BIOLOGY

Why Do Animals Have Whiskers?

From cats and dogs to rats and seals, animals use whiskers to help them find their way and follow their prey.

Photo illustration by Mental Floss. Images: iStock.

What's Really Happening When We See 'Stars' After Rubbing Our Eyes?

Don't worry—it's perfectly normal.

Watch a Caterpillar Hatch From an Egg the Size of a Pinhead

This is a side of insect life we rarely get to see.

Why Your Knuckles Make That Satisfying Cracking Sound, According to Science

One of life's most pressing questions, explained.

iStock // Heinrich Hoffmann/Keystone Features/Getty Images // collage by Jen Pinkowski

When German Scientists Tried to Rename Bats and Shrews, Hitler Threatened to Send Them to War

An excerpt from Michael Ohl's 'The Art of Naming.'

Remembering Sudan, the World's Last Male Northern White Rhino

Following age-related complications, Sudan—the last male northern white rhinoceros alive—was euthanized by a team of vets in Kenya in March 2018. But his genetic material could still be used to help save the species.

What Is a Scientific Theory?

A theory in science is very different from a theory in everyday conversation.

More Evidence to Suggest That Your Insomnia Is Genetic

Blame your parents.

Why Does My Skin Wrinkle in Water?

Have you ever noticed that your fingers and toes get wrinkled when you’ve been soaking in water for a while?

12 Facts About the Penis

The male sexual organ is more complicated than it might seem.

New Lobster Emoji Gets Updated After Mainers Noticed It Was Missing a Set of Legs

The people of Maine fought hard for this emoji, and they want designers to get it right.

How Scientists Are Using Plant-Based DNA Barcodes to Bust Counterfeiters

It sounds like science fiction, but it’s already happening.

Where Do Birds Get Their Songs?

Singing is woven into their DNA.

NOAA, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Watch the First-Ever Footage of a Baby Dumbo Octopus

They sport those floppy ears from the moment they hatch.

15 Confusing Plant and Animal Misnomers

As biology has developed, some of our common plant and animal names have turned out to be pretty far off the mark.

Watch an Antarctic Minke Whale Feed in a First-of-Its-Kind Video

The camera allows us a whale's-eye view of the life of a poorly understood species.

Slow Motion Is the Only Way to Appreciate a Chameleon’s Lightning-Fast Tongue

Some species stretch their tongues more than twice their body length.

Here's What Actually Happens When You're Electrocuted

There's a reason why "electrocution" sounds like "execution."

A Cold Nose Might Mean You're Working Too Hard, Researchers Say

An overloaded brain may lead to an icy sniffer.

11 Primal Facts About Dian Fossey

Get to know the real-life researcher behind "Gorillas in the Mist," who was born on this day in 1932.

monkeybusinessimages/iStock via Getty Images

12 Fantastic Facts About the Immune System

Without our immune system, we wouldn't last very long: this complex network of organs and cells fights off pathogens and helps maintain our health.

Ryan von Linden/New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Scientists May Have Found a Cure for Deadly White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

The spread of the devastating fungal disease could potentially be halted with portable UV light sources, a new study suggests.

The Top 10 Science Stories of 2017

Science can't stop, won't stop.

15 Dramatic Nature Illustrations by 19th-Century Scientist Ernst Haeckel

His artworks showed the wonders of evolution to a wide audience.

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