‘Cautious optimism’: Penguins test positive for bird flu but show no symptoms
Asymptomatic cases may seem reassuring for the penguins, but scientists fear they could act as Trojan horses for other species.
Flowers are evolving to self-pollinate as insect numbers drop
French wild pansies are producing smaller flowers and less nectar than 20 to 30 years ago in a ‘startling’ act of evolution, study shows
Cats are beloved pets — and bird-killing machines
Cats may be adored human companions, but they are also highly effective killers, according to a study that shows they eat more than 2,000 species globally — including hundreds that are of conservation concern.
A quarter of the world’s freshwater fish face extinction
From the large-toothed Lake Turkana robber in Kenya to the Mekong giant catfish in Southeast Asia, many are at risk of disappearing, the first International Union for Conservation of Nature red list assessment of the category found.
Earthworms help produce as much grain as Russia
The humble creatures — which break down organic matter and aerate soils — contribute to as much as 6.5 per cent of the world’s grain harvests.
What’s the world’s most species-rich habitat? Dirt
A new research paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found soil is home to 90 per cent of fungi, 85 per cent of plants and more than 50 per cent of bacteria. At three per cent, mammals are the group least associated with soils.
What does ‘nature positive’ mean — and can it slow biodiversity loss?
The catchphrase aims to emulate the success of "net zero" in climate campaigning. Yet some fear it is too vague and open to greenwashing
Nature is fragile. What happens when we mess with it?
Seven ways in which our destruction of the natural world has led to deadly outcomes.
From Velcro to bullet trains: How nature inspires human design
Many of the world’s most inspiring solutions have been created by scientists who stole their ideas from the natural world.
Most home compostable plastics don’t work
Most plastics marketed as “home compostable” don’t actually work, with as much as 60 per cent failing to disintegrate after six months, according to new research.