Drink to your elf: what is this striking red growth?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the scarlet elf cup, plastic pollution and a Kiwi invader
Nature
Articles related to nature
‘Our health is intrinsically linked to the natural world. Quite simply, no nature, no health’
If you think hospital waiting lists and access to GP care are challenging now, climate change will bring more difficulties
Has this buzzard fallen prey to bird flu?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on how to report dead birds, a bone of contention, and an imported lizard
Who’s been gnawing on my door?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on rats’ incisors, the house martins and a suspicious sparrowhawk
Looking forward to a future where doctors prescribe time to take in a hedgerow
A new study finds that people watching nature videos reported electric shocks as less intense, a pattern also observed in their brain scans
The starling: Decades of work to comprehend movement patterns in this feathered species
‘The shapes we see in starling murmurations are an example of “emergent behaviour” ... from relatively simple underlying rules’
Hedgerows are a shining example of nature benefiting from human intervention
The mix of plants provides a range of ecosystem services and habitats that natural colonisation would not achieve
‘Our cherry tree has stopped fruiting. What can we do?’
Readers’ questions: The cherries were a wonderful surprise in the first year, but the tree has not been particularly bountiful since
Spring has sprung, so here’s what to prioritise in the garden
Key to keeping on top of the to-do list at this time of year is to prioritise ruthlessly
What species is this bumblebee feasting on dandelions in my garden?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the smallest bird in Ireland, an invasive moth, and the fluted bird’s nest fungus
Yet another of our natural treasures is in deep trouble
Despite its status as a protected area for birds and wildlife, Lady’s Island Lake in Co Wexford is now suffering from a dangerous, if not fatal, level of pollution
What is the cause of this rook’s very unusual beak?
Éanna Ní Lamhna identifies and explains readers’ other unusual nature findings
Gamma rays could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions here on earth
Findings will inform targeting of emissions cuts, say University of Galway scientists
Striking the right balance on Irish offshore wind and protection of marine life
High-value habitats can be avoided if identified but it is the less obvious impacts that are so far known to cause the biggest effects
Eye on Nature: How a branch of the national tree of Chile ended up in Dublin
Eanna Ní Lamhna answers readers' queries about jackdaws bearing gifts, a curious shell and a couple of frogs who got carried away
Connemara National Park to expand by 250 hectares after land purchase
Minister for Heritage announces doubling of walkways in Co Galway nature attraction via partnership between parks service and Fáilte Ireland
Buzzards are making a comeback – again
The bird of prey has become extinct from Ireland twice but managed to recover until it is common and widespread once more
Is this white barnacle goose I captured on camera a rare sight?
Éanna Ní Lamhna answers your queries on unusual geese, flying sea creatures and unfamiliar fungi
Last-minute deal agreed at global biodiversity summit
Resumed UN Cop16 negotiations in Rome end with fragile accord but critics warn pact falls short on curbing nature loss
How robots are helping to set a sustainable course for Irish farming
Scientists at Maynooth University are applying a breadth of thinking and innovation with a view to putting farming on a surer footing
Humans don’t drink alone: alcohol consumption is widespread in nature
‘One species that can match us drink for drink, however, is the humble vinegar fly’
Ireland is waging a war on trees at a time when we need more of them
Those who regard trees as a nuisance are failing to appreciate their ecological and psychological benefits
Amoc: Atlantic Ocean current that gives Ireland benign climate ‘may not collapse this century’, study finds
Current collapse would lead to much colder conditions in Ireland and northwest Europe
Swans carry antimicrobial-resistant bacteria similar to those causing difficult-to-treat infections in humans, study finds
Prevalence of AMR bacteria in swans likely ‘linked to human-associated pollution of shared water habitat’ says researcher
Beartooth by Callan Wink: Spare and remarkable
A dual consciousness – of the sublime and exalted nature of the universe, and of its utter dispassion – flows through this novel
The company of wolves: should large predators be reintroduced to Ireland?
