Can a human outrun a bear?
Only a muppet would try and outrun a bear, says Helen Pilcher. Here's why...
"There we were, being ambushed by a probably very hungry polar bear, in a boat with no engine and no means of protecting ourselves..."
Documentary cinematographer Jamie McPherson recalls his terrifying encounter with a polar bear in the Arctic wilderness.
"Its lethal toxins rapidly interfere with nerve function, locking muscles & shutting down vital processes." Despite its beauty it's one deadly shell
Is this the world’s deadliest beach souvenir?
“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.
"Imagine if you had a leg amputated that then hopped off to lead a life of its own as a zombie?"
When it comes to animal talents this is one of the strangest...
"100,000 individuals can make up a single raft..." 10 gobsmacking, bizarre, animal-made structures. You won't believe number 8 can float...
We’re not the only animals capable of impressive feats of engineering…
This gigantic tusk and more than 70 bones were dug up at a construction site in Germany. Here's why the discovery is so exceptional
After several years of detailed study, scientists from Germany have cracked a cold case that has been on ice since the Last Glacial Maximum.
In an Australian city, birds are collecting handcuffs, medicine jars and banknotes. This is why
A new study in Queensland reveals that city-dwelling male great bowerbirds are using human items to impress females.
"It can run across water at speeds of 5 feet per second. That's pretty nippy..." 9 weirdest reptiles in the world, including a devil with two heads
Discover the world's weirdest and wackiest reptiles
“I can barely believe that such an eerie sound could be created by an animal.” Tourists armed with tech are heading into the Amazon – to save monkeys
In Peru’s rainforests, primate conservation is striking a new chord, with citizen scientists playing a significant part as sound engineers
Birds
"A scale that has never been documented before in Greece." Falcon snatches 8 bats from the air in just 30 minutes
Bat predation by Eurasian hobbies has only been recorded a handful of times, making the sighting particularly significant.
Masturbation in birds is “healthy, natural and widespread”, say scientists
The research challenges the widely-held belief that stress and captivity encourages the behaviour
A blood-sucking fly was driving this Galápagos bird to extinction. Then conservationists stepped in
The Critically Endangered Galápagos mangrove finch has had its most successful breeding season on record, with 25 fledglings recorded.
"It has a lethally large inner toe tipped by a deadly dagger-like claw..." 15 weirdest, strangest birds on the planet, including one that reeks of fresh cow manure
There are plenty of contenders for the weirdest bird list from the 'stinky' hoatzin to the strange-looking secretary bird. Here are our favourite weirdest birds
"While she is doing the needlework, the male brings the threads. Little by little she laces it up to form a cup using dozens of stitches."
The little bird that's a very adept seamstress
This elusive bird can be heard up to 5km away – and the sound it makes is extraordinary
The song of the male bittern – the king of the reedbed – sounds like a foghorn.
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
This may be the most photographed tree on the planet. Here's how it got so famous
The Wānaka Tree, rising from the shallow waters of Lake Wānaka in New Zealand, is a must-photograph for many nature-lovers. But why?
“It’s like being electrocuted and set on fire at the same time…” Discover one of the world's most dangerous trees
This tree is considered one of the world’s most venomous plants, and its painful effects can last for years.
"It drops large cones that weigh 40 pounds apiece – more than heavy enough to kill a passer-by..." 8 most dangerous trees on the planet
From tropical terrors to coniferous killers – here are some tree species you might want to avoid the next time you’re walking in the woods.
“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.
