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Fun
Transcript
00:00:00 You decided to go scuba diving for the first time.
00:00:03 The water is clear and the sun is shining on the seabed.
00:00:07 You take a few selfies and a fish swimming by when suddenly,
00:00:11 the ocean goes pitch black.
00:00:13 You look up and...
00:00:16 Oh my! What is that gigantic animal?
00:00:19 It's definitely not a shark, not a whale.
00:00:23 Is it... a turtle?
00:00:26 Yup, but fear not, it's not gonna hurt you.
00:00:30 If you had lived on this same earth about 72 million years ago,
00:00:34 then maybe this could have really happened to you.
00:00:39 Scientists have recently found the fossils of a gigantic marine turtle
00:00:43 that could have grown as big as 12 feet.
00:00:46 If you don't have any idea of how big that is, let's see some examples.
00:00:51 That's the average length of a hippopotamus.
00:00:54 Six golden retrievers,
00:00:56 or two Michael Jordans stacked on top of each other.
00:01:01 The turtle's scientific name is an homage to that old school sea monster called Leviathan.
00:01:07 Maybe you remember this from old school history lessons.
00:01:11 The Leviathan is supposedly a mythical creature
00:01:14 that would swallow entire ships or people that were deemed too greedy by the creature.
00:01:21 Can you imagine being swallowed by this humongous sea turtle?
00:01:25 No thank you.
00:01:28 The fossils of this gigantic creature began to be excavated between 2016 and 2021,
00:01:35 all the way in northeastern Spain.
00:01:38 The first fossil was located by a hiker in the Spanish Pyrenees,
00:01:41 and it was around 8 inches long.
00:01:44 The pelvis of this turtle alone measured around 35 inches.
00:01:49 It would definitely be one of the biggest turtles today if it hadn't gone extinct.
00:01:56 FYI, the largest living sea turtles today can reach up to 6 feet in length,
00:02:02 which is already pretty big.
00:02:06 Now, how about a gigantic prehistoric scorpion?
00:02:11 I bet most people here are not huge fans of these creatures,
00:02:15 especially since they're poisonous.
00:02:17 Which is why the thought of a 9 foot long aquatic scorpion might be the stuff of nightmares.
00:02:22 Let's just say that if they hadn't gone extinct some 400 million years ago,
00:02:27 lakes and rivers would be much more dangerous places for humans today.
00:02:32 These gigantic insects were considered to be apex predators in their time,
00:02:37 hunting everything from fish to other animals, even of their own kind.
00:02:42 Yikes, I got goosebumps just imagining these creatures.
00:02:46 Should we thank the asteroid that hit our planet now or later on in this video?
00:02:52 Another prehistoric animal that would shock humans if it were still alive
00:02:56 is the so-called megatherium, a gigantic sloth.
00:03:01 This huge sloth is believed to have grown up to 20 feet long,
00:03:06 and its weight could be up to 8,000 pounds.
00:03:10 It was found in the woodlands and grasslands of South America.
00:03:14 The creature used to stand on its two feet in order to reach leaves on high branches.
00:03:20 These giant sloths had huge claws.
00:03:23 They helped them climb trees.
00:03:25 I gotta say, I feel uncomfortable imagining these elephant-sized sloths climbing trees.
00:03:31 Oh, of course.
00:03:33 Some dinosaurs will make our supersized creatures list.
00:03:36 But before that, here's a fun fact.
00:03:39 Did you know some dinosaurs are still alive today?
00:03:43 Scientists have proven that birds are classified as theropod dinosaurs.
00:03:48 Such infamous creatures as the T-Rex and Velociraptor belonged to this group.
00:03:55 I'm sure you've heard these names even before you watched Jurassic Park.
00:03:59 The Velociraptor is that scary dino that breaks into the kitchen.
00:04:03 Well, they evolved, gained some feathers,
00:04:05 and turned into various species of birds we know today.
00:04:10 That means that any bird from chickens to those little blue ones
00:04:13 is a direct descendant of dinosaurs.
00:04:16 Now, does the name Spinosaurus ring a bell?
00:04:21 You can see this huge dinosaur in some museums today.
00:04:26 It's fossils, I mean.
00:04:28 The Spinosaurus was one of the biggest land predators to walk Earth.
00:04:33 Actually, to walk its land and water.
00:04:37 Since scientists believe that this dino was semi-aquatic.
00:04:40 It fed mostly on meat, which means humans would be its natural prey if it lived today.
00:04:47 This meat-eating dino lived around 90 to 100 million years ago.
00:04:53 It was about 60 feet long, 12 feet high, and weighed up to 22 tons.
00:04:58 Its head was around the size of eight bowling balls and was shaped like a crocodile's face.
00:05:06 Basically, the Spinosaurus was a big African elephant with the face of a crocodile.
00:05:11 Just kidding.
00:05:14 But that would look funny though, wouldn't it?
00:05:15 A much more attractive dino was this guy.
00:05:19 It's considered to be the largest dinosaur that has ever lived on our planet.
00:05:23 What made it so big was its extremely long neck and very long tail.
00:05:29 You wouldn't want to stand behind this creature, believe me.
00:05:34 If it decided to swish its tail, you'd get catapulted very far away.
00:05:38 This creature lived around 100 million years ago and its fossils were first found in Argentina
00:05:45 around 2012.
00:05:46 The dino measured 120 feet from head to tail, which made it almost as big as an American
00:05:53 football field in width.
00:05:54 Hmm.
00:05:56 And have I mentioned it weighed almost as much as a space shuttle?
00:06:00 A staggering 75 tons.
00:06:03 If it had been a carnivore, it would have probably been the greatest predator.
00:06:07 But this big guy was a peaceful herbivore that had such a long neck that it could eat
00:06:12 leaves from high trees.
00:06:14 Cute, right?
00:06:15 We must also talk about the Shastasaurus.
00:06:20 As the name suggests, this animal is popularly known as the Mount Shasta lizard.
00:06:25 Even though it was a marine reptile and probably never set foot on the mountain itself,
00:06:32 this dino was usually around 23 feet long.
00:06:36 But there was a specific strand of this species that could get as big as 69 feet long,
00:06:41 about the size of the great blue whale.
00:06:44 This made it the biggest marine reptile to have ever lived.
00:06:50 A fun fact about the Shastasaurus is that scientists believe it didn't even have teeth,
00:06:55 which means it could only feed on soft-bodied prey, such as squid, for example.
00:07:01 The next animal on our list is the blue whale.
00:07:04 Believe it or not, the biggest living animal on Earth actually started small.
00:07:09 These days, the average mature blue whale can reach up to 100 feet in length and weigh up to 200 tons.
00:07:17 That's more or less the weight of 40 elephants put together,
00:07:21 or 30 Tyrannosaurus rexes, or 2,670 average-sized people.
00:07:29 Blue whales have to eat up to 50 million calories per day to support that body.
00:07:33 That's the equivalent of 30,000 Big Macs, just FYI.
00:07:39 But blue whales weren't always this big.
00:07:44 They actually evolved from a four-legged mammal that lived on Earth around 48 million years ago.
00:07:50 Their ancestor was called Pachycetus, and it was only 6 feet long.
00:07:55 Here's a fun fact.
00:07:56 To be able to live in the water as one does today,
00:08:00 the blue whale had to go through some intense adaptations.
00:08:03 A blue whale can replace up to 80 to 90% of oxygen in its lungs each time it takes a breath.
00:08:10 A human replaces only up to 15% for comparison.
00:08:16 It allows these animals to dive for up to one hour at a time,
00:08:20 down to a staggering depth of 330 feet.
00:08:24 Elephants were bound to make the list.
00:08:26 Elephants are currently the largest land animals on Earth.
00:08:30 They can grow to be about 13 feet tall and weigh up to 7 tons.
00:08:35 That's pretty small if we compare it to the other animals that once lived on Earth, right?
00:08:39 But if we placed a 6-foot-tall human next to an elephant,
00:08:44 we'll see it's not at all that small.
00:08:46 African elephants are bigger than their close relatives,
00:08:52 African elephants are bigger than their close relatives,
00:08:54 Asian elephants, and they have a similar lifespan to humans, up to 70 years.
00:08:59 Pokemon might have made us collectively wish that salamanders were real-life dragons,
00:09:06 although they're not.
00:09:08 They can still be pretty cool, though.
00:09:10 There's a giant species of salamander that is known to be the largest living amphibian.
00:09:17 They can grow to be as long as a regular-sized human, reaching up to 6 feet.
00:09:22 I bet that wouldn't be a pleasant underwater encounter!
00:09:26 Well, meet the tiny terrors of our world.
00:09:31 Fire ants.
00:09:33 When they sting, they inject venom that can cause serious trouble.
00:09:37 For most people, it's just a fiery sensation in raised bumps.
00:09:41 But for others, especially those who are allergic to it, it's life-threatening.
00:09:46 These ants set up their camps right under your feet.
00:09:48 They're quick to swarm and are fiercely protective of their colonies.
00:09:52 They show no mercy to intruders.
00:09:54 Their stings are rated about 1.2 on the Schmidt Insect Sting Index, where 4 is the maximum.
00:10:01 It feels like a sudden jolt, but the sensations are less burning than when a bee stings you.
00:10:08 They originated in tropical regions like Central and South America.
00:10:13 But now you can find them even in some temperate zones like North America.
00:10:17 In their colonies, fire ants have a strict hierarchy
00:10:21 of queen, winged males and females, and different types of workers.
00:10:26 They communicate through chemicals and sounds.
00:10:28 The most famous member of this genus is the red imported fire ant.
00:10:33 They've come from South America and invaded the southern US.
00:10:37 They build large mounds, making farming difficult and damaging crops.
00:10:41 It's almost impossible to control them.
00:10:44 And on top of that, there's now the rise of another invasive species, the tawny crazy ant.
00:10:50 This one poses a threat to native ecosystems.
00:10:53 Turns out ants can be dangerously unfriendly.
00:10:55 Colorful blister beetles are among the 10 most dangerous insects in the world.
00:11:02 Luckily, they're not lethal to humans unless they go for you in a big pack.
00:11:06 However, they pose a serious threat to large animals such as horses.
00:11:12 Blister beetles produce a toxin called cantharidin, which causes skin blistering in humans.
00:11:17 In the past, people believed it could treat warts and even rabies.
00:11:21 And some even used it in love potions.
00:11:24 However, it's a risky game.
00:11:26 In the 1950s, a man was jailed for giving cantharidin-laced candies to two women,
00:11:31 resulting in a tragic outcome.
00:11:33 These beetles are not to be messed with.
00:11:36 Handling them or ingesting them is very dangerous.
00:11:39 They're attracted to alfalfa and hay.
00:11:42 If a horse eats either of those, even a few beetles can release enough cantharidin to end it.
00:11:47 This cute caterpillar from South America is called Linomia obliqua,
00:11:54 and it's the most dangerous caterpillar on Earth.
00:11:56 It's responsible for several fatalities due to its potent venom.
00:12:01 It's the larval stage of the giant silkworm moth.
00:12:04 When it grows up, it becomes a beautiful and harmless silkworm.
00:12:08 But if you see them as youngsters, it's better to stay away.
00:12:12 Its toxicity stems from venom-injecting bristles.
00:12:16 They serve as a defense mechanism against predators.
00:12:19 The poison messes up how your blood clots and can cause really bad symptoms like burning feelings,
00:12:25 throwing up, kidney problems, and sometimes even lethal outcomes.
00:12:29 A single bite probably won't lead to anything horrifying.
00:12:32 It delivers only a tiny amount of venom.
00:12:35 But these caterpillars tend to congregate, and they're quite good at camouflage.
00:12:40 This increases the risk of multiple stings.
00:12:42 Locusts themselves aren't dangerous to humans.
00:12:47 They're ordinary, loud grasshoppers.
00:12:50 But they're infamous for their swarming behavior.
00:12:53 These swarms often happen when there's a dry period with no rain.
00:12:57 And then suddenly, a lot of rain falls, and plants start growing fast.
00:13:01 Once it begins, it's nearly impossible to stop.
00:13:04 They can become a destructive force within minutes.
00:13:07 Throughout history, locust plagues have been devastating,
00:13:10 wreaking havoc on crops and farmland.
00:13:12 What's interesting is that the term "locust" can mean different things depending on where you're
00:13:18 from.
00:13:19 In some places, we're talking about cicadas, which are also known for their loud sounds.
00:13:24 But true locusts are ancient creatures, relatively unchanged since the Triassic era.
00:13:30 They're among the oldest insects on Earth.
00:13:32 Wasps, hornets, and even bees can be extremely dangerous,
00:13:36 especially to those allergic to their stings.
00:13:39 The Asian giant hornet is the largest of the wasps.
00:13:42 It can reach up to 2 inches in size.
00:13:45 It packs a powerful venom that can cause serious discomfort and even spray into people's eyes.
00:13:50 There's an even more venomous species in the Philippines called Vespa Luctuosa.
00:13:56 Not to be confused with Expecto Patronum.
00:13:59 Any Harry Potter fans?
00:14:00 Anyway, fatalities because of wasps or bees are rare but not unheard of.
00:14:06 In the UK, about 10 people pass away each year from bee or wasp sting reactions.
00:14:12 Always stay cautious.
00:14:14 All these insects are very territorial and will fiercely defend their hives.
00:14:18 When provoked, they signal danger to nearby bees and instigate a mass defense effort.
00:14:24 If you need to handle them, it's best to call professionals.
00:14:29 Fleas
00:14:31 A flea is tiny and humble, but it left a colossal impact on human history and health.
00:14:37 They're not just annoying pests.
00:14:39 They're notorious carriers of various human conditions
00:14:42 and are responsible for some of the worst outbreaks in history.
00:14:46 Back in the 14th century, I forget where I was, but the bubonic plague wiped out over
00:14:52 25 million people in Europe, and fleas were a big part of spreading it.
00:14:57 Fleas spend their lives searching for warm-blooded hosts to feed on,
00:15:01 whether it's reptiles, mammals, pets, or humans.
