The extinct megalodon shark, Otodus megalodon, has captured the imagination of the public and paleontologists for over a century. This ancient shark, estimated to be the size of a modern whale shark or larger (~15…
Even fish sometimes hold their breath in cold, dark, deep water. Scalloped hammerhead sharks living near Hawaii spend their days basking in warm surface waters. But at night, these fish hunt for squid and other…
Every summer, beaches around the world fill up with sprawled-out sunbathers, but humans aren’t the only ones who make it a point to soak in the sun. Across the animal kingdom, creatures big and small…
Many mammal species living in cold climates tend to have large bodies and short limbs to reduce heat loss – a general pattern known as Bergmann’s rule. However, bats are the exception to the rule,…
Some warm-blooded animals are morphing certain appendages in order to combat climate change. A new study published in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution showed that some animals are experiencing changes to their beaks, legs and ears. The researchers…
“Elephants, too, have huge ears relative to body size, and they are also used for temperature regulation. It has been shown that blood passing through the ears of an African elephant may lose as much…
Brown adipose tissue (BAT), also known as brown fat, is a type of fat that is found in hibernating animals and newborn mammals. Unlike white fat, which stores excess energy, brown fat is specialized to…
Pelicans are fascinating birds that use several unique adaptations to regulate their body temperature and stay cool. One of these adaptations is the pouch, a stretchy, featherless sac located beneath their beak. While the pouch…
The National History Museum in London made a special about polar bears, explaining how the polar bear fur functions, part of this exhibition is a video: Twitter – https://twitter.com/NHM_London/status/1100699124033298432 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistorymuseum/videos/1519055654896748/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/p/BuYZitXBPq0/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet Asknature also features…