Andreas B. Heide has been shortlisted for a Shackleton award for his work in the far north, getting up close to nature to connect people emotionally with a fragile ecosystemTo say the images of Andreas B. Heide during his working day are dramatic is an understatement: a freediver deep underwater in a black wetsuit, his lean silhouette enhanced by powerful...

Abernethy, Cairngorms: Laid up and housebound, I’m watching the bird feeder closer than ever, and the chaffinches and siskins are simply stunning in detailScuppered by a bad back, I’ve been restricted to the couch, but I’m lucky – the bird feeder is right outside the window and it’s providing a living theatre of drama. Goldfinches and greenfinches fly...

Researchers say reducing emissions and biodiversity loss and preventing invasive species could control diseaseBiodiversity loss is the biggest environmental driver of infectious disease outbreaks, making them more dangerous and widespread, a study has found.New infectious diseases are on the rise and they often originate in wildlife. In meta-analysis...

The discovery of these underwater hot springs in 1977 solved the mystery of how life first began on Earth, but it was locating the world’s most famous shipwreck that made me a celebrityThe mid-ocean ridge is where the Earth creates its outer skin. It’s called the boundary of creation. We knew there was life on the bottom of the ocean but not entire...

The island nation is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, as changing weather patterns bring more dry spells and unpredictable rainy seasons. Sean Smith travelled to the south to meet those affected and to report on the ways they are trying to prepare for an altered future Continue reading...

Earth’s greatest living structure is dying. But the humanity of reef scientists is as beautiful as any coral I’ve ever seen From the dry lab on One Tree Island research station – about 100km off the coast from Gladstone and in the southern region of the Great Barrier Reef – I watch a steady procession of scientists walk to their next encounter with...