00:15:05 Despite their tiny size and absence of wings, they make up for it with impressive jumping
00:15:10 abilities.
00:15:11 They can leap 6 feet and jump over 1,200 feet in the air.
00:15:15 A flea bite might seem like a minor annoyance, causing itching and inflammation.
00:15:20 But a lot of them can lead to anemia in their hosts.
00:15:23 Of course, the most dangerous part about them is the viruses, bacteria, and worms they transmit.
00:15:29 Kissing bugs mostly live in both Americas, with smaller populations in Africa and Asia.
00:15:36 Despite the friendly name, they're great at passing on bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
00:15:42 One of the parasites they carry is trypanosoma cruzi.
00:15:46 It's the culprit behind illnesses that affect millions globally and claim thousands of lives
00:15:51 each year.
00:15:52 What's interesting is that symptoms don't often appear until 10 or 30 years after being bitten.
00:15:58 They typically manifest as heart failure, digestive issues, or nervous system problems.
00:16:04 They don't actually kiss you.
00:16:05 They suck on you and are attracted to their prey by breath.
00:16:09 If you breathe through your mouth, you're a target.
00:16:12 They're messy biters, often biting chaotically and almost uncontrollably,
00:16:17 which only adds to their unsettling nature.
00:16:22 Many have heard of the tsetse fly, an unusual and scary insect from tropical Africa.
00:16:27 These flies are carriers of one of the most devastating human diseases, sleeping sickness.
00:16:33 Similar to the kissing bug, the tsetse fly transmits trypanosomes,
00:16:38 the parasites that cause sleeping sickness.
00:16:40 They acquire this parasite from an infected host or from within the fly's own body.
00:16:45 Sleeping sickness doesn't strike immediately.
00:16:48 After a bite, it takes 1-3 weeks for symptoms to appear.
00:16:52 Fever, headaches, joint pains, and itchiness.
00:16:55 As the illness progresses, it can invade the nervous system,
00:16:59 leading to confusion, insomnia, and loss of balance.
00:17:03 Without treatment, it can result in a coma and then a fatal outcome.
00:17:07 Luckily, sleeping sickness can be treated, and the number of losses is declining.
00:17:12 The tsetse fly holds historical significance too.
00:17:16 Its presence has hindered European colonial expansion in Africa.
00:17:21 And the crown of the most dangerous insect in the world goes to…
00:17:25 The mosquito.
00:17:27 It's no surprise why.
00:17:29 Despite their small size, they wield a massive impact.
00:17:32 They're not only responsible for more human losses annually than any other animal,
00:17:37 but they've also left an indelible mark on history.
00:17:40 These little insects influenced the rise and fall of entire civilizations.
00:17:45 For example, malaria significantly weakened ancient civilizations such as in Rome and Greece.
00:17:51 What's interesting is that it's not just the mosquitoes themselves that are dangerous,
00:17:56 but the parasites.
00:17:57 Bacteria and viruses carry and transmit through their bites.
00:18:01 These tiny horrors spread a buffet of diseases.
00:18:05 Despite malaria, there's also yellow fever, which, just like with the tsetse fly,
00:18:09 hindered European colonization efforts in tropical regions.
00:18:13 The scariest one of them is the Anopheles mosquito.
00:18:16 It's the apex predator of the insect world.
00:18:19 It's responsible for more fatal outcomes and illnesses than any other insect.
00:18:24 So how do we combat these tiny yet mighty foes?
00:18:29 With prevention.
00:18:30 We need to eliminate standing water in our surroundings and practice mosquito control
00:18:35 measures.
00:18:35 We must always stay one step ahead to protect ourselves and our communities from dangerous
00:18:41 insects.
00:18:49 In the US, people experience 250,000 human bites, 400,000 cat bites, and 4.5 million
00:18:58 dog bites each year.
00:18:59 Yes, adorable animals can still attack you unexpectedly.
00:19:03 Let's take a look at the cutest and fiercest examples.
00:19:06 Forget about these viral videos of people hugging pandas.
00:19:11 These cuddly-looking cuties can be surprisingly dangerous.
00:19:15 Despite cartoonish looks, they're still wild, and they will attack a human when they
00:19:19 feel threatened.
00:19:20 Even a snow leopard is scared to mess with an adult panda.
00:19:24 So if you ever meet this animal in person, keep a healthy distance, especially if it
00:19:30 has cubs.
00:19:31 Pandas switched from omnivorous to a vegetarian diet a couple of million years ago.
00:19:37 But they still have these carnivorous teeth and retractable claws in their paws that can
00:19:41 easily cut your skin.
00:19:43 Today, scientists speculate that pandas' strict bamboo diet may be contributing to
00:19:48 their extinction.
00:19:49 So it makes sense to plant some more bamboo.
00:19:51 To prevent these fluffy monsters from returning to their carnivorous habits, huh?
00:19:56 But let's say you're hiking in the woods in China, and suddenly a ferocious panda jumps
00:20:03 out of nowhere.
00:20:04 First of all, make sure to carry bear spray and be ready to use it.
00:20:09 You can pretend you're not alive, especially if the panda is too big to fight with.
00:20:13 Don't rush to run away, though.
00:20:16 Instead, try talking to the animal while backing away slowly.
00:20:20 If a panda follows you while you're hiking, make loud noises along the trail to scare
00:20:24 it away.
00:20:25 The smell of food can attract pandas, as well as snow leopards, so avoid cooking if you
00:20:30 know you're being stalked.
00:20:31 And speaking of deceptive fluffballs, koalas and wombats can't be trusted either.
00:20:39 These Australian animals are closest relatives, so they share some common traits.
00:20:44 Koalas are territorial creatures, and they don't hesitate to use their sharp claws
00:20:50 and teeth to prove it.
00:20:50 If a koala starts biting you, it won't let go easily – you'll have to pull it away.
00:20:56 So it would be wise to wear long trousers and a jacket to provide additional protection
00:21:01 to your skin.
00:21:01 Also make sure to protect your pets, because koalas definitely won't do that.
00:21:08 Now don't be tricked by those cuddly videos of people with koalas too.
00:21:12 These are zoo animals that have gone through a long bonding journey before becoming human-friendly.
00:21:17 If you ever come across these creatures in the wild, don't try to take a selfie and
00:21:22 avoid triggering them with loud noises.
00:21:24 Although koalas are known for sleeping 22 hours a day, it doesn't mean you can't
00:21:31 trigger them.
00:21:31 Koalas tend to get more alarmed when they detect strangers within a 16-foot radius.
00:21:38 By the way, spraying urine on enemies is one of the koalas' favorite defense mechanisms.
00:21:44 The majority of koalas in the wild can spread unpleasant conditions, so that's another
00:21:48 huge reason to stay away from them.
00:21:50 Now wombats may look like innocent, friendly hamsters, but these nocturnal marsupials are
00:21:57 known for attacking people, dogs, and even wild dingoes.
00:22:01 Yep, they bit several people so badly that they needed hospitalization.
00:22:06 So the safety rules are the same as with koalas – no hugs, no selfies.
00:22:11 By the way, if you dare to run away from a wombat, keep in mind it can run up to 25 mph.
00:22:17 What about you?
00:22:17 Now take swans.
00:22:21 When it comes to personal boundaries, these fancy birds can show some sinister traits
00:22:25 too.
00:22:26 Swans can defend their mates and nests very aggressively, which includes biting and even
00:22:32 taking your life.
00:22:34 Their nesting season between April and June is especially dangerous.
00:22:38 So if you're swimming or even walking near a body of water in spring, and you spot a
00:22:43 sneaky swan coming your way, make sure to keep a respectful distance.
00:22:47 You don't want to try to touch or feed them.
00:22:49 Don't do anything that can provoke the birds.
00:22:52 And heaven forbid you to approach their nests.
00:22:55 Beware of the mute swan.
00:23:00 It's one of the biggest hooligans in the bird world.
00:23:03 These guys are less vocal compared to other swan species, so they can skip warning shouts
00:23:08 and simply attack you in total silence.
00:23:10 If it happens, don't rush to run away.
00:23:13 Instead, try to stay calm, keep on facing the swan, and slowly back away.
00:23:18 Using a barrier such as a fence or a tree can be helpful too.
00:23:22 You can also trick the swan into believing that you're a bigger bird.
00:23:27 Just show them an open umbrella or a wide piece of clothing that imitates wings.
00:23:31 If you happen to have it handy.
00:23:33 Sometimes you can come across a swan that looks like it needs your help.
00:23:38 Even if it breaks your heart, safety rules don't recommend trying to save the bird on your own.
00:23:43 That's because the swan may perceive your help as a threat.
00:23:46 Instead, you should notify local wildlife authorities, and they'll take proper care of the
00:23:52 animal.
00:23:52 There are many stories of dolphins saving people and being cute and playful.
00:23:58 But their games can be surprisingly dangerous, especially in the wild.
00:24:02 Even sharks can lose their lives if they mess with the wrong willy.
00:24:06 Swimming with these smiley creatures is riskier than you might think.
00:24:10 Dolphins can start pushing you with their powerful noses and bodies.
00:24:14 In some cases, they can pull you underwater and bite you with their sharp teeth.
00:24:20 Unfortunately, not everyone survives such an encounter.
00:24:23 So how do you tell a good dolphin from a sinister one?
00:24:28 Well, first of all, if the dolphin is wild, never attempt to feed, pet, or play with it.
00:24:33 If you see them flapping their jaws, chasing, slapping their tails in the water,
00:24:38 or even releasing clouds of bubbles from their blowholes, take this as a sign of aggression.
00:24:43 If you ever find yourself kayaking or swimming in the water with an aggressive dolphin,
00:24:49 leave the area as soon as possible.
00:24:51 Want to see one of the most poisonous creatures on Earth?
00:24:55 Well, here you go!
00:24:57 It's hard to resist putting this colorful guy on your palm to take a cute picture.
00:25:01 But this could be your last photoshoot!
00:25:04 The 2-inch-long golden poison dart frog has enough venom to take the lives of 10 healthy adult men.
00:25:11 This toxin is meant to attack the predator's nervous system
00:25:14 and cause muscle contractions, respiratory paralysis, and even worse.
00:25:18 Unlike snakes and scorpions, dart frogs don't need to bite to transfer their venom.
00:25:25 They excrete it through their skin glands.
00:25:27 So, if you ever happen to touch this cutie by mistake,
00:25:30 don't rub your eyes and wash your hands immediately.
00:25:33 The toxin has to get into your bloodstream to affect you.
00:25:36 So, if you have any cuts on your skin, it makes sense to go to the hospital as soon as possible.
00:25:42 Keep in mind that dart frog's skin tends to poison everything it touches,
00:25:47 and the toxin can remain on those objects for up to a year.
00:25:53 Ah, look at this cute Shrek-eyed toy! Wait a second, it's alive!
00:25:57 Say hello to one of the few venomous mammals on the planet – the slow loris!
00:26:02 It's no wonder that this furry creature is the star of the shadow pet market.
00:26:08 But you should read the directions before purchasing it since a refund is unlikely to be
00:26:13 possible. You may have seen this animal raising its hands as if surrendering to the police.
00:26:18 You wish!
00:26:21 Slow loris has a toxin released from its bronchial gland on the sides of its elbows.
00:26:26 This innocent-looking fluffy takes the venom into its mouth to mix it with its saliva.
00:26:33 After that, it can rub its hair with the toxin to scare away its rivals.
00:26:36 Or give you a fierce venomous bite that you'll never forget.
00:26:42 This toxin causes anaphylactic shock, so it's dangerous to human life.
00:26:49 Do you still want to bring this cutie home? Nah, I didn't think so.
00:26:52 Just because the platypus looks like an ancient Pokemon, it doesn't mean you can let your guard
00:26:59 down. Male platypuses have a special tool to fight for mates – hidden sharp spurs on their hind
00:27:06 feet. They contain a dose of venom that's fatal to a dog-sized animal. But it doesn't mean you're
00:27:12 safe – they can attack humans too! And the sensation caused by the platypus' venom
00:27:18 is described as "long-lasting intense ache that cannot be relieved with conventional medicines."
00:27:24 So never try to pet this cutie – it's not worth it.
00:27:29 There are many more cute but vicious animals on the planet,
00:27:33 so remember that looks can be deceiving. And stay safe!
00:27:37 The most famous survival rule when it comes to encounters with bears is to stay still and
00:27:45 pretend you aren't a living thing. But this rule won't work with all bears, only with grizzlies
00:27:51 and brown ones. If you're in North America, you'll find those in Alaska, Washington, Montana,
00:27:57 Idaho, and Wyoming. Black bears, the ones you need to run away from, live in a larger territory.
00:28:04 You can find them in 40 states, much of Canada, and even part of northern Mexico. So, if you're
00:28:10 hiking in Yellowstone, you could run into either a black bear or a grizzly. But let's say you're
00:28:16 in California. The bear you accidentally meet is most likely a black one. And no, you can't just
00:28:22 tell the difference by the color of its fur. Black bears can be black, brown, cinnamon,
00:28:28 blonde, blue-gray, or even white. It's getting complicated, isn't it?
00:28:32 If you notice a hump at the shoulders of your unexpected date,
00:28:38 it's a grizzly. Black bears don't have those. A grizzly will also have a dished face, round ears,
00:28:45 and long, light-colored claws. A black bear has a straight, dog-like muzzle,
00:28:50 pointed ears, and dark claws. We'll have a quiz on this later. Maybe.
00:28:54 So, if you're sure it's a grizzly or a brown bear, lie down. Take a fetal position,
00:29:04 tuck your knees to your chest, and cover your head to show the bear you won't hurt them.
00:29:08 These big guys mostly attack if they feel there's a threat to them. You can never outrun them,
00:29:13 so don't even try. If they see you're a harmless little human, in 99% of cases, the bear will pass
00:29:20 by. Wait for 2 or 3 minutes until you can't hear the bear anywhere near. It might hang out in the
00:29:26 area to make sure you didn't stand up, and if you did, get into attack mode. If you pack well for
00:29:33 emergencies and have bear spray on you, take off the safety clip when the bear is around 60 feet
00:29:38 away and spray the bear. Aim slightly below its face. It's more effective than just assuming the
00:29:44 fetal position. When the bear leaves, run away for safety in the opposite direction from the predator.
