
"Again and again it crumpled to the ground like Bambi on ice..."
When one of Africa's most rarest events was spotted, Paul rushed to observe the miracle

They interbred – but could humans and neanderthals actually talk to each other?
Our ancestors lived alongside Neanderthals for nearly 200,000 years, often interbreeding with them. But could they understand one another?

It looks like a ridiculous, cartoon duck with a massive beak – and one type is so thin it has to have its anus right up by its throat...
This deep-sea eel looks like an awkward duck, has more vertebrae than any other creature and has a very lazy way of catching prey

"It has incredibly potent venom, causing catastrophic internal bleeding and horrifying consequences – with the body coming apart from within."
“Bleeding from the inside out”: the boomslang’s lethal venom makes it one of Africa’s most dangerous snakes

It looks like a bee, acts like a bee – but this no bee...
Bee-flies are found in gardens and allotments around the British Isles – so you might be lucky enough to spot one engaging in its unusual reproductive behaviour

The same size as Casablanca, this arid landscape holds over 15 staggering 300m rock towers older than the dinosaurs – and America’s deadliest snake
Discover the land of red rock towers, legendary monsters and coyotes

What's the largest beetle in the world? Clue – it's as long as a toothbrush
Two beetle species are contenders for the accolade of biggest beetle– depending on how you’re measuring.

"We had to break the polar bear’s stride, or one of us would be dead within seconds..”
“The news headline flashed through my mind. ‘Film crew eaten by polar bear’. Was this really how it was going to end?”

"This acoustic assault appears to be an effective deterrent to stop it from being eaten by its host and the host from losing its friend with benefits..."
For a long time, biologists were puzzled by the curious appearance and behaviour of the New Zealand bat fly. Now they think they've figured it out. Nick Baker reports...

It's as big as a Ford transit van, can reach speeds of 50kph and can detect blood from a gobsmacking 3 miles away...
All you need to know about great white sharks, including why they are not as deadly as often feared

Birds

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

Which species are named after Sir David Attenborough? And how many of them are there?
Sir David Attenborough has over 50 species named after him, ranging from a prehistoric marine reptile to a native British flower only found in the Brecon Beacons of South Wales.
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
