The most unusual breakfast companions, and yet they are the cutest. A guy from Pennsylvania has melted hearts all over the world after building the cutest picnic table for a squirrel in his back yard [1]. While socially isolating due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rick Kalinowski, 43, from Bryn Mawr, decided it was time to give...

In today’s fast-paced modern world, we are incessantly bombarded by information, images, and noise. We live in a state of constant sensory overload and interact with our environment and each other more often through our smartphones than in person. Since the Industrial Revolution, new technology has been invented at a dizzying pace, always with the...

130 years after being recorded for the first time, we finally have the first-ever photograph of the South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, a beautiful little bird native to the Philippines. (1) No Photos, please! This brightly colored bird is the smallest of the species of birds known as the King Fishers. It’s so tiny and so...

Last year, Californians near Lake Berryessa reservoir, located 75 miles north of San Francisco, were treated to a rare sight: a so-called “glory hole” in the reservoir draining excess rainwater. It’s been described as an inverted fountain and, perhaps less gloriously, like a toilet being flushed. No matter how you describe it, it’s an unusual...

Imagine you are walking on your favorite trail or through your local park, when you notice a tree stump that looks different from the rest. This stump looks like it’s covered in a beautiful rock, maybe even… a precious gem? That can’t be real, can it? What you are seeing is real and can happen:...

“I looked around the city and wondered what I would feed my newborn daughter. It became clear that I needed to create it myself. So I hurried to build a vegetable garden.” – Jamiah Hargin Jamiah Hargins was unaware that he was about to revolutionize his neighborhood when he moved to the West Adams area...

Hummingbirds are extremely smart creatures. In fact, they are some of the smartest birds in nature, with brains larger in comparison to their body size than any other birds [1]. Several studies have shown that they will recognize every single flower in their territory and even migration routes.  Then there’s the parental care trait found...

After several decades of extensive research, scientists finally established that truly, embryos from several bird species such as quails and chicken can hear through their eggs [1]. Some other species listen to their parents’ incubation calls and may be able to mimic the sounds exactly when they hatch. However, embryonic learning has always been associated...

What’s the furthest distance you have ever swum? A few lengths of your neighbor’s pool? From one end of the swim area at camp to another? There have been some people throughout history who have swum some pretty remarkable distances. American Sarah Thomas has swum across the English Channel four times. A team of six...

While actual treasure hunts don’t usually roll around every day (or ever), you can give yourself a thrilling crystal-digging experience by visiting a gem site near you. There are several of these sites scattered across the U.S. where you can mine natural crystals and gems for your keeping.  The south in particular is spotted with...

Many Americans love bald eagles. After all, this symbolic bird is the national emblem of the United States and has been since 1782. The bald eagle was chosen as the national emblem for the US because they were long-lived, strong, and majestic in appearance. At the time, they were believed only to live in North...

Fireflies, also called lightning bugs, are little nocturnal winged insects the size of paper clips. Many people can spot them in warm environments and on summer evenings, often in humid regions in the Americas and Asia. Those who have never seen a firefly in person have been introduced to them by the character Ray in...