It is a strong, timid, solitary and hard-to-find member of the heron family, whose brownish-red plumage bears a number of dark streaks, and which lives among the reeds in marshy wetland.

A report warns that ocean plastic will triple in a decade. “We invest a lot of money for missions to space, but there’s nothing living out there. The sea bed is teeming with life”, experts say.

In the Bible, saffron is only mentioned in the Song of Songs, as one of the most prominent aromatic spices, and with the aim of highlighting the beauty of the beloved.

Companies in several countries work to eradicate plastic packaging.

Why is it that, despite feeding on decomposing animal flesh, vultures never catch any diseases?

Henna is only referred to twice in the Song of Songs (chapter 1:14 and 4:13), in relation to beauty, fragrance and love.

A few countries control and consume a large amount of the world’s resources.

There is only one verse in the Bible where cotton is mentioned (Esther 1 v 6), although many versions translate it as linen.

The term was translated as “cedar”, “poplar” and even “cypress” as it was thought that fir trees did not exist in Biblical lands.

Helicopters airlifted tourists in Switzerland and Italy as more than 20,000 tourists trapped.

In ancient times carob pods were used to feed horses, donkeys and pigs, though they could also be used as a source of food for humans.

Debora means “bee”, an animal regarded by the Hebrews as organised, wise and hard-working.

The Dead Sea area - situated some 400 metres below sea level - only gets 150 to 200 per square metre per year.

According to researchers, the solar eclipse took place on 30 October 1207 BC. If the words in Joshua “are describing a real observation, then a major astronomical event was taking place”.

The Four Seasons are portraits carefully crafted by each season’s elements, and questions our notions of the human face and the sentiments it evokes.

How sad it is to have heard the word of God, and to allow it to be snatched away.

The German-born Protestant scientist was the precursor of modern entomology. This year is the 300th anniversary of her death.

The greatest madness, the supreme stupidity of the human being consists in hearing the Word of God, delighting in it, but without wanting to put it into practice.

In creation care, “we need more people who lead by example”, says well-known Brazilian politician and activist Marina Silva. 

A doctor visiting the Dominican Republic shares his thoughts after the storm.

These insects are mentioned in the Bible ten times, in the Old and New Testament.

About 90 people will attend the European creation care conference near Nice (France). “Churches have been lacking a vision that puts creation care at the heart of daily discipleship, worship and mission”, says Dave Bookless.

Christians hope to get 2.5 million signatures to have a referendum in the 2018 elections. The question would be: “Should the State protect human life from conception as a fundamental right?”

One third of the world now faces seasons of extreme heat. “For heat waves, our options are now between bad or terrible”, study says.

They are ruminating animals, capable of running more than one hundred kilometres a day without eating or drinking anything. Hence they were trained in Arabia in the 13th century before Christ, as the basis of what has come to be known as the "camel civilisations".