00:29:51 Got all that? Good. If you're dealing with a black bear, it won't stop if it sees you in a
00:29:59 fetal position on the ground. If you don't have bear spray on you, and the bear is clearly
00:30:04 interested in you, show it who's boss. Throw rocks or your stuff at it. Shout "Hey, bear!"
00:30:10 loudly. Clap. Make yourself look bigger by raising your arms and jacket. Climb on a rock or a stump.
00:30:17 Do whatever it takes to scare it. Black bears are a lot like those bad guys at school who want to
00:30:23 steal your lunch. They'll often give up if they see you can stand up for yourself. If the bear
00:30:29 gets dangerously close to you, hit it in the eyes or nose and try to shock or stun it to make your
00:30:35 unwanted hiking partner flee in fear. If the bear, no matter which type, is just sitting in the
00:30:41 distance and staring at you, try to shuffle away super slowly. Move sideways at a slight angle so
00:30:48 you don't trip as you backpedal away from this guy. This way, the bear won't think that you're
00:30:53 trying to run away and won't be triggered to chase you. Talk calmly to yourself to show the bear
00:30:59 that you're a human. Singing also helps. Hey, maybe she'll know the tune. Avoid direct eye
00:31:05 contact with the animal and never stand between the cubs and their mother. Don't freak out if
00:31:10 the bear stands on its hind legs. It's not an aggressive move. Says right here.
00:31:15 In case you ever plan to visit an area populated with polar bears, don't go without a bear
00:31:21 deterrent. Like a tank. Healthy polar bear males weigh half a ton, stand 8 feet tall on its hind
00:31:28 legs, and can chase prey at 25 mph. So don't go out alone. Hike with others, and talk while you
00:31:36 hike to indicate you're a group of humans. Remember, not all polar bears are mean predators
00:31:41 who want to have you for lunch. Some of them are just going somewhere. If you spot one with your
00:31:46 head down, stalking in, not trying to go somewhere but definitely trying to focus on people,
00:31:53 that's when you should be alarmed. Move away from the bear slowly, don't run.
00:31:58 Only if the bear gets close to you, use your deterrents.
00:32:01 Some people claim that ammonia is a great bear repellent. Bears really don't like it,
00:32:09 so if you soak some rags in it and throw them in your garbage, the brown guests shouldn't bother
00:32:14 you. And if you meet a bear in the wild and it's not that into you, ammonia could help you repel it.
00:32:21 But it also destroys the nasal passages, leaving the animal without its sense of smell,
00:32:26 which means it won't be able to sniff out food. It can also annoy a bear who wasn't
00:32:31 planning to charge after you and provoke it to do so. Anything that smells interesting to bears,
00:32:37 like food and stinky garbage, will make them notice you and come to check your camp out.
00:32:43 So cook away from the camp and don't litter. If you put bear spray on your tent, you might
00:32:48 attract unwanted fluffy guests. The pepper products in it smell like food,
00:32:53 so that could be one way to attract bears. If you notice a bear standing along the road,
00:33:01 resist the urge to stop and take photos. Move at least 100 yards away and pull over to a safe
00:33:07 location. Roadside bears quickly get used to humans and traffic noise, which can become dangerous for
00:33:13 their lives. And they're more likely to approach campgrounds and picnic areas in search of human
00:33:19 food. People who live close to the wilderness and on the mountains are used to bear visitors and
00:33:27 don't fear them. Douglas Harder spotted a mother black bear and her two cubs emptying the bird
00:33:32 feeder on his second-story deck. Once he returned home after a while and found that a bear had
00:33:37 broken into his kitchen through a partially open sliding door. The uninvited guest had scratched
00:33:43 up a wall and stolen some junk food before running away. Harder just finished cleaning
00:33:48 up after the bear when a cub shoved its face through the cat door. Its photos went viral online.
00:33:55 Then there's Kristen Jones. She was visiting her parents in North Carolina
00:34:01 and decided to do some yoga on the bank of a nearby lake. She was using earbuds and didn't
00:34:07 hear the bear approach her from the back. Suddenly, she felt someone sniffing and licking her neck.
00:34:13 She thought it was her neighbor's dog and stretched her arm to pet it, and that scared away the
00:34:18 animal. Kristen managed to snap a couple of photos of the bear moving away, although no one believed
00:34:23 the licking story. She remembers this as the scariest moment of her life and hopes it will
00:34:29 never repeat. As for the bear, he was most likely spotted in the area looking for food in trash cans
00:34:35 and on other people's decks. Scientists who observe polar bears note how incredibly smart
00:34:43 these animals are. Members of Polar Bears International have captured hundreds of
00:34:47 photos to better study these animals. Before they started using a special cage, they would take
00:34:53 photos using a camera that was on the end of a long pole that would be lowered from a height.
00:34:59 One day, the camera's flash went off right in front of a bear's face. He didn't appreciate
00:35:04 the paparazzi move, but instead of ruining the camera, the bear calmly extended one arm. Then,
00:35:11 it stretched one claw and touched the lip of the camera's lens. The animal kept the claw inside
00:35:17 and wouldn't let go of the camera. The photographer was trying to move the pole,
00:35:21 but it was pointless. After 15 minutes, the bear looked up at him and finally let go of the
00:35:27 equipment. It looked like it was trying to send a message never to use a flash on it again.
00:35:33 If you're being approached by an aggressively looking dog, start yelling and screaming. It'll
00:35:39 show your dominance and spook the animal off. Yes, this is a widespread myth, and no, it won't
00:35:45 help you if you meet a canine that looks as if it's going to attack you. The best course of action
00:35:51 in this rather scary situation is to stand still and avoid direct eye contact with the animal.
00:35:57 You shouldn't run. It may only encourage the dog to start chasing you. If the animal attacks,
00:36:04 drop to the ground and curl into a ball, protecting your head and neck with your hands.
00:36:08 But what if you come across another, much more dangerous representative of the canine family,
00:36:15 a wolf? Running away won't save your life. Wolves are much faster than humans, especially
00:36:22 in the forest. Plus, as soon as you start running, the wolf's prey drive will immediately kick in.
00:36:29 Instead, maintain eye contact with the animal at all times and never, ever turn your back on it.
00:36:36 While trying to escape, make sure the wolf remains in front of you. If the predator ends up behind
00:36:42 you, its hunting instincts may come into play. So slowly back away.
00:36:49 You might have heard that if you've been bitten by a snake, you should apply garlic to the bite
00:36:54 area. Another misconception. Garlic has absolutely no effect on snake venom. Instead, try to remember
00:37:02 the color and shape of the snake. It can later help doctors treat the bite and figure out what
00:37:07 anti-venom is needed. Also, remain still and as calm as possible. If you're bitten by a snake,
00:37:15 you can use garlic to help treat the bite. It can slow down the spread of venom. And, of course,
00:37:24 immediately seek medical help. If you see a bear, fall down on the ground and pretend to have passed
00:37:31 away. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work this way. First of all, you need to show the animal
00:37:37 that you're not prey. Do not make any high-pitched noises and don't scream. This way, you may agitate
00:37:44 the bear even more. If you wave your arms, do it slowly. If you decide to talk some sense into the
00:37:51 bear, do it in a calm and low voice. Without taking your eyes off the bear, start to move
00:37:58 sideways. It won't let you trip and go down. Do not rush or run away. Although at first sight,
00:38:06 bears may look clumsy and heavy-footed, they're surprisingly good runners. Plus,
00:38:12 these animals love chasing their prey. That's why if a bear charges after you, stop moving altogether.
00:38:18 There's a misconception that bees can only sting once. But in reality, the problem is that honeybee
00:38:28 stingers are barbed and can easily catch on their victim's skin. The stinger gets stuck. The bee
00:38:34 can't free itself and doesn't usually survive such an accident. You need to remember that bees will
00:38:40 protect their hives no matter what. And they can sting you even if you're just walking by.
00:38:46 Dark colors can make bees more aggressive since such hues make people look like their natural
00:38:53 enemies. That's why if you're dressed in a black t-shirt, your chances of being stung by these
00:38:58 insects are higher. If a swarm of bees is following you, hide in an enclosed or dark space.
00:39:05 The lack of proper lighting will throw the insects off your track.
00:39:08 Similar rules apply to wasp encounters. One of the worst mistakes you can make is wearing your long
00:39:15 hair down and wearing dark clothes. Wasps are attracted to dark moving objects, and your clothes
00:39:22 and hair certainly fit this description. So if you suspect you may come across some wasps,
00:39:27 put on some light-colored clothes and keep your hair tied up in a ponytail or bun.
00:39:34 Contrary to popular belief, bathing a wasp sting in vinegar or baking soda won't help. Instead,
00:39:41 apply some ice to the affected area. Gorillas are called the kings of the
00:39:46 jungle and not without a reason. They are leaders that tend to protect their family and land. They
00:39:53 won't normally attack you if you behave obediently. So upon meeting a gorilla, sit down. This way,
00:40:00 you won't look large and threatening, towering over the animal. Try not to make loud noises and
00:40:06 avoid direct eye contact. In case of an attack or approach, curl into a ball. Gorillas are
00:40:13 proud animals. As a rule, they won't attack the weak and defenseless.
00:40:17 Surprisingly, a wild kangaroo can pose a serious threat to a person.
00:40:25 But it will only happen if you enter the animal's territory and it feels threatened.
00:40:30 To avoid a conflict, cough. It's not a joke. Your coughs should be short and quiet.
00:40:36 The kangaroo will consider it a sign of disease, and there's a chance it won't attack you.
00:40:41 After that, back away slowly. This way, you will look smaller, therefore less threatening.
00:40:48 Don't turn away and run. It will only provoke the animal.
00:40:51 Remember that kangaroos are perfect jumpers, capable of catching up with you in a few moments.
00:40:58 Of course, we must talk about sharks. The good news is that out of several
00:41:04 hundred shark species existing on Earth, only about a dozen attack humans.
00:41:09 If a shark gets interested in you, it will be extremely hard to break away.
00:41:14 To not attract sharks, prevent blood or any other body fluids from getting into the water,
00:41:20 sharks can feel smells at great distances. Also, when you go swimming, take off shiny
00:41:27 jewelry or other reflective objects. Sharks are attracted to shiny things because they mistake
00:41:33 them for fish scales. Don't turn your back on this predator and don't try to escape in panic.
00:41:39 You will look like prey this way. Move slowly. Hitting the animal in its eyes and gills can only
00:41:46 make it angrier and more determined to attack. Instead, start making bubbles. They're too noisy
00:41:52 for sharks and these animals don't like them. If you encounter a wild boar, it will be a mistake
00:41:59 to try to escape the animal by jumping into the water. Boars are actually good swimmers and can
00:42:06 easily follow you if they feel threatened. Instead, start whistling or singing if you
00:42:11 spot a wild boar walking nearby. If you've encountered a lion,
00:42:18 maintain eye contact with the animal. Don't turn your back and don't move your eyes away.
00:42:24 It will give the predator some time to attack. Try to look more massive than you actually are.
00:42:29 Lift your arms and jack it up. If you look big and threatening, the animal will try to avoid
00:42:35 the confrontation. Speak to the lion in a reasonably loud and confident voice. Such
00:42:41 behavior isn't typical for a victim. You will baffle the predator and it will perceive you as
00:42:47 an irritating presence, which is better to stay away from. Elephants are clever and quite friendly
00:42:53 animals, but they have been known to attack people. This is especially true about female
00:42:59 elephant mothers with babies. If you have come across an elephant, pay attention to its body
00:43:04 language. If the trunk is curled and the ears are pulled back, it means it might try to attack and
00:43:11 crush you. If the animal approaches, don't run. Try to find something to serve as a barrier between
00:43:18 you and the elephant. It can be a stone or a tree. Rhinoceroses have bad eyesight. That's why it's
00:43:27 easy to frighten them and provoke them to attack. These animals' speed can reach 37 miles per hour,
00:43:34 which is why it's really difficult to outrun them. The most foolproof way to escape from a rhinoceros
00:43:40 is to hide behind a tree. It's a serious obstacle for the animal. Also,
00:43:45 it's unlikely to follow you through bushes or high grass.
00:43:48 Hippos may seem cute, but this image is very misleading. These animals can be extremely
00:43:59 dangerous. Despite their weight, hippopotamuses can run at a speed of 18 to 28 miles per hour.
00:44:06 Plus, it's quite easy to make them angry. So if the weather is hot, try not to come close to bushes.
00:44:12 The level of water lowers during the drought season, and hippos hide in tall grass. To make
00:44:19 the animal leave you alone, climb a tree, a rock, or a steep hill. Wait there until it goes away.
00:44:25 Despite the widespread opinion, bulls react to movement, not the color red,
00:44:32 or any other color. That's why if a bull is running at you, stay straight and still. Use your hat,
00:44:39 t-shirt, or other clothes you have at hand as bait. When the bull runs up close enough, throw this
00:44:45 object as far away from you as possible. The bull will change the direction and follow this new
00:44:51 target. So Megalodon was one of the biggest and most ferocious monsters on our planet.
00:44:58 Powerful jaws, razor-sharp teeth, gigantic size. But what do you know about how it sounded?
00:45:05 Imagine how loudly it growled, permeating the underwater world with sound vibrations.
00:45:11 This sound resembled… nothing. Megalodon didn't have a voice. It was a shark,
00:45:16 and sharks don't have sound-producing organs. It was a quiet danger. But despite its muteness,
00:45:23 yes, that is a word, you could have still heard it. Come with me. Now you're underwater, clenching
00:45:29 your fist, raising your hand, and quickly bringing it down. Now imagine that you have a big submarine
00:45:36 instead of a fist and hear the water flowing around the smooth surface of the hull. That's
00:45:41 what a Megalodon sounded like. When this monster was swimming out to the surface and opening its
00:45:46 jaws, it sounded like a waterfall. The giant shark swam at high speed. When the water was
00:45:52 passing through its mouth and gills, it sounded like a flowing river. A fast, powerful river.
