This summer three private enterprises flew civilians to outer space. Among the first ‘space tourists’ were actor William Shatner and aviation pioneer Wally Funk. But is space tourism just an amusement for a select few, or can it also bring new understanding to life here on Earth?

The Ig Nobel Prize, a spoof on the name of the more famous Nobel, is given annually to scientists and researchers who investigate the most unusual issues in various fields. It’s both a light-hearted and a serious prize, as it aims to reward research that “first makes people laugh and then makes them think.”

This March, the 36th America’s Cup was held in New Zealand between the boats Te Rehutai of New Zealand and Luna Rossa of Italy. The America’s Cup is the most prestigious sailing trophy, and the oldest sporting competition in the world, with a rich 170-year-long history.

NASA’s latest discovery might change the future of space exploration: its telescope SOFIA found water on the moon. We look at what this means for the astronauts that will go to the Moon in the near future, and we reflect on what astronomy in general means to humanity.

Thirty years ago, a British computer scientist called Tim Berners-Lee went to his boss with a document titled “Information Management: a Proposal”. Tim was working at the CERN laboratories in Geneva and he wanted to help CERN scientists share the information regarding their experiments. Tim’s proposal, that his boss called ‘vague but exciting’, would become the WWW.

Winston Churchill was an influential politician, but also a prolific writer with an interest in science. A lost and unpublished article by Churchill was recently found in a museum in Missouri. It’s titled “Are We Alone in the Universe?” and the timing of its discovery seemed perfect: astronomers might be on the verge of finally answering that question.

Driverless lorries will be tested on UK roads this year, and in 2020 we will be able to buy a self-driving car. Technology is changing our lives, often in unpredictable ways. Some experts say that our inventions will destroy us, others that they will make us more than human. Read about the incredible scenarios awaiting us.