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Australian researchers recently filmed an unusual sea creature that has been described as a “headless chicken monster” in the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica. Translucent and sporting fins that allowed it to swim upwards, the animal initially stumped the scientists, who described its appearance as “a chicken just before you put it in […] More
Like something out of a horror movie, parasitic Glyptapanteles wasp larvae survive by consuming their hosts from the inside out, then manipulating them into serving as bodyguards. The process is grisly: first, the female wasp begins by injecting approximately 80 eggs into an unlucky caterpillar victim. The eggs develop inside the creature, going through several molts and […] More
For humans, the allure of experimenting with intense, mind-altering substances is probably as old as our species. While certain drugs have had varying levels of legality and taboo status in some cultures, it’s hard to deny that our proclivity for taking our brains on a brief sojourn above the stratosphere is an old part of […] More
A Minnesota mushroom hunter happened upon quite a rare find: a stillborn two-headed fawn. This is a first — before this, the only known case of conjoined fawns had been observed in utero (inside the mother’s womb). “It’s amazing and extremely rare,” University of Georgia scientist Gino D’Angelo said in a statement. “We can’t […] More
Well, we know who we’re inviting to our next rave. A recent study found that chameleon bones glow under UV light, in the first known instance of bone-based fluorescence in a vertebrate. A team of German researchers tested the UV light on 31 species of Calumma chameleons, which are native to Madagascar. They observed a bright blue glow […] More
And you thought raising human newborns was tough! Across Europe, Africa and Asia, Stegodyphus spiders reproduce in large nests that are home to a number of spider families. Among them, one species native to South Africa, Stegodyphus dumicola, feed their young in a pretty gruesome way. As females take longer to mature than males, only about 40 percent of the females reproduce. […] More
Members of the fascinating amphibian family Centrolenidae, also known as glass frogs, have skin so translucent you can see their organs right through it. Looking at these peculiar creatures from above, most appear bright green; However, if you flip them over to the reveal their bellies, you can easily see the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal […] More
This peculiar creature, the horseshoe crab, saves lives every single day (and has probably already saved yours)! Horseshoe crabs are somewha primitive-looking marine invertebrates with a tough external skeleton. They thrive in shallow ocean waters and will come to shore periodically to mate. You’ve probably seen one if you frequent the beaches of the US East Coast. Image: […] More
This is not your average lake. Lake Hillier, a pink (salty!) lake on the coast of Western Australia, is still a bit of mystery to science. The reason for the unique coloring of the water is still not fully understood by experts, but most believe that the water gets its hue from the presence of a certain type […] More
You’d think the “Jurassic Park” movies were cautionary tales, because, you know, tons of people died. But paleontologist Jack Horner, who served as a consultant on the film series, thinks it’s only a matter of time before science brings dinosaurs back for real — and he can’t wait. “It’s a terrific concept, right? I don’t care […] More
A homeowner in Colorado is going to have a bear of a time dealing with his car insurance company. This summer, sheriff’s deputies in Golden, Colo. responded to a man’s home, where a black bear had broken into a Subaru and gotten trapped inside. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies filmed the encounter, which they then […] More
Mutations are absolutely necessary for the evolution of species; however, some significant mutations can end up being detrimental to the existence of an individual. Here, we share some of the most shocking mutations observed in animals: Two-headed cow This unique calf was born on a family farm in Florida in 2015. Named “Annabel,” she had […] More