00:45:58 Megalodon had no voice, only the scary sound of flowing water.
00:46:02 Other ancient fish could make sounds, but you would hardly hear them. Whales, dolphins,
00:46:08 and their distant ancestors are not counted because they're mammals. Fish communicated at
00:46:13 frequencies elusive to human ears. They still have this ability. But in most, the ocean was,
00:46:20 and is, a pretty quiet place. So let's get out on ancient lands and check what was going on with
00:46:26 the sounds there. Thanks to modern technologies, scientists can analyze the sounds of many ancient
00:46:32 animals. Using CT scans, they found that some dinosaurs had complex systems of small open
00:46:38 pockets in their skulls. They used these winding cranial mazes to reproduce a wide range of sounds
00:46:45 and regulate body temperature. And people have managed to hear them.
00:46:48 An ancient bird that lived 79 to 140 million years ago, Vegasus, sounded similar to some
00:46:56 farm birds like duck and geese. But the ancient creature probably screamed in a scarier way.
00:47:02 Scientists found this out thanks to the Sphinx fossil they discovered in 2016 in Antarctica.
00:47:08 It's the oldest known vocal organ in the world. It helped Vegasus make a double humming sound
00:47:14 coming from the left and right sides of the syrinx. Imagine a duck and goose screaming.
00:47:19 Increase the volume several times. Perhaps that's what its distant ancestors sound like.
00:47:24 As for other flying reptiles like the pterodactyl, it couldn't scream like Vegasus because it didn't
00:47:31 have a syrinx. These winged monsters could growl, hiss, and snap their beaks, and this was their
00:47:37 most effective sound. Remember any tall basketball player? The skull of the pterodactyl was slightly
00:47:44 longer than their height. Just imagine what a noise the dinosaur created when it was snapping
00:47:49 its powerful beak. The clicking sound could deafen and frighten other ancient creatures nearby.
00:47:54 Now, you probably know what a Tyrannosaurus sounds like, thanks to the movies. Among thousands of
00:48:01 others, you'll recognize this prolonged roar similar to a chainsaw, vacuum cleaner, and horn.
00:48:06 And, honestly, its roar has a lot in common with the natural sounds that this monster could make.
00:48:13 Thanks to modern technologies and well-preserved remains, scientists managed to simulate the voice
00:48:19 of these ancient animals. Imagine you're uploading data about a T. rex into a program and preparing
00:48:24 to hear an intimidating roar. You press play, and… it sounds like a beep. Tyrannosaurus rex's scream
00:48:32 was similar to birds, not mammals. But it wasn't just a beep. It used nostrils to scream, not a
00:48:39 mouth. The hum came from the chest and resembled a siren with low bass. Maybe it sounded a lot more
00:48:45 intimidating than what we saw in the movies. It was louder than all the trumpets of the symphony
00:48:50 orchestra, and it did it only with the help of its nose. It's not known for sure whether it could
00:48:56 growl through the mouth. You could also hear how long-necked dinosaurs sounded in the movies.
00:49:02 Their calls were similar to those of elephants, something between a saxophone and a car horn.
00:49:08 But in fact, these tall creatures whispered. Almost all mammals make sounds thanks to the
00:49:14 laryngeal nerve. This nerve runs down along the neck, then goes around the blood vessels of the
00:49:20 chest and comes back to the larynx. In short, the brain gives a signal, and it passes twice the
00:49:26 distance along the body before the sound is released from the mouth. And now, remember those
00:49:31 long necks of dinosaurs? This was the height of a 5-story building. But the voice signal had to
00:49:37 run a distance of 10 floors. It took too long to make this long trip, and this affected the
00:49:43 dinosaurs' roar. So, when they wanted to make a sound, they just hissed. And it was probably
00:49:49 similar to the sound of a giant viper. But the most detailed sounds scientists have managed to get
00:49:56 belongs to the Parasaurolophus. You know this herbivorous dinosaur thanks to the long crest
00:50:02 on the back of its head. We saw the dinosaur using it in movies and documentaries to fight
00:50:07 opponents and enemies. Some scientists believed it also used the comb to drop fruits and leaves
00:50:13 from trees. Others thought the dinosaur used it to improve its sense of smell. But it turned out
00:50:19 that in addition to self-defense and fighting, they used the comb to make loud and scary sounds
00:50:24 in different keys. Scientists replicated this with fantastic accuracy thanks to the structure
00:50:30 of its hard tissues. Almost all living beings with a voice use soft organs to make sounds.
00:50:37 And these soft tissues decompose quickly. Parasaurolophus had solid ones. They noticed
00:50:43 tubes leading from the nostrils to the crest and back to the nostrils when they found the skull.
00:50:48 It was like a krumhorn, a curved musical wind instrument. This proved the dinosaur used the
00:50:54 crest on the back of its head to make the sounds louder. The comb allowed it to trumpet, so its
00:51:00 relatives could hear it in the forest. They made humming sounds with low and high notes.
00:51:05 Mix a saxophone and trumpet with a goose hum, car horns, and low frequencies,
00:51:10 then increase the volume several times. That's what Parasaurolophus sounded like. That's also
00:51:16 what my 4th grade band sounded like. But I digress. You can listen to different shades and timbres of
00:51:22 this dinosaur on the Internet. It used noises with different tones to create complex social
00:51:28 connections. They could communicate, identify each other, trumpet danger, or conversely,
00:51:33 signal their friendly intentions. Alright, we've just heard how some ancient reptiles sounded.
00:51:39 But what about ancient insects? They didn't have vocal cords, of course. Instead, they used friction
00:51:45 between body parts. Look at modern crickets chirping with their wings. One wing has tiny
00:51:51 notches. The second has the shape of a mediator. Take a simple plastic comb and run your fingertip
00:51:57 over its teeth. Crickets make their sounds by the same principle. Their wings vibrate and release a
00:52:03 series of sound waves into the air. But the clicking of an ancient bush cricket was very
00:52:08 different from modern insects since they were much noisier. The sounds of these clicks were like a
00:52:14 whistle. With the help of high-frequency waves, they could also communicate secretly as if they
00:52:19 were doing it through a closed radio channel. If you heard this, you would hardly be able to fall
00:52:25 asleep to it. Now, modern crickets are not so loud, as they began to add more high frequencies
00:52:31 to their sounds. Higher pitch waves don't spread as far, reducing the risk that a bat will hear
00:52:36 the insects. Just imagine how the jungle of that time sounded. The loud chirping of crickets hurts
00:52:43 the ears. Then you hear a brachiosaurus hissing. The clicks of pterodactyls shake the sky like
00:52:50 thunderclaps. Then you hear the trumpet sounds of different tones somewhere in the jungle. These are
00:52:56 Parasaurolophus communicating with each other. And then you get scared by a loud Tyrannosaurus
00:53:02 siren. What a racket! You'd probably not find peace in such conditions. Fortunately, humans
00:53:08 appeared millions of years later. And, by the way, scientists have managed to find out and understand
00:53:15 what our distant ancestors sounded like. They carefully examined the insert function of the
00:53:20 mouth, nose, and throat on the Neanderthal skeleton. Their voices were similar to ours,
00:53:25 but the phonetic range of an adult Neanderthal was the same as if they were 2-3 years old.
00:53:31 It was like mumbling without consonant sounds. The study of the skull couldn't recreate precisely
00:53:37 the sound of Neanderthals. But in 2007, scientists extracted DNA samples from their bones.
00:53:44 They found a variation of the gene that responds to human speech. Scientists believe that Neanderthals
00:53:50 fought with Homo sapiens, you know, our family tree. As a result of this conflict, their kind
00:53:56 became extinct. But the found gene points they could've had other connections with each other.
00:54:02 Perhaps Neanderthals could understand their language and even pronounce some words.
00:54:08 Lions, dogs, cats – all these mammals sleep in pretty comfortable positions. But not whales.
00:54:14 They look like giant floating loaves of bread, which is a scene one diver accidentally came
00:54:20 across in the Caribbean Sea. Six whales were just standing upright with their tails pointed down
00:54:26 at a depth of about 65 feet below the surface. Scientists discovered that when sperm whales
00:54:31 take a nap, they stay in this position for 10-15 minutes. They don't move or breathe.
00:54:37 But these creatures spend only 7% of their time asleep, far less than other mammals. Usually,
00:54:43 they either rest peacefully in the water or relax, slowly swimming next to other marine animals.
00:54:50 When they're moving and sleeping at the same time, they're actually taking a nap.
00:54:54 These animals can't go too deep and need to stay close to the surface.
00:54:58 Great white sharks sleep and hunt at greater depths, which means one less thing to worry
00:55:03 about when taking a quick nap. Plus, it gets pretty cold the deeper you go, and whales need
00:55:09 warmer environments that can help them maintain the temperature of their large bodies. When alone,
00:55:15 dolphins enter a stage of deep sleep. It usually happens at night and lasts for only a few hours
00:55:21 at a time. While sleeping, the animal floats at the surface. It shuts down half of its brain
00:55:28 (I can relate) together with the opposite eye. The other half is at a low "alert" level,
00:55:33 awake and ready to react if some unwanted visitor comes closer. The part of the brain that is awake
00:55:40 also sends signals when it's time to go up to the surface to take a breath of fresh air.
00:55:44 Marine mammals have the blowhole – that's a flap of skin they can open and close whenever they want.
00:55:50 People breathe automatically – your body knows what it needs to do even when you're sleeping.
00:55:56 But whales and dolphins have a voluntary breathing system. It means they need to consciously go to
00:56:02 the surface to get some air. And one part of their brain needs to always be awake to inform
00:56:07 the animal it's time to go up. Whales and dolphins can hold their breath way longer than other
00:56:13 species. They also have a higher tolerance for carbon dioxide and can take in more air. Their
00:56:19 red blood cells store more oxygen too. Whales' and dolphins' blood goes only to those body parts
00:56:26 that really need oxygen. If a whale only uses its brain, heart, fins, and some other muscles
00:56:32 needed for swimming at the moment, those will also be the only body parts that will get the oxygen.
00:56:38 Digestion or other functions can wait. The ocean is not a place where you can relax and peacefully
00:56:44 fall asleep. While sleeping, fish reduce their activity. Their metabolism becomes slow. Some of
00:56:51 them keep floating in the same spot. Others find a safer place among corals or in the mud.
00:56:56 Early in life, dolphins learn to make a unique whistle that helps others from their pod to
00:57:02 identify them. That means these specific whistles are their names, and dolphins do respond to them.
00:57:09 Clams have feet. It looks like a large tongue that sometimes protrudes from the shell,
00:57:15 but that's actually the foot. And it's relatively long compared to the length of the animal.
00:57:20 Clams use this "limb" to dig themselves in the sand. The blue whale is the largest living animal,
00:57:27 and it's also larger than the majority of dinosaurs used to be. They can grow to more than 100 feet
00:57:33 long and have a weight of almost 200 tons. That's like 50 adult elephants. A blue whale's tongue
00:57:39 alone can weigh more than one elephant. Such a giant surely needs to eat a lot – half a million
00:57:45 calories in just one mouthful! The blue whale's heart is the size of a small car and weighs 1,300
00:57:53 pounds. To move the blood through such a giant body, the heartbeats are so strong, you can hear
00:57:59 them even from 2 miles away. The heart of a whale beats only 8-10 times per minute.
00:58:05 The whale is one of the loudest creatures out there. Its call can go up to 180 decibels,
00:58:10 which is as loud as a jet plane! Almost 95% of jellyfish's body is made of water. For comparison,
00:58:18 the human body is 60% water. It's probably not a surprise since jellyfish don't have a heart,
00:58:25 blood, eyes, or brain. The other 5% of their body weight is proteins, muscles, and nerve cells.
00:58:32 Jellyfish have been around for more than 500 million years. This makes them older than
00:58:37 dinosaurs. These creatures haven't changed much, and today's jellyfish are pretty much like their
00:58:43 ancestors. These creatures live in the ocean, but in 1991, more than 2,000 jellyfish polyps were
00:58:50 taken into space. Scientists wanted to see how they would react in the environment with no gravity.
00:58:56 The jellyfish reproduced and created 60,000 new polyps, but unfortunately, those couldn't
00:59:03 function normally after getting back to Earth. One species of jellyfish can literally live forever.
00:59:09 As it grows older, the critter goes down to the sea floor to become a polyp again,
00:59:14 and that polyp turns into a new jellyfish with the same genetics.
00:59:17 Greenland sharks can live 500 years. This is an animal with almost the longest lifespan
00:59:25 among vertebrates. Sperm whales are sociable creatures. They spend their life surrounded
00:59:31 by their family. These animals support one another and have close friends they remember well,
00:59:36 even if they don't see each other for a long time.
00:59:39 Electric eels have small eyes that are not so effective in environments with no light,
00:59:45 so they mostly rely on their electric organs. Those consist of 6,000 cells. Eels use them to
00:59:52 stow power, similar to batteries. These creatures use electricity like bats use their radars or
00:59:58 dolphins their sonar. An eel can also produce enough electricity to power a panel of light bulbs.
01:00:05 There's a small tropical archerfish that can learn to recognize human faces. This fish has
01:00:12 an interesting ability to spit small jets of water from its mouth. Researchers showed the fish the
01:00:18 image of two different faces placed side by side. One was unknown, and the other was familiar. The
01:00:25 fish was supposed to spit water at the familiar one. The creature took the right guess more than
01:00:30 80% of the time. Every year in the winter, great white sharks that live along the California
01:00:36 coastline disappear. It feels as if they take a vacation for 30-40 days. The animals go to a point
01:00:43 halfway between Hawaii and Mexico. They might do it to get some food, relax, or hang out with
01:00:49 their buddies from other areas. The spot is now called the Whale Shark Cafe. Some types of sharks,
01:00:56 like makos, whale sharks, or white sharks, breathe in a very specific way. It requires them to swim
01:01:03 all the time. They also need to move quickly and with their mouth open. This way, the oxygen can
01:01:09 enter and reach their gills. Sea sponges are some of the most primitive animals. They're immobile,
01:01:15 don't have a mouth, eyes, bones, brain, heart, lungs, or any other organ whatsoever. And still,
01:01:22 they're alive! There's such a thing as a sea unicorn. That's an animal called the narwhal.
