James Cutmore

Bristol

Picture Editor at BBC Science Focus

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Articles

18 ugliest animals in the world

1 month ago | discoverwildlife.com | James Cutmore

Whether you call them ugly animals or aesthetically challenged creatures, there’s a vast array of, shall we say, intriguing wildlife on Earth. The world's weirdest animals: meet the weird freaks and oddballs of the natural world - including one that looks like it's wearing stripy pyjamas While fluffy kittens and doe-eyed puppies easily capture human affection, there are many species out in the wild, from the forests to the oceans, that have what we humans might consider less conventional looks.
The top 22 most ugly animals in the world, in pictures

1 month ago | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

Whether you call them ugly animals or simply aesthetically challenged creatures, there’s a vast array of, shall we say, intriguing wildlife on Earth. While fluffy kittens and doe-eyed puppies easily capture human affection, there are many species out in the wild, from the forests to the oceans, that have what we humans might consider less conventional looks. Of course, we’re biased because of evolution.
13 amazing images from this year's Environmental Photography Award

1 month ago | discoverwildlife.com | James Cutmore

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation have announced the winners of the 2025 Environmental Photography Award. This year's overall winner was an amazing image of polychaete worms flushing sand out of their burrows, taken by photographer Angel Fitor.
The 13 fastest supercars in the world 2025

2 months ago | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

For most of us, a fast car is just a tool to get us from A to B – to pick the kids up from school or procure the weekly shop. For others, however, it’s about getting to B with a grin on their face and their ears still ringing – the groceries, inevitably, left behind (though maybe not the kids). For those who subscribe to the latter point of view, some clever people invented supercars.
Simply jaw-dropping: The best 31 wildlife photos of 2025 (so far)

Feb 24, 2025 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

The prestigious World Nature Photography Awards have revealed this year's winners, with the top prize going to – drum roll, please – a breathtaking aerial photo of two deer running through a snow-covered vineyard. The photo below, taken by Slovenian photographer Maruša Puhek, won the top prize out of hundreds of entries from around the world. Other standout shots include a stunning image of birds battling in mid-air and an adorable fox joyfully leaping.
The 15 weirdest pictures of nature's smallest animals

Feb 5, 2025 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

Not an insect fan? Look away now: the winning images in the Royal Entomological Society’s Photography Competition 2024 have just been announced. This year's selection of close-up critters features a very menacing-looking beetle, an unfortunate mummified wasp and a peculiarly monochrome butterfly. However, the most intriguing picture according to the judges was that of a gnat ogre (a species of robber fly, not a relative of Shrek).
The 20 best and weirdest nature images of 2025 (so far)

Jan 24, 2025 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

The winners of this year's Close-up Photographer of the Year have just been announced. The overall winner was an amazing image of two stag beetles in silhouette, appropriately called 'Clash of the Titans', photographed by Svetlana Ivanenko. Each year, stag beetles engage in intense battles for mating rights, and the image masterfully captures the drama of such a clash between two males in a strikingly atmospheric shot.
The 10 weirdest nature pictures of 2024 (so far)

Nov 19, 2024 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

The shortlist for the Close-up Photographer of the Year has been announced, and some downright stunning, weird and very very zoomed-in images are in the frame for the top prize. From an adorable baby wallaby seeking shelter in its mother's pouch to a bird feeding their chick in an unusual way, these images highlight the beauty of nature close-up.
Top 10 most venomous spiders in the world

Nov 1, 2024 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

Venomous spiders have earned a reputation as one of the deadliest and most dangerous creatures on planet Earth. The stars of countless nightmares and horror movies, these eight-legged predators are renowned for subduing and paralysing their prey before devouring it, often while it's still alive. Although most species of spiders possess venom glands, they don't typically pose a threat to humans.
Try to guess what these 32 very zoomed in photos are

Oct 17, 2024 | sciencefocus.com | James Cutmore

The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition – the premier science photography competition – is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This marks five decades of showcasing a spectacular blend of science and art under the microscope. This year’s winner is Dr Bruno Cisterna (with assistance from Dr Eric Vitriol of Augusta University), for his groundbreaking image of differentiated mouse brain tumour cells.