NATURE

The Creepiest Spider Videos You'll Ever See

If you're even slightly arachnophobic, stop reading right now. Wait, you're still reading this? Okay, fine, let's chat. In this 90-second time lapse video, we're treated to (okay, thoroughly disgusted by) a tarantula molting. Yes, spiders molt as they

Morbid Road Trip: Medical Oddities Around the World

In our last two macabre getaways, we planned an almost-cross-country trip to see various items tied to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and took in the best of America’s medical oddities. Today, we go worldwide in a quest for more cadavers, gore and anatom

The 5 Worst Fathers In the Animal Kingdom

These dads won't be getting any Father's Day cards this Sunday. 1.

11 Cold Hard Facts About Antarctica

If you're planning a trip to Antarctica, here are some things you should know. 1. Nobody owns Antarctica. Although a few nations, including Australia, Argentina, and the United Kingdom, have tried to lay claim to it over the years, it remains free of gov

Exclusive: Mike Rowe Talks "Human Planet"

NOTE: My interview with Mike Rowe appears below a bunch of discussion of the documentary Human Planet. Jump to the "Interview" heading if that's what you're here for. Human Planet premieres Sunday, April 10 in the US on Discovery. Two episodes air e

Rocks that Rock: 8 Stone Giant Sites

Nature carves wonderful sculptures all over the earth. We saw some in a previous post; now let's take a little trip and see a few more of the many awesome giant rock formations suggested by mental_floss readers. 1. The Old Man of

"Life," the New "Planet Earth," Premieres Sunday, 8pm

Premiering Sunday (March 21) at 8pm on the Discovery Channel in the US: Life, a new documentary miniseries from the producers of Planet Earth. Set your DVRs now! Back in 2006, we were treated to Planet Earth, a BBC/Discovery Channel coproduction which

Belladonna or deadly nightshade: Pretty but poisonous

5 Classic Poisons and the People Who Used Them

Long before modern industries developed the cleaning products, industrial solvents, and drugs that can kill when misused, people used simple plants to murder each other.

"The Botany of Desire" Documentary, TONIGHT at 8pm on PBS

Update: the entire documentary is now available online for free! A new PBS* documentary, The Botany of Desire, premieres Wednesday night (tonight!) at 8pm on PBS stations throughout the US. It's based on the popular Michael Pollan book of the same name

Seed: Fun With Flowers

Seed is a simple, open-ended game in which you plant virtual flowers, cross-breed them, and create new varieties. Here's a screenshot after a minute or two of

Treehouses for All Occasions

There's something about a treehouse that appeals to all of us. Maybe it's the view, or getting close to nature, or reliving childhood memories. There are many ways to enjoy treehouses, no matter what age you are. A Treehouse

My Favorite Documentaries: Fast, Cheap and Out of Control

One of my all-time favorite documentaries is Errol Morris's 1997 film Fast, Cheap and Out of Control. As a punctuation nerd, I disagree with the lack of a serial comma in its title, but we'll let that slide. Anyway. This film is about humanity, the nat