Our planet is home to an incredibly diverse range of species, with new discoveries being made every year. In fact, did you know that it’s estimated that approximately 18,000 new species are discovered every year, adding to the already comprehensive record of life on Earth? That’s a LOT, right? Today, I have some exciting news […]
Around 200,000 years ago, a group of ancient humans called Neanderthals or Homo neanderthalensis lived in Eurasia (Europe and Asia). But they mysteriously became extinct around 40,000 years ago and were replaced by Homo sapiens or modern-day humans. Researchers have studied Neanderthals’ physical appearance and found that they are similar to humans. However, they have […]
Have you ever heard of the largest primate species to ever exist? Meet the Gigantopithecus blacki, the giant ape that roamed southeast Asia 2 million to 300,000 years ago. This ancient primate stood up to 10 feet tall (3 meters) and weighed over 440 to 660 pounds (200–300 kg), approximately three to four times a […]
Ants are such fascinating insects. And if you’ve tried to observe one’s behavior or maybe a bunch of them, I’m quite sure you’ve already watched them walk up a wall. I once saw an army of them crawling up the wall while carrying something bigger than them. How amazing is that? And the real question […]
Dreaming is a common phenomenon of sleep, especially for us. But did you know that humans aren’t the only ones that dream? Many other animals like cats, dogs, horses, platypuses, birds, and even reptiles do indeed dream. Awesome, right? But what if I tell you spiders might be dreaming a lot like people too? Would […]
Snails are well-known for one of their striking physical features—the spiral shell they load on the back. But have you ever heard of a snail with a shell made out of iron? If you haven’t yet, let me introduce this remarkable creature, the Scaly-foot snail. Chrysomallon squamiferum, most commonly known as a scaly-foot snail, is […]
A centipede and a millipede. What is the difference? This is what we are talking about today! I did A LOT of research for this, so hang tight! Centipedes: Leggy Wigglers A centipede has many body segments, or parts. The centipede has two legs per segment, except for the last two segments, which have no legs […]
In part 1 of this article we discussed fiery liquid rocks, like lava. However, most of the earth’s crust is covered by a layer of sand and mineral fragments, or sediments. In many places, heat and pressure have compacted these sediments into solid rock. This is called sedimentary rock. Over 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered […]
A new species of armored dinosaurs that lived during the early Jurassic period, about 200 million years ago, was discovered in the Yunnan Province of Southwest China, which is a hotspot for dinosaur findings. The remains of the armored dinosaur species named Yuxisaurus kopchicki were initially found by scientists in the Yuxi region, Yunnan province, […]
Most modern reptiles living today, such as lizards, snakes, and crocodiles are said to be descendants of dinosaurs. But have you ever wondered if reptiles, particularly lizards, have actually lived when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth? The answer is Yes. A new scientific study titled “A new Early Cretaceous lizard in Myanmar amber with exceptionally […]
I know, I might sound kind of weird but one of my favorite animals are Tarantulas… Tarantulas give people the creeps because they have large, hairy bodies and legs. While these large spiders can take a painful bite out of a human, a tarantula’s venom has a low toxicity to people. Tarantulas move slowly on […]
Ammonites: They are sea animals that first appeared in the fossil record around 400 million years ago in the Devonian period and became extinct at the same time as dinosaurs. They had a soft bodies and used their Spiral-shaped shell for protection. Scientist believe they may have avoided predators by squirting ink. They belong to […]
Do you know the difference between Invertebrates and Vertebrates? In the animal kingdom many animals have no internal skeleton or even a backbone (spinal column). We call animals without a backbone or skeleton invertebrates. Those that have a skeleton are called vertebrates. Examples of vertebrates include fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Humans are considered to […]