Microorganisms
Virophages: The Viruses That Infect Viruses
Discover a hidden layer of biology where some viruses prey on other viruses, changing our understanding of parasites.
The Complete Field Guide
All Articles
Explore every strange creature, bizarre behavior and unbelievable survival story, starting with the newest discoveries.
288 published articles
Newest first
Insects
The Bombardier Beetle Fires Boiling Chemicals at 500 Pulses per Second
Inside the two-chamber combustion system that lets a half-inch insect detonate a controlled explosion in its own abdomen —…
Microorganisms
How Giant Viruses Broke the Definition of a Virus
Discover how enormous viral entities are forcing scientists to rethink the very nature of life.
Microorganisms
What Is a Bacteriophage? The Virus That Hunts Bacteria Like a Lunar Lander
Explore the world of the most abundant life form on Earth, a virus that looks engineered and may hold…
Insects
Periodical Cicadas Count to 17 Using Prime Numbers
Thirteen and seventeen are both prime, and that is almost certainly not a coincidence. What is still unresolved is…
Microorganisms
How Wolbachia Controls Insect Sex Lives
Learn about a common bacterium that controls the sex lives of insects and is now a key tool in…
Fish
Hagfish Slime Expands 10,000 Times in Under Half a Second
One pinch on the tail turns a bucket of seawater into a suffocating gel. The mechanism involves coiled protein…
Fish
Anglerfish Mating Ends With the Male Fused Permanently Into the Female
To merge two bodies into one, deep-sea anglerfish deleted the immune system every other vertebrate depends on. In a…
Bizarre Animal Behaviors
Spiders Taken Over by Fungus Aren’t Just Fiction
Learn about the strange parasitic fungi that turn arachnids into mindless puppets for their own reproductive needs.
Bizarre Animal Behaviors
How Zombie Spider Fungus Hijacks Spiders
Learn the bizarre story of how some fungi hijack a spider's body and brain for their own reproductive needs.
Bizarre Animal Behaviors
Why Zombie Spiders Won’t Eat Your Brain
Learn the bizarre truth about mind-controlling fungi and why their eight-legged victims pose no danger to you.
Bizarre Animal Behaviors
The Creepy Life of Zombie Spider Parasites
Explore the bizarre life cycles of parasites that turn spiders into mindless puppets for their own survival.