Niamh’sNature Blog
Connecting you deeper to our natural world we all share our lives with
Meet the world’s first tree (it was kind of a mess)
Now shift your gaze forward a few million years. The forest grows taller, denser, wiser. Enter Archaeopteris—the first “true” tree. Unlike its Cladoxylopsid cousins, it boasts deep roots, flat leaves, and a sturdy, woody trunk. It looks almost familiar, yet it still spawns spores like a fern. In the Late Devonian, Archaeopteris dominated entire continents, transforming floodplains into global greenhouses and pumping oxygen into the sky. Its leafy canopy fed rivers. Its roots reworked the soil. This wasn’t just a tree—it was an ecological revolution. This blog traces the forgotten rise of Earth's earliest forests, revealing how trees like Archaeopteris reshaped the planet—and why their legacy matters today.
Yes, we should bring back the Dire Wolf-but is this it?
Discover the fascinating intersection of science and philosophy in the quest to revive the extinct dire wolf. This blog examines the profound questions and ethical considerations behind genetic modification and ecological restoration, highlighting our deep connection to the past and our responsibilities to the future.
They killed the forest’s guardian and kept digging
This is what a guardian looks like. Not in armor, but in feathers. Not with weapons, but with presence. In the heart of the Bolivian Amazon, Indigenous protectors like him have long stood between the forest and its destruction. This blog tells the story of one such guardian—murdered for defending his ancestral land from illegal mining. It exposes the silenced war waged daily against nature and the people who fight to preserve it. When one of them falls, it’s not just a death. It’s a wound to the Earth itself.
7 steps to remove your carbon footprint
Hey there eco-warrior! Are you ready to save the planet, one step at a time? Great, because reducing your carbon footprint is a super fun and easy way to make a big impact on the environment.
Ireland’s vanished forests: where did they go?
Ireland has a long and complex history of deforestation that dates back thousands of years. The country was once covered in dense forests, but over time, the forests were gradually cleared for agriculture, fuel, and construction. Today, less than 10% of Ireland’s original forests remain, and the impact of this deforestation has been felt by the country’s environment, wildlife, and people. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the timeline and causes of Ireland’s historic deforestation.
