It looked & acted like today’s moles – but this was the first: a Jurassic mammal built with supercharged digging arms for life beneath the dinosaurs
The mole that sheds light on how mammals evolved...
"After getting the go-ahead, it will drop its act and use its large canines to tear chunks of flesh off its unsuspecting client." Nature's 10 biggest, greatest liars and con artists
Not everything is quite as it seems with these master manipulators…
"It's claimed there's one deadly snake for every square metre..." World's 6 weirdest islands, from lethal snake island to the bizarre swimming pig isle
From venomous snake-infested rocks to islands full of swimming pigs, the world is home to some seriously strange places
BBC launches new wildlife video podcast as part of the Watches expansion
Naturewatch will begin this autumn, highlighting the best of British wildlife each week
“Absolutely huge!” Scientists were astonished to discover this when exploring the waters of New Zealand
A coral over twice the height of an adult – and possibly 400 years old – has been found in the depths of Fiordland
Fierce, majestic – and built to kill – The world's biggest and mightiest birds of prey
All you need to know about the magnificent birds of prey, including the biggest in the world
You're never really alone on the Appalachian Trail: 14 incredible animals to spot on North America's most famous hike
The forests, ridges and remote mountains that surround the Appalachian Trail are a haven for wildlife, including black bears, moose, owls and bobcats.
Think you've got thick skin? It's nothing compared to this super-tough animal
Meet the animal with the thickest skin on the planet.
"It stands on its rock looking not so much like a streamlined submariner as an overfed blackbird"
Known in Welsh as a ‘bird of the torrent’, the dipper is the UK’s only aquatic songbird and always fascinating to watch.
18 ridiculous animal body parts that don’t make any sense (until you learn why...)
Discover the origin and purpose of the structures of living things, from why baboons have swollen bottoms to the comically-large paws of moles.
Birds
Do birds pee as well as poo?
When it comes to excretions, birds do a two-for-one deal
8 astonishing close-up photos of the world’s most beautiful pheasant
Resplendent in red, gold and blue, the male of this spectacular species sports a crest like a barrister’s wig – even if it leaves him with massive blind spots
What is a chicken wishbone – and why on Earth do people fight over it?
Just how useful is a wishbone to a chicken? Find out with our expert guide
These tiny birds are doubling in size on remote Scottish islands – and are on their way to “becoming a new species”
Isolated on remote Scottish islands, tiny wrens have recently been discovered to be a fascinating case of island gigantism.
Do any birds have teeth?
Why don't birds have teeth? And did they ever have teeth? Stuart Blackman explains
What's the world's biggest parrot? There are two contenders: one has a massive 1m wingspan and the other weighs a whopping 3kg
Meet two giant birds fighting for the title of world's biggest parrot.
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
They ate this potato relative in a salad – then lost their minds for 11 days
Potatoes are a kitchen staple – but one of their botanical cousins has a much darker reputation.
"The cones are as big as a rugby ball and weigh up to 40 pounds, more than heavy enough to kill…”
You don’t want to get too close to this tree – it’s not toxic, but it’s still deadly.
“An agonising way to die: it causes whole body convulsions, and the victim is painfully and horribly aware…”
Also called the Asian vomit button tree, the strychnine tree contains one of nature’s deadliest poisons, famously featured in many mystery novels.
The ocean's hidden, deadly killer: Why thriving seas can suddenly die and turn into mass underwater graveyards
Suffocated ecosystems, seizures and death: how deadly algae can wreak havoc on beaches around the world – and what can be done to prevent it
