Nature

Researchers use drone to pollinate a flower

The remote-controlled drone was equipped with horsehairs coated with a special gel, which the researchers say was crucial to the process.

"This is the world's first demonstration of pollination by an artificial robotic pollinator," said Eijiro Miyako of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan, one of the authors of the study, which was published in the journal Chem.

TV crew, tourists, scientist injured in surprise explosion on Sicilian volcano

The crew, along with a number of tourists, were drawn to Etna in Sicily to observe the spectacle of the active volcano erupting but were caught by surprise when flowing magma hit thick snow, causing an explosion that caused rock and other material to rain down upon them.

Volcanic rocks and steam from the eruption injured at least 10 people, witnesses and media reported, and the network's science reporter who was on assignment on Etna, Rebecca Morelle, described the experience in a series of tweets.

Westgate Park: Why an Australian lake has turned pink

Wildlife officers said algae growing in the salt crust at the bottom of Westgate Park's lake produce a red pigment.

"Enjoy the views, but we recommend you don't come into contact with the water," Parks Victoria said.

The phenomenon also occurs in Spain's Salina de Torrevieja, Canada's Dusty Rose Lake and Senegal's Lake Retba.

In Australia, the natural occurring sight can be seen in Victoria's Murray-Sunset National Park and Western Australia's Lake Hillier.

A fox found frozen in ice in Germany is put on display outside a hotel

Franz Stehle told news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur that he found the block containing the animal while out next to the Danube river in the southwest of the country on 2 January.

The hunter says he thinks the fox drowned and was then frozen solid.

Europe's been experiencing extreme weather conditions.

Franz says it's not unusual for animals to break through the frozen surface of the river in winter and says it's a warning to other people not to walk on the ice at this time of year.

He says he's seen a frozen deer and a wild boar before finding the fox.

The animals that are being harmed by plastic bags

The Marine Conservation Society's (MCS) latest report found seven bags per 100 metres of coastline cleaned compared to 11 in 2015.

It's the lowest number in 10 years and is being put down to the introduction of the 5p charge on single-use plastic bags.

But the bad news is that plastic bags are still harming marine life. Many animals try to eat them, mistaking them for food.

Baby elephant is so concerned about her 'drowning' friend

The Save Elephant Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, captured little Kham Lha racing to the aid of Darrick Thomson, the co-founder of the foundation and one of her favorite people ever.

Thomson was calling out to her on the shore, and she interpreted his calls as distress cries (he was totally fine, though). Kham Lha charged through the water, sheltering him with her body and offering her trunk for him to hold on to. Crisis averted.