Wild Animals

Sharks are an intelligent and sometimes dangerous species of saltwater fish. Learn more about these often feared, often misunderstood creatures of the deep in this gallery.

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?

If you have ever been out in the woods or an open field in spring, summer or fall, you may have gotten chiggers around your waistband or on your ankles. They leave red, itchy bumps on your skin. Learn more about these arachnids.

The brilliantly colored orange wings of a monarch butterfly are as recognizable as the plumes of a peacock. Why are butterfly colors some of the best and brightest in nature?

By Jennifer Horton

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?

By Jennifer Horton

If you've seen a butterfly in your lifetime, you probably noticed their colorful wings, or saw one basking in the sunlight. But I bet you didn't realize that it would soon die. Why are their life spans so short, and are they nearly extinct?

By Tracy V. Wilson

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?

By Jennifer Horton

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

Wasps and bees are different, yes. But how can we distinguish? Here's a hint: The bee's the one near the flowers. The wasp's the one buzzing around your turkey sandwich.

By Jennifer Horton

Frogs have been around for about 200 million years. In that time, they've adapted to their changing surroundings to ensure their survival. How have they changed, and what's the difference between frogs and toads, anyway?

By Tracy V. Wilson

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

Cicada singing is often heard during the hot summer months. The distinctive high-pitched noise often fills the air. What's the purpose of that noise?

By Robert Valdes

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.

Some say that during a rainstorm, turkeys will stare up at the sky with their beaks hanging open, transfixed, until they drown. Is this really true?

By Stephanie Watson

Chiggers are tiny arachnids that are known for delivering bites that itch intensely. Find out how chiggers work and learn about the chigger reproduction cycle.

By Tracy V. Wilson

Termites have existed for 50 million years and can be found throughout the world. Learn about termites and find out how termite colonies are structured.

By Tracy V. Wilson

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

Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts -- human or otherwise -- and are known for carrying diseases. Learn all about ticks, including how to remove them.

By Tracy V. Wilson

Fleas are essentially freeloaders that live off the blood off the blood of us and our pets. So how can you get rid of these nasty parasites?

By Tracy V. Wilson & Wendy Bowman

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

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.

By Jacob Silverman