Carys Matthews
Carys is a freelance writer and digital editor, specialising in the outdoors, natural world, health and fitness and UK travel. She has words in BBC Wildlife Magazine, BBC Countryfile Magazine, Live Science, Runner's World UK, Explore Magazine, Active Traveller, The Guardian, Boundless and many more publications.
Recent articles by Carys Matthews
Do any animals hold funerals?
Humans are not the only animals that mark death – across the animal kingdom, scientists have documented behaviours that seem remarkably similar to mourning, vigils and even funerals.
9 terrifying animals straight from your nightmares: Bloodsuckers, deadly predators and nature’s most horrifying beasts that strike fear and revulsion
The natural world is full of weird and wonderful creatures, but some animals are the stuff of nightmares...
What’s the most dangerous, deadliest snake in the USA? There are quite a few contenders…
The USA is home to around 250 different of snake – but which is the deadliest? The answer lies in the potency of its venom.
It weighed more than 2 tonnes and holds the record for the largest bird nest on the planet…
This bird of prey is a master builder, crafting massive stick nests, called aeries, that they return to and expand year after year.
15 brutal, savage snake photos showing just how lethal their killing methods can be when these deadly predators strike…
Striking images show snakes in a new light, capturing their sleek, sinuous form and predatory nature.
It looks like a mouse but don't be fooled – this is no ordinary mouse. This is one badass, very aggressive rodent that can take on deadly scorpions – and win…
Meet the tiny predator that howls at the moon before striking a deadly attack – discover the deadliest mouse in the world.
Crab might be a delicacy, but this one is highly poisonous and deadly to eat – just a tiny amount can kill a human and there's no antidote!
Discover the colourful, toxic crab which can kill – warning, there is no cure - and therefore shoudn't be eaten!
Camera traps hidden in Amazon rainforest. They just captured an elusive animal doing something unprecedented
For decades, the short-eared dog has been regarded as one of the rainforest's greatest mysteries.
"its enormous jaws can expand dramatically, creating a balloon-like head..." 10 weirdest, eeriest eels on the planet, including one that generates a deadly 600 volts
Eels are among the ocean's most mysterious inhabitants, with more than 1,000 species found in habitats ranging from tropical coral reefs to the depths of the deep sea.
The world's most house-damaging pest has reached Britain before – could it happen again?
Despite their diminutive size, these ant lookalikes are capable of destroying a house, but just how common are termites in the UK?
“The Natural History GCSE is happening!” TV wildlife adventurer on the new UK qualification
The Natural History GCSE will focus on wildlife, the impact of humans on the natural world and biodiversity, plus fieldwork research
“These have never been described in sharks.” Experts aimed to study how sharks communicate danger – so turned to a bizarre, flat fish
The study marks the first documented evidence of a "disturbance cue" being used by cartilaginous fish
Venomous hunter chillingly stores paralysed victims ALIVE – with no chance of escape – underground for killing and eating later
The northern short-tailed shrew might look cute, but it has a lethal bite. Here's how it paralyses and preserves its prey for a late night feast.
These magnificent, agile ocean creatures can leap, spin and soar through sea and air: The ocean's 7 most impressive and spectacular acrobats
Spinning, leaping and dancing through the water and air – the ocean is home to some of the most agile and athletic creatures on the planet.
"Once you show regeneration can be activated, it opens the door to new questions..." Mammals – including us – could regrow limbs say scientists
Scientists could be one step closer to solving a biological mystery: why animals, such as salamanders, can regrow lost limbs while mammals cannot.
A vast wilderness the size of Turin harbours one of the world's fiercest warriors – a formidable predator with powerful jaws capable of crushing bone
Sarek National Park in Northern Sweden forms part of a vast, wild landscape with glaciers, alpine peaks and deep river valleys
This extraordinary forest below the waves is the only one of its kind – and it’s home to one of the fastest-growing organisms on Earth
Stretching along South Africa’s rugged coastline lies one of the planet’s most extraordinary yet little-known ecosystems: the Great African Sea Forest
It's now raining 'Forever Chemicals' – and it might never stop...
Chemicals used to heal the ozone layer may be fuelling a sharp rise in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a persistent “forever chemical” whose global levels have more than tripled in just 20 years.
This Turkish mountain has been ablaze with flames for thousands of years. Scientists think they know why
The burning flames of Mount Chimaera is a natural geological phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of years.
A remote tropical paradise is home to the world's most dangerous reptile that's armed with iron-tipped, razor-sharp teeth and a deadly venomous bite
Situated off the coast of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands lies Komodo National Park, one of the planet's most extraordinary wildlife sanctuaries.
Did sex stop Earth from being boring? Probably, say scientists
Earth’s earliest animals may have spent millions of years without evolving because they reproduced without sex, according to new research.
Africa is tearing itself in two faster than previously thought say experts - leading to a totally new ocean forming
One of Africa’s most important fossil regions is breaking apart faster than previously thought, scientists have discovered.
The strange, very peculiar lake that forms a mythical dragon's giant eye every spring
A seasonal natural phenomenon known as the 'Dragon Eye' transformers a crater lake near the summit of Mount Hachimantai in northern Japan into a giant eye.
"It's a sulfurous, eye-watering stench that causes temporary blindness in predators." Rancid eggs, putrid breath – meet world's 9 smelliest animals
Animals aren't bothered by smelling bad as a foul odour can be a useful tool – helping to deter predators and keep curious humans at a distance. Here's some of the most foul-smelling animals to avoid!
