From a dino superhighway to origins of fire-making: The incredible discoveries in 2025

15 hours ago

Maddie MolloyClimate and science reporter

OXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

A Megalosaurus print found at an Oxfordshire quarry

From gigantic dinosaur footprints frozen in stone to a spectacular parade of planets, science in 2025 delivered moments of real awe.

We revisited turning points in human history, from the earliest evidence of fire-making to fresh insights into how humans form lasting bonds.

The natural world continued to surprise us too. Wild chimpanzees were filmed using plants as medicine, while Moon dust described by scientists as rarer than gold arrived in the UK for study.

However not every story brought good news. A giant iceberg drifting towards a remote island threatened wildlife, reminding us that science is just as vital for spotting danger as it is for making discoveries.

Gigantic Jurassic footprints discovered in Oxfordshire

PA Media

These footprints were made 166 million years ago as a dinosaur walked across a lagoon

A quarry in Oxfordshire revealed one of the world’s largest-ever dinosaur trackway sites, with around 200 enormous footprints left behind 166 million years ago.

The tracks capture the movements of two very different dinosaurs: a long-necked sauropod thought to be a Cetiosaurus and the two-legged carnivore Megalosaurus.

Some of the trackways stretch for up to 150m, and researchers believe they could extend even further, as only part of the quarry has been excavated.

Read the full dinosaur discovery here.

Humans mastered flames 400,000 years ago

Jodi Lai/BBC

Creating fire at will was one of the main drivers of a virtuous and accelerating evolutionary cycle

At an archaeological site in Barnham, Suffolk, researchers uncovered remarkable evidence of the earliest known human-made fire, dating back around 400,000 years.

The discovery pushes the origins of fire-making back by more than 350,000 years and marks a defining moment in human evolution.

The ability to create fire transformed daily life, providing warmth, enabling food to be cooked and supporting brain growth, freeing early humans to think, plan and innovate.

Discover the moment fire changed everything here.

Humans ranked surprisingly high in monogamy

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT

The California deermouse is 100% monogamous, forming inseparable, lifelong bonds

We humans might think of ourselves as romantically unique, but research comparing pairing behaviour across species suggests otherwise.

With around 66% of humans forming monogamous bonds, we outscore chimps and gorillas but fall short of the California deermouse, the true heavyweight champion of lifelong love.

The study shows that while humans are far from the most monogamous creatures, our tendency to pair up for life is still remarkable compared with many other species.

See where humans land in the love league here.

Seven planets took part in a rare parade

Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society gives Science Correspondent Pallab Ghosh tips on how to spot them

For a handful of evenings in February, skywatchers were treated to a rare celestial display as seven planets appeared in the evening sky at the same time.

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and Saturn all took part in the planetary parade. Four were visible to the naked eye, while Saturn sat low on the horizon and Uranus and Neptune required a telescope.

Scientists say a similarly clear and well-timed appearance won’t happen again until 2040.

Find out what made February’s night skies so special here.

Moon rock samples arrived in the UK

Tony Jolliffe/BBC News

The specks of dust must be kept free from contamination on Earth

For the first time in nearly 50 years, Moon rock samples arrived in the UK, on loan from China.

The tiny grains of lunar dust are now stored in a high-security facility in Milton Keynes and are being studied by Prof Mahesh Anand, the only UK scientist currently granted access to the material.

Described as more precious than gold because of their scientific value, the samples could offer fresh insights into how the Moon formed and evolved.

Explore the lunar research under way here.

Chimpanzees showed a surprising knowledge of natural remedies

Watch: wild chimpanzees filmed using forest ‘first aid’

In Uganda, wild chimpanzees have been filmed using plants to treat open wounds and other injuries.

Researchers from the University of Oxford, working alongside a local team, observed the animals applying plant material to their own injuries and, in some cases, to those of other chimpanzees.

The findings, built on decades of observations, add to growing evidence that our closest relatives have a surprising knowledge of natural remedies.

Discover what the chimpanzees taught scientists here.