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An ode to the worm: ‘The intestines of the earth‘, 6,000 species, 600 million years old and undeniably valuable
Lauded by Aristotle as the ‘intestines of the earth’, the 1.75 million worms found in each acre of fertile arable land deserve the utmost respect, says an admiring Ian Morton.
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Moss: The 350-million-year-old plants that turn the unsightly 'into things radiant of beauty'
Moss is fascinating, ancient and bizarre, and grows so slowly — an inch per quarter of a century — as to make glaciers look positively speedy. Ian Morton finds out more.
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The history of the elder tree: From deities and dryads to Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling
Does our love of a tall glass of elderflower cordial speak of an ancient connection with the tree itself, wonders Ian Morton.
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Curious Questions: One for sorrow, two for joy – but why are we so superstitious about magpies?
Superstitions swirl around all manner of different birds, but never more so than with magpies. We take a look at why.
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Delights of the daisy: The tiny flower with huge charm that's entranced artists for centuries
We all love a daisy chain, but there’s more to this humble flower than meets the (day’s) eye, discovers Ian Morton.
