The world is packed with scary animals. Luckily, most live a long, long way away. Check out this top ten list of frightening animals, including explanations of why they’re scary. You’ll recognize some of them, but others may be quite a surprise.
Tag Archives: Science & Nature
Frog Fable Brought to Boil
We’ve all heard the analogy of the frog that allows itself to be boiled to death because it doesn’t notice the gradual change of temperature in the pot. People often cite this story to show the danger of overlooking a gradual change—but of course, it’s completely false. A noted science writer explains the truth.
Dangerous Exotic Pets
Lions and tigers and bears—and cougars, leopards, cheetahs, chimpanzees, lemurs, anacondas, and pythons—are sometimes kept as pets. How wise is it for people to keep dangerous exotic animals? Visit this site to learn the Humane Society’s opinion and arguments about whether anyone should keep an exotic pet.
Orcas communicating
We may be the only species that produces poetry, but animals communicate, too! Watch this video to learn how orcas, also known as killer whales, communicate with humans and each other.
Sunflowers Melt Fukushima’s Nuclear “Snow”
The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami severely damaged Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Read this article about how local residents are planting sunflowers not only to help absorb radiation leaked from the damaged reactors but also to bring hope to local residents.
Bioluminescent Art: Beautiful Bacteria Glow in the Dark
Changes that happen in nature can be a source of surprising art. In this article, Anna Norris discusses how microbiology and visual design merge to create a new art form.
Creativity in the Wild
Is it time to drop that controller, switch off that television, and head outdoors? This article reports the results of a scientific study of whether exposure to natural settings improves cognition. Perhaps the American Romantics were right about the effects of nature on imagination and thought. Read to find out.
Eagles: Lions of the Sky
Our national symbol is the bald eagle, as you know, but few of us know much about eagles at all. Visit this site to read summaries of legends about eagles, and, when you’re done, click the links to learn facts about these incredible birds. If the season is right, you can even watch live videos of eagles in the wild!
Horse (Exhibition)
How do domestic animals differ from their wild cousins? How were wild animals domesticated in the first place? Visit the American Museum of Natural History’s exhibit on horses to find out. Click on each of the site’s many links to discover where today’s wild horses came from and much more. You may be surprised by what you find!
Hurricane Hunters Association
Why would anyone fly a plane into one of the world’s most powerful storms? Visit this site to learn about “hurricane hunting” with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. Learn about its mission, its history, its people, its planes, and its role in saving lives. While you’re there, be sure to click on the “Cyberflight” link to experience a flight into Hurricane Dennis!
Weeder
Read about a man whose occupation—harvesting seaweed from the ocean—keeps him immersed in the rhythms of nature.
Feasting and Fighting: The Long-Lost Secrets of Beowulf
Archaeologists in Denmark have excavated the sixth-century great dining hall at the center of the epic poem.
The Teen Brain: It’s Just Not Grown-Up Yet
Teenagers are ready for more responsibility, but that doesn’t mean they function like adults. Listen to or read the transcript of this short radio story on the way adolescent brains are still developing.
Life After People
Some human creations, such as the pyramids of Egypt, have lasted for millenia; however, most are considerably more fragile. This History® television series explores what might happen to what humans have built if nature had its way.
Kira Salak
Kira Salak has traveled to almost every continent and has led expeditions to places such as Libya, Burma, and Iran. Learn more about this daring modern explorer.
How MRI Works
If you’re afraid of small, confined spaces, spending time inside an MRI scanner might terrify you. Still, this incredible invention has changed the face of medicine forever. Learn how MRI scanners “see” inside patients, why doctors use them, what it took to develop them, and much more.
From Walden to the White House
In this blog entry, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, explains why his organization is undertaking its first campaign of civil disobedience.
The Emotional Lives of Animals
Have you ever wondered if your pet has emotions? What connections do animals feel to people and to other animals? Read this excerpt from Marc Bekoff’s book The Emotional Lives of Animals. Then, explore the site for the PBS film Animal Odd Couples to learn about the special bonds animals form with unlikely partners.
Metamorphosis: Animal Shape-Shifters
A human can’t change into an insect, but the process of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly is mysterious and fascinating enough. British university professor Stuart Reynolds explains how it happens.
Housing the Victims of Natural Disaster
It’s very difficult to build affordable homes that can withstand earthquakes. Read this article on the Pinwheel house, a revolutionary design from MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning. The home is designed to withstand even the most powerful of quakes and eventually may cost only $1,000 to build.