Aberfan disaster: 50th anniversary of the coal tip landslide that killed 116 children

Aberfan disaster: 50th anniversary of the coal tip landslide that killed 116 children

Fifty years ago, on 21 October 1966, disaster struck in Aberfan, Wales. 116 children aged between 7-10 and 28 adults were killed when a landslide destroyed the local school and several houses. The avalanche happened after a build-up of water in a coal tip above the village. The National Coal Board (NCB) had ignored concerns of local authorities about the location of the tip. They were found guilty of extreme negligence by a tribunal in 1997. Oct 19, 2016
ExoMars mission to try and discover life on Mars to land on 19 October

ExoMars mission to try and discover life on Mars to land on 19 October

The first mission of the ExoMars programme, scheduled to arrive at Mars on Wednesday (19 October), consists of a Trace Gas Orbiter plus an Entry, descent and landing Demonstrator Module, known as Schiaparelli. The main objectives of this mission are to search for evidence of methane and other trace atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes and to test key technologies in preparation for ESAs contribution to subsequent missions to Mars. Oct 17, 2016