Pigs may roll around in mud, but they don’t do it because they’re naturally drawn to dirt. They roll in mud, also called wallowing, because they don’t have a lot of sweat glands, and since mud tends to be cool, it helps them regular their body temperature.
Many animals will happily drink alcohol whenever they can get their furry mitts on some. Unfortunately, these European critters didn’t know when to say when.
Did you (or more likely, your dog) get hit with the noxious spray from an agitated skunk? Well, that stinks. It’s time for a soak in a bathtub full of tomato juice. But does that old home remedy really work?
It starts in March, and it seems to last forever: allergy season. For about four to five months, more than 60 million Americans have to choose between suffering from the symptoms of hay fever (technical name: allergy rhinitis).
Looking to book a vacation? You may want to think twice about visiting these locales during certain times of the year.
In 1950, a fearless feline may have possibly climbed an infamous mountain.
After graduating with an agriculture degree from the University of Michigan in 1854, Julius Sterling Morton moved to a small settlement called Nebraska City in what would a few months later be called the Nebraska Territory. Morton faced a problem shared by many settlers in the territory: It was a treeless plain. That meant no trees for building materials, to burn for fuel, or to use as shade for crops. But Morton was one of the New World’s first “tree huggers,” stating, “We ought to bequeath to posterity as many forests and orchards as we have exhausted and consumed.”
Another annual edition of one of the most grueling (and definitely coldest) events just wrapped up. Our daily fun facts take a dive into this amazing race.
Don’t mess with eagle owls. They have a wingspan of more than six feet, and their size enables them to eat everything from rabbits to small deer. Unfortunately for the citizens of Purmerend in the Netherlands, one owl has decided to raise a little hell.
Here’s the latest poop. Uh, we mean scoop. A Modest Request Mt. Everest is not the headline-making achievement it once was—more than 700 people scale the peak each year. Among the hazards they face are avalanches, frostbite, altitude sickness, or simply falling off. Add to that list: human waste. The naturally occurring biological waste left […]
Life in Kaktovik, Alaska, can definitely be harsh. The town, which sits along the Beaufort Sea on Barter Island, remains fairly isolated from the rest of the world. The livelihoods of its 200+ residents are dependent upon the hunting of wild caribou and whales, the latter of which is heavily regulated. The temperature drops into the negative 20s in the winter, and oh, there’s also the polar bears.
He’s big. He’s hairy. He’s possibly more synonymous with winter than any other mythical creature. Here is some interesting trivia about the big fella.
The purpose of our fingers and toes is fairly self-evident: the better differentiation of digits makes for better dexterity. This allows us to grasp small objects, or climb and walk, respectively. But why do we have these hard little disks on top of all of our digits? Surely there has to be more of a reason beyond painting them so we can show off our “nail art” on Instagram.
Why will a dog stick its head out of a moving car, but hates it when you blow in its face? Animal behavior experts think it’s because at the end of the day dogs are simple creatures who appreciate simple things. And, simply put, getting to go for a ride in the car is the most exciting thing to happen to your dog all day.
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. (And if we answer your question sometime, we’ll send you a free book!)
Will fire departments still come out to rescue a cat stuck in a tree?
Back in May, we told you about Action Park, the notoriously dangerous New Jersey theme park. While it’s about to be reopened, there’s another destination in the Garden State that’s unlikely to be back anytime soon.
You could book a vacation in Maui or head to Disney World and still wind up in a hotel that’s a total pit. Why settle for that when you can just visit a real pit instead?
It’s a form of communication dating back thousands of years to when dogs were wild pack animals. Various kinds of tail wags, along with postures and vocalizations, formed an ad hoc language dogs could use to “talk” to each other.
