It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but butterflies with transparent wings are in fact very real. Unlike other butterflies whose colorful wing scales help camouflage them or scare off predators, the aptly-named glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has wings that are practically see-through, making them almost invisible to hungry hunters. The transparency comes […] More
It’s eluded humans so far, but the secret to immortality may lie in the hands — no, tentacles — of one species of jellyfish commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea. The Turritopsis dohrnii or “immortal jellyfish” is smaller than a fingernail and has a clearly visible bright-red stomach. But the fascinating part is its ability […] More
So much of the animal world is still unknown to us even today. Every year, scientists discover amazing new species that demonstrate the immense variety in our world. Join us to find out what 10 mind-blowing discoveries were made recently: [nextpage title=”Leaf shaped spider”] Image: Kuntner et al via Facebook Is that a leaf, a pear or […] More
What looks like a colorful feather duster, moves like a giant spider and lives in the ocean? That would be a feather star, a beautiful otherworldly sea creature that dates back to more than 400 million years ago. They are part of the crinoid family which contains both sea lilies (which have a stalk that […] More
Scientists are still discovering evidence of never-before-seen creatures, including this new species of seadragon from Western Australia. Called the ruby seadragon for its color, this is only the third known species of seadragon and the first to be discovered in 150 years. Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego stumbled on the […] More
Image: John Holmes A flock of “drunken” starlings apparently caused quite a fiasco on a busy motorway recently, according to The Local. Motorists were extremely confused when birds randomly started crashing into their cars and falling onto the A2 motorway between Inzersdorf and Vösendorf in Austria. Because there were so many birds on the road, […] More
A small population of tiny orange crocodiles lives inside rainforest caves in Gabon. Known as dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus tetraspis), this African species reach only an average of 4.9 feet in length and weigh between 40 and 70 pounds. Due to their small size, the majority of their protection comes from a heavily armored neck, back, and […] More
Have you ever seen such a colorful tree?! Known as the rainbow eucalyptus (or Eucalyptus deglupta), this surreal tree looks something like an artist’s creation. Believe it or not, though, this coloring is a natural response to the tree’s constant growth. The beautiful and unique color patterns appear as the tree’s bark is continuously shed. […] More
There are whales in the Arctic that have been alive since before the American Civil War. The reason? They simply don’t get sick. Bowhead whales are the longest living mammals on the planet, living up to 250 years (or perhaps longer). These massive cetaceans have a much higher resistance to cancer and aging than other mammals, […] More
This ridiculously adorable frog sounds something like a dog toy. Known as the desert rain frog, this species emits a high-pitched squeak when threatened. The plump frogs are native to Namibia and South Africa, and they reside on sandy shores between the ocean and the sand dunes. The species is unique in its round form, bulging […] More
We’ve found something you should probably add to your bucket list: seeing glowworms in New Zealand. The limestone Waitomo caves on the North Island of New Zealand hold the only known species of one of the most amazing insects in existence. Only about the size of a mosquito, luminous glowworms turn the caves into what looks like […] More
The elephant broke the sprinkler again. “Faa Sai,” a rescued female elephant at the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) in Chang Mai, Thailand, is having the best day ever. Apparently not the first time this has happened, elephants at the park find it humorous and entertaining to break the sprinklers around the premises. This is the second […] More
