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14 absolutely stunning facts about octopuses we've only recently learned

You won't ever see octopuses the same way after reading this.

Inside the 'Gates of Hell': Turkmenistan's 50-year inextinguishable fire pit

Turkmenistan's dictator has ordered the fiery crater be plugged, but closing the Gates of Hell is no trivial task.

Earth, wind, and water: The types and formation of sedimentary rocks

Your introduction to the world of sedimentary rocks and processes.

How high can insects really fly?

You can't see them, but there are millions of insects flying over your head each day.

These wings are made for walking: a look at the flightless birds roaming our planet

Not all birds soar high in the sky.

What is Sahara dust and why does it matters so much for the Earth

Wind, geology, and chemistry meet up to create this important phenomenon.

Igneous rocks -- an essential read for geology aficcionados

Basalts, granites, and everything in between: all you wanted to know about igneous rocks.

Why do gorillas beat their chest? This study shows they don't 'bluff'

Male gorillas beat their chest to signal dominance to other males, but also their reproductive value to females.

What is mathematics, an art or a science?

Mathematics has long been dancing between the arts and the sciences. It's hard to corner it into one camp.

The quartz crystal -- what's so special about it?

It's remarkable what a few repetitive atoms can do.

Why do beavers build dams? Nature's engineers can help us protect the environment

Beaver dams are great for maintaining the health of our ecosystems but it looks like both beavers and humans are unaware of this fact.

Those kneading "love marks" cats leave on you have a name: Felis Punctatis

Love hurts. Apparently, sometimes, cat love hurts a lot.

The Vampire Deer are real -- and they're horrifyingly cute

Don't believe the act, they're just adorable.

Exploring Baikal: The world's deepest and oldest lake

Lake Baikal is one of nature's most prized jewels, but it needs our protection to keep on shining bright.

How geological periods got their names

From the god of Hell to mountains in Poland, geological eras have quite diverse inspiration behind their names.

Wood Wide Web: The secret, ancient internet of plants

You'll never look at a forest the same way.

Storm Recipe: How Cyclones, Typhoons and Hurricanes Are Formed

Storms can get extremely intense -- and climate change is only making them worse.

What are wasps good for? These underdogs of pollination are more than just a nuisance

Wasps aren't really as bad as they say. Well, they are -- but they can also be useful! Just ask figs.

Digging the Groundhogs? Celebrating one of nature's most able engineers

Groundhogs are often hated by farmers and home gardeners for the damage they can cause -- but perhaps we could look at them with new eyes.

Magnapinna Squid: the alien-looking 'ghost squid' that lives in the deep oceans

The bigfin squid (or magnapinna squid) is a wonderfully bizarre creature that we're just starting to understand.

The Minnesota Moose -- a cultural icon under threat

For centuries, populations depended on this animal.

The Pistol Shrimp: The Fastest Gun in the Sea

This shrimp has superpowers.

The False Killer Whale: it's not even a whale, but very real, and very interesting

From stealing fish to interspecies homosexual relationships, this species does some weird things.

What are hormones -- everything you need to know

The term hormone comes from the ancient-Greek word for "impetus," showing the power they have to activate or inhibit the cells and organs in our body.

Meet the Orchid Mantis. No, this is not a flower

It looks like an entire flower, and its evolutionary history is a story in itself.

10 Years of the Higgs Boson: how this particle is still unlocking new physics

A decade after the discovery of the Higgs boson this ellusive particle is still delivering important science.

The Mariana Trench: To the bottom of the Earth

An otherworldly place, right here on our planet.

From Buzzing to Dozing: How Bees Sleep and Rest

They absolutely need (and deserve) their sleep.

Meet the Corpse Flower that steals genes and produces heat to attract flies

When we think of flowers, we tend to think of nice colors, a pleasant fragrance, and maybe some green lushy leaves. But in the deep, thick forests of Southeast Asia, there’s a different type of flower: a colossal bloom, larger than any flower you’ve seen, and stinkier than anything you could imagine.   Rafflesia arnoldii is […]

How many oceans are there in the world

Since 2021, a new ocean has been added by cartographers, bringing the tally to five grand oceanic basins.

Nothing to talk about: the many mysteries of vacuums

A vacuum is not exactly empty in quantum mechanics terms. It is also a headache for physicists.

The Amazon's horrific candirú fish that swims up the urethra: fact or fiction?

Amazon locals are afraid to pee while swimming in the river due to a tiny fish. But is there any truth to these nightmarish legends?

Silphium: the lost ancient world's herbal birth control -- 2,500 years before modern contraceptives

This medicinal plant was so coveted, it was worth its weight in gold. But this ultimately brought its downfall.

Could cloud seeding be mankind's superpower, allowing us to control rain

You can make it rain anywhere, all you need to do is some cloud seeding. At least, that's the theory.

Meet the anglerfish: the most famous 'deep sea monster'

It's the fish that fishes other fish -- and it's pretty amazing at the job!

Small and dangerous: 10 of the most dangerous human parasites ever discovered

Forget zombies, some parasites would love to eat your brain just for a change of taste.

What is the Drake Equation: the math that predicts how many alien civilizations are out there

An equation that tries to dispel one of life's greatest mysteries.

How dogs use "puppy eyes" to manipulate you -- and it works

This is manipulation I can get behind.

Whale Sharks: The Gentle Giants of the Ocean

These magnificent creatures pose no threat to humans -- but humans pose big threats to them.

What color is a mirror? It's not a trick question

Mirrors aren't 'silver' or 'colorless'.

Saltwater Crocodiles: the world's oldest and largest reptile

Truly fearsome beasts!

What are fisher cats, the most misleadingly-named animals out there?

One of the world's lesser-known beasts, fisher cats are starting to make their presence felt in cities.

What do frogs eat and other froggy facts

At their adult stage, frogs are generally carnivorous, but there are exceptions.

What is vitamin K?

Vitamin K plays a key role in our blood’s ability to form clots. It’s one of the less glamorous vitamins, more rarely discussed than its peers and, although it’s usually referred to as a single substance, it comes in two natural varieties — K1 and K2 — and one synthetic one, K3. People typically cover […]

What are komodo dragons, the largest lizards in the world?

These fearsome predators, encased in bony armor, are threatened with extinction.

If the atmosphere is chaotic, how can we trust climate models?

There's a lot of chaos in the atmosphere. But that doesn't mean we can't model it.

Why do cats sleep all day?

It's not uncommon for cats to sleep up to 17 hours a day. What do you think they're dreaming about?

What is stainless steel?

An unassuming, yet extremely important alloy.

What does the universe sound like? The eerie world of cosmic sonification

The sonification of astronomical data provides a new way to experience the cosmos.

The most beautiful and important mathematical equations

Here are some of the most famous equations, from the ancient Greeks to modern physics.

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