Why do humans grow so slowly compared to other animals?
Most animals mature quickly. Humans take their time. The reasons are complex.
"The real danger comes when they horrifyingly attach inside the body..." Can leeches ever kill you?
Leeches are famous for drinking blood – and being used in medicine. But can these slippery little vampires ever be deadly?
“It was like an elephant’s trunk – 4 times its original size." This deadly sting causes pain, swelling, difficulty breathing and heart issues...
This fish disguises itself on the seabed to trick prey into coming close, then sucks them into its hungry mouth using a strong vacuum
Can a human outrun a rhino? Just how fast are these giants when they charge?
You don't want to get in the way of these intimidating animals, as they can move faster than you think...
"As it lurks behind the trapdoor, a twitch on the trip wire alerts it that something tasty has just walked past..."
The master secret ambush predator, that spend most of their lives hidden beneath the soil, waiting to strike with lightning speed.
"The toady face is the spider’s backside..." Arachnophobes look away now as here are the 10 weirdest spiders in the world
Check out the weirdest spiders in the world, from the curiously-named 'happy-bum spider' to a fearsome species that eats its sexual partner
Zebu, Zorilla... 8 animals starting with 'z' including some crazy ones and a species that's the last word listed in the English dictionary
How many animals beginning with a 'z' can you name? Here are eight to get you started...
There's an animal in the tropical forests of Borneo that breastfeeds its young for 6.5 years
Orangutans have one of the longest breastfeeding periods among mammals, new study finds.
“Over the next 6 months, it will prey on the defenceless larvae until it’s 100 times its original size.” This undercover carnivore may look harmless – but don’t be fooled
In rare footage captured for the BBC’s Wild Isles, the carnivorous caterpillar uses master trickery to survive.
Researchers went into a 25m-deep tunnel in Greece – and found an unidentified creature clinging to the walls
A new species of cricket has been discovered inside a man-made tunnel on a small island in Greece.
Birds
This elusive bird can be heard up to 5km away – and the sound it makes is extraordinary
The song of the male bittern – the king of the reedbed – sounds like a foghorn.
White-tailed eagle vs osprey: what's the difference between these two majestic, powerful birds of prey?
Although the osprey and white-tailed eagle look similar and are sometimes both called fish eagles, the two birds of prey are quite different, says Scottish Wildlife Trust ranger Sara Rasmussen
"It sees two summers per year, and more daylight than any other animal on earth..."
Two summers a year? Yes please! Meet the bird that, thanks to its mammoth migration, enjoys two summers a year
Researchers put a big pair of eyeballs on the coast of Denmark and left them there for 46 days. Here's why
Fish-stealing seabirds can cause problems for fisheries and aquaculture companies so scientists tried to find a harmless way of putting them off their seafood feast.
This bizarre bird's entire annual cycle follows the rhythm on the moon, groundbreaking study reveals
Moonlight plays a huge part in how red-necked nightjars feed, migrate and raise their young, reveals new study.
Do any birds hibernate?
Are there any birds that can hibernate? Ben Hoare takes a look
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
“The cordyceps erupts from the ant’s head.” Deadly parasitic fungus infiltrates an ant’s body and mind in this BBC Planet Earth clip
In footage captured for BBC’s Planet Earth, an ant is infected by deadly zombie fungus.
Is this genius plant better at math than you? The answer is probably yes
The first informal use of Voronoi diagrams can be traced back to 1644 – but the Chinese money plant has had it figured out for much longer.
"Within a few hours the prey has become a nutritious soup, broken down by digestive enzymes released from the inside of its prison..."
The sinister secret of this free-floating pond plant lies beneath the water’s surface. Meet the bladderwort and its highly effective trap
"1 in 10 people will sustain long-term damage to their lungs, & for 1%, the infection can spread to their brain & spinal cord." What you need to know fungus storms
Top 10 facts about fungus storms
