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
Excrement from hordes of bathing hippos is causing water oxygen levels to plummet, suffocating massive quantities of unlucky fish in Africa’s Mara River. What a horrible way to go! Because humans are generally to blame for hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions in water bodies, Yale researchers initially believed that pesticides from nearby farms were the cause […] More
Birders in Quebec got the thrill of their lives this year, witnessing more than a half million migrating warblers in only 9 hours. Ian Davies, an avid birder of 14 years, had traveled to 35 countries in search of all things feathered, but says this was “the greatest birding day of [his] life.” Davies and […] More
Humans aren’t the only ones with midwives, it seems. Captive female bonobos have recently been observed assisting one another during birth, comforting the mother until the baby arrives. A research team from the University of Pisa and Unversité Claude Bernard Lyon witnessed the behavior at wildlife parks in the Netherlands and France on multiple occasions, and […] More
For the first time in over 40 years, hunters will be allowed to shoot iconic Yellowstone-area grizzly bears for sport. The highly controversial hunt is set to begin in September and will allow up to 22 grizzlies to be killed on public and private lands near Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The decision was […] More
The sting of this tiny jellyfish is so horrific, you might just ask your doctor to kill you. But that didn’t stop Jeremy Wade of the popular show River Monsters from trying to catch one by hand. Watch: Irukandji jellyfish is a blanket term for several of the most venomous box jellyfish species on the […] More
Believe it or not, there are insects here on earth that outweigh the average small rodent. Giant wetas (from the genus Deinacrida) are colossal cricket-like creatures that have roamed the planet since before the dinosaurs. Native to New Zealand, these unique insects resemble something of an over-sized horned grasshopper with enlarged hind legs. They’re not the […] More
Researchers at the University of Kansas discovered that stonefish — a group of fish common in Indo-Pacific coastal waters — have a horrifying defense mechanism: a retractable switchblade in either cheek. Called “lachrymal sabers,” the blades are controlled by overdeveloped bones and muscles below the eyes and extend outwards from the cheek when activated. Though […] 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
Male brown widow spiders seem to have a death wish: they prefer mating partners that are more likely to cannibalize them, an unusual study recently revealed. When given the choice, males gravitate towards older, less fertile females who are 50 percent more likely than younger females to eat them after mating. What’s even more baffling […] More
Bowhead whales may be the most versatile and creative singers in the sea, according to a recent study. Researchers out of the University of Washington recorded vocalizations of the 60-foot arctic behemoths over a span of four years, revealing a repertoire of more than 180 completely unique songs. Until now, it was assumed that bowheads […] More
Red-sided garter snakes have a strange mating ritual. As they emerge from hibernation in spring, thousands of male snakes will desperately rush the females in an epic battle to reproduce. The snakes form “mating balls,” in which one female can find herself outnumbered by dozens of frantically-writhing males. With up to 10,000 snakes living in […] More
