HowStuffWorks Newsletter
Marine life includes an incredible and vibrant array of wild animals that live in the ocean. From tiny phytoplankton to massive blue whales, marine life is a vital source of food, energy and life for the entire planet.
Topics to Explore:
The sea butterfly snail moves in Arctic waters in the same way as fruit flies through tropical air. This case of convergent evolution was uncovered by a new study.
Whether they're busting open a child-proof medicine bottle or prying apart Mr. Potato Head, octopuses have some crazy brains. Actually, they have nine of them.
By Julia Layton
The Mariana Trench is the deepest place on Earth, and we're still in the dark about much of the life that calls it home. Here are just a few of the trench's eye-popping residents.
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Beautiful, graceful, majestic: Such highfalutin words might seem befitting of a mermaid, but a manatee? Perhaps our humble friends deserve a bit more credit. After all, they are known to stoke the imagination of a lonely seafarer or two.
Unless you've butchered an octopus, you might assume that it's as red-blooded as you are. And you'd be wrong. Why are octopuses the original blue bloods?
Do you think much about the lobster before you crack it open and dip it in butter? These humble animals have some very odd habits. For one thing, they pee out of their faces.
Ah, the secrets of the sea. In this gallery, we'll introduce you to some of the more enigmatic animals that drift in the ocean, swim in the sea or shoot their intestines out of their anus in saltwater. Jump in.
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The duckplatypus is an amazing animal. Learn about the duckplatypus.
The death adder is native to Australia, New Guina and nearby islands. This relatively short, stocky snake has a triangular head, tapering tail and long fangs, the longest of any Australian snake.
A friend of mine gave me a package of Sea Monkeys as a gag gift for my birthday. I grew them, and they look nothing like the package but they really are alive! What are these things?
You're going on vacation to a place where jelly fish stings are a common occurrence and you want to know how to treat a jellyfish sting. This article will tell you how to treat a jellyfish sting.
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Can a dead stingray's sting kill you? It's highly unlikely, but you'd still be in for a world of hurt if you get stung.
By Josh Clark
When we say someone is as slippery as an eel, it's not a compliment. But maybe eels get a bad wrap. They're slimy, but they have their reasons.
By Debra Ronca
Imagine that someone is pursuing you down a dark alley. Do you run? Duck behind a trash bin? The mimic octopus doesn't sweat this kind of scenario: It just shape-shifts to disguise itself. You'll be surprised by the tricks it's got up its tentacles.
As you observe jellyfish twirl underwater, it's difficult not to be mesmerized by their graceful movements. But if their tentacles touch your skin, you'll regret being anywhere near these gelatinous blobs.
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Giant squid are aggressive creatures that prey on almost anything that comes their way. How big do these monsters of the sea get, and could they really take down a watercraft?
Squid are actually mollusks is although they look much different from their relatives the gastropods (snails) is and bivalves (clams). Check out this image gallery to learn more interesting squid facts.
By Marie Bobel
How do coral polyps mere millimeters in length form the world's largest living structures? Will these giants of the sea last much longer if the present rate of destruction continues?
To elude predators, the octopus will change color in an instant and even alter its shape to look like other sea animals. Does its magic put the chameleon to shame?
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Although no one can yet tell how old lobsters get, they show no apparent signs of aging. Learn why lobsters live so long and get so big, and what this means for other animals, including humans.
Squid have been featured in sailing myths and legends for more than 300 years. They're swift, agile and surprisingly intelligent creatures with brains larger in proportion to their bodies than most fish and reptiles have. Learn about all squid, squid anatomy and how big squid can can actually get.
By Stephanie Watson
Although jellyfish have been around for over 650 million years, they're still very mysterious. Learn the all about the fascinating jellyfish life cycle.
By Stephanie Watson
Oysters can create pearls from a single grain of sand. How exactly does an oyster create a pearl, and what is the difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl?