Animals »
The Parasite that Becomes a Tongue
In warm Pacific waters from the Gulf of California to the Gulf of Guayaquil thrives a parasite that has a very twisted relationship with its host. The Tongue-Eating Louse A member of the family
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Elephants Really Do Have Exceptionally Good Memories
Hannah asks: Do elephants really “never forget”? It is obviously impossible to say that elephants never forget anything- and it seems likely they do forget things- but studies have shown that elephants do have
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The Chicken Who Lived Without His Head for 18 Months
It turns out it’s not just politicians that can live without brains, a chicken named Mike lived without his entire head for 18 months! Mike the Headless Chicken was a Wyandotte chicken that was
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Why the Dodo Went Extinct
The dodo, or Raphus cucullatus if you want to get fancy, is an extinct species of flightless bird that was native to the tiny island nation of Mauritius before it sadly died out. But enough
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The Difference Between a Pony and a Horse
F. Morse asks: What is the difference between a horse and a pony? Ponies and horses are both equines. In general, a horse is an equine that stands about 14.2 hands high or more
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Dogs and Cats are Typically Right or Left Pawed
Today I found out dogs and cats are typically right pawed or left pawed. This is according to two studies, one done at the Ataturk University in Turkey (in 1991) and another at the
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The Cicada Invasion is Here
They’re coming. If you live on the Eastern seaboard of North America, prepare this summer for a large-scale invasion of a species of cicada (“cicada” being the Latin for “tree cricket”) that hasn’t happened in
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Why and How a Cat Purrs
Rachel asks: Why and how do cats purr? As any cat owner—or even someone who’s seen a cat—knows, cats often purr when they’re being petted or getting their chin scratched. They also purr when
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12 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Rhinoceroses
Rhinos are lovable lummoxes, herbivores who roam grasslands and forests nibbling on foliage, fruit and grasses. When left alone, they can live for over 40 years in the wild. Able to reach speeds of
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The “Australian” Shepherd Breed was Developed in America
Today I found out the Australian Shepherd breed of dog was developed in the United States, not Australia. The Australian Shepherd is a popular breed throughout the United States, prized for its intelligence and
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The Amazing Tardigrade- The Toughest Known Creature on Earth and Beyond
It is surely the stuff of science fiction: An extraordinary being arrives on Earth that can withstand a tortuous array of conditions: boiling, freezing, tremendous atmospheric pressure, near total dehydration, and exposure to massive
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The Bizarre World of Animal Reproduction
As weird and whacky as some human mating practices can sometimes be, other animals’ reproductive habits can be even stranger at times. While one species gives birth through a penis, another’s testicles’ explode after
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Canary Birds Were Named After the Canary Islands, Not the Other Way Around
When one hears “Canary Islands” who doesn’t think of a colorful chorus of birds in the local pet shop or that bright yellow soul swinging in the living room? While most of us assume
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The 3.5 Ounce Bird That Migrates About 44,000 Miles Per Year
Of the nearly 10,000 species of birds, about 19% (1,850 species) are considered to be migratory. While there are a few species that traverse long distances, the 13-15 inch, 3.5 ounce Arctic Tern takes
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The Monkey Artist Hoax
In 1964, a new avant-garde artist was introduced to the art scene in the Swedish city of Gōteborg. The fresh new artist was Pierre Brassau and his work received rave reviews from critics and
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The Dogs Aboard the Titanic
On April 15, 1912, the legendary, ill-fated ship RMS Titanic sank. It remains, to this day, the most famous disaster in maritime history. There were approximately 2,223 passengers aboard the ship, of which 1,502
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The Difference Between Turtles, Tortoises, and Terrapins, and Other Turtle Facts
All three animals come under the class of reptiles, in the taxonomic order of Testudines or Chelonia (which comes from the Greek word ‘kelone’, meaning interlocking shields or armor). They all have the major characteristics
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The Mammoth Megalodon, A Shark About 30 Times the Size of a Great White
The (Carcharodon) Megalodon is thought to have looked something like a Great White Shark, only a bit more stocky and overall bigger… much bigger, with an average adult Megalodon estimated to have weighed around
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