EASY READ The living world

How do we know what is living, such as a flower or a worm, and what is not, such as a stone? Living things grow by making or taking in food of some kind. This process uses energy...

EASY READ What are cells?

All living things, from microscopic bacteria to gigantic trees, are made of tiny “units” called cells. They are the building blocks of any living thing, in the same way that...

EASY READ What is evolution?

Over geological time—millions, or even hundreds of millions of years—living things have, very gradually, changed. We know this from studying fossils that belong to different...

EASY READ What is micro-life?

The tiniest living things can be seen only by using powerful microscopes. This "micro-life" is more correctly known as micro-organisms or microbes. They include bacteria, protists...

EASY READ How do plants live?

Like all living things, plants need energy and water to grow. They take in their energy not from food but from sunlight. They use this energy to make the food that they need to...

EASY READ How do plants make food?

A plant uses its green leaves to receive sunlight. The leaves also take in carbon dioxide from the air, while water and vital minerals and nutrients are soaked up from the soil...

EASY READ What are flowers and seeds for?

Flowers have male and female parts (sometimes flowers have just one type or the other) which make seeds. The male parts, or stamens, make tiny, dust-like grains called pollen. For...

EASY READ How do trees live?

A tree is a tall plant with a stiff, woody trunk. The trunk is covered by bark and has branches growing out from it. There are two main kinds of tree: broadleaf trees and conifers...

EASY READ What are fungi?

Mushrooms, toadstools, yeasts, moulds and mildews are not plants, but types of fungus. Fungi (plural of fungus) cannot make their own food, so they feed on dead or dying animals...

EASY READ What is soil?

Soil is a vital part of the natural world. It consists of fragments of rock mixed with humus. Humus is the rotting remains of leaves, animal droppings and other organic matter...

EASY READ What are ecosystems?

Animals, plants and other living things have to survive in the wild. They must find food, water and shelter. They must cope with changing conditions, such as weather, climate and...

EASY READ What lives in a tropical rainforest?

Hot and wet all year, steamy rainforests have more wildlife than any other of the Earth's biomes. Most of the animals, including insects, birds and some mammals and reptiles, live...

EASY READ What lives on the savanna?

Savanna grasslands, a mix of grasses and trees, are found in tropical lands. The largest and best-known savannas are in East Africa, although there are also large areas in South...

EASY READ What lives on grasslands?

Large areas where wild grass grows naturally are called grasslands. Some areas have scattered trees as well. Grasslands are found in areas where there is just enough rainfall to...

EASY READ What lives in the desert?

A desert is a region that has very little or no rainfall. Many deserts are hot places, bare and rocky, or sometimes covered with sand or gravel. The Sahara Desert in northern...

EASY READ What lives on scrubland?

In lands where the climate is too hot and dry for larger plants and trees to grow, shrubs (woody plants that are shorter than most trees) and bushes are found instead. This is...

EASY READ What lives in woodlands?

Most of the regions of the world that have a temperate climate are covered by farmland or cities. Some woodlands remain. In deciduous woodland, the trees lose their leaves at the...

EASY READ What lives in coniferous forests?

Coniferous trees can survive in lower temperatures (and drier climates) than deciduous trees. This is why coniferous woodlands are often found undisturbed in northerly or...

EASY READ What lives in rivers, lakes and wetlands?

A river is a natural channel of water that flows downhill. Near its source, the small river, often called a stream or a brook, flows quickly. Streams eventually join together to...

EASY READ What lives in the mountains?

The great mountain ranges of the world include the Andes in South America, the Rockies in North America, the Alps in Europe and the Himalayas in Asia. The tops of some mountains...

EASY READ What lives in polar regions?

The North Pole is surrounded by the icy Arctic Ocean. At the opposite end of the Earth, the South Pole is located on the continent of Antarctica. Because the Poles never come as...

EASY READ What animals live in cities or farmland?

Animals have to share the planet with human beings. We humans have not made it easy for them. Many animals suffer at the hands of hunters, or lose their habitats to our needs. Some...

EASY READ What lives in the oceans?

More than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans. The oceans are home to a wide variety of life, from microscopic plants to giant whales. Most ocean...

EASY READ What lives on the seashore?

The seashore is the place where land meets sea. This can be rocky cliffs, sandy or pebble beaches or marshy wetlands. At high tide, much of a low-lying seashore is under water...

EASY READ Living world glossary