Environment

It can be observed up to 300 days a year, lasts up to 10 hours and strikes 28 times a minute – and helped Venezuela gain independence
Lake Maracaibo has managed to catch lightning in a bottle – in a way.

"Hippos and crocodiles have been known to capsize boats and kill the occupants..." 10 most dangerous, deadliest swamps on the planet
They may look calm, even beautiful –but some of the world’s swamps are among the most dangerous places in the world, from snake-infested wetlands to disease-ridden marshes
"If the ‘gators don’t get you, the algae just might..." 10 most dangerous, deadliest lakes on the planet, including one that turns animals to stone
You wouldn't want to take a dip in any of these deadly lakes...
null
undefined
3,000 colossal pillars rise from a misty forest in China like an army of giants. Here's what lives among them
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is renowned for its gigantic sandstone pillars, which rise magnificently up through the clouds.
Toxic rivers, marble cathedrals and a giant mirror: 12 most otherworldly-looking places on Earth
Forget Mars – Earth's oddest landscapes are stranger, closer and don't require a spacesuit
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.

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.

Jungle vs rainforest: what exactly is the difference?
Think they’re interchangeable? Think again. While they might share some of the same tropical features, the difference between a jungle and a rainforest comes down to one crucial thing – light.

"One day it’s there. The next it’s gone. Then it’s back again." 11 weirdest, bizarrest lakes on the planet – including one that contains a fluid that's not water...
From the deepest to the oldest, the deadliest to the smallest here are the weirdest lakes in the world

A snake hitched a ride to a remote Pacific island. This is what happened next.
It looks like your average snake, but it has been wreaking havoc on this remote island for decades.

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.

‘Millions of trees and shrubs have been planted.’ Epic projects are underway to ‘regreen’ Earth’s deserts
Is there a way to regreen the world's deserts?

“After four short hours hiking its ancient forest, we’d decided to move to the Scottish Highlands”
Kate Bradbury on rewildling efforts in the Caledonian forest

Imagine if dinosaurs hadn't gone extinct. Here's what scientists think may have happened next
66 million years ago, a city-sized asteroid hurtled toward Earth – then sailed straight past…

These colossal spires rise from the Siberian wilderness like skyscrapers. They're filled with dead animals
Reaching heights of up to 200m, these great pinnacles are the remains of an enormous ancient reef belt.

It’s the same size as the city of Amsterdam, has breathtaking waterfalls and contains venomous snakes
Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest and oldest national park in Croatia

Why on Earth are pink lakes pink? The science behind nature's most vibrant waters
Yes some lakes are pink. Here's why

"Known as the Gateway to Hell, where lurid-coloured acid lakes create an eerie, alien world." 10 barren dead zones where nothing survives...
Dead zones are fascinating, often alien places, where nothing or very little lives

This iconic New York landmark is becoming a magnet – not just for tourists, but birds
Does anything live on the Statue of Liberty – and Ellis Island?

Hundreds of dying rivers, 4 million km² of wetlands lost and 420 water-related violent conflicts: Just how dangerous is the global water emergency?
From shrinking rivers and dying wildlife to growing fears of global conflict, here’s why experts say the world is running dangerously dry.

60 metres below an arid desert lies a secret, gigantic underground lake that's hundreds of metres deep and home to animals found nowhere else on earth
It might sound like a location from The Game of Thrones, but the Dragon’s Breath Cave, hidden deep below the Kalahari Desert in Namibia, is actually the home of a vast 264-metre-deep lake, with a surface area the size of two football pitches
