Science and nature facts, news and stories

Living over 200 million years ago, Scleromochlus helps to show how ancient reptiles took their first steps towards flight.

Mass producing the proteins in the saliva could provide a cheap and effective way to break down polyethylene waste. 

Professor Svante Pääbo, considered a founding father of palaeogenomics, has helped to reveal how humans evolved, and how we relate to our closest relatives.

A fossil from China has filled in a major gap in the evolutionary tree for life on Earth.

Mass producing the proteins in the saliva could provide a cheap and effective way to break down polyethylene waste. 

Termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier. 

Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.

Going green is no longer just the smart decision – it's also the most profitable one. 

Get a sneak peek at some of the powerful photographs from this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.

The herring narrowly escaped extinction in the twentieth century. But while some populations have recovered to healthy levels, others are still threatened by illegal fishing.

Go beyond the camera and discover five wildlife photographers who are using their work to celebrate the natural world and those protecting it. 

Edson Vandeira's image of the burnt corpse of a yacare caiman exposes the devastating impact of the Brazilian Pantanal wetland fires. 

Catch up on the latest episodes of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.

Pond dipping is a wonderful way to look at the creatures that live in and around pond water. 

A log pile can give home and shelter to some of the smaller inhabitants of your garden.

A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.

Living over 200 million years ago, Scleromochlus helps to show how ancient reptiles took their first steps towards flight.

Mass producing the proteins in the saliva could provide a cheap and effective way to break down polyethylene waste. 

Professor Svante Pääbo, considered a founding father of palaeogenomics, has helped to reveal how humans evolved, and how we relate to our closest relatives.

As the Competition moves into its fifty-ninth year, we welcome Kathy Moran as the new Chair of the Jury. 

A fossil from China has filled in a major gap in the evolutionary tree for life on Earth.

Fierce debate has raged about the origins of the tiny ancient human species Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the 'hobbit'.

In the midst of war, scientists have been working to protect historic artworks.

Researchers have caught a glimpse of the cosmos just two million years after the formation of the solar system.

Termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier. 

The people after which England is named made up more than three quarters of the nation's genetic ancestry during the early Middle Ages. 

Investigating Mars' dry lakes could help scientists to discover how life began on Earth. 

The dental record of a small animal has pushed back the origin of mammals by 20 million years. 

The description of an extinct lizard-like animal may help reveal why its kind were rapidly pushed to the edge of extinction.

Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.

Female wildebeest are engaged in an evolutionary arms race - but scientists aren't sure why. 

Going green is no longer just the smart decision – it's also the most profitable one. 

Researchers have reconstructed one of the first gliding reptiles in extraordinary detail.

The Natural History Museum pays tribute to Her Majesty The Queen.

The works are part of the wider Urban Nature Project.

Greta Thunberg and the Museum have teamed up to help educate students on the importance of tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises.

A new study shows the tunnelling mammals are among a handful of mammals known to be capable of an unusual process known as Dehnel's phenomenon.

Over a century ago, one of the most important scientific expeditions in history departed from the UK to explore the oceans of the world. 

NASA prepares to launch its uncrewed test flight to the moon.

Catch up on the latest episodes of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.