01:01:28 Its horn is actually a tooth that can grow up to 10 feet long. Manatees, also known as sea cows,
01:01:35 are distant relatives of elephants. Their weight can go up to 1,000 pounds. These creatures are
01:01:41 vegetarian and need to eat around 10% of their total weight on a daily basis. That's lots of
01:01:47 sea salad! In some cases, manatees share space with alligators, but they get along pretty well.
01:01:54 You can even find a photo from Florida where an alligator rides a manatee's back.
01:02:00 Frogfish have special fins that help these creatures walk along the sand. They're very
01:02:05 useful in shallow waters. A ghost pipefish is hard to see, but once you spot it, you're bound
01:02:12 to get really surprised. Its head makes up over 40% of its body. Crabs don't feel like wasting time
01:02:20 on such formalities as putting foods in their mouth. That's why they taste it with their feet,
01:02:25 which is where their taste buds are. Marine iguanas are the only lizards on our planet
01:02:31 that like spending time in the ocean, even though they mainly live on land. They're herbivores that
01:02:36 feed in shallow waters and swim like snakes. Iguanas use their long claws to hold onto the
01:02:42 bottom when they need to graze. Green turtles can cross over 1,400 miles when migrating.
01:02:49 They try to find the perfect spot to lay their eggs. Penguins sort of fly when they're underwater,
01:02:55 reaching a speed of 25 miles per hour. More than 5 million years ago, I've heard
01:03:01 (I wasn't around then), deep-sea worms and humans had a common ancestor. So, we still share 70% of
01:03:09 our genes with these creatures, and with sea stars, squid, and octopuses. The ocean covers
01:03:16 over 70% of our planet, and over 80% of it is unexplored. More than 1 million species live there.
01:03:23 But there are not only animals. 3 million shipwrecks are lying all over the ocean floor,
01:03:29 hiding mysterious stories. Many of them are yet to be discovered.
01:03:33 There are sharks that glow in the dark, for example, swell sharks. They live in the dark
01:03:44 ocean depths, almost 1,700 feet under the surface. No one knows why exactly, but they admit a
01:03:51 fluorescent glow only other swell sharks can see. Scientists detected the glow because they used
01:03:57 filters that blocked out yellow light. They think that could be the way for these big fish to
01:04:02 communicate with their buddies. This glow helps sharks fight infections on a microbial level.
01:04:09 Cowbirds have secret passwords they use to recognize each other. They're a specific type
01:04:14 of parasite bird since they lay their eggs in other bird species' nests. The young cowbirds
01:04:20 have an inner mechanism where they recognize their species singing, like some sort of secret
01:04:25 password only they know. That's how they manage to find others of their kind. A grizzly bear has an
01:04:32 incredibly strong bite. It may look cute, but if you're close to this big guy, you better stay out
01:04:37 of reach of its sharp claws and especially its mouth. Its bite force is more than 8 million
01:04:44 pascals, which means it can crush a bowling ball. Some animals have skin-deep stripes and others
01:04:52 have more superficial ones. Tigers are in the first group. Not only is their fur striped,
01:04:57 but their skin is as well. It's the same with some other furry big cats, like snow leopards.
01:05:03 Giraffes and zebras are in the second group since they have patterns only on their coats.
01:05:08 Speaking of zebras, do you think they're black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
01:05:15 At first, it really looks like the second option is correct. Their black stripes mostly end towards
01:05:20 the inside of their legs and on their bellies, and the rest of it is white. But that's not true.
01:05:26 Surprisingly, they're black with white stripes. All of their fur, both white and black,
01:05:32 grows from follicles that have something called melanocyte cells. All animals have these cells.
01:05:39 They produce a pigment called melanin, and it gives color to their hair and skin.
01:05:43 When it comes to zebras, chemical messengers tell which melanocytes send pigment to which area of
01:05:50 fur. That's why zebras have a black and white pattern. But white is not actually its own
01:05:56 pigment. It's an absence of melanin. So black is their default color. Koalas have fingerprints that
01:06:04 are so close to ours that they could even taint crime scenes. It doesn't seem like they have a
01:06:09 lot in common with humans, but take a closer look at their hands. They have distinctive loops and
01:06:15 arches. So if any koalas want to do something illegal, it would be a good idea for them to
01:06:20 wear gloves. Ghost crabs growl when they're around creatures they don't like or find threatening.
01:06:27 They do it using teeth in their stomachs. First, they'll let you know they'll defend themselves if
01:06:33 you try anything by showing you their claws. If that doesn't work, they'll go for fearsome
01:06:38 growling noises like dogs. But the noise is coming from rubbing their three elongated hard teeth
01:06:45 inside their stomach. Ghost crabs produce the same noise when they're grinding up food.
01:06:50 Speaking of teeth, did you know narwhal tusks are actually some sort of an inside-out tooth?
01:06:56 Unlike the majority of other whales, narwhals are the ones that come with a large tusk
01:07:01 or tooth that grows from the inside of their jaw. It has up to 10 million nerve endings,
01:07:08 and they're unprotected, which means its tusk is very sensitive to any type of contact.
01:07:13 It's almost like a piece of skin because tusks usually don't have many nerve endings.
01:07:19 Up to 95% of humans are right-handed, and it's the same with bottlenose dolphins.
01:07:25 There are even more right-handed ones among them than among humans. During one study,
01:07:31 scientists found that bottlenose dolphins turn to their left side over 99% of the time,
01:07:37 which means they're right-handed. They place their right side and right eye closer to the ocean floor
01:07:43 as they go for prey, such as squids, shrimps, or smaller fish. More cool facts from the ocean.
01:07:50 Did you know humpback whales use bubbles when they go after their prey? You might think they
01:07:55 don't need any special method considering how large they are, but when they're lurking for
01:07:59 prey in the open waters, these whales team up and use something called a "bubble net" technique.
01:08:05 While swimming in an upward spiral, they blow bubbles underwater. These bubbles make it
01:08:11 difficult for fish to escape. The oldest evidence we have of domesticated cats dates up to 12,000
01:08:19 years ago. Researchers discovered this almost 20 years ago when they were digging through an
01:08:25 ancient village in Cyprus. They found cat bones right next to human ones, which suggested they
01:08:31 were close even when their lives came to an end. Humans were hunters, so they domesticated dogs
01:08:37 first, somewhere up to 29,000 years ago. Dogs helped them catch other animals, but they didn't
01:08:43 think they needed cats until they started to settle down and store surplus crops. Mice became
01:08:49 frequent guests in grain stores, so cats came in handy in those times. Puffins are quite innovative
01:08:56 when they want to scratch their bodies. They can surely be proud of their stunning beaks,
01:09:00 but they obviously think it's not enough for scratching. Researchers noticed they tend to
01:09:06 spontaneously take a small wooden stick to scratch an itchy spot. There's a special type of ant that
01:09:13 only lives in a small part of Manhattan. The Broadway Medians at the 63rd and 76th Street
01:09:20 is the area these crawling critters decided was the best spot for them. The Manhattan ant looks
01:09:26 like it's from Europe, but no European species can actually match it. Hey, Potterheads, can you
01:09:32 believe there's a thing like chocolate frog? Well, not quite, but it looks like it. New Guinea and
01:09:38 Australia weren't always separated. They spent millions of years together until about 12,000
01:09:44 years ago. Rising sea levels divided them. Since they were together for so long, some animals and
01:09:49 plants still inhabit both areas, including green tree frogs. These frogs have spread really far
01:09:57 and wide, and some of them, who live in hot, swampy regions surrounded by plenty of crocodiles,
01:10:02 actually look like they're made of chocolate. We all know flamingos for their specific color,
01:10:08 but they're not actually pink. They're born gray, and that's how they would stay if it
01:10:13 weren't for their diet of blue-green algae and shrimp. These foods have a specific natural dye,
01:10:20 which is why flamingo feathers turn pink over time. These little Tasmanian devils grow up and
01:10:26 leave their moms. They socialize together, forming bonds that last for the rest of their lives.
01:10:31 Not only them, cows also have stronger social ties than we think. They like to socialize,
01:10:38 and they make long-lasting friendships. One research even discovered their heart rates
01:10:42 significantly increase as a sign of stress when they're separated from their BFFs.
01:10:47 Imagine you could simply freeze yourself solid during the cold winter days instead of listening
01:10:53 to your teeth chatter and trying to tighten your jacket. That's what frogs can do. Aquatic frogs
01:10:59 mostly hibernate underwater and spend most of the winter at the bottom of a pond,
01:11:04 lake, or some other body of water. Toads and frogs are generally cold-blooded,
01:11:10 which means the temperature of their body takes on the temperature of their surroundings.
01:11:13 So, frogs can freeze during the winter because of a high concentration of sugar or glucose in
01:11:20 their vital organs. Once they unfreeze, they continue as if nothing happened.
01:11:24 Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood. They can move at speeds of 25 miles per hour,
01:11:32 and they spray ink that not only blurs the predator's visual field but actually harms them.
01:11:38 Also, they have nine brains, the central one and eight smaller brains located in their arms.
01:11:44 That's why their arms can open a shellfish while the central brain is busy doing something else.
01:11:50 An octopus even tastes with its arms. They have cells in their suckers that enable the arms to
01:11:55 touch and taste in a way that they detect chemicals marine creatures produce. That way,
01:12:01 an octopus can distinguish prey from rocks. Take a look at these animals. There's a deer,
01:12:09 a dolphin, a squirrel, and a dinosaur? You've already figured out. I'm about to ask you what
01:12:16 they all have in common, right? The boring answer is they've all lived on this planet at a certain
01:12:22 point in time, blah blah blah, sure. What's even more surprising about their common features
01:12:28 is their coloration. On that note, let me tell you about Abbott Thayer and his amazing theories
01:12:36 on animal coloration. He was a portrait painter extraordinaire, but he also had a thing for the
01:12:42 colors of the natural world. He came up with some pretty cool ideas about how animals can stay hidden
01:12:49 from predators or prey, and they're still relevant today. One of his most famous theories is called
01:12:57 counter shading. Basically, animals are painted by nature so that the parts that get the most
01:13:03 light from the sky are the darkest and vice versa. It's like they're wearing the perfect outfit to
01:13:10 match their environment. And let me tell you, this technique is not just for fashion-savvy animals.
01:13:17 It's also used by ships to avoid detection. Thayer and his friend even got a patent for it.
01:13:23 Thayer also came up with the idea of background blending, which is when an animal or object is
01:13:31 painted to match the colors of its surroundings. Think of it as a natural camouflage suit. Thayer
01:13:38 didn't stop there, though. He also proposed a theory on something called disruptive or dazzle
01:13:44 camouflage. This is when an object is painted with a crazy pattern to make it harder to judge its
01:13:50 distance or speed. It's like when you're trying to hit a pinata that's moving all over the place
01:13:56 and you can't quite get your timing right. Think about it. If you're a shark swimming beneath the
01:14:03 surface of the ocean and you look up, you're going to see the bright sky and the lighter colored
01:14:08 ocean surface. If you're a prey animal swimming on the surface, your lighter belly will blend in
01:14:14 with the bright sky, while your darker back will blend in with the deeper water. It's not just
01:14:21 aquatic animals that use countershading to their advantage. Land animals like deer and rabbits have
01:14:27 lighter bellies and darker backs, which helps them blend in with the dappled light of the forest
01:14:33 floor. And let's not forget about birds. Many birds have countershading on their feathers,
01:14:40 which helps them blend in with the sky when seen from below and the ground when seen from above.
01:14:45 Some creatures out there have a way of warning others that they're not to be messed with.
01:14:52 Yeah, it's called opposematism, a fancy word for using bright colors or markings to let predators
01:14:58 know that they're toxic or just downright unappetizing. Take the skunk, for example.
01:15:05 That broad white stripe on its back is like a neon sign that says, "Don't get too close or
01:15:12 else you'll regret it." And those yellow-banded poison dart frogs? They're walking billboards
01:15:18 for their own poison with their bright and graphic colors, letting everyone know that they're not to
01:15:24 be fooled with. Even wasps use the power of bright colors to signal to potential threats that they're
01:15:31 packing a sting. And you know those cute little ladybugs? The brighter they are, the more toxic
01:15:37 they can be. Who knew that something so adorable could be so deadly? It turns out that white,
01:15:46 yellow, red, and black are the most effective warning colors in the animal kingdom. Just like
01:15:52 how traffic signs caution drivers, these bright markings are nature's way of saying, "Watch out,
01:15:58 buddy!" If you ever come across a critter with some serious bling, just remember they're not
01:16:04 trying to be fashionable. But how come some animals have evolved to use bright colors and
01:16:10 others didn't? It's a question that's been baffling scientists for a long time. Thankfully,
01:16:18 one theory coming from a team of researchers at the University of Arizona has uncovered some
01:16:24 interesting insights into this colorful mystery. It turns out that the function of an animal's
01:16:31 vibrant coloring is strongly linked to the activity patterns of its evolutionary ancestors.
01:16:37 So species that use their bright colors to attract mates are usually descended from ancestors that
01:16:43 were active during the day. Meanwhile, those that use their colors to ward off predators
01:16:50 usually had ancestors that were active at night. It seems that animals have evolved to use their
01:16:57 colors in the most advantageous way possible. Now, you may be wondering how vivid coloration
01:17:04 even came to be in the first place. Well, it seems that early in their evolution, most species
01:17:11 started out pretty plain and drab. But over time, bright colors evolved across many different
01:17:18 lineages because they helped animals survive and reproduce. But not all bright colors are created
01:17:26 equal. The researchers found that vividly colored lizards and birds usually use their coloring as a
01:17:33 mating signal to attract partners, while colorful amphibians and snakes often wear their colors as
01:17:40 a warning sign for predators. And get this, many of these amphibians and snakes are diurnal now,
01:17:47 or active during the day, but their ancestors were actually nocturnal, active at night.
