin the next phase of taxi testing, which will include increased speeds. Once testing has been completed, the aircraft (top left) will be used to launch satellites and other objects into space. This could include a Dream Chaser spaceship, which could act as a mini-shuttle to reach low Earth orbit destinations and return astronauts or payloads to a runway within 24 hours.
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British photographers Fiona Rogers and Anup Shah captured apes in Indonesia and Borneo - and highlighted how human our evolutionary cousins are.