'Roger Juno, welcome to Jupiter.' Probe begins exploring the brutal environment of our biggest neighbour
At six minutes to midnight on the fourth of July (Eastern Standard Time), the collected cast and crew at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, went totally wild. The exploratory probe Juno had just successfully gone into orbit around Jupiter, having navigated into one of the most hostile environments in our solar system—and it was … Continued
Honeymooning scientist discovers giant venomous amphibious centipede
Some people have to accept that their partners are married to their work, but the new wife of scientist George Beccaloni may have been sightly miffed when the most exciting thing to happen during their honeymoon to Southeast Asia was the discovery of a 20cm-long centipede that can swim and inflict an excruciatingly painful bite. … Continued
Why we’ve taken Nature online, ‘On Demand’
As you’ve already probably deduced from the name, at Love Nature we are pretty passionate about the natural world, and about discovering the best ways to communicate our love for wildlife to like-minded enthusiasts right across the Earth. That’s why we decided to launch a video streaming service exclusively focused on nature, the environment, conservation, … Continued
Mountain biker mauled to death in Montana, but should grizzlies lose protected status?
A mountain biker has been killed by a grizzly bear, after he surprised the animal whilst riding on trails just outside Glacier National Park in Montana. The tragic indecent took place on Wednesday, when 38-year-old Brad Treat was out cycling with a friend in the Halfmoon Lakes area of the Flathead National Forest. Treat was … Continued
'Spectacular' baby bird wings from the time of the dinosaurs found preserved in amber
The wings of two birds that lived among the dinosaurs have been discovered in top condition in Myanmar (Burma). Described in the journal Nature Communications, the tiny wings have been perfectly preserved in amber, after their owners—a brace of baby birds exploring their habitat—became fatally stuck in the ultra-sticky sap of a tropical tree some … Continued
Dramatic blue whale rescue unfolds off Californian coast
A life and death struggle to save a blue whale is currently taking place in the Pacific Ocean. The distressed animal is caught in crab nets just off the coast of California, and appears to be dragging 200 feet of line and several buoys from its tail, according to witness reports. The National Oceanic and … Continued
Birds pushed to the edge by floods
A flock of cranes that ended up at the centre of a once-in-200-year flood has given researchers a rare insight into how wildlife copes with extreme weather. The cranes’ progress was being tracked by researchers from the University of Exeter, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and RSPB when severe flooding hit the Somerset Levels … Continued
The elk, the wolf, and the hunter—Exploring the turbulent juncture between hunting and conservation
As far as we’re aware, no one’s ever been quoted saying conservation is an easy science. But in the United States balancing the needs of these ecosystem’s two top types of hunter—humans and freshly rehabilitated or reintroduced native predators—is an ethical minefield. Alongside the usual uncertainties that arise when working with living things, are the … Continued
Shark researchers race to name new species before they are lost to science
A team of researchers from the Pacific Shark Research Center in California is racing to name newly-discovered species before they are wiped out by overfishing. The Center’s director Dr. David Ebert and graduate students Jessica Jang, Kristin Walovich and Victoria Elena Vásquez have turned to the crowdfunding site experiment.com in search of backing for their … Continued
Meet Monique, the unique hen sailing around the world
He may be living every freedom-loving explorer’s ultimate dream, as he sails singlehanded around the world, but Guirec Soudee is possibly the most hen-packed man on the planet. Because, while the 24-year-old Frenchman might own the only pair of hands aboard his yacht Yvinec, he isn’t travelling solo: he has a pretty companion in the … Continued
Lethal lionfish invade Mediterranean
The lionfish—a beautiful, but dangerous and potentially deadly creature—has entered the waters of the Mediterranean, marine biologists are warning, and conservationists are deeply concerned about the impact the invasive and voracious species will have on the sea’s natural ecosystem. Also known as the Devil Firefish, the ornate and colourful lionfish bristles with barbs which pack … Continued
Multiple alligators killed after boy's death in Orlando Disney resort
Five alligators were captured and killed in the immediate aftermath of a tragic death involving a two-year-old boy at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, it has been revealed. According to reports, at around 9pm on Tuesday evening, the boy—who has been named as Lane Graves—waded into about a foot of water at the edge … Continued
Common markets. Exploring the ethics and idiosyncrasies of live animal markets, near and far, old and new
A friend of mine recently came across a live owl for sale in a market in Bali, South East Asia. The nocturnal bird was scrunched up in tiny cage, left out in the brutal heat and unforgiving sunlight of the day. Incensed at seeing such a magnificent creature being kept in the most miserable circumstances, … Continued
