What on Earth?

Named after its prominent ear-like fins, there's much more to this fascinating octopus than its adorable appearance.

Did you know that flies have been helping us solve crimes for hundreds of years?

From looking like Pokémon to having more nipples than any other mammal, tenrecs are an unusual bunch. 

Get to know some of the largest dinosaurs to have ever walked the planet. 

The discovery was made three decades after the species was first uncovered as scientists try to understand more about how sauropods evolved in what is now eastern Asia.

Kumimanu fordycei weighed an estimated 150 kilogrammes, demonstrating that penguins became large early in their evolution.

Scientists have only just begun to reveal what the lives of giant and colossal squid are like in the past two decades.

Which is bigger, an anaconda or a python? Discover some of the world's giant snakes.

Just how big was megalodon and could this giant predator still be lurking in the dark depths of the ocean?

These characterful creatures also have amazing regeneration abilities.

The dwarf reed snake startles potential threats before using a burst of speed to disappear into the undergrowth.

Find out why dung beetles eat poo and how some use the Sun and stars when they travel. 

One of the most unusual self-defence techniques in the animal kingdom has been uncovered.

Fish raised in their mother's mouth can sometimes end up their parent's next meal. 

The aye-aye is one of 12 primates that pick their nose - but we have no good reason why the behaviour evolved.

In nature, species will sometimes form unexpectedly close bonds and work to their mutual benefit. 

From snowshoe-like feet to a nose that works like a dehumidifier, discover the amazing adaptations camels have that help them survive.

Discover how some species effectively use their colourful wings to deter predators.

Meet some of the brightest and boldest creatures in the animal kingdom, where colour is a matter of life and death.

Take a look at these photos and see whether millions of years of evolution will outwit you.

While we humans associate pink with romance, in the natural world it can be a warning or part of an elaborate disguise.

The colour of sunlight, gold and daffodils, yellow is often associated with warmth and optimism.  

Green is the quintessential colour of nature - of parks, gardens and forests, and a reminder of the life-giving power of plants.

Snakebite is one of the world's deadliest neglected health issues. But what does venom actually do to you?

Have you ever seen a cobra spit venom in super slow motion?

Meet some of the animals whose search for a mate may actually be physically painful.

Find out about five animals that you might not expect to be venomous

Meet the brightly coloured sea slugs committing serial stinging-cell crimes.

Meet the amphibians with an unusual defence tactic. 

Are killer bees really as dangerous as their name suggests?

Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?

New research reveals that Yersinia pestis was widespread across Europe during the Bronze Age, thousands of years before the Black Death.

A new disease has been described in seabirds, but it might just be the tip of the iceberg.

The mountain chicken is teetering on the brink of extinction, but we may now have a way to save them.

Wildlife photographer and entomologist Dr Piotr Naskrecki introduces the peculiar insects that spend their entire lives clinging to bats for dear life.

The great diversity of life on Earth can become a literal support system.

Find out how the Gila monster's venom has the ability to save lives.

Ancient Norwegian and Greek literature may have described trap feeding as much as 2,000 years before it was first observed in 2011.

Discover the real sea creatures behind the lore.

From the goblin shark to a tiny wasp named after a creature in Harry Potter, discover the animals that take their names from folklore or fiction. 

The air isn't just for insects, bats ora birds - there are a few other animals that can take to the skies.

A newly described palm species from Borneo has been discovered with the unusual phenomenon of producing its fruit and flowers below ground.

Scientists have recorded plants producing airborne sounds in response to lack of water or having their stems damaged.

Explore the stories of the giant redwoods and the extraordinary Cherokee man Sequoyah, who influenced their name.

Discover this creepy collection of nature's strangest plants. 

Fighting for mates may be a behaviour that dates back over 400 million years.

Discover what a supervolcano is, what their eruptions are like and how they impact our planet. 

Stars that go supernova are responsible for creating many of the elements of the periodic table, including those that make up the human body. 

The mystery of blue Moons lies in the ashes of volcanic eruptions.

Dr Caroline Smith sheds light on the secrets this rock holds about the formation of our own planet.

