That cheeky little bottle of white might be a 900-year-old vintage (sort of)
Some of the wines we drink today are identical to those drunk almost a millennium ago, according to a BBC report on some DNA testing that's been done in France.
Scientists have long suspected this might be the case: most new vines are generally grown from cuttings, meaning that they're genetically identical to their 'parent' plant. And now, after testing grape seeds found by archaeologists, they've proven that a Savignin Blanc (a different wine to Sauvignon Blanc) from the Jura region is made from grapes genetically identical to those being used in the early 12th century. The same team also showed that the Romans drank wines extremely similar indeed to modern Pinot Noir and Syrah.
Happy birthday, Hugh Laurie
If you find it hard to believe that he's 60 today, you'll probably find it even harder to accept that peerless Blackadder Goes Forth was broadcast 30 years ago this autumn.
The woman who's happy to let her house tumble into the North Sea
'When you see that kind of power, it sort of makes you realise you’re just one little animal... Erosion isn’t destructive. It’s just change.' Given that she's about to lose her family home, Juliet Blaxland's Zen-like calm is inspiring — and the book she's penned about her plight is up for the top award in nature writing.
When life gives you lemons, as they say in the States, make lemonade.
Read full story (Daily Telegraph)
Wildcat wonders
This spectacular gallery from BBC Wildlife is worth a few minutes of anyone's time.
Stat of the day
571
The number of British plants which have gone extinct in the wild since the Industrial Revolution, according to a 30-year-long research project by a team of scientists including the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. That's double the number of animals to have gone into extinction in the same period.
Deep impact in Ullapool
The biggest meteorite strike ever to hit Britain has been discovered by a joint team made up of scientists from Aberdeen and Oxford universities. Apparently it hit near Ullapool one billion years ago, a mile-wide meteor that hit the planet at 25,000mph.
Of course, there was no such country as Britain 1 billion years ago, and the land masses and oceans have changed out of all recognition. But the geological record holds the key anyway: 'rock formations in the northwest of Scotland contain an “ejecta blanket”: a layer of debris that could only have been created by an impact from space,' reports The Times's science correspondent Tom Whipple.
Read more (The Times - subscription required)
And finally... Omen of the Day
These things happen. But when it's a tree planted to symbolise friendship between two nations who have enjoyed 240-odd years of almost-unbroken friendship, those tongues will wag...
Country Life Today: Has the Loch Ness monster given the game away by urinating in the water?
We take a look at the latest evidence that something extraordinary lurks in Loch Ness, breathe a sigh of relief
Credit: Bell Ingram
An eight-bedroom mansion on the shores of Loch Ness for the price of a one-bedroom flat in South London
Foyer's Bay is a majestic 19th century home set in beautiful grounds beside Loch Ness at a price which might
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Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 picturesPlus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
