Nature

Over 50% of Earth's oxygen is produced by the ocean.

Marine plankton, seaweed and other photosynthetic organisms produce more than half of the world's oxygen, according…

There are more microorganisms in a teaspoon of soil than people on Earth.

Millions of species and billions of organisms — bacteria, algae, microscopic insects, earthworms, fungi — represent…

A thunderstorm cloud weighs 500,000 kg.

They are composed of billions of tiny water droplets suspended in the air, giving them a weight similar to 100 adult…

The largest living organism on Earth is a fungus.

Located in Oregon, USA, the 'Humongous Fungus' covers over 9 square kilometers and is thousands of years old.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth.

Built by billions of tiny coral polyps, this massive ecosystem stretches over 2,300 kilometers and is visible from…

Indonesia's Kawah Ijen volcano erupts with blue lava.

The 'blue lava' is actually sulfuric gas that combusts upon contact with air, burning with an electric blue flame at…

Bamboo can grow up to 91 cm in a single day.

Certain species grow so fast you can literally watch them. They achieve this by using a unique rhizome system that…

The oldest known living tree is over 5,000 years old.

Named Methuselah, this Great Basin bristlecone pine is located in the White Mountains of California. Its exact…

There is a parasitic fungus that turns insects into 'zombies'.

The Ophiocordyceps fungus infects ants, takes control of their muscles, and forces them to climb to an ideal location…

The Amazon rainforest produces roughly 20% of the world's oxygen.

Due to its massive size and density of plant life, the Amazon plays a crucial role in the Earth's global carbon cycle…

The Corpse Flower smells like rotting flesh to attract pollinators.

Amorphophallus titanum emits a horrific stench of decaying meat to lure carrion beetles and flesh flies, which help…

Sunflowers track the sun's movement across the sky when they are young.

This process is called heliotropism. Young sunflower buds face east in the morning and follow the sun to the west…

The world's tallest tree, named Hyperion, is taller than the Statue of Liberty.

This coast redwood stands at over 115 meters (379 feet) tall. It was discovered in 2006 in a remote part of Redwood…

The Darvaza gas crater, known as the 'Door to Hell', has been burning for over 50 years.

Located in Turkmenistan, Soviet engineers accidentally drilled into a massive natural gas pocket in 1971. They set it…

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is a secure backup facility holding over a million crop seed samples.

Buried deep inside a mountain on a remote island, the 'Doomsday Vault' protects the world's food supply against…

Cycads can heat themselves up to 15 degrees Celsius above ambient temperature to attract pollinators.

These plants, which have existed since the time of the dinosaurs, produce heat and emit infrared light to attract…

Giant sequoias have bark rich in tannins that helps them resist fire.

The thick, resin-poor bark protects the trunk from moderate forest fires. Fire also helps open the cones and release…

Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds in Earth's atmosphere.

They form in the mesosphere, about 80 kilometres up, where water vapour freezes into ice crystals on meteor dust…

The Armillaria ostoyae fungus in Oregon is one of the largest living organisms in the world.

An underground network of this fungus covers about 9 square kilometres and is thousands of years old. Most of the…

Cycads heat their reproductive structures up to 15 degrees Celsius above ambient temperature.

These ancient plants produce heat and emit infrared light to attract pollinating beetles. Heat pollination may be the…

The wood frog can freeze up to 70 percent of its body and come back to life in spring.

Up to 70 percent of the wood frog's body water can freeze. The heart stops beating, breathing ceases and the blood…

Cacti can take forms ranging from 18-metre columns to coin-sized balls.

The cactus family is extremely diverse. Some branch out like massive trees, others stand as columns reaching 18…

There are plants that appear to die completely in drought and come back to life with rain.

Known as resurrection plants, these species lose almost all their water and look dead. When rain returns, they…

The Amazon zombie fungus also lives inside mosses without causing harm.

The Ophiocordyceps fungus, known for infecting ants and altering their behaviour, was found living inside mosses at…