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How Do Giraffes Sleep?

With their eyes closed, of course! Kidding aside, giraffes have some of the most unconventional ways of sleeping. Because they are the tallest living land animals courtesy of their necks that could reach to 6 feet long, it requires them a lot of effort and balance to stand up from the sitting position.

Thus, these gentle giants would rather rest standing on their legs than risk being the lions’ dinner. In this position, giraffes can immediately run to safety in case they sense an attack from predators. They can run up to 35 mph, which gives adult giraffes a fighting chance to escape hungry predators which see them as moving buffet spreads! Unfortunately, it is not the same case for younger giraffes especially the newborns. About half of young giraffes fall prey to lions during the first year. (more…)

- The Junkie

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Do Lobsters Really have Teeth in Their Stomachs?

If you happen to get up close and personal with a live lobster, don’t worry of getting bitten through its mouth. Be mindful of its claws or pincers which are very powerful and can tear through human flesh.  While lobster have mandibles that are used to tear food apart, they do not have teeth in their mouths to chew their meals.  However, they do have teeth-like projections in their stomachs which are used to grind their food. The teeth-like projections look like molar surfaces and are called the “gastric mill.”

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- The Junkie

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Can a Cockroach Live without Its Head?

Yes, up to a week. Cockroaches are said to be one of the most tenacious creatures on earth and are often cited as the most likely survivors of a nuclear war. They can easily adapt to, and thus survive, harsh conditions.

Another strange fact about the cockroach is that it can survive without its head for up to a week. While humans and other animals are considered worm food the instance their heads are chopped off, a headless cockroach will continue to live much longer than other decapitated creatures.

This is because cockroaches have unique nervous and respiratory systems which means that they can breathe even without their heads.  They also do not bleed to death when their heads are chopped off because they don’t have a huge network of blood vessels like that of humans and other animals. Any wound is immediately sealed off by clotting. In fact, cockroaches do not need blood to supply oxygen to every part of its body. They breathe through spiracles which deliver air to each cell of the body through a set of tubes called tracheae.

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- The Junkie

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Is it true that elephants are the only mammal that can’t jump?

Yes, it is true that elephants cannot jump, if jump refers to the state of having no feet on the ground at the same time after propelling oneself from a stationary position. The elephant’s weight makes it physiologically impossible for it to do so plus the fact that the bones on its feet are more closely packed together than other mammals.  Thus, they do not have the flexibility or spring mechanisms that would enable them to jump. Furthermore, elephants don’t really like to have more than one foot off the ground at once.

However, the elephant is NOT the only mammal that can’t jump. Sloths, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses also known to be non-jumping mammals. But unlike elephants, it is possible for these animals to have all four feet off the ground when they run.

- The Junkie

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Are there really no snakes in Hawaii?

If we are talking about deadly and venomous snakes, yes there are no such species in Hawaii that you might chance upon while hiking or doing outdoor activities. Such dangerous species are safely contained in zoos and are only displayed as live specimens.

There is also the harmless snake species, the Brahminy Blind Snakes (Ramphotyphlops braminus) which are minute and non-venomous. Since they do not pose any major threat,  they are mostly left to their own devices. See how small this species is on the video below.

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- The Junkie

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What is the most expensive coffee in the world?

The most expensive coffee in the world comes from the most strange source: the anus of the common palm civet.  Yes, you read it right, the highest-priced brew are actually from the poop of these weasel-like animals endemic to Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.

These creatures feast on only the finest ripe coffee berries in the forest. During the digestion process, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Apparently, the digestion process adds a unique flavor to the beans, removing the bitter flavor.

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- The Junkie