Humans are a curious bunch, constantly pulling off behaviors that feel oddly familiar yet utterly baffling when examined up close. In this deep‑dive we explore 10 scientific explanations for the peculiar actions that pepper our daily lives, shedding light on the brainy, evolutionary, and social forces that drive them.

10 Scientific Explanations Overview

10 Not Replacing The Toilet Paper Roll

When you rank chores by difficulty, swapping out an empty toilet‑paper roll lands near the very bottom. Yet countless households wrestle with this seemingly trivial task, and the inconsistency isn’t merely laziness. Psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan from NYU argue that the act of changing a roll offers virtually no stimulation and provides almost zero intrinsic reward—except perhaps for the hyper‑meticulous.

Other chores such as taking out the trash or washing dishes are similarly dull, but they at least deliver the satisfaction of keeping foul smells and pests at bay. Properly positioning a fresh roll may look tidier, yet the payoff feels negligible.

According to Deci and Ryan’s self‑determination theory, genuine motivation requires three psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. A task must feel challenging enough to generate a sense of mastery, grant a feeling of personal control, and reinforce social bonds. The humble toilet‑paper swap falls short on all counts, perhaps only brushing against relatedness in a household that prizes collective upkeep.

Consequently, convincing a partner or roommate to reliably replace the roll is an uphill battle. Only by reframing the chore as a demonstration of skill, by emphasizing that it isn’t a drudgery‑slave role, and by highlighting the subtle boost to group cohesion might you stand a chance—though success remains far from guaranteed.

9 Desire To Bite Cute Things

Whenever a newborn or a fluffy puppy appears, many of us instinctively utter a playful threat like “I’m gonna eat you up!” or mimic a gentle nibble on a tiny toe. Scientists have proposed two main explanations for this endearing impulse. The first suggests a cross‑wired pleasure system: exposure to a baby’s scent can trigger a dopamine surge akin to the pleasure of savoring tasty food, merging the perception of cuteness with a culinary reward pathway.

The second theory points to play‑biting, a behavior observed across many mammalian species. In the animal kingdom, gentle nipping serves as a social ritual that reinforces trust and strengthens bonds between allies. By play‑biting a cute creature, we may be tapping into an ancient mechanism that signals closeness and mutual safety.

Both viewpoints converge on the idea that the urge to “bite” cute things is less about hunger and more about a blend of neurochemical cross‑activation and deep‑rooted social signaling.

8 Inappropriate Laughing

Most of us have, at some point, let out a chuckle in a setting that seems anything but funny—perhaps when someone trips or during a somber announcement. While social norms label this as a faux pas, researchers explain that such laughter often functions as a stress‑relief valve. When we’re under emotional strain, a burst of laughter can help dissipate tension and restore equilibrium.

Evolutionary psychologists also argue that inappropriate giggling serves a communicative purpose: it signals to the group that the individual perceives the situation as non‑threatening, reassuring others that no serious harm has occurred. In this way, laughter becomes a subtle social cue rather than a sign of insensitivity.

Neuroscientist Sophie Scott adds that laughter is frequently a bonding tool, a way to convey affiliation, agreement, or shared sentiment. So if a neighbor laughs while recounting an accident involving a pet, it may simply be an instinctive attempt to connect amid discomfort.

7 Fascination With Psychopaths

Our culture’s obsession with serial killers and psychopathic villains is more than a fleeting curiosity; it reflects deeper psychological mechanisms. One theory posits that consuming stories about psychopaths lets us temporarily shed our law‑abiding personas, granting a harmless vicarious glimpse into a world where self‑interest reigns supreme.

Forensic psychologist J. Reid Meloy expands on this, suggesting that such narratives reconnect us with our primal predator–prey dynamic. By observing the calculated moves of a human predator, we engage an ancient part of the brain that once tracked hunters and hunted, satisfying a dormant evolutionary craving.

Harvard psychiatrist Ron Schouten likens the thrill to that of horror movies or roller coasters: the fear‑inducing content spikes dopamine, delivering a rush of pleasure without real danger. This dopamine‑driven enjoyment, coupled with the sense of moral resolution that often follows a story’s conclusion, fuels repeated consumption.

Collectively, these perspectives illustrate why the darkest characters continue to captivate us, offering a safe arena for exploring forbidden impulses, primal instincts, and the exhilaration of controlled fear.

6 Pretending To Know Stuff

Ever been asked about a topic you’ve never explored, and instinctively replied “yeah, I know”? This common social maneuver is dissected by Cornell professor David Dunning, who finds that many people fake knowledge to preserve conversational flow and reinforce their self‑image. In the split second a question lands, our brains scramble, infer, and often fabricate an answer, driven by a desire to avoid appearing uninformed.

