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It wiped out 90% of life on Earth, turned the oceans into graveyards – and it very nearly ended life on our planet entirely
The time nearly everything died
"As temperatures drop below freezing, it freezes solid, with 70% of the water in its body turning to ice. It stops breathing, its heart stops beating and its kidneys stop functioning"
This frog survives winter by spending it frozen solid - literally
This amazing metallic blue tarantula is the most beautiful spider in the world
If ever proof were needed that spiders can be beautiful, then this is surely it. Meet the Gooty tarantula
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Taller than a double-decker bus or longer than a lorry: Discover 10 tallest, longest animals on the planet
Meet the animal kingdom’s true giants – record-breakers in height on land and in the sea
It looked like a rodent but don't be fooled, this was no rodent. This is thought to be the world's first primate – and our ancestor
Meet the tiny mammal that survived the dino-killing asteroid to became our earliest ancestor
"He began waving his arms violently up and down while screaming at the top of his voice. I turned and finally saw what was making him so afraid…"
A lesson in not taking wild animals for granted, no matter how calm and docile they might appear to be.
Think you know your family? Well, think again. You might call yourself a Jones or a Patel, but at heart you're a great ape
Learn all about great apes in this expert guide from Nakedi Maputla from African Wildlife Foundation
It's more than 185 million years old, as long as the Suez Canal – and locked inside are millions of ancient monsters
From giant marine reptiles to intricate spiral shells, the Dorset coast remains a treasure trove for modern explorers.
Why can't polar bears live in Antarctica?
Yes polar bears could live in Antarctica, but the results would be disastrous...
It’s 50 million years old, the size of Wembley Stadium and could fit 12 Boeing 747s inside – but the only way in is via a 100-metre plunge
This spectacular cave in Oman is one of the largest cave chambers in the world.
It drills through shells with a cocktail of acid and enzymes – then liquefies its victim inside their own home
If you're visiting a sandy beach you may like to reflect on something that might be going on below your feet. Lurking behind the veil of wet sand, a killer is on the prowl. A driller-killer, no less. Let me introduce you to the moon snail
Do male birds have penises? The surprisingly bizarre way birds have sex
Just how do birds mate and reproduce? Stuart Blackman explains the intricacies of bird sex and why males don't have penises
I woke up to a bear cub pulling at my sleeping bag – and then its mother and sister arrived...
Wildlife photographer Danny Green talks sinking ships and battles for sleeping bags
Its wings are wider than a double bed and it can reach speeds of 100kph – and it has a habit of stealing laundry
This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail.
He uses his enormous neck to show off and wrestle rivals – she uses hers to weave an intricate cradle for her one, precious egg
This curious species of long-necked
beetle is unique to Madagascar
During winter nearly 1,000 descend onto a tiny Serbian town centre – and at night it's party time
A huge parliament of long-eared owls has made an unlikely home in a Serbian town square
"He was grabbed by its powerful forelimbs. In the ensuing ‘embrace’ he suffered multiple puncture wounds from its razor-sharp foreclaws"
Can you be hugged to death by an anteater?
A majestic shot of a roseate spoonbill among winners of 2026 Audubon Photography Awards
These extraordinary images capture some of rarest and most at-risk birds in the Americas.
An elephant-like animal was discovered in this gigantic underwater cave. And that’s not all
Sac Actun is one of the most impressive submerged cave systems on the planet. Here's how several decades of underwater exploration has unveiled Mexico’s ancient subterranean world and the unique wildlife thriving in the dark.
Jurassic squid-like animal unearthed in Wyoming is “fattest” ever discovered
Cephalopods have been around for over 500 million years, and although the octopus and squid rule today, that wasn’t always the case…
"We have to leave right now. If we just hang around, we’re all going to die.” The cave that's so deep it could swallow six Eiffel Towers
This cave in western Georgia is one of the most extraordinary in the world.
"It's a 10kg powerhouse of compact muscle and fur that resembles a pit bull on steroids, with a growl to match"
What is a Tasmanian devil? How big are they and what do they eat? Learn all about the cute but devilish Tasmanian devil in our expert guide
“One of the longest-running cold cases of palaeontology.” Scientists may finally know what created these strange markings
This pattern has been puzzling scientists for centuries – now, new research uncovers part of the mystery.
“It creates tiny holes all over the skin, allowing deadly bacteria to invade the internal organs, causing septicaemia and death.”
Chytridiomycosis, also known as chytrid, is a deadly amphibian disease that has caused the decline of over 500 species around the world.
