ANIMALS

Why Is Depression Sometimes Called “The Black Dog”?

Everyone from lexicographer Samuel Johnson to Prime Minister Winston Churchill has used the phrase—but where does it come from? Why a black dog?

'You've got three days to get me those walnuts, Marty. I know you know what that means.'

Counting Crows: These Smart Birds Can Count Out Loud, According to Science

Crows can not only understand numerical totals, they can express them vocally.

“Shoot, did that plant have leaves of three?”

Can Dogs Get Poison Ivy?

Dogs can potentially have an allergic reaction to poison ivy, and they can also transmit the irritating oils to people. Here's what to do if you pet encounters the plant.

Perhaps she’s reading the screenplay for ‘The Murder in the Red Barn.’

7 Unusual Forms of Victorian Era Entertainment

Plays based on true crime, dog orchestras, and clowns were all the rage during the Victorian Era.

17 Wild Animal Superlatives

The biggest, fastest, strongest animals in the world.

Centipedes and millipedes are actually quite different.

Millipedes vs. Centipedes: What’s the Difference?

They have many more legs than any arthropod should need, but millipedes and centipedes are different in almost every other way.

The “silver-colored dove” illustration in the Aberdeen Bestiary

Browse a Medieval Bestiary That Once Belonged to Henry VIII

See a digital scan of the sumptuously decorated book that had a surprisingly humble origin.

“All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.”

“The Rainbow Bridge”: The Emotional—and Once-Lost—History of the Popular Pet Memorial Poem

The poem “The Rainbow Bridge” has long comforted animal lovers who are mourning a pet. But for decades, its author remained a mystery.

Meet the Joro Spider: The ‘Flying’ Arachnid That Could Soon Invade the Northeast

The invasive Joro spider is venomous and as big as your palm, but its taste for stink bugs means it could do more good than harm.

Watch: A Gorgeous Sea of Fireflies Synchronizes With LED Lights

These lightning bugs know how to coordinate.

Why Are Birds Attacking My Windows?

Nothing says “springtime” like the maddening, irregular percussion of a bird’s beak rapping repeatedly against your window.

Just looking at this makes your skin crawl.

Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch So Much?

The telltale itch of a mosquito bite doesn’t actually come from the bite itself. It comes from something that’s a fair bit worse: literal blood-sucking.

Where 7 Dangerous, Disease-Spreading Ticks Live in the U.S.—Mapped

American dog ticks, blacklegged ticks, and Lone Star ticks can all spread devastating diseases. Here's a map of where these ticks live.

This tick probably couldn’t wait to dig into this person’s skin.

3 Simple Ways to Stay Tick-Free This Summer

There are several precautions you can take to keep ticks at bay this summer.

Andreas Pernerstorfer’s wine cellar renovations revealed a trove of at least three mammoth skeletons.

Woolly Mammoth Bones Unearthed in Austrian Wine Cellar

The three mammoth skeletons represent the first significant paleontology discovery in Austria in a century.

Frilled sharks are usually found in the deep ocean, but this one popped up in waters off Japan in 2007.

7 Deep-Sea Sharks That Will Haunt Your Dreams

The creepiest sharks are found thousands of feet beneath the sea.

Why Does My Cat Cry at Night?

There are a few reason why your cat might be meowing late at night—we asked an expert how to stop the behavior.

A Hefty History of Fat Bear Week

Take a look at the origins of Fat Bear Week, an annual celebration of the brown bears at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Reserve.

Just because Garfield devours it doesn't mean this kitty should.

Can Cats Actually Eat Lasagna?

Garfield isn’t exactly the best litmus test when it comes to determining whether or not lasagna is safe for cats to eat.

Lewis and Clark encountered grizzly bears, coyotes, and pronghorns.

14 Animals Lewis and Clark “Discovered”

Lewis and Clark were not the first people to see animals like coyotes, elk, and pronghorn, but they did introduce them to Western science.

‘Jaws’: 10 Facts About Peter Benchley’s Bestselling Novel for Its 50th Anniversary

Editors loved Benchley’s shark thriller, which turns 50 in 2024. They had one important note, though: The first draft had too many jokes.

Alpacas vs. Llamas: What’s the Difference?

They’re both in the camel family and live in South America, but alpacas and llamas aren’t the same species.

What Are the National Animals of the United States?

The bison and bald eagle have been chosen to represent the U.S. Here's why.

This fox is obviously not actually radioactive.

When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes

Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.

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