Animal Biology

In the fight for survival, poison and venom are deadly weapons. They can help animals defend themselves against predators or conquer unsuspecting prey. Find out which animals carry the deadliest toxins, and how poison and venom differ between species. You might want to stay clear of these animals!

When it comes to survival, appearances are everything! A harmless animal can frighten predators away by appearing dangerous. A dangerous animal can lure prey by appearing harmless. Discover the disguises of some of your favorite animals.

All science classrooms discuss animals that hibernate during winter months, but few know about animals that estivate—a prolonged sleep during hot or dry periods. Learn about the reasons estivating animals become dormant—whether it's because warm weather threatens food supply or to avoid increased body temperatures. From the ladybug to the salamander, from the lungfish to the desert hedgehog, twelve estivating animals and their habits—both when sleeping and awake—are explained clearly and elegantly.

Scientists have long counseled against interpreting animal behavior in terms of human emotions, warning that such anthropomorphizing limits our ability to understand animals as they really are. Yet what are we to make of a female gorilla in a German zoo who spent days mourning the death of her baby? Or a wild female elephant who cared for a younger one after she was injured by a rambunctious teenage male?

""Chan and Ridley write with an urgency...that inspires gripping depictions of what viruses are, how infectious-disease laboratories work and wonderfully lucid descriptions of bats. . . . They powerfully recount how dangerous pathogens can both leak from a lab and emerge in nature."" (New York...

Scrub all you want, but you'll never get your body entirely clean. From rash causing itch mites to bacteria swimming in your stomach, meet the tiny creatures hitching a ride on your body.

Follow us on a journey around all the body parts of mammals, from eyes to ears, to legs to tails. Find out all about how each body part works, what it looks like and what it does and how each body part differs between species.

Follow us on a journey around all the body parts of reptiles, from eyes to teeth, to shells to tails. Find out all about how each body part works, what it looks like and what it does and how each body part differs between species.

Follow us on a journey around all the body parts of birds, from eyes to beaks, to feet to tails. Find out all about how each body part works, what it looks like, and what it does and how each body part differs between species.

Zombies have no control over their own minds. Some insects and other creepy crawlies have the power to turn other animals into zombies, controlling their behavior. Listeners will learn all about these creatures and the real-life zombies they are making.

Learn all about zebras!

Beautiful butterflies flutter about, catching our eyes with their bright colors. Their senses, eating habits, and life cycle are just as wondrous as their bright colors.

Penguins glide, slide, and dive. Find out what else these birds can do!

Bite, chew, grind! Sharp beaked triceratops is hungry. With giant horns and a shield-like neck frill, this gentle giant can put up a fight. Learn more about this massive dinosaur in Triceratops: Three Horned Giant.

A natural history of the wilderness in our homes, from the microbes in our showers to the crickets in our basements Even when the floors are sparkling clean and the house seems silent, our domestic domain is wild beyond imagination. In Never Home Alone, biologist Rob Dunn introduces us to the...

This eye-opening book offers a "clear and captivating" (Dr. Kris Verburgh​)scientific deep dive into how plants and animals have already unlocked the secrets to immortality–and the lessons they hold for us all. Recent advances in medicine and technology have expanded our understanding of...

Discover the wonders of the universe?with?the Creator. Based on Louie Giglio's popular messages “Indescribable” and “How Great Is Our God,”?Indescribable: 100 Devotions About God & Science?will help kids discover the incredible creation of our indescribable God. Indescribable?displays...

When it comes to battle, some animals seem to be natural warriors. They may have spines or armor to fend off predators, or horns made to attack. Enemies that mess with these animals are in for an unpleasant surprise.

When these animals face a dangerous situation, they either run away, stay and fight, or hide from sight. Find out which of your favorite animals are masters of speed, strength, and stealth.

During an ordinary visit to the library, a young girl pulls out a not-so-ordinary book from the shelves. As she turns the pages in this book about coral reefs, the city around her slips away, and she finds herself surrounded by the coral cities of the sea and the mysterious plants and animals that live, hunt, and hide there.