How Pistol Shrimp Produce One of the Loudest Sounds in the Ocean
A pistol shrimp is only a few centimeters long, yet it can produce an underwater sound powerful enough to compete with some of the loudest biological noises in the sea. …
Ocean
Why Blue-Footed Boobies Choose Mates Based on Foot Color
Few courtship displays are as instantly recognizable as a blue-footed booby lifting one brilliant turquoise foot after another in an exaggerated high-stepping dance. The performance looks comical to human observers, …
How Manta Rays Use Cleaning Stations — And Wait Their Turn
Above certain coral reefs, manta rays perform an unusual daily ritual. Instead of feeding or migrating, they slow down, hover over particular coral outcrops, and allow tiny fishes to swim …
The Vampire Squid: A Harmless Deep-Sea Animal With a Terrifying Name
Table of Contents Despite its dramatic name, the vampire squid is one of the most peaceful animals in the deep ocean. In fact, many fascinating vampire squid facts reveal a …
Atlantic Puffins Return to the Same Burrow and Mate Every Year
Table of Contents The remarkable phenomenon of puffin mate fidelity has made Atlantic puffins one of the most beloved seabirds in the world. Every spring, these colorful birds travel back …
How Giant Tube Worms Survive Without a Mouth, Gut, or Sunlight
Table of Contents The extraordinary process of tube worm chemosynthesis challenges one of the oldest assumptions in biology—that nearly all life ultimately depends on sunlight. Giant tube worms thrive thousands …
Sea Otters Keep Personal Tools for Years — Here’s How and Why
Table of Contents One of the most fascinating examples of sea otter tool use comes from a simple rock. While many animals occasionally use objects to solve problems, sea otters …
Elephant Seals Sleep While Diving Over a Mile Underwater — Here’s How
The ocean is full of remarkable survival strategies, but few are as surprising as the discovery that elephant seals regularly fall asleep while diving hundreds or even thousands of feet …
The Cuttlefish ‘Hypnosis’ Display: How a Hunting Strategy Uses Skin as a Weapon
Among the ocean’s most remarkable predators, cuttlefish stand out not because of speed or size, but because of their extraordinary ability to manipulate light and color across their skin. One …
Great White Sharks Are Warm-Blooded — Here’s the Biology Behind It
Most people think of sharks as cold-blooded predators whose body temperature simply matches the surrounding water. While that is true for most shark species, the great white shark warm blooded …