As a secondary school educator, I often see students sharing their drinks with one another. This bugs me more than anything because it causes germs to be easily spread from one person to another. The problem is, students have this misconception that if they are not sick, then the person they are sharing their drink with won't get sick either. Sounds rational, but is it true? Definitely not. Each person's immune system is unique, and so is our microbiome (as described in the video below). What may be harmless to one person may not be so much to another. I believe this video does an excellent job demonstrating that not only are humans unique in a sense that we each have our own personalities, have different occupations, and come from differe ...
Author Dr. John Bradshaw suggests that because domestic cats are still essentially wild animals, that they think of their owners as bigger cats that they're quite fond of (often performing grooming rituals on them), who have really delicious food (tastier than that mouse they killed and left on your porch).
The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 was one of the worst man-made disasters of the 20th century. An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe. During the accident itself, 31 people died, and long-term effects such as cancers and deformities are still being accounted for.
An abandoned ferris wheel and buildings reclaimed by nature - the remains of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster show what a city looks like when everyone disappears.
This is the semi-transparent eyelid of the red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis Callidryas. Frogs aren't the only creatures with 'third eyelids' that keep their eyes moist without blocking vision completely. Sharks, cats, crocodiles, polar bears and camels have them too.
Meet the Australian turtle frog, in all its pink, stubby, Muppet-faced glory. Their courting sessions last an impressive FOUR MONTHS before any mating takes place.
This bird might look like a holiday ornament, but it is actually a rare half-female, half-male northern cardinal, with female plumage on the left and male on the right. A new study suggests being half-and-half carries consequences: The cardinal didn’t have a mate, and observers never heard it sing.
If you find yourself looking around the table over the holiday and thinking, “I can’t believe I’m related to these people,” just be glad you’re not a mongoose. If you were, you might be thinking, “I can’t believe I’ve mated with all of these people.” Why? For mongooses, it's actually safer to have sex with a close relative than risk death by venturing out into the world to find a mate.
Fire rainbows are a rare phenomenon that only occur when the Sun is higher than 58° above the horizon and its light passes through cirrus clouds made of ice crystals.
These captivating atmospheric displays are scientifically known as circumhorizontal arcs. While the name "fire rainbow" might suggest a connection with fire or rainbows, it's essential to understand that this phenomenon has nothing to do with fire and isn't a true rainbow.
The process behind fire rainbows is intricate. When sunlight interacts with ice crystals in cirrus clouds, the light is refracted, or bent, in a specific way. For a circumhorizontal arc to form, the Sun must be at a relatively high angle in the sky, usually exceeding 58 degrees. This angle allows sunlight to e ...
The Principality of Sealand is a tiny, self-proclaimed nation that started on an old sea fort in the North Sea. A former British Army major declared it independent in 1967, and it's known for its quirky history. Even though it hasn't become a recognized country globally, Sealand has its own currency, passports, and devoted fans. In fact, for £99.99 you can become a knight of Sealand! It's a unique story of a small place dreaming big and capturing people's imaginations.