Amazing plot twists in the story of the hobbits of Flores
Just over a decade after the sensational revelation that a species of hobbit-sized humanoids lived on the Indonesian island of Flores between 17,000 and 95,000 years ago, researchers discovered crucial clues to the identity of the hobbit’s ancestors literally hours before giving up the ghost, according to a new report in Nature. In 2003, scientists … Continued
Rogue bear with taste for human flesh blamed for four fatal attacks in Japan
People are being warned not to stray into the forest in Japan’s Akita prefecture, a mountainous area in the north of the country’s main island Honshu, after the discovery of four bodies in the last few days. The victims are believed to have been fatally attacked by bears—with some speculating that one rogue animal could … Continued
One of the world’s rarest birds has laid eggs in captivity for the first time
Seven eggs have been laid so far by two spoon-billed sandpipers at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK. The flock was established in 2011 as a back-up in case conservationists run out of time to save the wild population from extinction. In the wild, only around 200 breeding pairs are left on … Continued
Seagull falls into a vat of curry. Turns orange
A British seagull ended up rather orange-faced recently when it fell into a vat of curry. The bird tumbled into the container of chicken tikka masala whilst trying to pinch meat from a food factory last week. Workers rescued the now umpa-lumpa-looking bird at the site in Wales, before delivering it to a nearby wildlife … Continued
What a shock! Watch an electric eel light up this imitation predator
A new study conducted by a biologist at the Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has shown that—contrary to previous thinking—electric eels are not ones to shy away from a fight. A slow-motion video, involving a mock alligator head dotted with LEDS, has shown that when confronted with a predator, electric eels will take the offence—jumping out … Continued
Tasmanian town wrapped in web after thousands of spiders fall out of the sky
It has been raining spiders in a small Tasmanian town, after severe flooding prompted the arachnids to resort to an unusual escape method known as ballooning. Local trees and bushes are now covered in a vast web of silk in Westbury, near Launceston on the Australian island state, and within the folds an unimaginable number … Continued
Frequent fliers: Arctic terns smash world record for the planet's longest migration
Arctic terns nest in their noisy thousands on the Farne Islands in the UK, and twitchers and scientists have long observed the birds disappearing over the southern horizon at the end of every summer, but until now they didn’t know where they were heading. The enigma has just been solved thanks to the invention of … Continued
Two humans and one shark dead after a bloody week in the waters of Western Australia
A female scuba diver has been killed in shark attack in Western Australia, the second such fatality on beaches peripheral to Perth during the same week, after a surfer died as a result of having his leg bitten off on Tuesday in an attack in Mandurah, just south of the West Australian capital. The two … Continued
Child's apology note helps spread message of nature preservation
Kids say the darnedest things, and we often overlook the importance of their words. However, the staff at the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were so touched by the note they received from a young visitor, they just had to share the child’s message. In the note, which has gained traction on the park’s … Continued
Dead cubs and body parts discovered at popular Thai Tiger Temple, as Buddhist monks accused of cruelty
The frozen remains of 40 dead tiger cubs have been discovered by wildlife officials at a Buddhist Temple in Thailand, where a monk has also been detained and accused of smuggling animal parts. The gruesome finds came to light on Wednesday and Thursday, during the authorities’ on-going operation to remove and relocate all 137 living … Continued
Bee swarm chases grandmother for 28 hours
A grandmother in Wales got a shock last weekend, when she returned from a shopping trip to discover her car covered in thousands of bees, with several people attempting to remove the animals. Carol Howarth, 65, was even more amazed when the bees then chased her all the way home and staged a second mass … Continued
'If you go swimming at 10 o’clock at night, you’re going to get consumed'—woman killed by croc in Australia
A woman from New Zealand has been killed in a crocodile attack in Tropical North Queensland, Australia, after going for a late night moonlit paddle while celebrating the end of her friend’s cancer treatment. Witnesses heard 46-year-old photographer Cindy Waldron screaming ‘A croc’s got me, a croc’s got me!’ as she was dragged away by … Continued
The Game of Thrones intro recreated with slime mold
Using time-lapse footage of slowly growing slime mold from Nick Lariontsev, YouTube user Transcend Rules has pieced together this entertaining take on the Game of Thrones introduction, complete with the theme. What are slime molds? Aptly named due to their gooey appearance, slime molds are single-celled organisms that feed on the microorganisms found in dead … Continued