Mammals

Any animal that can go from zero to 40 mph in three strides must have a very specialized body. Why can cheetahs run so fast, and how does their ability make them vulnerable?

By Julia Layton

A good portion of a giraffe's height comes from its statuesque neck. But how do these lanky creatures get their necks in such pretzel-like positions?

By Cristen Conger

If you can get past a koala's pungent scent of urine and mating-musk, you might detect a faint hint of cough drops. Why do koalas smell like they'd clear out your sinuses?

By Julia Layton

Dog shows aren't the only places you'll hear barking and clapping. Seals and sea lions welcome beachgoers with their uproarious get-togethers. But how do you tell the difference between the two?

By Jessika Toothman

They call the creature a bear. And bears are known to hibernate each winter. So why don't pandas slip into the same cold-weather stupor? Are they really even bears at all?

By Jane McGrath

Dolphins and war? That seems like an unfortunate pairing. But the U.S. Navy has been training the gregarious sea creatures to spot sea mines since the 1960s. Are they good at it?

By Jane McGrath

Some people call orcas the wolves of the sea, yet others want to swim with them. Why are these animals known as killers -- or are they just getting a bad rap?

By Jacob Silverman

If your favorite diner's blue plate special is ever sauteed polar bear liver, you may want to stick with salad. This meal can cause symptoms far beyond indigestion.

By Robert Lamb

Environmentalists agree that beaver dams help the environment by creating wetlands but why are some landowners and farm owners getting riled up? How could these dams be hazardous to roads, bridges and levees?

By Jacob Silverman

Bushy mustaches like the ones that Magnum P.I. or Super Mario sport are a bold fashion statement. But for baleen whales, they never go out of style.

By Molly Edmonds

She's a vicious social climber, willing to do anything to get to the top. In her quest to be queen, she's snubbed girls and stolen their men. Oh, yes -- and she's a meerkat.

By Josh Clark

When it comes to lending a helping paw, meerkats are quite altruistic. Strangely, they evolved from the mongoose -- a real loner. What gives?

By Josh Clark

Mealtime in the Kalahari Desert isn't exactly an all-you-can-eat buffet. Meerkats eat what they can get -- even poisonous scorpions. Why doesn't the venom hurt them?

By Josh Clark

From sonnets to Skype, humans have been perfecting communication for centuries. Meerkats have their own ways of pointing out danger, food and even happiness.

By Josh Clark

You're probably familiar with celebrity meerkats like the Whiskers clan and Timon. But do you know anything else about this creature from the Kalahari?

By Maria Trimarchi

I've heard that the black and white stripes on a zebra provide camouflage. How can this be if they're not in a black-and-white environment?

Each year, thousands of male Pacific walruses pack the beaches of Round Island off the coast of Alaska. Is there a reason for this months-long male bonding?

By Jennifer Horton

Since 1990, there have been only five panda cubs born in the United States. This may seem a little low. Getting pandas to mate in captivity is extremely difficult. Why is the birth rate for giant pandas so low? Find out the answer in this article.

By Tracy V. Wilson

Fainting goats don't really faint -- their muscles tense up and they fall over when they get scared. But why would anyone want a fainting goat?

By Robert Lamb

Contrary to popular belief, bats don't go around biting people and sucking blood. Bats got a bad reputation from the Dracula stories, but they actually prefer eating insects over blood. Find 13 incredible bat facts only at HowStuffWorks.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Bats are often found sleeping upside down during the day. They roost in secluded areas such as hollowed out trees and caves. Have you ever wondered why bats sleep upside down? Find out the answer to this question in this HowStuffWorks article.

Monkeys and apes have lots of similarities, but they're not the same animal. In a lot of ways, it all comes down to the tail.

Until now, no one has documented a definite case of chimpanzees using tools to hunt in the traditional sense. Find out what a new study on chimpanzees may reveal about human evolution.

By Julia Layton

Did you know you conserve energy every time you walk across a room? You do, in evolutionary terms at least. Find out how and why humans began walking upright and what this has to do with our body's energy use.

By Jacob Silverman

Cow flatulence produces the greenhouse gas methane, which is linked to global warming. Find out how scientists are working to reduce cow flatulence in livestock.

By Jacob Silverman