We all sometimes feel like life is just too short. Compared to many other creatures out there, though, humans live for practically an eternity. Some animals have extremely short lifespans, even after you discount falling victim to predators or disease. They’re simply not built to live long, for whatever reason. That said, we doubt any …
Our oceans are delicate things. Their ecosystems are immensely complex, and even a small change in a single thing can cause a ripple effect that reverberates through the entire ocean. Such as the lack of whale poop. Indeed, whales’ gastrointestinal systems produce more than just precious (and revolting) ambergris. They also produce — surprise, surprise …
Continue reading “Scientists Attempt to Save the Oceans by Dumping Artificial Whale Poop”
They’re big, they’re mean, they’re potentially fatal to bees and humans alike. That’s a murder hornet for you. These giant Asian hornets arrived on U.S. soil in 2019, when they were first detected in Washington state. Since then, state and federal officials have waged a battle to prevent the invaders from advancing farther. That battle …
Continue reading “Murder Hornets Are Finally Eradicated from the US”
Every year, we discover more and more animal species roaming planet Earth. Just recently, we took a quick look at some strange creatures found in 2024. Once a species has been discovered, you’d think it’d be easy to find it again. After all, we now know where it lives and what it looks like. However, …
Continue reading “6 (and a Half) Animals That Haven’t Been Seen Since Their Discovery”
We know more about the natural world than ever before in human history — which is to say, still not very much. For instance, biologists estimate that we have discovered less than 15% of all animal species living on Earth. We’re making good progress, though. Every year, researchers define new animal species and 2024 was …
If popular media has shown us anything, it’s that everybody loves a rebel who roams wherever the road might take him. Recent events in New Orleans, however, have shown that the heartthrob rebel doesn’t need to be a human. A dog can fill the role too — a dog like Scrim. This mutt of unknown …
Continue reading “Runaway Dog That Refuses to Be Caught Charms New Orleans”
Crows aren’t in general particularly well-regarded birds. At best, people tend to see them as very smart but also obnoxiously loud carrion eaters. Not so in Hawaii. The Hawaiian crow is respected and valued among the islands’ natives. Not only are the crows — also known as ‘alal? — crucial for keeping Hawaii’s forests growing, …
Continue reading “The Return of the Spirit Guide: Extinct Crow Reintroduced to Hawaii”
Whether you’re sick or all your friends happen to be out of town at the same time, sometimes we end up spending one too many days in our own company. That’s when you start laughing with your houseplants or having extended conversations with your dog. Recently, however, we discovered that it’s not just people who …
Continue reading “Researchers Catch World’s Loneliest Dolphin Talking to Itself”
Monkey see, monkey do; you see the monkey and the monkey sees you. But while the monkey knows it’s looking at some kind of hairless ape, you might have trouble deciding what the monkey is supposed to be. We typically think of monkeys as silly and maybe a bit dumb, but that really does these …
South Carolina’s unique geography makes it a haven for wildlife. Roaming the state’s woods, you might see white-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkeys, bald eagles, monkeys… Wait, monkeys? Indeed, a bunch of rhesus macaques recently decided to add themselves to the list of wild animals found in South Carolina. Dozens of monkeys made a break …
Continue reading “43 Monkeys Escape South Carolina Animal Research Center”