With schools across the UK closing indefinitely from this afternoon, parents are faced with having to entertain their children at home. FEMAIL shares activities to keep them busy.

In an unprecedented step, NASA tested a giant 21-foot mirror on its James Webb space telescope that is designed to observe a range of frequencies not currently seen by Hubble.

Summer Worden is accused of falsely filing complaints against astronaut Anne McClain on two occasions, according to federal authorities.

NASA has finally revealed the name of its Mars 2020 rover. Called Perseverance, the rover's title was picked from a contest that received 28,000 entries from young students.

Space X's final parachute test passed with flying colors ahead of its launch in May It will be the US's first manned in nearly nine years.

According to a report from Forbes , researchers in charge of the team of robots, which have already begun testing samples, say that they're conducting tests on about 200 samples per day.

A vegetarian or vegan diet may be increasing the likelihood of depression, a US-based study suggests.

Studying anonymised patient records, UK researchers found that having abnormally small red blood cells appeared to double the risk of developing cancer within the next year.

Britons are more concerned about the coronavirus than people in any other country, including Spain and Italy, according to a new study.

According to the social platform, it is conducting a test for users on iOS that will use its AI to scan replies before they're posted and give users a chance to re-think or revise them.

New DNA testing has revealed that a prized variety of grapes called petit manseng, used to make a number of popular Australian wines, have actually been mislabeled for decades.

Engineers at North Carolina State University have achieved a new record for the fastest moving soft robot, using silicon bands to mimc the elastic running motions of a cheetah.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have studied thousands of species of animals and birds to work out where reservoirs of contagious, mosquito-borne viruses could be.

The largely intact Styracosaurus skull has wonky horns and was discovered by then graduate student Scott Persons in 2015 in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada.

A study found that plate tectonics were triggered by intense bombardment of meteors 3.2 billion years ago -transforming the hot, primordial mushy surface into the present rugged landscape.

Burning of the rainforest in southwestern Amazonia,  could release aerosols such as black carbon which may speed up the melting of the Andean glaciers, finds Rio de Janeiro State University.

NASA Mars 2020 mission is set to explore the Jezero crater, which scientists have now determined is littered with hydrated silica and carbonates - two elements that could hold signs of microbial life.

Most visitors think of New York's Parks as the only place to find trees. However, a new study found New York City has  over 5 million 'forested natural areas' along with 666,000 street trees.

Researchers from Utrecht used high-resolution images from orbiters circling the planet and found evidence of a river that continuously shifted. This created created sandbanks like the Rhine.

People staying indoors because of the coronavirus lockdown missed out on the joint-warmest April on record, according to a new climate report issued by the European Union.

One of the teams of scientists that first developed the gene-editing tool has altered it so that it can search out viral RNA instead of human DNA for a test that could even eventually be run at home.

The presence of the black hole in the HR 6819 system was discovered by researchers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO)'s La Silla Observatory in Chile.

An underwater forest of massive hydrothermal vents has been mapped for the first time off the coast of Washington State. There are more than 500 spirals over eight miles of seabed.

Researchers from Belgium found statins destroy bad gut bacteria that fuel cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer and are often found in obese people.

A new 'origami-inspired' foldable shelter designed for the next generation of moon explorers is about to undergo testing in the harsh conditions of Greenland.

While the details of how the game will work are sparse, picture from The Verge suggest that it will be live and may even include a chat feature in which a 'live audience' can watch along.

In a live-streamed event on Thursday the gaming titan showcased in-engine gameplay of several upcoming titles for the Series X, Microsoft's upcoming next-generation console.

Scientists from the British Ecological Society found the fungal disease is far less severe in the isolated landscapes such as in hedgerows.

With the calendar year now ticking over into July, a host of elite level footballers have become free agents following the expiration of their contracts.

Robert Snodgrass has signed a new contract that will keep him at West Ham until at least 2021. The club also have the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.

Newcastle drew Leicester in the only all-Premier League tie in the EFL Cup second round. Nottingham Forest were handed a home tie against arch-rivals Derby.

FOREST 1-2 HULL - JOHN DRAYTON AT THE CITY GROUND: Forest have now lost two games in a row, but this defeat was against a Hull side reduced to 10 men for the final 22 minutes.

FA Cup third round draw gets underway as sixty-four teams discover their fates this evening at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.

Following the furore of his casino visit after he was withdrawn from the England squad due to illness in October, James Maddison was playing to support a charity of his choice at Aspers Casino.

A look at the all-decade Premier League table, which includes the 37 sides to compete in the top flight across the last 10 seasons, has shown the stranglehold Manchester has had in recent years.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP: Slaven Bilic's men have chosen the worst possible time to hit a bad run of form and are now down the second and winless in seven Championship matches.

Jarrod Bowen is heading to West Ham for a medical on deadline day after they offered a deal worth up to £22million. The Hull City striker is reported to have 'stalled' over personal terms.

West Ham have completed the signing of forward Jarrod Bowen from Hull City for £22million. The Hammers fended off competition from Crystal Palace to sign Bowen.

The club said in a statement they were 'deeply shocked and saddened' by news of the death of Blakeston, who 'made a huge impact on the lives of so many through his work'.

The young left-back faced an in-form Belgian as Steve Bruce's side visited Stamford Bridge with Chelsea firmly in the hunt for the Premier League title.

Ofgem has issued Gnergy with a notice of failure to comply with a final order over unpaid Renewables Obligation payments.

Televisions were the item that varied the most in price via retailer with the average price difference of £364.77, according to the price comparison website, Idealo.

Vodafone is the most complained about broadband, mobile and landline provider, new data has revealed. It is the second quarter in a row it has been voted the worst for broadband.

This week's deals include: half price personalised pillow costing £17.50, 50p off the cost of a coffee at Pret a Manger, a free eye test at Specsavers and a 'free' audiobook from the Amazon service Audible.

GiffGaff is increasing costs for its standard pay as you go customers - whilst simultaneously providing bigger allowances for those who purchase its 'goodybag' bundles.

A group of dental customers have been left frustrated and confused after a chain of private dentists closed without warning - with many having paid thousands of pounds in advance.

A dog is not just for Christmas. Chocolate is not just for Easter. Low-alcohol beer is not just for Dry January - at least, that appears to be the case when it comes to sales trends.

Energy auto-switching services are not always giving users the best deals, with some comparing only 15 out of around 70 possible energy suppliers, new research has revealed.

Britons looking forward to trips abroad in weeks and months ahead are nervously watching what happens with coronavirus. We look at what travel insurance will cover.

With an aggregate median download speed of 28.9Mbps, the West Midlands city was quicker than any of its rivals, according to research from RootMetrics.