NATURE

Seven swans from the Queen's flock are feared to have died from H5N6 avian influenza as experts from Defra check to see the bird flu has not spread.

Visitors at a zoo in China were left horrified after witnessing live puppies being fed to enormous pythons.

Two Indonesian men arrested for shooting a critically-endangered orangutan multiple times before beheading the animal, have said they were acting in self-defence.

Trade in hippopotamus teeth is legal but animal is listed as vulnerable by International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Naked mole rats are bizarre, practically hairless rodents, which feel very little pain and are resistant to cancer.

The Earth experienced a geological lull, almost like a mid-life crisis during the Palaeoproterozoic geologic era.

A killer whale named Wikie has been taught how to speak through its blowhole and may be able to have basic 'conversations' with humans some day.

Panicked doctors euthanized the baby soon after the experiment due to ethical concerns and fear of the word getting out, according to the claims.

Apheloria polychroma was discovered in the southeastern US and can be found in a wide variety of colour patterns.

Scientists found that green sea turtles are spending more time looking for food and eating in offshore waters, increasing the risk of ending up as fishing bycatch.

Darpa announced a new programme which aims to deploy thousands of small intelligent floating sensors designed to gather information from the deepest reaches of the ocean.

Researchers have shown mosquitoes are capable of learning and remembering to save their lives from potential human threat.

Families visited the Tabuk region to enjoy the light snow fall and take photos before it melted away in a few hours.

Archaeopteryx is an important group of bird-like dinosaurs which marks the evolutionary transition between reptilian dinosaurs and birds.

These particles, known as aerosols, are the result of urban and industrial pollution, wildfires and other sources.

A live giant squid was spotted in Spanish waters on 7 October 2016. Sighting of the elusive species are rare. This one was most likely killed by a bigger squid.

Researchers in Australia believe more populations like the one found could be existing in different habitats.

The animal defies the 'island rule' and 'Bergmann's rule' which describe patterns of geographical variations.

Stunning footage released by Greenpeace shows never-before-seen footage of the Antarctic Ocean's seafloor in a bid to protect its fragile ecosystem from pollution.

Megapropodiphora arnoldi measures just 0.395 mm in length and is only known from a single female specimen.

The Taymyr is one of the largest icebreakers ever built and it is possible that the vessel did not see the adventure junkies.

Centipedes can spill out a venom so deadly that it can take down creatures 15 times larger than their size within seconds.

Volcanic eruptions are notoriously difficult to predict, but new research could lead to more effective warnings which could save lives.

The Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition provides a powerful insight into the landscapes, wildlife and nature of the planet, and the adventures to be found on it.

During a global continental reorganisation phase, the landmass broke away and collided with Northern Australia's Mount Isa region.

Previously, oolitic limestone was thought to have been formed as a result of ooid grains rolling on the sea floor, slowly staking up the layers of sediment.

Today's festive bird has been traced back to ancient Mexico where it was seen as a cultural symbol used in religious ceremonies.

Plants can now be made to resist environmental changes like global warming and pathogens.

Going by its composition, researchers believe that the water on angrites and water on Earth came from the same source.