Natural Sciences on ZME Science

Why do whales become stranded on shore?

It's a whale of a tale I'll tell you.

Why are plants green?

There's a reason why they aren't black or purple!

The different types of forests: everything you need to know

The green lungs of the earth come in many different varieties.

Common spiders living in your house

There's a spider in the bath!

Mindblowing fact of the day: sharks are older than trees

That's seriously badass!

How palm trees thrive in Vancouver despite the freezing Canadian weather

Palm trees in Vancouver aren't fake.

Which animals use tools?

Tool use ranges all the way from sponges and toothpicks to sex toys.

Why and how do jellyfish sting?

Ready, steady, fire!

6 Surreal Caves of the Earth

Nature is beautiful both on the outside and inside.

6 Living Fossils That Have Been Around for Hundreds of Millions of Years

These animals lived alongside the dinosaurs. They're called living fossils.

How environmental DNA is revolutionizing biodiversity research

DNA is everywhere.

Why do onions make you cry?

It's chemical warfare!

Why do men even have nipples?

If you feel silly for wondering why men have nipples you can feel a bit better knowing that Darwin had the same question.

The top 10 wettest places on Earth

If you thought your weather sucks, wait until you learn about these places.

Five common biology myths (or “Science in the service of the anthropocentric patriarchy”)

Here are five commonly accepted biological “facts” which are untrue but are used to justify our conception of ourselves and our place in the world.

What rocks is the Moon made from?

What's the Moon made from, anyway?

13 delicious oyster facts you probably didn't know

They are important for ecosystem equilibrium, keeping the ocean clean, and it doesn't stop here.

World's deepest underwater cave discovered in Czech Republic -- explorers still haven't reached the bottom

It's so deep explorers had to use a submersible robot to map the cave. The rope wasn't long enough, though.

Can animals get depressed too?

The jury is still out but the evidence seems to suggest 'yes'.

The difference between a species and a subspecies - according to science

A handy guide to tell the two appart.

What is El Niño?

El Niño is an oscillation of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific which impacts weather patterns.

The Red Light Forest - Prostitution in the Animal World

For pebbles, meat, or nectar, these animals found that nothing sells quite as well as sex.

Amazing Chemical Reactions You're Not Going to Believe Are Real

Some are surprising, some are dangerous -- but all amazing chemical reactions. Don't try this at home!

3 facts about water that prove it doesn't play by the rules

We drink it, we bathe in it, but it's stranger than you'd think.

The Types of Fossils and Other Rock-solid Fossil Facts

Bones to stones.

17 Amazing Chemistry Facts that will Blow Your Mind

Oh yeah, chemistry!

How caves form and the different types of caves

Shaped by erosion, fire, or water, caves have some surprising but always beautiful births.

Hero Rats detect landmines and TB for a living

Detecting landmines can be difficult, dangerous and expensive, but an unsung hero is set to change all this.

Worst pain known to man is caused by the world's largest ant

The bullet packs the most painful punch in the animal kingdom.

14 Mind Blowing International Borders From Around the World

Borders often highlight the relationship and differences between different countries, and here are some of the most spectacular and revealing ones.

Why goats have really weird rectangular pupils

Goat eyes can be pretty freak. But there's a very good reason why they have this distinct square shape.

Why rats can't vomit, and how they make up for it

Rats can't vomit and it's pretty surprising.

How to slow down light until it stops

In vacuum, light always travels at a constant speed of 299,792,458 metres per second. Nothing can travel faster than this constant c, as denoted by physicists. These two postulates are basic building blocks of modern physics and were first announced more than a hundred years ago by Albert Einstein. Yet, there are ingenious ways to slow light to the point of trapping it in a dead stop. Prepare for some weirdness.

How Quicksand Works and How to Escape its clutches

Discover the fascinating world of quicksand but also learn how to break free from it.

Platycrinus saffordi, the sea lily that isn't a flower

Crinoids are sometimes referred to as sea lillies because of their resemblance to a plant or flower. But this fossil looks more like something straight from hell.

The Smelliest Creatures in the Animal Kingdom

Take a look at the smelliest animals in the world. Continue at your own risk...

9 Mathematical facts that will blow your mind [and a delicious bonus]

Many people believe math is boring, but in reality - it's anything but.

Sea squirts: These cute "big-mouthed" underwater creatures digest their own organs

It's hard to believe that something so cute can lie at the bottom of the sea, but don't let the appearances fool you.

Why it's illegal to own one guinea pig in Switzerland

At first, it sounds like one of the silliest laws ever: in Switzerland, you’re not allowed to own just one guinea pig or parrot. The reason for this is that they’re social species, and they are considered victims of abuse if they aren’t able to regularly interact with others of their species. If you’re an […]

The locks of a goddess and solidified glass lava: Pele's hair

Believe it or not, this is actually lava.

Celebrating Diversity: Stunning Villages Around Europe

If you don’t travel a lot it’s easy to forget just how big and diverse the world really is – and sure, everyone knows about Paris, London or New York, but villages were where humanity’s culture and spirit was preserved for centuries. Here are just a handful of villages and small towns which brilliantly exhibit the serenity […]

The difference between silicon and silicone

It’s one of the most common confusions in the English language. In short, silicon is the chemical element Si, while silicone is a synthetic polymer. Although it appears like the words are synonyms and can be used interchangeably, they’re not and they designate completely different things. Let’s detail a bit on what each of them are, […]

Returning the world's last wild horses to the wild

Przewalski's horses are the only breed which was never domesticated. They were once common across Russia's and Mongolia's steppes, but were slowly hunted down. Now, coming back from the brink of extinction, these wild horses are slowly returning to their habitat.

10 Beautiful Visual Mathematical Proofs: Elegance and Simplicity

"Beauty is the first test; there is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics," G. H. Hardy (1877-1947)

An incursion in the colorful world of fluorescent proteins

The discovery of green fluorescent proteins heralded a revolution in cell biology, enabling researchers to monitor cellular processes by applying themselves to a variety of protein and enzyme targets. Over the years, they’ve enabled thousands of successful experiments, triggering events that ultimately saved many lives. In 1961, Osamu Shimomura and Frank Johnson, working at the Friday Harbor […]

What are tornadoes and how do they form?

Tornadoes are associated with the strongest and most violent storms, reaching winds of up to 300 miles per hour (480 km/h).

How old is the Earth and how do we know it?

The age of the Earth is 4.54 billion years - plus or minus 1% (0.05 billion years). But how do we know this?

Japan's North coast is riddled with ancient carved stones - tsunami warnings

“High dwellings are the peace and harmony of our descendants,” the rock slab says. “Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build any homes below this point.” Stones with messages like this one are surprisingly common on Japan’s coast; they tell a long forgotten story, a story of danger, tragedy and tsunamis. They […]

Why cats love boxes so much

They're basically the opposite of claustrophobic.

What are the layers of the Earth?

We know what the layers of the Earth are without seeing them directly -- with the magic of geophysics.

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