This image, released by NASA a few days ago, overlays a year's worth of photographs of the Sun, revealing the migration of active regions towards the equator.

Smoking was compulsory for schoolboys in the 17th century at England's famous Eton school because it was thought to prevent the plague.

Kösen's height was caused by the production of too much growth hormone due to a tumour in his pituitary gland. The tumour was eventually removed in 2010 through revolutionary gamma-knife surgery. Amge has a form of dwarfism, caused by a mutation in a bone growth gene.

The bizarre helmeted hornbill is the only bird of its kind with a solid head 'casque', or helmet. They use these bony features to battle each other - ramming their heads together, in mid-air, for up to two hours at a time.

A new robotic 'smart suit' has been developed by FastCompany to give anyone from soldiers and fire-fighters to hiking enthusiasts and the elderly a bit of superhuman strength. It's lightweight, flexible, and can be worn under clothes.

According to its makers, "the suit works by mimicking the action of the leg muscles and tendons when a person walks, with an actuator system giving small, carefully timed assistance at the ankle and hip joints without restricting the wearer’s movement. The breakthrough is in the 'structured functional textiles' that transmit those applied forces all over the body during natural movement. Wearable, flexible sensors integrate into the fabric to gauge the body’s movement and provide support at the right moment." ...

Europa, a moon of Jupiter, is a prime candidate for life in our solar system beyond Earth. It contains water and is also the only known solar system body to have plate tectonics.