ANIMALS

Why Do Dogs Love Toys That Squeak?

Your dog doesn't squeak his toys all day long to get on your nerves. He's simply obeying his prey drive.

Fossilized Dinosaur Nest With Parent and Embryos Discovered in China

Fossilized dinosaur nests are rare to begin with. The combination of eggs, embryos, and a mature dinosaur in a brooding pose in this recently discovered fossil is historic.

Pablo Escobear: The True, and Tragic, Story of ‘Cocaine Bear'

In 1985, a botched drug smuggling operation by former narcotics officer Andrew Thornton led to a bear discovering 40 packages of cocaine in the woods. Now, the bizarre story of the drug kingpin and "Pablo Escobear" is being made into a movie.

Naming a cat "Whiskers" is like naming a baby "Fingertips."

Why Do Cats Have Whiskers?

Apart from being the feline equivalent of a fancy mustache, what are cat whiskers for? As it turns out, multiple things.

Are Tennis Balls Bad for Dogs?

As far as dog toys go, tennis balls aren’t exactly the safest kind. Here are the risks (and how to avoid them).

A Brief History of Sea-Monkeys

You probably had Sea-Monkeys as a kid without knowing what they were or where they came from. The short version? Sea-Monkeys were a get-rich-quick scheme that actually got someone rich quick—but the long version is worth sticking around for.

Wolf Spotted Near Yosemite for the First Time in a Century

A young male wolf traveled hundreds of miles to Mono County east of Yosemite National Park in California, making him the first wolf to visit the area in over 100 years.

Are you sharing your bed with your cat, or is your cat sharing its bed with you?

The Reason Cats Like to Sleep at the Foot of Your Bed

Cats often take up residence near your feet when it's time for bed. They do it for a number of reasons, only some of which are selfish.

Meet Skipper: The World’s First Six-Legged ‘Miracle’ Dog

Skipper—a puppy born with six legs—appears to be happy and healthy despite her rare, life-threatening medical condition.

King Kong Was Inspired By a Real-Life Komodo Dragon-Hunting Expedition

An expedition to hunt Komodo dragons and bring them to New York City in 1927 bore many similarities to the movie 'King Kong' that premiered six years later.

Sea turtles in Israel are being saved by mayonnaise.

How Mayo Is Being Used to Save Sea Turtles

The popular condiment is good on sandwiches but even better for turtles. It's a major tool in an ecological disaster.

Unusual Half-Male, Half-Female Northern Cardinal Spotted in Pennsylvania

If you’re bird-watching near Warren County, Pennsylvania, keep an eye out for this beautiful rare bird.

Cats vs. Dogs: This Map Shows Which Pet the World Prefers

To settle the cats vs. dogs debate, check out this map showing which countries are cat lovers and which ones prefer dogs.

Tim Laman, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 4.0

20 Amazing Animals Discovered in the Last 20 Years

In the two decades since Mental Floss first hit newsstands, some pretty incredible animals have entered the world of mainstream science.

Microscopic Wasps Will Help Stamp Out a Moth Infestation at Anne Boleyn’s Ancestral Home

It’s the ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ of the insect world, featuring a cameo by Anne Boleyn’s headless ghost.

Easily Identify the Birds in Your Backyard With the Cornell Ornithology Lab's Free Merlin App

The Merlin Bird ID app from Cornell's ornithology lab helps you identify the birds you see even if you don't have a picture.

Ready Player Oink: Pigs Can Be Taught to Play Video Games

Researchers trained four pigs to move a cursor on a screen using a joystick for a food reward. The swine went full 'Pong.'

Sea Cucumbers on One Coral Reef Drop Several Eiffel Towers’ Worth of Poop Each Year—and That’s a Good Thing

Slow clap for sea cucumbers, whose excretory achievements could help slow climate change damage to the Great Barrier Reef.

This Is Not a Drill: There’s a Platypus Live Cam at the San Diego Zoo

Thanks to the San Diego Zoo's live cam, you can see what America's most famous platypuses are up to in real time wherever you are.

The World's Tiniest Reptile Has Disproportionately Large Genitals

'Brookesia nana' males may be less than 1 inch long, but they make up for it by being able to strut around a locker room with enormous reproductive organs.

Scar, plotting murder (and possibly his next meal, too).

What Happened to Mufasa’s Carcass in The Lion King? A New Fan Theory Suggests Cannibalism

The Lion King’s Scar killed his brother, which already earned him a spot in the unofficial Disney Villain Hall of Infamy. Did he eat him, too?

What's the Difference Between Buzzards and Vultures?

If you call a buzzard a vulture in the UK, be prepared to get some strange looks. There is a difference between the two birds of prey.

The Reason Your Cat Loves to Sit On Your Computer Keyboard

This confounding cat behavior is mostly because our furry friends love warm spots and attention from you.

Game of Thrones’s Dire Wolves Existed—But a New Study Suggests They Weren’t Really Wolves

New research suggests that the real-life inspiration for Ghost from 'Game of Thrones' wasn’t a wolf species.

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