"Symptoms develop quickly and its venom can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death. "6 most dangerous, deadliest sea snakes on the planet
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
Researchers uncover new ‘walking’ species on a night dive in Papua New Guinea. But they’re concerned
A newly discovered species of walking shark has been found in Papua New Guinea – one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth
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
Europe’s oldest national park is home to wolverines and lynx and has no marked hiking trails. It could be the continent’s last true wilderness
Sarek National Park in Northern Sweden forms part of a vast, wild landscape with glaciers, alpine peaks and deep river valleys
Grandeur and resilience of Antarctic wildlife captured in 14 incredible photos
Striking images of life in Antarctica, from penguins and seals, to seabirds and whales.
"This grimacingly ugly creature has adorned itself with gold and, yet, still manages to look ghastly... " 10 ugliest, hideous animals in the ocean
Not every creature in the sea won the genetic lottery
Mushrooms vs fungi: what's the difference? Discover exactly what mushroom means and why fungi shouldn't be messed with
Use the word mushroom when you mean fungus? Or just confused about what they mean – here's an explanation of the two terms
This underground web of fungi is so huge it could reach the sun 1 billion times. Scientists have mapped it for the first time
The worldwide network of mycorrhizal fungi has been mapped out – and its length is astonishing
Deep-sea scientists just filmed an elusive predator with “grotesquely protruding jaw” alive for the first time
Goblin sharks are one of the most baffling species of sharks, with jaws that can protrude out of their face like a slingshot
Birds
The weirdest bird nests on the planet – including a 2-tonne giant and one bound together with spider webs
Discover a host of weird nests built by remarkable birds that steal, sew and regurgitate to look after their chicks
A mighty hawk has made a home in New York City's Central Park. This is its story
Red-tailed hawks have taken up residence in the heart of Manhattan.
“It attacks with a short movement, sucking up the prey with an expansion of its tubular snout.” Meet 8 weirdest, bizarrest animals in Hawai'i
From a squid that projects moonlight to hide from predators to a snake that reproduces by cloning itself, Hawai'i's wildlife is stranger than you'd expect
“They simply moved in.” Thousands of tiny falcons are taking over this ancient Italian city
Thousands of lesser kestrels have been living in and around the ancient Italian city of Matera for centuries
It’s the fastest animal on Earth and ruthlessly kills prey in mid-air – and it’s taking over London’s skyscrapers
The fastest animal on Earth is proliferating
among the skyscrapers of central London
“They produce 7 tonnes of guano – nightly”: Romans in biohazard suits are facing a relentless rain of oily poop. Here’s what’s going on
Millions of starlings descend upon Rome every year, creating spectacular murmurations – and a mess
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
"It looks like lots of pink tongues and smells like rotting flesh." 10 weirdest orchids on the planet, including one that looks rather gruesome
We might think we know all about orchids, but these might surprise you - from stinky orchids to ghost orchids, here are ten that are weird and wonderful
“Its fruits explode when ripe, firing toxic seeds in all directions at speeds of up 160mph…”
You’ll want to steer clear of this tree if its moniker ‘dynamite tree’ is anything to go by…
Fungi vs plants: what’s the difference?
Fungi were grouped with plants by early taxonomists. While the two kingdoms share some superficial similarities, modern analysis has shown them to be incredibly different.
“Untreated, the progression is grim: nausea and vomiting give way to cardiac arrest. Death can come within an hour.”
It bears white flowers and green fruit – but hidden inside its seeds is a potent cardiac poison called cerberin.
