Weird & Wonderful
Science doesn't always have to be serious.
This is our clearest look yet at one of the deep ocean’s rarest animals
Meet the bigfin squid, a quid with 'elbows', enormous rippling fins and tentacles like long, rippling strands of spaghetti
The weird rise of people who are their own twin
A condition that leaves people with two sets of DNA may be on the rise – and it’s posing thorny questions for families and forensic science
What's the most secret place that scientists have locked away?
From sites housing deadly materials to the locations of precious artefacts, here's the science behind some of Earth’s most restricted areas
null
undefined
What is the 'returning soldier effect'? Is it real?
You may have come across the idea that more boys are born after a war. But is the 'returning soldier effect' real?
Why do we root for the villain in movies?
Why you can't resist rooting for the wrong side
How big were medieval war horses?
The noble steeds of medieval warfare might not have been so mighty after all
Meet the weird worm that can survive being boiled alive
The Pompeii worm can withstand the heat of hydrothermal vents deep under the sea
Have I ever technically touched anything?
We may feel as if we are touching the world around us, but scientifically speaking, we never truly come into contact with anything
An ancient Maya ‘codex’ keeps predicting future events with eerie accuracy
The Maya civilisation is known for its art and architecture. But as we decipher their surviving cultural relics, we’re discovering Maya astronomy was even more advanced than we had imagined
The world's tiniest (and cutest) deer needs your attention, say experts
It’s barely bigger than a house cat
Why are there marine fossils at the top of Mount Everest?
Explorers keep finding marine life fossils at the top of Mount Everest. As weird as that sounds, there's a perfectly good reason why
What's the longest-living insect?
What is the longest-lived insect in the world? Think decades, not years, and you'll have your surprising answer!
The top 22 most ugly animals in the world
Not all creatures can be beautiful, but they all have interesting stories to tell
What are some of the spookiest experiments we've ever done?
Definitely best not to try these at home...
Why scientists once thought the platypus was an elaborate hoax
The platypus is such a strange animal that it was originally thought to be an elaborate hoax by pranksters
Can any animals see in infared?
While infrared light is invisible to most animals, there are some, including salmon, bullfrogs and snakes, that can see it
This 'phantom' jellyfish is bigger than a bus – and keeps lurking in shallow waters
New (very rational) fear unlocked – thanks nature
Should I start sniffing rosemary?
A centuries-old idea is getting modern scientific backing
What is the most dangerous fish to eat?
Pufferfish is considered the most dangerous fish to eat; it is poisonous, potentially fatal. But if sliced properly, it can be quite tasty
Can animals smell death?
How one fallen creature can set off a chain reaction of chaos
Do any foods taste better in space?
How does food taste in space? Bland, say astronauts on the International Space Station
This ancient blue-blooded sea creature has saved countless human lives
But now the race is on to save them from extinction
In an average lifetime, how long do we spend blinking?
Mundane actions, like sitting on the toilet, really add up over the course of an entire lifetime
Can plants count?
Plants can't count exactly like humans do, but scientists agree that they're capable of some very clever things
