When looking at the planet’s skies and oceans, it is no surprise that Earth has been given the moniker ‘blue planet’. Yet in nature, the colour blue is rare. For example, fewer than 10 per cent of all plants possess blue flowers, while the colour is even rarer among animals – which is why the […]
Removal of African elephants causes coextinction of dung beetles, study finds
A field experiment in Kenya shows that dung beetles disappear when the African elephants they depend on for their fecal food and shelter also vanish locally. This is the first time that coextinction, the disappearance of one species leading directly to the extinction of another species, has been demonstrated in a large-scale field experiment, according to […]
“My fingers were trembling.” Divers were removing ghost nets in the Mediterranean, when THIS happened…
Divers believe they have recorded the first ever footage of an adult great white shark in Mediterranean waters. They spotted the apex predator during a mission to remove ghost nets from a shipwreck off the coast of the Strait of Sicily. “We, as a team of three, saw this huge shark,” Derk Remmers, a volunteer with Ghost Diving told BBC […]
Fisheries and climate research would be hit hard in Trump’s proposed budget
Physicist Stephen Volz had been working with colleagues at the U.S.’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for nearly 10 years to produce a new generation of geostationary satellites — instruments that would provide critical observations about atmospheric conditions, climate patterns and weather. But when Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, this long-term project […]
It’s as long as a Ford Transit van – and has an elongated, odd-looking torpedo-shaped beak, perfect for grabbing slippery prey…
One of the most interesting traits of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is their colour – or variations that differ between populations, age groups and individuals – from grey to white, even pink. Some look mottled or albino. Their shallow, coastal and estuarine (often murky water) habitat means they have adapted in some fascinating ways. Learn all […]
Why Kangaroos Keep Showing Up on Texas Roads
When a kangaroo went bounding through the streets of Waco, Texas, on a Monday morning in March 2026, local police officers had quite a surprise waiting for them. According to the Waco Police Department, officers received a call just after 10 a.m., tracked the animal down, and safely secured it by the tail before returning […]
“One key thing to remember – it can run as fast as a racehorse…” 10 most dangerous animals you REALLY don’t want to meet on a hike
Wild animals are not the most dangerous thing about hiking in remote regions, but they are definitely worth bearing in mind. Here we look at the main species you need to take account of. Given the preponderance of large predators – big cats, especially – in Africa and some parts of Asia, we’ve assumed people will not […]
Noted swift nesting site destroyed by contractors in peak season
A building that was a noted nesting site for swifts, among the UK’s most at-risk birds, has been demolished during the nesting season, highlighting significant weaknesses in the protection of wildlife from development, campaigners say. Contractors for the housebuilder Hill Group carried out the demolition of Regent House near Dorking station in Surrey over the last few […]