https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v241TF-cSzU To escape a vicious attack from a predatory bird, this crab snips off its injured claw to make a quick getaway. Only a few humans have ever opted for self-amputation in order to escape from danger, but some animals do it all the time. You probably already know that lizards can shed their tails.
This is the face of an animal who knows she’s polluting the world’s air with her fart (or is she?). Flickr user Chris Marchant Everyone poops, but not everyone farts. Or at least, not everything farts. You probably didn’t know that soft-shell clams do not fart (though they do puke), but that hedgehogs do. Thanks
This is Pepin, a dog on a mission in the Serengeti. Pete Coppolillo It’s hard to pay other species for their labor, though they work endlessly to support human existence. None of the MGM lions ever garnered royalties for their famous roars. Honey bees contribute more than $15 billion to the U.S. economy by pollinating
This polymer sheet mimics the intricate structure found in conch shells. Courtesy of Markus Buehler / MIT The animal kingdom is full of formidable armors. Some creatures don rigid shells or bony plates. Others favor a more flexible coating of scales. All of these shields are specialized to help their wearer withstand whatever nature throws
Fisherman off the coast of Norway are presumably accustomed to the strange sights of the subarctic ocean in which they make their living. In Norse mythology, the Kraken lurks just under the surface, waiting to make a meal of unsuspecting seafarers. Mermaids are idolized in art throughout Scandinavia; three bronze fish-ladies are permanently seated at
Ticks are the leading cause for the majority of vector-borne diseases in North America. Yet, the molecular tools to study and genetically modify these arthropods lag behind other insect vectors, such as mosquitoes. New research published in the journal iScience is the first to tinker with the DNA of black-legged ticks, better known as deer
Is there anything dreamier than a giant phantom jelly billowing in the midst of a deep-sea “snowstorm” ? Depends on personal preference. Maybe you’d be more inspired by a whalefish flickering in the calm waters like an infrared sensor. Or a barreleye fish snaking through the inky depths. These are among the dozens of rare
Most pet owners probably know what it’s like to cave to those “puppy dog” eyes—no matter the age of their canine. When your dog looks at you with that curled brow and doleful stare, it’s difficult not to give it a loving scratch or meaty treat. And why not: You and your furry friend have
When the first dinosaur fossils were recognized in the mid-19th century, scientists envisioned that the creatures were basically giant, lumbering lizards. They also presumed that dinosaurs were like present-day, cold-blooded lizards, meaning that their body temperature depended on the surrounding environment. However, this notion was later fiercely debated. “The general picture that we have of
Hagfish have one of the animal kingdom’s gooiest secret weapons: they shoot gill-clogging slime at their enemies. Dean Palmer / University of Guelph The waters around New York City used to be filled with hundreds of thousands of acres of oyster beds. Before humans gobbled them up and polluted their waters, these oysters cemented themselves
