Offbeat Science for Odd Ducks and Other Curious Creatures
Explore lesser-known research and offbeat takes on popular science topics.
Every family or friend group has one. Maybe it’s you. The gift-wrapping overachiever. They’ve mastered double-diagonal folds and pleated spiral stars. Like an origami Jedi, they can twist a ribbon into a Christmas tree-shape...
Do you hear it yet? The vexing voice inside your head? It starts as a whisper, quiet enough for you to ignore as you bask in the post-holiday haze. But you can’t silence the...
Some birds have terrible table manners. While many dinner guests are guilty of ignoring etiquette — especially around the holidays — some feathered friends have habits far more egregious than monopolizing the mashed potatoes...
Pugnacious pigeons. Cantankerous canaries. Sparring starlings. When birds flock together, feathers often fly. Even though knock-down-drag-out fights are rare, birds frequently squabble to establish their place in the pecking order. The biggest bullies usually...
In a list of noisy animals, crabs wouldn’t crack the top 20—maybe even the top 50. Lions? Check. Wolves? Sure. Parrots? Gotcha. Howler monkeys? Of course. But crabs? We usually think of them as...
He’s rapped with rhinos, outwitted pirates, and escaped the clutches of carnivorous flowers—all in the name of breakfast cereal. In his 60+ years as the Froot Loops mascot, Toucan Sam has starred in hundreds...
Bombardier beetles are experts at chemical warfare. Though many insects use chemicals to defend themselves, the bombardier’s firepower earns it the top rank. When threatened, these aptly named bugs detonate explosions within their bodies...
It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to put on the silly snowman sweatshirts and the ridiculous reindeer antlers that you’ve been saving all year. Your affection for red and green may be...
Spaghettification sounds more like a culinary mishap than an astronomical phenomenon. Otherwise known as a tidal disruption event, the term describes how black holes rip apart objects that venture too close. Thanks to new...
You’ve just nestled into the sofa to binge watch the latest Netflix series. What must-have snack are bringing to your couch potato marathon? Whether it’s sweet or salty, chewy or crunchy, you’re not alone...