What we really need is a study, not on the feasibility of wolves or lynx here, but on people and how our values, attitudes and perceptions might evolve to accommodate them
Why has much of Ireland had no sun for 10 days now? The jet stream is to blame
Jet stream is to blame, with a blocking system shutting out the sun
Widespread ecological damage from oil spills in Niger Delta revealed in international study
Scientists detail scale of devastation to mangroves using satellite imagery, AI and imaging techniques used in healthcare settings
Ten pollinator-friendly, versatile shrubs that will flourish in your garden for years
Are these fashionable choices? Not really, although there are certainly signs of a comeback
Black band at bottom lip of shell gives game away for the brown-lipped snail
Your notes and queries for Eanna Ní Lamhna
Humpback whale swallows and then spits out kayaker off Chile coast
‘I went under and thought I had been swallowed’ says Adrian Simancas
Irish environment groups condemn EU cash row as defunding attempt by right-wing MEPs
Acrimonious dispute unfolding over whether European Commission should fund organisations that lobby European Union institutions
On Valentine’s Day, say it with flowers – just don’t buy the ones with a bad backstory
Giving flowers is a lovely gesture, but the backstory of some bouquets is just plain ugly
Saving Irish salmon needs more than a clever new technology from Norway
Ella McSweeney: A recent incident in Killary Harbour provides further evidence that the salmon farming system carries too much risk
What is this mushroom seen in our local park?
Éanna Ní Lamhna answers your queries on wasp-nest raiders, early-nesting goldfinches and curlew feeding habits
Quiet, please! The remarkable power of silence – for our bodies and our minds
Time spent quietly allows us to unpack the contents of our mind and sort through them with greater clarity
A shocking collapse: forests that once showed traces of insect life on every leaf often now appear ‘fumigated’
‘The house is burning. We don’t need a more sophisticated thermometer, we need a fire hose,‘ says a resident expert at a unique conservation area in Costa Rica
Fungus-infected ‘zombie spiders’ found in caves are unique to Ireland
The Last of Us television series is driving amazing interest in the story, says cave explorer
Love Ireland: nine Irish hotels with great romantic walks for Valentine’s weekend
Getting out into nature on your hotel break is good for you, and even more so when you have your loved one by your side
The miniature world of micromoths
Éanna Ní Lamhna on Irish jays, the blackcap’s call and a non-dinosaur tooth
‘Art can bring comfort, meaning and perspective to the journey of illness and recovery’
Liza Cauldwell began photographing flowers to help process her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment as she navigates through healing
This blackbird has become another beak to feed
Éanna Ní Lamhna on a woeful woodcock, a perished pipistrelle bat and a radiant redshank
Bee hotels are a misplaced attempt to help nature
How to help? Plant wildflowers, avoid using chemicals and get comfortable with messy, neglected areas
Farming for and with nature has entered the mainstream
As CAP payments are oriented towards sustainability, nature-friendly farming can secure reliable funding for farms in an increasingly unreliable global marketplace
Jaws, Piranha, the big, bad wolf ... no wonder there is a serious disconnect with nature
Having othered nature throughout history, we continue to do so in Ireland. Once you demonise something, it is easy to discount it
Chris Packham: ‘I was a very angry young man, confused because of my undiagnosed autism. It had an enormous impact on my life’
British environmentalist and BBC presenter Chris Packham on battling to save the planet, standing up to his enemies, and how his autism made him hate himself
The future you: 10 habits to acquire for long-term health and happiness
Taking care of yourself now means you can reap the rewards of longer-term improved health and wellbeing in the future
We found a huge dead spider in our classroom. What is it?
Éanna Ní Lamhna on the angle shades moth, dog’s vomit mould and strange slime underfoot
Wild caving, axe throwing, aerial yoga: Step outside your comfort zone with these hobbies
The start of the year is an ideal time to try a new activity or sport – and if it ignites your sense of adventure, so much the better
Ireland lacks a long-term master plan for energy sector - Ibec CEO
Ireland must take ‘big leaps as distinct to small steps’ in developing renewables, says SSE chief
Rewilding: A meaningful response to tackling the biodiversity crisis
The concept is an eco-centric approach which is nature-led and human-enabled
Raucous jays are the lovable gangsters of Ireland’s woodlands
Ella McSweeney: When acorns fall from the oak tree in autumn, a jay will hide up to 5,000 of them around the wood
Why does this white gull seem to have black spots on its tail?
Eanna Ní Lamhna on gulls, the amethyst deceiver and caterpillars of the pine processionary moth
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices