Animals »
The Man-Eating Lions of Tsavo
Today I found out about the man-eaters of Tsavo. In 1898, the British were in the process of building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River in Tsavo, Kenya. Over the next nine to
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Emus vs. Humans: The Great Emu War of 1932
Today I found out about the Great Emu War of 1932. Emus are native to Australia, and as everyone knows, nearly everything in Australia seems capable of killing you. If the sun doesn’t do
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Did Unicorns Ever Exist?
Kara asks: Did unicorns ever exist? On November 30, 2012, the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s government “news” agency, reported that scientists had “reconfirmed” the existence and location of the final resting place
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Seagulls Will Not Blow Up if They Eat Alka-Seltzer
Seagulls, or gulls depending on how much you dislike syllables, are considered a pest to many, a minor, avoidable annoyance to many more and the harbingers of death OH GOD LOOK AT THEIR COLD
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Robins Can See Magnetic Fields, But Only In One Eye
Despite its unassuming looks and gentle temperament, the humble red breasted robin (Erithacus rubecula) boasts a superhero-like ability. They can see magnetic fields, giving them an almost perfect sense of direction. Just to be
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Do Bats Get Confused by Other Bats’ Sonar?
Brian asks: How do bats tell whether it’s their own squeaks they’re hearing or another bat’s? Does this ever confuse them? Seeing with sound, bats can find their way around by bouncing sound waves
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Why Penguins’ Feet Don’t Freeze
Kara asks: A penguin’s feet are always on ice, so why don’t they freeze or have some sort of evolutionary built in insulation? There are many different species of penguin, and while our minds
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Where the Expression “Bust Your Balls” Comes From
Whether it’s busting or breaking, balls or stones, this expression has long been used by young men (and not a few women) to express a wide range of emotions brought about by the words
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The March of the Christmas Island Red Crab
As you can probably tell from its name, the Christmas Island red crab is a species of crab native to Christmas Island. Every year, millions of them will leave their forest burrows and swarm
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Why a Rabbit’s Foot is Considered Lucky
Preston asks: Why are rabbits paws lucky? Raccoon penis bones. Vulture heads. Lucky pennies. A vast and eclectic array of amulets, talismans, and charms meant to bring good fortune to their owners have been
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WWII Files: Pigeon-Guided Missiles and Bat Bombs
Today I found out about Project Pigeon and Project X-Ray, WWII plans to use pigeons to guide missiles and (literal) bat bombers. The man behind Project Pigeon was famed American behaviorist and Harvard professor
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The Horse that Could Do Math: The Unintentional Clever Hans Hoax
Move over Mr. Ed, Clever Hans was the original horse who could communicate with humans in complex ways. Well, at least it seemed that way at the time. This phenomenon began in the late
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The Exploding Anti-Tank Dogs of World War II
Today I found out about the use of exploding anti-tank dogs during World War II. These dogs, usually Alsatians, were also called “Hundminen” or “dog mines.” They were trained to carry explosives on their
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Parrots Name Their Chicks
Today I found out that parrots name their chicks. Scientists have known for a while that, in addition to saying things like “Polly want a cracker” (see Bonus Facts below) to entertain humans, parrots
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The Candirú Fish Can’t Swim Up a Stream of Your Urine
Myth: The Candirú fish can swim up your urine stream if you pee into the Amazon. If you’ve never heard of the Candirú, also known as the pencil fish, the toothpick fish, the vampire
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Leviathan Files: The Sperm Whale
Immense, stretching up to nearly 70 feet long and weighing over 50 tons, the sperm whale is the seventh largest animal, and the largest with teeth, in the world. Prized for centuries because of
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What’s Wrong with Giant Pandas?
With the possible exception of boozy, reckless ingénues, there is no animal more bent on its own ruin than the giant panda. With its low population (only 1600 remain in the wild and 300
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Do Moths Really Eat Clothes?
Gracen asks: Do moths really eat clothes? The common “clothes moth”, “clothing moth” or to give its street name, Tineola bisselliella, doesn’t actually eat clothes. In fact, clothing moths don’t even possess the ability
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