01:17:52 So there's no clear connection between warning colors and present-day activity patterns.
01:18:01 Mother Nature sure is creative when it comes to helping animals adapt and survive in the wild.
01:18:06 But there are some creatures out there that could take the award for the weirdest animals any day.
01:18:12 Have you ever stopped to think about what it would be like if we could see through all the
01:18:18 layers that protect our internal organs? Because that's exactly what has happened with the glass
01:18:24 frog. Imagine you're strolling through the lush rainforest of Central and South America,
01:18:32 and you come across a tiny little frog perched on a leaf. From above, it looks like your average
01:18:38 run-of-the-mill frog, but if you flip it over, you'll see all its organs on display, heart,
01:18:44 intestines, and all. You might be wondering why on Earth these frogs have evolved to be see-through.
01:18:51 It turns out that their super-thin, translucent skin actually helps them blend in with their
01:18:57 surroundings too. When light shines on them from above, their silhouette becomes all jumbled up
01:19:03 and difficult for predators to decipher. And let's face it, when you're surrounded by vibrant
01:19:09 greenery, a green topcoat is a perfect camouflage. But what about those transparent legs? Well,
01:19:17 they help to blur the outlines of the frog's body, making it even tougher for predators to
01:19:22 recognize their shape. I, for one, had no idea penguins also came in yellow. One wildlife
01:19:32 photographer stumbled upon a sight that left him gobsmacked on a remote island in the southern
01:19:38 Atlantic Ocean. He captured some amazing images of a yellow king penguin that had everyone on the
01:19:45 beach flapping with excitement. There were 120,000 birds on that beach, and this was the only yellow
01:19:54 one there. Scientists are scratching their heads as to how this coloration happened naturally.
01:20:00 They think it's a form of leucism, which is basically an animal's inability to produce
01:20:06 the proper pigments for its natural coloration. But they're not entirely sure. All king penguins
01:20:13 produce small amounts of this yellow pigment naturally, but in this particular bird, it seems
01:20:18 to be the only pigment the animal could produce. Talk about standing out from the crowd, am I right?
01:20:24 There are some colors, though, you'll rarely find in the animal kingdom.
01:20:29 According to some polls, blue is one of, if not the most popular colors amongst people.
01:20:37 Most animals, however, have a tough time sporting this shade. Some animals get their pigment from
01:20:43 the food they eat, like how flamingos turn pink from eating shrimp, or how goldfish can alter
01:20:49 their golden hue based on their diet. But unfortunately, there's no true blue pigments
01:20:55 in plants, so animals can't turn blue through their food. Instead, they have to get creative.
01:21:02 For instance, some animals make structures that change the wavelength of light to appear blue.
01:21:08 The blue morpho butterfly is a great example of this. Its wing scales are shaped in ridges that
01:21:15 cause light to blend in such a way that it reflects only the blue color.
01:21:19 If the scales were shaped differently, the butterfly would lose its beautiful blue color.
01:21:25 #5. Dog's Ear
01:21:29 Chances are, you have a dog wagging its precious tail around the house, or sniffing at your feet.
01:21:34 Ever marveled at how keen your dog's hearing is? I mean, it can hear you opening a bag of chips
01:21:41 even if you're on a different floor in the house. Even with this amazing ability,
01:21:46 most household dogs don't have the best hearing in the animal kingdom.
01:21:50 Actually, they're not even in the top 5. On that note, let's venture into the world
01:21:56 of animal hearing and try to imagine what life sounds like for other creatures.
01:22:01 Look, we humans are pretty great. We've got all kinds of talents. But when it comes to the
01:22:08 Auditory Olympics, we're not even in the running. Put us next to a cat or a bat, and our ears look
01:22:14 kind of basic. Take elephants, for instance. They are big animals, and so are their ears.
01:22:20 Their auditory organs are capable of capturing infrasound waves. Now, these are not your run-of-
01:22:26 the-mill sound waves. They're low-frequency, rumbling whispers that we humans can't hear.
01:22:31 This means elephants can pick up on things like rain clouds on the move.
01:22:36 Not only that, but these massive mammals have a pretty clever way of communicating, too.
01:22:42 They stomp the ground, creating vibrations barely noticeable to us. But to elephants,
01:22:48 these vibrations are the equivalent of a long-distance phone call. The messages are
01:22:53 received through their feet and ear bones, even when they're miles apart.
01:22:57 Talk about having a good reception.
01:23:00 Moving on to bats. They are the masters of night navigation, thanks to their use of echolocation.
01:23:11 These animals emit high-frequency sounds which bounce back after hitting objects.
01:23:17 This echo helps bats create a mental map, allowing them to sway flawlessly in the dark.
01:23:23 Just when we thought bats couldn't get any cooler, scientists discovered their hearing
01:23:28 capabilities extend to their wings. Special hairs called Merkel hairs sense air movements,
01:23:34 helping the bats detect upcoming objects. It's not the traditional hearing we're used to,
01:23:39 but it's a fantastic adaptation to their environment.
01:23:46 Dolphins, on the other hand, are masters of watery acoustics.
01:23:49 For starters, you might think that being underwater would put a damper on hearing,
01:23:55 but dolphins have turned this challenge into an advantage.
01:23:58 They've got their own version of echolocation, emitting sonic pulses from their foreheads.
01:24:03 These sounds bounce off objects and are picked up by the dolphin's jaw before being sent to
01:24:09 the brain via highly developed auditory nerves. Their ears, though present, don't play a central
01:24:16 role in hearing like ours do. Instead, dolphins have found innovative ways to listen,
01:24:21 proving yet again how awesome animals are.
01:24:24 Don't let their domestic status fool you. Your pet cats and dogs are auditory champs.
01:24:31 Cats' ears are designed to catch high-frequency sounds from up to 160 feet away.
01:24:36 Handy for catching mice, don't you think?
01:24:40 Dogs, on the other hand, are pros at localizing sounds, thanks to the muscles around their ears.
01:24:46 Ever seen your pooch perk up their ears when they hear something suspicious?
01:24:51 That's their sharp hearing at work.
01:24:53 Even the tiniest critters buzzing around us, like insects, can actually listen to the world.
01:25:02 In fact, some insects have something akin to our human eardrums.
01:25:08 It's a delicate little membrane. Given the name "tympani," our eardrums jiggle with the sound
01:25:13 waves. That shaking is then turned into a signal our brain would understand.
01:25:18 Now, you've surely heard the nightly serenade of crickets or the rhythmic song of cicadas
01:25:24 in the summer. These little symphony masters use exactly this kind of setup to listen to their
01:25:30 world. That's not all, though. Some bugs take a different approach to eavesdropping on their
01:25:36 surroundings. They've got these sensory cells right in the middle of their antennae.
01:25:41 This structure is called the Johnston's organ. Take mosquitoes, for instance, or bees, or even
01:25:48 fruit flies. They use their antennae not just to feel their way around, but to listen in on the
01:25:54 world, too. It gets even wilder. Hawk moths, some dusky, nocturnal creatures, have this unique organ
01:26:02 nestled right in their mouths. It's like a superpower that lets them hear ultrasonic sounds.
01:26:07 With this, they can dodge the dangerous dives of bats out on the hunt.
01:26:12 When it comes to the ultimate hearing trophy, the animal kingdom has a completely unique winner.
01:26:22 It's actually a moth. Not just any moth, though. It's the greater wax moth,
01:26:28 discovered by the scientists based in Glasgow, Scotland. They've got some
01:26:33 fascinating insights about these moths that make our ears want to stand up and listen.
01:26:37 Just to give you some context, the greater wax moth does not stand out when it comes to its
01:26:45 appearance. I mean, it's brown. As for its daily activities, it loves nibbling on honeycomb.
01:26:53 Despite blending in seamlessly in the animal kingdom, it's got a serious set of ears.
01:26:58 How good is its hearing, you ask? Well, it's been found that this tiny creature can pick up
01:27:05 on sounds at frequencies up to 300 kilohertz. By comparison, our human ears can only detect
01:27:12 sounds up to around 20 kilohertz. This already unimpressive ability drops to about 15 kilohertz
01:27:19 as we grow older. I mean, not even dolphins can compete. They can only hear sounds up to about
01:27:25 160 kilohertz. You're probably wondering, why would a moth need such super hearing?
01:27:35 Scientists explain that the reason behind this extraordinary hearing lies in a survival instinct,
01:27:41 predation, to be precise. Bats use high-frequency echolocation calls to find their tasty moth meals,
01:27:48 amongst other insects. But these clever little moths have evolved to pick up frequencies even
01:27:54 bats might not hit. Despite this reasoning, it was a bit of a mystery as to why these moths would
01:28:01 even need to hear such high frequencies. During the research, specialists discovered that their
01:28:07 recording at high-frequency ultrasound is tricky business. So there's a chance that bats might
01:28:13 actually be capable of emitting calls at these super high frequencies that the moths can hear.
01:28:18 To uncover all this, scientists used a specially designed ultrasonic device. It emitted these crazy
01:28:26 high frequencies and they then looked at the moths' reactions using electrodes to measure
01:28:31 their neural responses. The practical implications of this research could be far-reaching.
01:28:40 Understanding the inner workings of the greater wax moth's ear could have a big impact on the world
01:28:46 of technology. This knowledge could help researchers build super tiny microphones, for example.
01:28:52 We know that all sorts of critters, from the tiny creatures scuttling on the ground to the
01:28:58 gigantic ones swimming in the ocean, can pick up on certain sound frequencies that our human ears
01:29:04 just can't. However, scientists have made a fascinating discovery. They've shown, for the
01:29:11 first time, that our ability to pick up on tiny differences in sound frequencies
01:29:16 might just be superior to that of animals, thanks to our individual neurons.
01:29:20 How did they prove this, you ask? Well, they took advantage of a unique technique that lets them
01:29:28 record what single neurons are up to in the auditory cortex. That's the part of our brain
01:29:33 that's a major player in processing sounds when we're exposed to various noises.
01:29:37 You see, most of what we know about the auditory cortex was unearthed from past research that
01:29:46 studied how animals' neural activity reacts to sound. Those studies were super useful in giving
01:29:52 us a peek into how sounds are processed in our auditory system. But they didn't really let us
01:29:57 know what sets us humans apart in the way we perceive sounds. When scientists tested how we
01:30:05 respond to made-up sounds, they found out that our neurons in the auditory cortex responded with a
01:30:10 surprising level of accuracy to specific frequencies. They could even pick up differences
01:30:16 as tiny as a quarter of a tone just by looking at the reactions of individual neurons.
01:30:24 That's a level of detail that you wouldn't typically find in the auditory cortex of other
01:30:28 mammals. The one exception might be bats, who use their hearing in pretty unique ways.
01:30:34 But this could explain why we humans can distinguish between frequencies better than
01:30:39 animals. It seems like the way our brains process sound frequencies has some special features to it.
01:30:45 When they played more natural sounds like conversations, music, and everyday noise,
01:30:52 the neurons showed complex activity patterns. These patterns couldn't be fully explained just
01:30:58 by the neurons' frequency selectivity. Animal studies have shown similar phenomena,
01:31:03 but it's the first time we've seen this in humans.
01:31:06 It's just a regular day. As usual, you're taking a shower before starting to get ready for work.
01:31:14 Everything is going as planned. Until it isn't! One clumsy move, some water spilled on the floor,
01:31:21 and you're flapping your arms in the air, your body nearing the floor with frightening speed.
01:31:25 Everything goes black. First thing you hear is a high-pitched whining in your head. Ouch,
01:31:33 your head! You carefully get up. There's no blood, and that's good. An even better thing
01:31:41 is that the annoying noise stops abruptly. Holding your head, you leave the bathroom,
01:31:47 and almost stumble over your cat, Milo. He hisses, and then a clear voice in your head says,
01:31:53 "Clumsy loser." Huh? You whip your head around in fear, but you see no one. It's just you and...
01:32:01 Milo? You've probably hit your head more than you thought. You shrug and make your way to the
01:32:08 kitchen. Milo follows you. You hear ceaseless grumbling. "Why can't he sleep in the bedroom,
01:32:14 and I'm banned from there? Why haven't I gotten my meal yet? This leather creature's too lazy.
01:32:20 Shall I scratch the sofa or leave a mouse on his pillow?" The first thought that comes to your mind
01:32:27 is, "We have mice in the house?" The second is more relevant. "I'm losing my marbles! Great!"
01:32:34 Acting on autopilot, you pour some milk into Milo's bowl and fill another one up with some
01:32:40 dry food. The cat doesn't seem to be satisfied with how fast you are, if his "Oh for goodness
01:32:46 sake, move it, man!" is anything to go by. Okay, now you'll have to live with the knowledge that
01:32:54 your beloved cat Milo actually has the personality of a grumpy old man. Duh. You decide to lock
01:33:01 yourself in the bathroom again, because you're starting to get overwhelmed. You sit down heavily
01:33:06 on the toilet lid and almost jump a foot in the air when you hear someone arguing loudly.
01:33:12 After looking around, you find out that apparently there are not only mice, but also cockroaches in
01:33:20 your house. Just great. At the moment, you're staring at a couple of these insects, which seem
01:33:26 to be having a fight. At least one of them is accusing the other of, "Wait, what? Cheating?
01:33:34 You've heard enough! You're about to dash out of the bathroom when you hear a bang!"
01:33:38 In the living room, you find your cat on the floor under a smashed flower pot. The worst thing?
01:33:46 He seems to be really hurt. He won't stop whimpering and meowing. "Ugh, it hurts! It hurts!
