639 years ago today, the Treaty of Windsor, the world’s oldest international accord still in force, was signed between Great Britain and Portugal. It was signed and sealed by King Richard II of England and King John I of Portugal to cement commercial ties and mutual defense. Subjects of one king had the rights, under…
Microsoft founder Bill Gates said he intends to give away 99% of his vast fortune over the next 20 years. Gates said he would accelerate his giving via his foundation, with plans to end its operations in 2045. “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that…
A mountain pygmy possum – credit, supplied by the New South Wales government As other endangered Australian wildlife, the mountain pygmy possum has recovered to its pre-wildfire population in the Snowy Mountains. While conservationists are to be applauded for the turn around, they maybe aren’t the experts you’d expect to be managing such a delicate…
The right-hander was realistically in England’s squad for the four-day Test as a spare batter, but the injury is a cruel blow. He was set to make his Test debut last November in New Zealand but broke a thumb in practice before the first Test. Cox has been in good form for Essex this season,…
This artist’s concept depicts a magnetar releasing material into space. The magnetic field lines, shown in green, influence the movement of charged material around the magnetar – credit, NASA/JPL-Caltech It’s long been suspected to the point of certainty that heavier elements like gold are created inside supernovae, and that over the billions of years Earth…
The first vote of the conclave – the secretive process to choose a new pope – has failed to reach a decision. After a lengthy wait, black smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney at around 9pm local time – meaning the 133 cardinals inside have not been able to choose a new pontiff. Crowds…
– credit, Ministry of Culture, released A team of archaeologists has found the burial of an elite woman in Áspero, an ancient fishing city of the Caral civilization (3000-1800 BCE) located in the province of Barranca, near Lima. She was between 20 and 35 years old when she died, and was entombed inside the building…
Thomas Mackintosh BBC News PA Media Jebina Yasmin Islam (right) has campaigned for changes to the law, after the killer of her sister Sabina Nessa refused to attend sentencing Criminals who refuse to attend sentencing in England and Wales could face an additional two years in prison, under a new bill to be introduced to…
79 years ago today, the innovative electronics company, Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering, co-founded by Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka, first began operations. With 20 employees, and later taking the name Sony, they built Japan’s first tape recorder. In 1955, Sony’s transistor radio cracked open the US market, launching the new industry of consumer microelectronics–with teens being…
Sir David Attenborough is launching what he says is one of the most important films of his career as he enters his hundredth year. He believes his new, cinema-length film Ocean could play a decisive role in saving biodiversity and protecting the planet from climate change. Sir David, who will be 99 on Thursday, says:…