Explore the science behind the Aurora Pyramid of Hope, an unrivalled collection of 296 coloured diamonds.

The touchable, wavy folds of this rock tell a story as old as life on Earth.

No bigger than a smartphone, this remarkable rock has layers that tell the story of the working lives and hardships of miners in the 1800s.

While some argue de-extinction could help to restore damaged ecosystems, others believe it is an expensive distraction from the threats facing living species.

While the plants flowered, lunar soils negatively affected their growth, meaning there is still some way to go until farming on the Moon becomes a viable prospect. 

While it could provide a useful stopgap, there is no guarantee the technique, or whales, will ever fully restore what has been lost.

Animals can be detected from hundreds of metres away, just by the presence of their DNA in the air.

Looking at the record of bird poo preserved for thousands of years could give us clue as to what might happen as climate change gathers pace.

Is it even possible in the first place?

Armed with one of the most painful stings on the planet, tarantula hawks are a spider's worst nightmare.

Biological immortality is exceptionally rare. But is there any truth to the memes that claim lobsters can live forever?

Meet the tiny, gelatinous animal that has found a way to live forever.

Most plants get the energy they need through photosynthesis, but some get their nutrition by stealing it from another plant instead. About 1% of flowering plants (around 4,000 species) are parasitic. 

Meet the remarkable fish that turned up alive in 1938, despite having been presumed extinct for 70 million years.

Some trees keep their distance from one another, but why do they do it?

These real-life triffids aren't picky eaters.

We may often think of beetles as being relatively small, but there are some species that reach extraordinary sizes.

Meet the delightfully fuzzy wasps with an arsenal of defences that make them nearly impervious to attacks by hungry predators.

Over 30 species globally are named for Christmas Day, recognising their bright colours, place of origin or reproductive cycle.

One of the largest invertebrates to have ever lived once roamed the beaches of ancient England.

Discover the microscopic dimensions of the smallest moths on the planet.

The brightly coloured spotted lanternfly is causing problems in parts of Asia and North America. 

Growth is usually thought of as from small to large, but marine iguanas occasionally do the opposite.

Leopard seals are incredible apex predators, but these mysterious mammals are often portrayed as villains.

Meet some of the animals that bust out their best moves to attract a mate.

We may be relying on venom and the animals that produce it more often than we think.

There's more to the snot-like secretions of the internet-famous hagfish than meets the eye.

Meet the beetles that fire a boiling chemical brew at predators that get too close for comfort.

Australian scientists are persevering in their quest to 'catch 'em all' as they name new species after pop culture icons.

Take a look through the eyes of a dog, a spider and three other creatures.

Although most sharks give birth to live young, a few lay oddly shaped eggs that occasionally wash up on beaches.

Find out how web-spinning spiders catch their dinner and how other spiders use silk.

With armoured bodies, curly tails and limited swimming ability, seahorses are a group of fish quite unlike any other.

Sponges are unsung heroes for thousands living with chronic illnesses.

Get to know the world's largest land-dwelling crustacean.

If you see a snake blink at you, it's not a snake.

A curator unravels the mystery of the woodlouse's gargantuan deep-sea cousin. 

Specialised conservation work saves kākāpō from the brink of extinction. 

How much do you know about slow-moving, seagrass-munching manatees?

A pristine pair of ancient beetles were discovered in the Museum collection. They date back nearly 4,000 years.

Meet some of the small and elusive felines roaming wild around the world

With a dramatic nickname and a taste for honeybees, Asian giant hornets are causing panic in North America.

An ancient invertebrate lost its legs to live in tubes. 

Did you know that there are more species of fly in the UK than there are mammals on the planet? And they perform some pretty important jobs.

Seals have specially shaped whiskers that enable them to hunt effectively even in poor visual conditions.

Weeping trees, teeth stronger than Kevlar and one of Earth's most spectacular natural events are all shaped by the Moon.

Water voles in Glasgow have left the riverbank behind in search of new homes.

T. rex forelimbs were tiny but surprisingly muscular - so how were they used? 

Discover how polar bears survive in the Arctic, even when temperatures fall far below -30°C.