01:33:53 My paw! Ouch! Ouch! But the sofa can't remain unscratched today!" You grab Milo, shove him into
01:34:02 the carrier, "Hey, watch out, you leather bag!" and head for the clinic. On the way, you have to
01:34:09 concentrate hard to block out the noise of countless voices assaulting you. The waiting
01:34:14 area at the vet is full. Uh-oh, you're in for a long wait. Half an hour later, your head is ready
01:34:21 to explode. You've found out that that yellow python is suspiciously interested in the hamster
01:34:29 a girl in the corner is clutching to her chest. "So fat, so pretty." The hamster's worried about
01:34:38 his stash of nuts. "Where did I hide them? Where? Where? Where?" A tiny dog that has come with an
01:34:44 elderly lady is anxious about needles. "If that shop thingy comes near me once again, they'll
01:34:50 regret it! I'll destroy everyone on my way!" Finally, it's your turn. The vet invites you to
01:34:57 her office, and you bend to pick up Milo when a desperate-looking young man bursts into the room.
01:35:02 "My puppy! What's wrong with him?" The vet looks at you apologetically, but you're focused on the
01:35:09 puppy. It looks weak, but you manage to figure out the words, "Chocolate, yum!" When you tell
01:35:16 the vet and the anxious owner that the pooch has eaten some chocolate, which is basically poison
01:35:22 for dogs, they give you a funny look and disappear into the doctor's office. Some time later, the guy
01:35:29 exits, holding the dog that looks better than before. When they leave, the vet turns to you.
01:35:35 "How did you figure out the dog had eaten chocolate?" Uh-oh, here it comes. You decide
01:35:42 that honesty is the best strategy and tell the vet that you can understand what animals say.
01:35:49 Of course she doesn't believe you. You have to try hard to persuade her, but with the help of
01:35:54 two other dogs, Milo and an elderly squirrel, you manage to make her believe you. When you get back
01:36:03 home, your head is spinning, and you're pretty hungry. All you can think about is some fried
01:36:09 eggs and bacon. Yum. Wait, bacon? But it's... Uh-oh. Apparently, starting today, you're a vegan.
01:36:19 Anyway, that's when it starts. You don't know how it happens, but you become famous overnight.
01:36:27 The next morning, a loud noise wakes you up, and it doesn't sound like animals talking to you.
01:36:33 You look out of the window and see crowds of people gathered around your house.
01:36:38 Some of them are reporters, but others are pet owners that have come to ask you for help.
01:36:43 Milo is not happy. While grumbling non-stop and calling your names, he bites your leg and retreats
01:36:51 under the stairs, and you go out of your house to talk to people and answer the reporter's questions.
01:36:57 In the evening, you're exhausted but also happy. You've saved several animals today. They had
01:37:05 serious health and psychological problems their owners couldn't figure out on their own.
01:37:09 Lying in bed in the dark, you think of how you can use your ability. That's when your plan takes
01:37:16 shape. Soon, you become the most renowned animal care specialist in the world. You listen to animals
01:37:24 talking about their problems, talk them out of depression, and help them resolve
01:37:29 misunderstandings with their owners. TV shows invite you for interviews. Your YouTube channel
01:37:35 is growing every day. People recognize you on the street and ask you to take pictures with them.
01:37:41 You travel the world, help endangered species, and give lectures. You open vet clinics all over
01:37:47 the globe and invite the best professionals to work there. You never feel lonely. There's always
01:37:54 someone to talk to or listen to, at least some birds when you're walking in the park or some fish
01:38:01 when you're having a rare moment of rest on the beach. At the same time, you've come to realize
01:38:07 how many animals are begging for help, but no one can hear them. You decide to take up the role of
01:38:14 their speaker. It turns out you're now famous not only in the human world but also in the world of
01:38:20 animals. They're grateful, and in return, they start informing you of different natural disasters
01:38:26 that are about to happen on the planet. You've heard that animals can predict earthquakes or
01:38:32 volcanic eruptions. And if before, people had to try hard to notice some unusual behavior of certain
01:38:40 species, now animals just pass you information about what's going to happen and where. With time,
01:38:48 you notice that you spend less time among people and more time with animals. Together, you plan
01:38:54 campaigns against zoos, circuses, and other places where animals are kept against their will.
01:39:00 And then, one day, the unthinkable happens. You're returning home when a black van stops next to you.
01:39:10 A few big masked guys grab you and push you inside. The doors close behind your back.
01:39:16 Inside, you find out that several influential people aren't happy with your activity. You
01:39:22 realize that this trip isn't going to end well. The guys blindfold you and lead you somewhere,
01:39:30 but at one moment, you lose your footing and hit your head on something hard.
01:39:35 You open your eyes. Milo is standing over you, looking at your lying body rather indifferently.
01:39:43 And then, the most terrible thing happens. He meows, which sounds like a whole sentence,
01:39:49 turns away, and walks out of the bathroom. And you don't understand a meow of what he's saying.
01:39:56 Was it all just a dream? Okay, let's face it. We humans are pretty ordinary. I mean,
01:40:05 we're no superheroes with superpowers, right? What, you didn't get the memo? But the animal
01:40:10 world has a bunch of superheroes. Some creatures live forever, and those who seem to not care about
01:40:16 the laws of gravity, critters that are immune to venom, and those that can run on water. And some
01:40:22 of them will send shivers down your spine. So the first superpower on the list is the
01:40:27 ability to live without water. Kangaroo rats can get by without water for years. They actually
01:40:34 don't mind living without any water. Humans, on the other hand, can only survive 3 days without
01:40:40 water. Humans, 0, kangaroo rats, 1. These little buddies live in extremely arid desert areas,
01:40:46 and have to get water from the seeds and plants they eat. And although it may sound a bit
01:40:51 disturbing, kangaroo rats also know how to extract water from their urine before they set off on a
01:40:58 bathroom trip. This way, they don't waste a single drop of precious moisture. Well, that would come
01:41:04 in handy at sporting events. Now let me introduce you to the Peter Parker of the animal world.
01:41:10 Yep, seems like Spider-Man is real, but not human. Meet a gecko lizard, or simply gecko.
01:41:16 This critter has a marvelous ability to climb up all kinds of vertical surfaces,
01:41:21 and can even go for a walk on the ceiling. This gravity-defying feat is possible thanks to the
01:41:27 lizard's unique foot pads covered with tiny hairs. They can cling to almost any kind of surface,
01:41:33 no matter whether it's smooth, hard, rough, or soft. One more fun fact about these guys
01:41:39 is that they lack eyelids. So they always keep an eye wide open for what's going on around them.
01:41:45 If you wonder how they keep their eyes protected, here's the answer. Their eyes are covered with a
01:41:50 transparent membrane, the cornea. Sure thing they can't close their eyes, and if they have something
01:41:56 in their eye, they simply lick it off. Right, they clean their eyeballs by licking them.
01:42:02 I guess that's another superpower. Any supersonic superpowers here? Sure! A 1-inch long
01:42:10 subtropical shrimp disorients its prey with a sonic boom. Despite its modest size, the pistol
01:42:17 shrimp is one of the loudest marine animals. When the shrimp snaps its claws, it creates a sound as
01:42:23 loud as a sonic boom. Naturally, this sound stuns the prey, and the shrimp can catch it without too
01:42:29 much effort. Now in the comic world, there's venom. In the animal world, there's a guy that
01:42:36 can be called anti-venom. Opossums are known for their handy trick of pretending to have passed
01:42:42 away when a predator attacks them. But that's not the end of the story. These guys are also immune
01:42:48 to rattlesnake and pit viper venom. The secret is a peptide that helps opossums neutralize dangerous
01:42:54 chemicals. This is the reason why snakes are a favorite treat on opossums' diet. There's one
01:42:59 curious thing they have on their diet – ticks. One opossum can hoover up about 5,000 ticks per
01:43:06 season, and most of them are picked off their own bodies. Now imagine a fish that is so notorious
01:43:13 that it's called a dangerous fish. It's Mabenga, and it literally translates to "dangerous fish"
01:43:19 in Swahili. This monster lives in freshwater and doesn't mind having a crocodile for lunch.
01:43:25 Not a whole crocodile, but Mabenga can take a bite out of them. But to be honest,
01:43:30 these guys are intimidated by the crocodiles the same way the crocs are intimidated by them.
01:43:35 Now you're watching this video on some gadget, right? Well, we all owe the gadgets we have to
01:43:42 the electric eels in some way. I mean, all gadgets have batteries, and eels contributed
01:43:48 a lot to the invention of an electric battery back in 1800. I know, I know, the batteries have
01:43:54 unrecognizably changed since then, but still, the first electric battery ever was invented thanks
01:44:01 to electric eels. Anyway, if you see one of them and want to thank them for their magnificent
01:44:06 invention, don't do that. Thing is, they can deliver shocks up to 860 volts. You don't want
01:44:13 to experience that. Now let's talk about the Count Dracula of the animal kingdom. Nope,
01:44:20 I'm not talking about bats, I'm talking about the fanged vampire fish. These fish are known as
01:44:26 payara and have two long fangs protruding from their lower jaw. Here's why some people associate
01:44:32 them with vampires. Hippos are the beauty gurus since they know how to save a fortune on skincare.
01:44:39 Living under the harsh African sun, these animals secrete a sweat-like red oily substance
01:44:46 that evaporates and keeps the animals' bodies cool. Besides, the fluid works as a moisturizer,
01:44:52 sunscreen, and antibiotic all in one. But they're not the only ones with such a superpower.
01:44:58 Mantis shrimp know how to produce natural sunscreen too, but they use it for eye protection.
01:45:04 It's all about amino acid pigments, and these pigments act as special filters that contribute
01:45:09 to their sharp vision too. That's what I call multitasking! Meerkats have dark patches around
01:45:17 their eyes which make them look even cuter. But these black circles aren't there just to make
01:45:22 these buddies more adorable. They also function as built-in sunglasses. The dark fur on the patches
01:45:29 blocks the blazing sun, and as a result, meerkats can gaze directly at the sky. On top of that,
01:45:36 the sentry, a meerkat that watches out for birds and other predators, can easily see danger coming
01:45:41 and alert its mates. Wild goats are famous for their climbing skills, but the Alpine Ibex from
01:45:49 northern Italy is the champion. This critter can climb nearly any vertical surface, defying several
01:45:55 physical laws in the process. Interestingly, the animals that do walk on the steepest cliff walls
01:46:01 are typically mother goats with their little ones. Large males prefer to keep their distance
01:46:06 and use flat horizontal surfaces. Smart guys! Some animals protect themselves with venom or
01:46:14 nasty bites, while others use chemical tricks for protection. Listen to this. Some species of
01:46:20 millipedes produce hydrogen cyanide and exude it when they feel threatened. Hydrogen cyanide is
01:46:27 odorless but highly toxic. One little millipede can't seriously hurt you, but you may have burns
01:46:34 or even blisters if your skin is sensitive. Plus, to make the picture even scarier, some millipedes
01:46:40 glow in the dark. So watch out, and if you see a crawling spot of light at night, run away as
01:46:47 fast as you can. When the bombardier beetle feels threatened, it sprays scorching liquid from the
01:46:53 tip of its abdomen with a loud popping sound. As soon as the beetle senses danger, a chemical
01:46:59 reaction starts in special reservoirs in its abdomen. The heat from this process nearly
01:47:04 reaches the boiling point and also produces special gas that triggers the ejection.
01:47:09 This super protection is usually fatal for the attacking insects. I guess so.
01:47:16 Plumed basculus lizards have an uncanny ability to run on water. First of all, their hind feet
01:47:23 are equipped with long toes which have fringes of skin that can spread out in the water. As a result,
01:47:29 a bigger surface of the lizard's foot comes into contact with water. Then, when it runs on water,
01:47:35 it pumps its legs incredibly fast. This creates little pockets of air that prevent the animal
01:47:40 from drowning by keeping it on the surface. Fleas can be annoying, but it doesn't make
01:47:46 them any less amazing. These tiny critters can leap about 50 times their body length.
01:47:52 If people could do the same, we would be jumping about a quarter of a mile into the air.
01:47:57 Well, let's try it! The most curious thing about fleas' astonishing ability is that they take most
01:48:03 of the power for leaps from their toes, not knees. So what's your favorite animal superpower?
01:48:10 I vote for the kangaroo rat. I don't like standing in lines for the bathroom.
01:48:15 It turns out, starfish don't have a head. They are the head. When you first look at a starfish,
01:48:24 you think it's got five arms. Scientists have always been curious about why starfish look like
01:48:29 this and, in particular, where their heads are. Most animals, including us, have bodies that are
01:48:35 bilaterally symmetrical, meaning you can split them down the middle and get two matching sides.
01:48:40 But starfish, along with sand dollars and sea anemones, are different. They're radially
01:48:46 symmetrical, meaning their bodies have identical parts spread out from the center. Starfish, or
01:48:51 sea stars, are special because they have this five-way symmetry, and you can divide them into
01:48:56 five equal parts. To make this discovery, scientists used a technique called RNA tomography,
01:49:03 which helps study genes. They focused on the genes controlling the outer layer,
01:49:07 including the nervous system. Surprisingly, the genes associated with the head were active in the
01:49:12 starfish's head and its arms. Yet, genes linked to the body trunk were hardly active. This suggests
01:49:20 that starfish have a unique separation between their head and body. The study sparked new
01:49:25 questions about how these creatures evolved and what their ancestors with trunks might have been
01:49:30 like based on their fossil records. It also showed that genes active in the head of an acorn worm
01:49:36 were also active in a starfish's skin, covering its entire body. These genes are the most active
01:49:43 at the center of each arm, changing towards the arm's end to resemble genes found in the rear
01:49:49 of other animals. Starfish lack genes for a torso. All this challenges traditional views
01:49:56 on starfish anatomy. There's a rumor about Paul McCartney recording an ultrasonic whistle for
01:50:05 his Shetland sheepdog at the end of the Beatles song, "A Day in the Life." Dogs can hear ultrasonic
01:50:11 sounds since their hearing ability is incredible. To move just one of their ears, dogs need to
01:50:16 involve 18 muscles. It allows them to swiftly locate the origin of sounds, and it's another
01:50:21 skill where they outshine us. Their awesome ears sometimes shadow their noses. Dogs' sense of smell
01:50:29 is up to 100,000 times more acute than that of humans. While humans have around 5 million scent
01:50:35 receptors, a bloodhound boasts up to 300 million! Another study proves that dogs and bottlenose
01:50:45 dolphins may share a fascinating similarity with humans. They call out the names of loved ones when
01:50:51 they become separated. This makes them the first non-human animals to do so. The research has
01:50:57 uncovered that dolphins copy one another's signature whistles when they're separated from
01:51:01 close pals. In the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program recordings, pairs of dolphins were held
01:51:07 in separate nets, but they could still communicate with each other. Turns out, some of their chit
01:51:12 chats were mimicking the unique whistles of their dolphin buddies! Next up, we have flamingos with
01:51:20 their peculiar dining habits. You often see them feeding with their heads positioned upside down.
