Biology

Sea grapes are single cells of a species of algae. (Robert Ricker, NOAA) — The only way to view most unicellular organisms is with a microscope. The vast majority of cells are very small. However, the largest single-celled organisms are visible to the naked eye and big enough to hold in your hand. The algae Caulerpa is generally recognized as the largest unicellular organism. […]

What Is the Largest Unicellular Organism?

This entry was posted on November 29, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on December 15, 2018)

Trees Word Search — Trees have an important role in our day to day lives. They play a major role in the oxygen and carbon cycles, prevent soil erosion and provide building materials for our homes. Since trees are this important, maybe we should learn their names. This trees word search contains thirty common names […]

Trees Word Search

This entry was posted on October 3, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on December 2, 2018)

Wild Cats Wordsearch — Do you know your wild cat species? This wild cats word search contains 24 different wild cat breeds. Find the words from the list forward and backward in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. The puzzle is optimized to fit on a standard 8.5″x11″ sheet of paper, but it fits nicely […]

Wild Cats Word Search

This entry was posted on June 9, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on June 9, 2018)

The smoother your skin and flatter your belly, the less likely you are to get belly button lint. (Pietro Zuco) — Whether you call it belly button lint, navel fluff, or navel lint, if you find a furry little ball in your belly button, you’ve got it! Doctors and scientists have examined the fluff balls, so their cause, composition, and potential health risks are known. The Cause and Composition of Belly […]

What Is Belly Button Lint?

This entry was posted on May 16, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on June 14, 2018)

The air fern is actually an animal related to coral. (Tom Fisk) — The air fern or Neptune plant is touted as a houseplant that thrives on neglect. It never needs water. It doesn’t even need light. No matter what you do, you can’t kill it because it’s not alive. In fact, it’s not even a real plant. Air Fern Is an Animal […]

The Air Fern Is Not Actually a Fern

This entry was posted on February 8, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on March 4, 2018)

A cockroach survives radiation better than a human, but it's not immune to the heat of an atomic bomb. (Amada44) — Cockroaches seem pretty indestructible, at least compared to us puny humans. They can live for a week without a head, survive a month without food, and appear unaffected inside an operating microwave oven. While it’s true the insects can survive harsh environments, can they really live through the detonation of […]

Can Cockroaches Survive a Nuclear Bomb?

This entry was posted on September 7, 2017 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 23, 2018)