Every spring I hear from readers about finding baby birds outside. Finding an unexpected and seemingly helpless baby bird in your backyard or a nearby park can be worrisome. After all, the little things typically can’t fly yet and look very vulnerable. Sometimes you might find such a bird in a place that is dangerous. There might be cats around, …
Ever heard a weird animal fact you really weren’t so sure about? Biologist Ruins Everything features mythbusting posts that explore internet falsehoods and misconceptions about wildlife and the natural world.
Have you got a nature fact you’re wondering about? You can request a Biologist Ruins Everything topic via the contact page.
Is 2024 a cicada year?
You may have heard rumors that 2024 will be a big year for the cicada. News outlets and magazines are putting out panicked headlines about an “insect apocalypse”. As if we didn’t have enough to worry about in 2024! In this Biologist Ruins Everything post, let’s get to the bottom of these claims and learn about the cicadas in question. …
Do sharks really die if they stop swimming?
I have a tendency to a be a bit of a busybody. While my preferred comparison for all that running around has always been the ever-mobile wolverine (the namesake for Gulo in Nature!) another animal is a frequent comparison. People often use sharks as an example of an animal that always has to keep moving. Supposedly, if a shark stops …
What do baby crows look like?
Pictures of a “baby crow” have been all over Pinterest and Reddit for a couple of years now, winning hearts with their poofy goth aesthetic. Notably not a single nature account is involved in all the sharing. Meanwhile, some experts have specifically highlighted that something’s wrong here. You guessed it: this isn’t what a baby crows look like at all. …
Gulo in Nature’s top 15 weird nature facts
I had so much fun tracking down scary nature facts for Halloween that I decided to continue that theme in future posts. Conveniently, several readers asked for weird nature facts to impress their friends or make an amusing topic in social settings. Luckily for us, nature always delivers. Especially in the weird department. For this next edition of Biologist Ruins …
How do birds navigate during migration?
Bird migration is one of the most impressive wonders of the natural world. Every Fall, birds in the Northern hemisphere fly South to spend the Winter in warmer climates. This can mean fantastic journeys of thousands of miles including trips across oceans! If you’ve read my post on why birds fly South for Winter, then you’re probably aware that there …
Do lobsters really mate for life?
Has anyone ever told you that you’re their lobster? After an episode from the second season of the famous sitcom Friends, lobsters have been an unexpected symbol of true love. In episode 14, Phoebe tells Ross that his love for Rachel is like that shared by lobsters for their lifelong mates. “It’s a known fact that lobsters fall in love …
The 12 most common bird calls in movies and TV
Wildlife sounds like birdsong are common background sounds in our everyday lives. In fact, they make such a good ambience for natural spaces that they are often used to simulate the outdoors. This is especially true in movies and on TV, where bird calls help set the tone for outdoor scenes. Have you ever heard a birdcall in a film …
- Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2