Big Animal: The Secret Lives of Famous Creatures

Big Animal is keeping certain secrets from you, and the animals you’ve known and loved since childhood harbor some weird and obscure secret abilities, features, and effects.

10 Chimpanzees Pee Together to Become Better Buds

Kyoto University conducted a study to uncover the evolutionary roots of contagious urination, a phenomenon prevalent in both humans and non-human species. The researchers observed 1,328 “urination events” among chimpanzees, finding that the closer a chimp was to a urinator, the higher the chances of joining in. This practice may have helped forge stronger bonds and synchronize group activities.

• Researchers spent 604 hours watching chimpanzees pee to better understand the phenomenon.
• The study found that lower-ranked chimps had higher rates of urination contagion and were more likely to join in.

Doggy Dream Cycles Vary Greatly

Dogs and humans both have cycles of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep, but dogs have more cycles per night, about 15 to 20, compared to just four or six for humans. The doggy dream cycle is also shorter, lasting around 90 minutes or so. Scientists believe that dogs dream about everyday activities, such as chasing their tails or snarfing peanut butter.

Owls Create Insanely Accurate Sound-Based Mind-Maps

Some owls have odd auricular placements, with one ear above the other, which helps them measure the difference in timing and other aspects, like loudness, between sounds entering each ear. Scientists used a small remote control loudspeaker to discover that parts of the owl’s brain activate only when certain sounds come from certain places, allowing owls to create a multidimensional mind map of the space around them.

“This ability allows owls to’see’ the world with their ears.”

The Closest We Can Discern Dinosaur Intelligence: Emu Food Puzzle

The emu is a clever bird, and scientists built a rotating wheel that released snacks when it was lined up properly to test its intelligence. The results showed that emus excelled at the task, turning it the right way 90 percent of the time. Ostriches, not as much. This study is one of the modern ways to shed light on dinosaur behavior.

Snakes Have Cool Colors We Can’t See

Animals rely on color for communication, scaring off predators, camouflage, or attracting mates. However, we humans can only detect a small portion of the color kingdom. Snakes, on the other hand, use invisible ultraviolet light for various purposes, such as protection from birds and camouflage.

• Virally, the UV ability of some snakes probably protects them from birds.
• Surprisingly, colors don’t seem to be a reproductive strategy in the serpent kingdom.

Ants “Talk” by Using Spikes on Their Bodies

Ants use chemicals to communicate, but they also have a noise-based communication system. Adult ants and mature pupae have a spike on their abdomen, which they rub with their back leg to make a noise, alerting other ants to potential dangers or calling for help.

Platypuses Have an Alien-Like Glow

The platypus has a unique ability to glow in the dark, emitting a bluish-green light when observed under ultraviolet light. The reason for this fluorescence is unclear, but it may be due to the platypus’s inherent property or a way to hide from predators.

Tiny Toads (Hilariously) Suck at Jumping Because Their Ears Are Too Small

Pumpkin toadlets are miniature frogs that are terrible at jumping, which is due to their small ear size. Their ears are too small to allow them to balance, resulting in tumbling and corkscrewing before landing on whatever body part is closest to the ground.

Dinosaurs May Have Been Surprisingly Colorful

Studies suggest that dinosaurs may have had bright colors, similar to those of modern birds, which obtained carotenoids through their diet. These pigments, found in carrots and other fruits and vegetables, would have preserved better than browner, darker colors, allowing for the discovery of dinosaur colors.

Octopuses Have Human-Like Sleep with Weird Waking Dreams

Octopuses experience two-stage sleep, similar to humans, but with a unique twist. They have complex brains capable of waking dreams, allowing them to process and consolidate information during sleep.