How nature records history

In the 17th century, the great maritime nations were vying to solve a puzzle that had confounded philosophers for many centuries: how to determine exact positions on the Earth’s surface. And in Britai

I n 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. That, at least, is what the famous rhyme tells us. Memorising such dates is a common experience of being taught history – a cliché superbly lampooned by the w

Astonishingly, earthquakes shake the US state of California almost 9,000 times a year, on average – that’s about once every hour. California’s official nickname is the Golden State, harking back to th

What is a tree? To you and me it might be a focal point in the garden, a source of shade and privacy, a provider of fruit or even a gift to future generations. To wildlife it could be home, shelter, a

There’s only one thing in nature that conjures the crisp, sharp beauty of the shoulder seasons for Nadia Shaikh ...

The connection between nature and creativity comes in many forms. Here, artists, writers and musicians talk about the different ways in which they take inspiration from the outdoors - and share the places that fuel their imagination