Stats have been tarred as the ruination of many a sport, an infestation of numbers that detracts from natural ability and curbs freedom of thought, but Iain Henderson was never likely to be the type to feel swamped by facts and figures.

A European spacecraft programmed to sniff out atmospheric evidence of life on Mars has blasted into space.

Irish and UK researchers have made a significant discovery in relation to the presence of water on Mars.

A summer entertainment has been observing Dónal Óg Cusack and Liam Sheedy conduct an Open University course ‘How To Beat Kilkenny’ on The Sunday Game.

Wondering how to keep your teenager busy this summer when summer jobs are thin on the ground? Fancy tipping your toe back into education? Grainne McGuinness is raving about MOOCs, short online courses, many of which are free.

The mighty Himalayas are the clearest sign that Nepal lies in one of the most dangerous earthquake zones on Earth.

A series of largely unseen photographs visualise the impact football had on the morale of troops from Allied forces during the First World War.

Iceland lowered its aviation alert level to orange from red yesterday, saying there was no sign of an imminent eruption at the Bardarbunga volcano.

Iceland has lowered its aviation alert level to orange from red, saying there was no sign of an imminent eruption at the Bardarbunga volcano.

Are couples who chose not to have kids happier than couples who are parents? Sharon Ni Chonchuir finds out.

MANY, many years ago, in a previous life, I was given the responsibility of developing a national fundraising day for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

Dancing with him in the living room, watching TV together and sipping a cuppa that he made all contribute to a happy marriage.

Cuddles and cups of tea are some of the small gestures that can help couples make their love last, according to a study.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has confirmed prisoners are taking part in creative writing, photography, and film-production classes as part of a prison education service that cost the taxpayer €1.2m last year.

Social workers may be unable to meet the recommendations made in various child abuse inquiry reports because of the high number of children assigned to them, claim academics in University College Cork.

Dozens of people were killed in a massive earthquake which hit Chile today.

The Open University will launch its 2010 MBA programme with nationwide open workshops from January 26-28.

The Government had a mole inside the Maze Prison during the IRA hunger strike of 1981, former Taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald revealed today.

I REFER to a letter you published (February 24) concerning the use of the term “British Isles” by The UK Open University and asking why the university should be funded by the Irish Government.

CIARÁN COSTELLO (Letters, February 24) is unhappy that the Open University describes Ireland as part of “The British Isles” (as indeed do most atlases, dictionaries and encyclopaedias).

RECENTLY I studied a course with the Open University, a British institution. Throughout they constantly referred to Ireland as being in the “British isles” and, when contacted, insisted that it was.

Roscommon-based observatory has detected what may be a new planet during routine observation of another star outside our Solar System.

The Royal College of Nursing and the Open University teamed up today to offer flexible training courses in the North which could help stop students running up debts while studying.

A QUICK and easy urine test for predicting bowel cancer risk is being developed by researchers.

One of the world’s most eminent scientists is at the centre of a row after reportedly claiming black people are less intelligent than whites.

Political wrangling is threatening to derail the fight by Kuwaiti women for greater political rights in the conservative Gulf state ahead of a crucial parliamentary session today on allowing females to participate in municipal elections for the first time.

Scientists were celebrating today after capturing images of Saturn’s moon Titan, which were sent to Earth by the European Huygens spacecraft.

Scientists were celebrating tonight after confirmation that a European spacecraft had landed safely on Saturn’s icy cloud-covered moon Titan after a seven year journey.

Nelson Mandela has become the first person to be awarded an honorary degree this year by the Open University.

STUNNING pictures taken of the surface of Mars by an orbiting European spacecraft were released yesterday.

A leading member of the Beagle 2 team admitted today after the failure of more attempts to find Britain’s lost Mars probe: “It’s not good news.”

A leading member of the Beagle 2 team admitted today after the failure of more attempts to find Britain’s lost Mars probe: “It’s not good news.”

The latest attempt to detect a signal from Britain’s Mars probe Beagle 2 has failed, scientists said today.

BEAGLE 2’s chief scientist said last night he was not giving up on finding the missing British Mars probe.

The fate of Britain’s Beagle 2 probe looked uncertain today after scientists failed to receive its call sign from the surface of Mars.

A British probe that could provide the first proof of life on another planet was on its way to Mars tonight.

A fleet of mini-probes could be sent to rendezvous with asteroids under an ambitious British-led plan to investigate the threat of space objects hitting the Earth, it was revealed today.