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Animals

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From problem-solving to emotional intelligence, these five animals exhibit brainpower that rivals humans.

From the 1200s to the 1990s, elephant deaths have had a strange place in history.
Ryan Menezes|
When you think of extinct animals, you might go to a saber-toothed cat, or the infamous dodo. But there are, unfortunately, a lot more recent animals that have gone the way of that ill-fated bird.
Erin McCarthy|
Horses and humans have a long history together. But how much do you really know about these incredible animals?
Hayley Harding, Yelena Melnichenko|

Pets

This island is struggling to manage its massive stray cat population.
CaLea Johnson|

Birds

From leopards hidden in luggage to over a hundred snakes stashed in a man’s pants, there are some absolutely wild stories of people smuggling animals.
Erin McCarthy|
TikTok's latest viral trend has users telling their partners about the bird they saw today, but what exactly is the “Bird Theory”?
Cody Schultz|
Careful study of surviving documents and specimens, as well as a little science, have revealed a bit about the dodo.
Erin McCarthy|

Cats

Having pets doesn’t mean sacrificing the well-being of your Christmas tree. There are easy measures you can take to keep your Christmas tree pet-proof.

Dogs

You might want to rethink blasting “Last Christmas” on a loop this holiday season. These 12 Christmas songs might be causing your pet stress.
Sam Hindman|
Dog parents in these 10 states are willing to make some life-changing decisions for their pets.
AJ DiCosimo|
Taking vet bills and daycare into account, some of the costliest cities for dog lovers might be unexpected.
AJ DiCosimo|
See which pet costumes people are most excited for this Halloween.
CaLea Johnson|

Fish

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, or ‘Festa dei Sette Pesci,’ is a delectable blend of the sacred and secular, the old world and the new.
Lucas Reilly|
The history of Christmas carp and how to prepare it in European countries such as Poland and Slovakia.
Paul Anthony Jones|
These now-extinct creatures, including the Anteosaurus and Nanuqsaurus, are total nightmare fuel.
Ivan Farkas|
From a ginormous relative of the garden pillbug to fish with translucent heads, these organisms are adapted to the dark, cold, pressurized environment of the deep sea.
Kat Long|

Insects

How fast can you name all 26 words in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet? This quiz will put your knowledge and speed to the test.
Natalie Zamora|
From the Vatican’s “Lesus” medal to Beanie Babies to the Civil War coins that declare “shoot him on the spoot.”
Arika Okrent|
English spelling can be frustrating and confusing, but there are things you can do to help make the task of getting it right more manageable.
Editorial Staff|

Reptiles

A rare gecko once thought to be lost is making a comeback in the Galápagos.
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