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Behind a waterfall lies a 200-metre-deep elephant cave harbouring a deadly virus that has a terrifying 88% fatality rate
This is no place for the cautious: venturing deep into the cave is a perilous gamble that only the foolhardy would attempt.
How did eyes evolve? The bizarre story behind your vision and why octopuses are truly the greatest of all life-forms
The incredible story of our vision
"If it reaches the nervous system it can cause meningitis – meaning headaches, nausea, vomiting, fever..." A deadly parasite that could be in your garden
How one slimy garden pest can make you ill
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Do plants sleep?
When the sun goes down, some flowers appear to tuck themselves in for the night.
But this curious habit is actually driven by a fascinating piece of plant science.
It builds skyscraper cities full of cosy, egg-shaped hammocks 30 metres above the ground
If Coco Chanel gave the common blackbird a makeover, the result would be the oropendola. With a minimalist colour palette and an occasional pop of colour, these mid-sized birds ooze chic simplicity.
"She will end up focusing on the stronger cub and the weaker cub is ignored, and will die" 10 worst – and most abusive – parents in the animal kingdom
Parenthood looks different across species – and not all are as supportive and nurturing as you might expect. From cliff-diving chicks to sibling cannibalism, these are the animals who parent in an extreme way
"They have been seen to use use sticks as weapons against humans, and clean their ears with grass" – 11 animals that use tools in surprising and clever ways
It is not just humans that regularly use tools to solve problems and make our lives easier. Other animals do it too!
“At first, we were puzzled.” Scientists track 69 ravens through Yellowstone – and make remarkable discovery
The researchers wanted to find out exactly how ravens find wolf kills in the US national park.
"When it blooms, it emits a horrendous aroma, similar to that of rotting meat" – 14 weirdest, bizarrest flowers on the planet
Nature has a wild imagination, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the world of flowers. From leaves shaped like lips to enormous flowers that smell of rotting flesh, these are some of the weirdest, most unusual flowers in the world
This microstate borders one of Europe’s most biodiverse mountain ranges but is the least biodiverse country in the world – here’s why
San Marino is a mountainous microstate measuring just 61km2
“When an elephant calf is cut off from its herd, the lions charge towards it.” 10 animal behaviours filmed for the first time
To mark 20 years of the BBC TV series Planet Earth, we look at some of the filming firsts it captured – from an elusive Himalayan big cat to a ‘zombie’ fungus
Mysterious red cups are appearing on woodland floors. But they're not fairy baths, as people once thought...
Look to the floor on your next forest walk and you may spot these vivid jewels among the leaf litter, says Ben Hoare.
It looks like an extra-terrestrial being that fell to Earth, behaves like a vampire and smells like rotting meat
We take a look at one of the world's strangest and smelliest plants
Snakes are hanging from cave ceilings on this Caribbean island. They're waiting for something
Measuring up to two metres in length, the Puerto Rican boas lower their long bodies into the darkness and wait...
Fiery eyes, fluffy 'horns' and a strange hoot – meet one of Britain's most mysterious predators
Long-eared owls are one of the most secretive birds in Britain.
"They turn parts of their genitalia inside out and lock them together" 7 weirdest sexual rituals in the animals kingdom
Courtship in the animal kingdom takes all forms. Here are some of the more unusual mating rituals, from birds and snakes to slugs and insects.
Researchers in Oxford have been studying great tits for 75 years. They discovered something odd (and human-like) about their song
As part of the long-running Wytham Wood research project, great tits and blue tits are being studied
Fierce battle between bird of prey and starling among 12 incredible images from the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2026
The astonishing image is just one of the winners from this year’s competition, which shines a light on British wildlife
Explosive power of great white shark revealed in staggering slow-motion video
These huge sharks can leap 3m out of the water – that's as high as a school bus!
436-million-year-old fossil found in South China is oldest complete bony fish ever discovered
The discovery of two ancient fish in South China has re-written what we thought we knew about the evolution of early vertebrates.
There’s a cave in Kentucky that’s 426 miles long – and fish-eating spiders lurk in it
Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world – but where is it?
Scientists looked beneath one of oldest trees on Earth. What they found is astounding
The researchers discovered a hidden world of life among the roots of Chile's ancient alerce trees. Here's why that's important.
Why cats have slit-shaped pupils, why some cats roar and some purr and the feline that can leap 9 metres – 19 wild cat facts that will boggle your mind
From cheetahs that can hit 94kmph to snow leopards that wrap their tails like scarves, the world of wild cats is full of unexpected quirks. Here are 10 facts about wild cats you (probably) won't know
It’s up to 40 miles wide, contains billions of creatures and can take 20 years to form – is this nature’s most destructive swarm?
In astonishing footage from Planet Earth, swarms of desert locusts decimate vegetation
