When nuclear rain swept the UK in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, farmers saw their livelihoods and even their families threatened. Some 9,700 farms and four million sheep were placed under restriction as radiocaesium- 137 seeped into the upland soils of England, Scotland and Wales.

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword

Sheep rain down on drivers in bizarre Melbourne crash

400 livestock fall from bridge after truck overturns on Melbourne motorway

The numbers of buzzards are recovering after years of decline in Britain

Another day, another U-turn – plan for buzzard cull given the bird

Controversial plans to shotgun-blast the nests of buzzards to help out pheasant shooters were abruptly dropped by the Government yesterday, 24 hours after they were extensively highlighted and criticised in i.

The numbers of buzzards are recovering after years of decline in Britain

Buzzards free to nest in peace as minister drops shooting plans

Protected birds earn reprieve after sudden U-turn

Glyndebourne's <i>Vixen</i> is a flimsy affair

The Cunning Little Vixen, Glyndebourne, East Sussex
L'Olimpiade, St John's, Smith Square, London
Jessye Norman, Royal Festival Hall, London
Bow Down, Old Municipal Market, Brighton

Glyndebourne's dreadlocks-and-driftwood Janacek misses the Slavic touch, while Harrison Birtwistle's 'opera' is simply loathsome

Street lighting is changing insect ecosystems, study claims

Street lighting is changing insect ecosystems in towns and cities, a study has found.

Badger baiter sentenced to 23 weeks

A man who urged his dog to attack and kill badgers kept footage of the brutal fights on his phone, a court heard today.

The fortunes of Vietnam’s saola, right, contrast sharply with those of Britain’s rarest butterfly, the large blue, above, which is going from strength to strength

Antelope first seen 20 years ago is on brink of extinction

Vietnam's rare mammals may be sliding towards extinction, but Britain's rarest butterfly is going from strength to strength, a series of contrasting announcements makes clear today.

Everyday chemicals 'reduce sperm count'

Men's sperm count could be reduced by exposure to chemicals in the environment, according to research.

Review ordered over badger cull

A judicial review is to be held into the Government's decision to allow badgers to be killed in England to halt the spread of bovine TB.

Polar bears are 450,000 years older than we thought

Endangered predator may be particularly vulnerable to rapid climate change in Arctic, experts fear

Meat removal technique to be banned

A technique used in the UK to remove meat from animal bones is to be banned this month following a moratorium by the European Commission, it was announced today.

Earthworm Jim to the rescue - Retrospect

Hope lives on among fans that the franchise will be revived but perhaps it's better not to go back – even today the first two Earthworm Jim games are jewels of the genre, always there to pick you up when you need a little rampant absurdity in your life.

Drought places wildlife, from trees to tadpoles, under serious threat

Much of Britain's wildlife, from dragonflies to water voles, face a difficult summer because of the drought, the Environment Agency has warned.

Drought will cause a 'wildlife tragedy', says Environment Agency

Exceptional dry spell threatens species from trees to tadpoles

Career Services

Day In a Page

Teenage kicks: Twitter and the 'bling ring' gang

Lena Corner gets the inside story on this very post-modern scandal.

Moveable feasts: Festival grub goes gourmet

Meet the mobile foodie pioneers bringing Bloody Mary crumpets, craft ales and sustainable seafood to the masses.

'My own Diamond Jubilee': 60 years in same job

The Queen is part of an elite club which clocks in way past retirement age.
Joumana Haddad: 'Arab women have been brainwashed'

Joumana Haddad: 'Arab women have been brainwashed'

Haddad is a voice rarely heard in the Middle East – an unapologetic feminist who wants to challenge the way both Arab men and women think.

Food: Mark Hix knows his onions

Alliums are among the most versatile kitchen ingredients, says our chef.
Grotty no more: How Lanzarote upgraded its appeal

How Lanzarote upgraded its appeal

Lanzarote has been quietly changing its fly-and-flop holiday image, discovers Andrew Eames.
Traveller's Guide: Montenegro

Traveller's Guide: Montenegro

It's one of Europe's smallest countries, but it packs in spectacular landscapes and glittering beach resorts.
48 Hours In: Verona

48 Hours In: Verona

Summer opera returns to the Roman arena, says Charles Hebbert.
Ten things we’re looking out for at E3 2012

Ten things to look out for at E3 2012

From Wii U to The Last of Us we consider this year's show
Come dine (online) with me

Come dine (online) with me

Move over TV chefs, hello YouTube stars
Next in line – but public just can't warm to idea of Charles in charge

Next in line – but public just can't warm to idea of Charles in charge

'Independent' poll finds less that half want him to take throne as ministers moan of interference
Nothing's sacred: the illegal trade in India's holy cows

Nothing's sacred: the illegal trade in India's holy cows

Andrew Buncombe reports from Kaharpara on a bloody war between rustlers and border guards
Mogul grounded: Desmond gives up his jet deal

Mogul grounded: Desmond gives up his jet deal

Media tycoon's company pays £1m to cancel his order for a £36m private jet after drop in profits
How Ai Weiwei built a pavilion in London – by remote control

How Ai Weiwei built a pavilion in London – by remote control

The artist tells Clifford Coonan how he used Skype to escape confinement in Beijing
Nature, nurture... or neither? The new twist in an age-old argument

Nature, nurture... or neither?

The new twist in an age-old argument