Nature
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Spiders' webs: Tougher than steel or Kevlar, the miracle material of Nature's tiny assassins
Whether woven to ensnare unsuspecting victims or to cocoon precious eggs, spider silk is a wonder of Nature, each translucent thread so fragile, yet stronger than steel, says Simon Lester.
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The last peak conquered: Climbing Moel Eilio
A windy climb up Moel Eilio in Snowdonia ticks an outstanding North Wales box, as Fiona Reynolds shares.
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Fifty of shades of green: The sex lives of plants
Plants have developed surprising ways of spreading their seed, says John Wright, as he explores the unusual and risqué manner in which some species reproduce to answer one of botany's oldest questions: how do plants have sex?
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Nature's most dangerous journey? The lifecycle of the salmon
A miracle of Nature, the salmon braves body changes, hungry seals and forbidding waterfalls on its extraordinary journey to and from its spawning grounds. But now, warns Simon Lester, it may be facing one challenge too many. Illustrations by Alan Baker for Country Life.
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Four of Britain's biggest Nature charities join the fight against 'Greenwashing'
Four of the nation’s largest conservation charities have joined forces to encourage responsible private investment in Nature recovery and to combat ‘corporate greenwashing’. James Fisher reports.
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Jonathan Self: The simple key to a life full of joy and happiness and free of care
An encounter with a 21st century goatherd makes Jonathan Self wonder if things might one day again be simpler.
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Why has it been a bumper year for British berries?
The sunny, yet wet summer might have been a dampener at the time, but the resulting autumnal berry haul is a feast for mice and men, says John Lewis-Stempel.
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The six most beautiful lonely trees in Britain
The untimely and shocking felling of the Sycamore Gap tree prompted a national outpouring of grief. Here, we salute the proud and lonely sentinels of Britain.
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You might think a book about the birds that lived in London 75 years ago would make for gloomy reading. Nothing could be further from the truth.
75 years ago, Richard Fitter published the seminal book 'London’s Birds'. Jack Watkins takes a look inside to see what it tells us about the changing face of the capital’s avian population — and comes away marvelling at how our winged friends have thrived despite the march of metropolitan progress.
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Green Farm Commitment makes farmers see red
A new ‘environmental module’ proposed by the farm-assurance scheme Red Tractor has drawn heavy criticism from farmers. James Fisher reports.
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Jason Goodwin: How to fill the Sycamore Gap
Our columnist on how some good might come out of the felling of the sycamore in the gap.
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How to win at conkers
Few games rival conkers for sheer excitement. Simon Lester ponders the merits of round-topped nuts versus flat-sided cheesers and exposes the nefarious tricks some use to win at all costs.
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John Lewis-Stempel: Why autumn is the time to go nuts
Whether enjoyed as a healthy snack or deployed as the playground weapon of choice, nuts are versatile, abundant and plentiful now, says John Lewis-Stempel.
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One of Britain's most famous trees has been cut down as vandals target Sycamore Gap at Hadrian's Wall
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Isaac Newton's apple tree has been used to propagate 10 new saplings — and they're being put up for sale
If you're looking for inspiration, what could be better than sitting under a tree that's a descendant of the one that prompted Newton's great leap of imagination.
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A complete guide to the sharks you'll find in the seas of Britain (and the one you'll be glad isn't here yet)
From elusive angelsharks to chunky, sprinting shortfin makos and glow-in-the-dark velvet belly lanterns, award-winning marine biologist Helen Scales gets up close and personal with the sharks that swim in British waters.
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Curious Questions: What is Linnaeus’s Flower Clock?
Martin Fone takes a look at one of the most ingenious uses of plants ever imagined by mankind: Linnaeus’s Flower Clock.
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Collective nouns for birds
We celebrate our favourite collective nouns for birds, from the weird and the wonderful to the most curious.
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John Lewis-Stempel: 'Rewilding is half backwards-looking fantasy, half dystopian vision'
Those who make the case for rewilding ought to be careful — MUCH more careful — what they wish for, says award-winning nature writer John Lewis-Stempel.
