Are platypuses poisonous? Male spurs, venom and pain symptoms
Platypuses are venomous rather than poisonous. Adult males deliver venom through rear ankle spurs, causing excruciating pain, swelling, and weeks of symptoms.
Physical Characteristics
Do platypuses glow in the dark? UV glow, colours and camouflage
Yes, platypus fur glows bluish green under UV light. It covers how the glow was found, what colours appear and a camouflage proposal.
Why do octopuses have three hearts? Gill and systemic flow
Octopuses use two branchial hearts to oxygenate blood at the gills and one systemic heart to supply the body. Learn how their circulatory system functions.
Do jellyfish have brains? Nerve nets, senses and feeding
No, jellyfish have no brains. Discover how nerve nets, rhopalia and light sensors guide sensing, swimming and feeding.
Biggest jellyfish in the world: bell diameter and tentacle length
The lion’s mane jelly is the largest true jelly, reaching bells of 3 m and tentacles of 30 m, alongside the heavy 200 kg Nomura’s jellyfish.
Can penguins fly? Wing stroke, bones and how deep they dive
Penguins cannot fly through the air: their wings are built to propel them underwater. Here are wing strokes, beat rates, bones and dive depths.
Biggest octopus in the world: size, weight and records
Giant Pacific octopuses are the biggest octopus species. See typical adult weight and span plus the largest recorded specimens.
Do penguins have knees? Hidden joints, ankles and walking
Yes, penguins have knees tucked inside the body. Learn why the visible joint is the ankle and how foot bones suit waddling and walking.
Is a tiger beetle faster than a cheetah? It depends on the scale
A cheetah tops 96 to 112 km per hour and a tiger beetle 2.5 metres per second, but in body lengths per second the beetle reaches 171 to the cheetah’s 30.
Why can’t humans run faster than they do?
Muscle power and work capacity limit how fast a person can run, and record data suggest neither two-legged nor four-legged running has levelled off.