01:51:25 This distinctive behavior is linked to the anatomy of their mouths and the mechanics of
01:51:30 maneuvering their long, elegant necks into the water. These birds are skilled filter feeders,
01:51:36 employing their tongues as effective sieves to capture food. When a flamingo lowers its neck
01:51:41 beneath the water, it positions its mouth essentially upside down. Then, the bird closes
01:51:47 its mouth and skillfully propels water through comb-like extensions on its beak. It also utilizes
01:51:53 its tongue to expel the water while retaining all the gathered food. If you've watched the movie
01:52:01 "My Octopus Teacher" on Netflix, you might already know that octopuses can bond with humans. But this
01:52:07 time, we'll only focus on the anatomy of this creature. Octopuses have three hearts. One heart
01:52:13 pumps blood throughout the body, and the other two tag-teams send that blood to the animal's gills.
01:52:18 Octopuses also have nine brains. Each of their eight tentacles has its very own mini-brain.
01:52:25 These mini-brains allow each tentacle to move independently at lightning speed.
01:52:29 There's a ninth brain in the mix, and this one oversees the entire octo-nervous system.
01:52:38 Opossums are intelligent, in a way, too. They're known for pretending to pass away when their life
01:52:44 is threatened. When they face predators, opossums attempt to intimidate their foes by showing their
01:52:49 teeth, hissing, and growling. Yet, when these tactics fall short, opossums resort to shutting
01:52:55 their eyes, collapsing onto their side, and pretending to have passed away. To look more
01:53:00 convincing, an opossum might drool, let its tongue hang out, and even excrete waste to enhance the
01:53:06 illusion of a sudden demise. Remarkably, opossums can uphold this state for several hours, waiting
01:53:12 until they're confident that the threat is gone. Monkeys can be loud when calling one another,
01:53:18 but a howler monkey's shout can travel approximately three miles in specific situations.
01:53:23 Males are usually louder than females. The thing is, the sound is created by pulling air through
01:53:29 a space in an enlarged bone in the animal's throat. This bone is larger in males compared
01:53:34 to females, and that's why males sound louder. Polar bears have black skin beneath all that fur.
01:53:44 Their fluffy white coat is actually translucent. It only seems white because it bounces back
01:53:50 visible light. The skin itself is jet black. These creatures are also impressive when it
01:53:56 comes to swimming. They can hit speeds of up to 6 miles per hour in the water, which is pretty
01:54:01 fast for such big creatures. They can swim for miles and keep going for hours. Their big paws
01:54:08 are designed for swimming. They use them to paddle through the water while their back legs stay
01:54:13 straight and act like a rudder, helping them steer. Since we've visited polar bears, we might as well
01:54:19 add a romantic fact about penguins here. Male Gentoo and Adelie penguins put themselves out
01:54:25 there with proposals. They offer their potential mates precious pebbles, essential for building
01:54:31 nests in the harsh Antarctic landscape. If the lady penguin accepts the pebble, they're in it
01:54:36 for life, bonded and ready to mate. Another study has found that our adorable house cats share more
01:54:43 than 95% of their genetic makeup with tigers. These little fur balls also mimic many behaviors
01:54:50 of their wild relatives, like marking territory with scents and the classic, stalking and pouncing
01:54:56 during playtime. Biologically though, a cat's brain is kind of similar to a human's. We share
01:55:02 identical emotional regions in our brains. Cats can also make up to a hundred different sounds.
01:55:08 Owls have eye tubes or cylinders. Their rod-shaped eyes don't do the eyeball moving.
01:55:18 Our eyes can move in almost all directions. Owls have to make a full body or full head
01:55:24 turn to look around, all because of night vision. To master the art of seeing in the dark,
01:55:31 they need large corneas that can scoop up every bit of light. Most nighttime critters,
01:55:37 like slow lorises or tarsiers, have enormous eyes to get the job done.
01:55:41 But owls have small skulls on their agenda, so those big eyes couldn't swell out.
01:55:51 Cockroaches are notorious for their survival skills, and a key reason is their unique brain
01:55:56 structure. They have two brains, one in their head and a more basic one near their abdomen.
01:56:01 They're so hard to get because these critters are incredibly quick to react.
01:56:05 They have tiny hairs on their rear end that can feel the slightest breeze.
01:56:10 When these hairs twitch, the cockroach doesn't waste time. It instantly switches to escape mode.
01:56:17 Research shows that a cockroach can react in just 1/20th of a second.
01:56:21 So by the time we turn on the light or grab something to target it,
01:56:25 the cockroach is already speeding off.
01:56:27 Sometimes you can see your cat's whiskers twitching or its legs kicking while it's sleeping.
01:56:34 This doesn't necessarily mean your pet is having a nightmare.
01:56:38 We can look at human sleep to get a clue about what's happening with our feline friends.
01:56:43 During REM sleep, our brains get super active, almost like when we're awake.
01:56:48 That's also the prime time for dreaming.
01:56:50 REM sleep is named this way because of the quick movements the eyes make under the eyelids.
01:56:55 But while our eyes might be moving, the rest of our body stays still.
01:56:59 The focus is on what's going on in our minds. This is true for cats too.
01:57:05 Besides an occasional twitch, cats usually don't move much when they're asleep.
01:57:09 #3. Rats are ticklish
01:57:14 I have news for you! Rats are ticklish. Well, I thought it was news.
01:57:18 Anyway, they have a so-called laugh center in their midbrain,
01:57:23 and it activates when someone tickles the animals or when they engage in some fun and playful
01:57:27 activities. Scientists discovered this in 2016 after tickling the rodents on their bellies
01:57:33 and listening to their squeaky giggles.
01:57:36 Now, hummingbirds are the only birds we know about that can fly backward.
01:57:40 They mostly do it when they want to move away from flowers.
01:57:43 And here's an animal that can't go backward – a kangaroo.
01:57:47 They can hop around and cross great distances, but the structure of their strong rear feet
01:57:52 and big tails prevent them from walking backwards.
01:57:55 #2. Narwhals are those weird creatures that look like some sort of sea unicorns.
01:58:04 That horn on their head is not a tusk. It's a giant tooth that sticks out through the upper
01:58:09 lip of male narwhals. This tooth is probably one of the tools that plays a role in "attracting ladies."
01:58:16 Now, flamingos are not actually pink. They're born gray, but throughout their life,
01:58:22 they eat lots of algae and other foods that contain a red-orange pigment we know as beta-carotene,
01:58:28 like in carrots. This pigment gets broken down and ends up in their skin and feathers,
01:58:33 which is what makes them pink. They need to eat a lot of such food to stay like that, though.
01:58:38 If we humans wanted to change our skin color, we wouldn't be able to eat enough
01:58:43 food rich in beta-carotene to really turn pink, or in our case, maybe even orange.
01:58:48 #3. Sloths are really slow. All the jokes and memes about them are true,
01:58:57 but they're also very skilled swimmers, and they move in the water around 3-4 times quicker than
01:59:02 on land. They can do breaststroke just like people, and it's an important skill for them
01:59:07 to have because they're tropical animals that mostly live in jungles, and those areas are
01:59:12 often flooded. Tigers are the biggest members of the feline family, yep, even bigger than lions.
01:59:19 And no tiger has the same set of stripes. Their coat is actually a camouflage that comes in handy
01:59:25 when they need to find a good spot where their prey won't see them. Interestingly, their skin
01:59:30 is striped too, not just the coat. Their stripes are as unique as our fingerprints.
01:59:35 Now even though they look kind of funny and innocent, you wouldn't want to bother a platypus.
01:59:43 These wild animals are some of the few mammal species that can poison you. They have spurs
01:59:48 on the tips of their back feet that can release venom. It's not potent enough to pose a life
01:59:53 threat, but the stain can still be very painful and can cause swelling and other issues.
02:00:00 When a ladybug needs to defend itself against potential predators, it starts bleeding from
02:00:05 its knees. Now it's not actual blood coming out of its joints. It's a certain chemical that smells
02:00:10 bad and, therefore, repels predators. They have another mechanism that helps them survive in the
02:00:16 harsh animal kingdom – their specific color. Predators really don't like the combinations of
02:00:22 bright colors, such as red, orange, and black, because they know that creatures colored this way
02:00:27 can taste awful. Roosters can get extremely noisy in the morning,
02:00:34 but they don't go deaf because they don't even hear how loud their crowing can be.
02:00:38 What keeps them safe is special built-in noise protection plugs. Hens have the same system that
02:00:44 reduces the risk of hearing loss too. Not only do they have this protection, but they can also
02:00:50 regrow cochlear hair ears if they get damaged in only a couple of days.
02:00:56 Owls don't have eyeballs. They have something that's more like eye tubes. And they can't move
02:01:01 them back and forth like we do with our eyeballs. Which is why these birds have incredibly flexible
02:01:07 necks. They're able to rotate their heads 270 degrees. For comparison, humans can only manage
02:01:14 180. That's why owls have a specific system of blood vessels in their heads. It delivers
02:01:20 fresh blood to the brain if the bird turns its head too quickly and cuts off circulation.
02:01:25 5. Just keep swimming You may remember how Dory the Blue
02:01:31 Tang sang this in Finding Nemo. Dory wasn't a shark, but that's a message some shark species
02:01:37 need to take literally. Mako sharks, great whites, whale sharks, and some other kinds
02:01:43 need to keep swimming, otherwise they'll stop breathing. We use our lungs for breathing,
02:01:48 and some sharks use a method called buccal pumping. This means they swim with their mouths open. That
02:01:54 way, they allow water to flow through their gills and thus extract oxygen.
02:01:59 6. Mosquitoes The most dangerous animal on our planet
02:02:04 isn't a bear, a shark, or some toothy tiger. It's something way smaller – the mosquito.
02:02:10 Not only is it extremely irritating, but it also transfers serious diseases such as yellow fever,
02:02:16 malaria, or dengue fever. Annually, hundreds of thousands of people don't survive the battle
02:02:22 with those diseases. Mosquitoes also outnumber every other creature across the globe, apart
02:02:28 from termites and ants. 7. Grizzly bears
02:02:32 Grizzly bears are incredibly strong animals with a bite powerful enough to crush a bowling ball.
02:02:38 That's why you won't see them allowed in bowling alleys. Despite that, they're mostly light-eaters.
02:02:43 They're strong enough to make a meal out of whatever they come across, including a bison,
02:02:48 moose, or elk. But they still like to munch on their fruits, nuts, berries,
02:02:53 and even a small unfortunate mouse that gets lost and ends up in the predator's mouth.
02:02:58 8. The Inland Taipan The Inland Taipan is the most venomous snake
02:03:02 on the planet. We know it as the Western Taipan. It lives in Australia. Just one bite has enough
02:03:09 venom to turn out fatal for at least 100 fully-grown humans. And it can also do the job
02:03:14 within only half an hour if you don't have anything to treat the bite right away.
02:03:18 They say these snakes are mostly shy, and they mind their own business.
02:03:22 But like other animals, they will attack if they feel threatened or provoked.
02:03:27 9. Turtle There's a kind of turtle that can stay
02:03:32 alive for months under the ice by breathing through its behind. When it gets colder, some
02:03:37 animals can't find safe places to stay, so they must survive harsh winter conditions wherever
02:03:43 they are. And while bees get cozy in their nests and bears sleep in caves, painted turtles stay
02:03:49 in their ponds that freeze over. Since the ice limits their access to air, they extract oxygen
02:03:55 directly from the water and breathe through their behinds. Yes, that would be handy!
02:04:00 It's well-known that ravens are incredibly intelligent animals. They're excellent at
02:04:06 solving problems. But it seems they also have impressive social intelligence. They're very
02:04:11 in tune with their feelings as well as the emotions of their mates. If one raven in the
02:04:16 group feels pessimistic, it's likely to bring the others down too. A real buzzkill! When they
02:04:22 see a bird that doesn't like certain food and expresses it in a very vivid way, they lose
02:04:28 interest in their own food as well. 8. Pistol shrimp
02:04:32 The pistol shrimp is one of the loudest animals in the world, even though it's tiny, only about
02:04:37 3/4 of an inch long. When it senses food, it opens its large claw that can grow as long as
02:04:43 half its body length and lets some water in. Then it snaps the claw shut extremely fast,
02:04:49 which shoots out a very strong jet of bubbles. These bubbles can stun or even finish the prey
02:04:55 the shrimp is trying to catch. And when the bubbles pop, it produces a snapping sound,
02:05:00 louder than anyone would expect. Crocodiles are even scarier than we thought,
02:05:06 because many of them can gallop like horses. They probably inherited this ability from their
02:05:11 ancient ancestors, who were as small as cats, had long legs, and could run at speeds of about
02:05:16 11 miles per hour. Smaller crocodiles probably gallop when something's after them, but caimans
02:05:22 and alligators obviously don't need to use this skill. It's you who's more likely to gallop away
02:05:28 when you see them. That's it for today! So hey, if you pacified your curiosity,
02:05:40 then give the video a like and share it with your friends! Or if you want more,
02:05:44 just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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