On a cold, quiet night, a fierce, hairy beast roams the Sonora Desert. Its teeth are sharp and deadly, and its eyes are as dark as the night itself. Rearing up on its hind legs, the creature howls at the full moon, shattering the silence as it defends its territory. But what is this fearsome […] More
Horsehair worms, often perceived as among the most unsettling creatures in the natural world, have a way of challenging even the strongest of stomachs. Yet, there’s an undeniable intrigue to them. Why do they evoke such a strong reaction? The answer lies in their larval stage, during which they inhabit the bodies of insects and […] More
This alligator shows great skill with its acrobatic fence-climbing abilities. Forget Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – this is how alligators do it! In the video below we see a large gator climbing over a fence at Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Watch: Despite lacking the morphological adaptations for climbing trees, various crocodilians have been […] More
This four-legged creature boasts both hopping and galloping capabilities — making for the distinctive appearance of a deer crossed with a rabbit. The Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum) is perhaps one of the world’s most unusual creatures. This rare animal is found only in Argentina, persisting in diverse habitats ranging from lowland forests to barren plains. They especially favor […] More
If pigs could fly, we’d have a lot more bacon lying around, but if snakes could fly, we’d have a lot more fallout shelters everywhere. But here’s the thing: in real life, pigs can’t fly, but snakes CAN. Yes, snakes can fly. Well, glide actually, since they aren’t capable of flying like birds. But, still, […] More
A rare and mysterious octopus was recently filmed with prey for the first time ever, and it turns out it eats jellyfish. The giant octopus, named Haliprhon atlanticus, was spotted carrying an egg-yolk jellyfish in its mouth while taking care to let the toxic tentacles hang free. Researchers think the cephalopod might have been strategically […] More
Zombies are real, and they’re living at the bottom of the ocean. Don’t worry though, they’re not coming for your brains. They’re only a few inches long and they actually prefer bones. Scientists discovered tiny marine worms from the genus Osedax inside the bones of a gray whale corpse on the sea floor in 2002. Today, there […] More
The largest deer species ever to walk the earth bore 12ft antlers but died out more than 10,000 years ago — leaving scientists debating its evolution. Megaloceros giganteus has many names, including the Irish elk and Irish giant deer, both of which are incorrect due to the fact the animal was neither an elk nor […] More
This creature is commonly regarded as the “demon fish” and boasts teeth longer than steak knives. Everyone’s heard of piranhas due to their insatiable hunger and shoaling behavior. Can you imagine falling into a river full of starved piranhas? They’d clean your flesh to the bone in minutes. Now, imagine a piranha that’s five times […] More
These fascinating frogs are peculiar — but absolutely real. Hairy frogs (Trichobatrachus robustus), also known as wolverine frogs or “horror frogs”, are unique amphibians native to Central Africa. As their name suggests, the male frogs are quite “hairy”, although the “hairs” are not actually hairs — they’re dermal papillae, which are physical extensions of the skin that […] More
Researchers have just confirmed that while cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish and squid) are experts at camouflaging themselves, they’re completely colorblind. Professor Justin Marshall and Dr Wen-Sung Chung of the Queensland Brain Institute studied octopus and cuttlefish retinas extensively to make the determination. Their findings were published in The Royal Society. Professor Marshall said, “These engaging and charismatic animals can display […] More
When caterpillars begin to change into butterflies, they usually aren’t much to look at. But some species create fancy chrome digs that look more like decoration than a transforming pupa. These shiny, metallic-looking chrysalises are thought to help protect the growing butterfly by fooling potential predators. When light reflects off the chrome-like pupae, other insects […] More
