Animals & Nature

There’s been a good amount of talk lately about the idea that certain plants you welcome into your home could help purify the indoor air. Unfortunately, while the science behind the notion is completely sound, in practice it’s pretty unlikely to work. At least, the plants in your house are unlikely to clean all your...

We live in a fast-paced world where it can be hard to get any free time and learn new information. But you should always make time for our fact sets! They’re filled with fascinating information that will stick in your head long after you’re done reading them. Here are 10 such facts for you! 1....

Even among the strange and mysterious group of ancient animals known as the jellyfish, the Deepstaria jellyfish is unique. A fact that has now been recorded on video by the Nautilus, a Pacific Ocean research vessel. Fun fact: the Nautilus has also captured footage of a googly-eyed stubby squid and a weird purple orb. Live...

Hi, were you looking for some nightmare fuel? Happy to oblige! The harpy eagle is the largest eagle on the planet, and it’s by far the scariest to look at. These strange, enormous birds go viral on social media on a regular basis, and that’s because they do not look like something that should exist...

There are two types of people in the world: those who talk to dogs in a “baby voice” and those who can’t stand it. But regardless of your personal stance, there is actual scientific evidence in favor of the practice…at least when it comes to puppies. A 2017 study investigated why pet owners often use...

In an upcoming PBS documentary Octopus: Making Contact, a clip was released that shows an octopus sleeping and changing colors. Octopuses (octopi?) typically change color as a way to camouflage themselves into their surroundings—as far as scientists knew. In the video, the octopus floats upside down, asleep and possibly even dreaming. Whatever she’s doing, she’s changing...

Reason number 672 that humans should not own wild animals as pets: they could get loose and terrorize your neighbors (even if they’re not trying to). No matter how nice a black panther seems, after all, it’s bound to make people nervous when it appears on the street. Which is why I imagine the good...

This is going to sound disgusting, but there are cockroaches all of the place where I live. Huge, nasty bugs that move a million miles an hour and (obviously) have no regard for my personal space. I live in North Carolina, and when I first relocated here, I was shocked at how many there were...