Dunning notes that this “feeling of knowing” is more of a subjective sensation than a thorough retrieval of facts. The brain prefers the comfortable illusion of competence over the awkward admission of ignorance, especially in fast‑paced exchanges.

Neurologist Robert A. Burton adds that society glorifies expertise, turning the act of pretending to know into a subtle addiction. The same reward pathways that light up when we win a game or receive praise also fire when we successfully masquerade as an authority, reinforcing the habit.

5 Crying

Shedding tears may feel like a personal, intimate response, yet Dutch psychologist Ad Vingerhoets argues it originated as a social signal. In many species, young animals emit distress calls to summon aid; for humans, tears became a silent alarm that conveys vulnerability without the noise that might attract predators.

Beyond its communicative roots, crying activates the sympathetic nervous system, accelerating heart rate, increasing perspiration, and slowing breathing. Emotional tears also contain the natural painkiller leucine enkephalin, which can soothe discomfort and explain why a good cry often leaves us feeling lighter.

While modern contexts allow us to weep over movies or personal setbacks, the underlying evolutionary purpose likely remains: a low‑key distress cue that fosters empathy and group cohesion.

4 Twitch When Falling Asleep

Up to 70 % of people experience an involuntary muscle jerk—known as a hypnagogic jerk—just as they drift off. One school of thought attributes this to a neural misfire during the gradual hand‑off from wakefulness (dominated by the reticular activating system) to sleep (governed by the ventrolateral preoptic area). The brain’s tug‑of‑war between these states can cause a brief, jarring spasm.

Another hypothesis harks back to our arboreal ancestors. The reflex may have acted as a safeguard, preventing excessive relaxation that could cause a premature fall from a branch. In this view, the jerk is a lingering evolutionary safety net.

It’s also worth noting that not all nighttime spasms are identical. Dream‑incorporated sensations, such as the feeling of falling, can trigger a sudden awakening, blending real‑world reflexes with dream imagery.

Regardless of the exact cause, the phenomenon remains a common, albeit mysterious, facet of the sleep‑onset process.

3 Gossiping

Although popular culture often paints women as the chief gossipers, research shows men actually engage in 32 % more gossip per day. The drive behind this seemingly petty pastime lies in our innate yearning for social bonds. Sharing tidbits about others instantly creates a sense of trust, signaling that the speaker is letting the listener into a private circle.

Gossip also serves a hierarchical function: discussing shared dislikes tends to forge stronger connections than celebrating mutual achievements. The negative focus sharpens group cohesion, giving participants a common point of reference.

Anthropologist Robin Dunbar argues that gossip was a pivotal force in brain evolution. By exchanging information about absent individuals, early humans honed language skills and learned the social rules that keep groups harmonious.

With roughly 60 % of adult conversations revolving around people who aren’t present, the practice is less about malice and more about the fundamental human need to stay socially attuned.

2 Liking Sad Movies

It may seem counterintuitive to deliberately watch a tear‑jerker, yet Ohio State researchers discovered that tragic films prompt viewers to reflect on close relationships, boosting gratitude and overall life satisfaction. By juxtaposing personal hardships with cinematic sorrow, audiences experience a heightened appreciation for their own circumstances.

Dr. Paul Zak further explains that emotionally charged narratives trigger oxytocin release—the “moral molecule”—which deepens empathy, generosity, and trust. This biochemical surge leaves viewers feeling more connected, even after the final credits roll.

The combination of reflective gratitude and oxytocin‑driven warmth explains why many of us willingly return to stories that make us cry, seeking that fleeting but rewarding emotional uplift.

1 Thinking Silence Is Awkward

When conversation stalls, many of us scramble to fill the void, fearing that prolonged quiet signals disinterest or social failure. Psychologist Namkje Koudenburg attributes this discomfort to our primal need for belonging; a break in the expected ebb‑and‑flow of dialogue can spark self‑doubt about one’s relevance within the group.

Cross‑cultural research reveals that not all societies share this anxiety. In Japan, for instance, a pause often conveys respect, especially after a serious query, and business etiquette even trains professionals to interpret silence as thoughtful deliberation rather than awkwardness.

Similarly, Finnish, Australian Aboriginal, and many Asian cultures prize extended silences, viewing them as a natural conversational rhythm. Outsiders may perceive these pauses as excessive chatter, highlighting how cultural norms shape our tolerance for quiet.

Studies suggest that for those accustomed to constant dialogue, merely four seconds of silence can feel uncomfortable. So the next time a lull appears, remember it’s a universal cue—one that varies dramatically across the globe.

Content and copywriter by day and list writer by night, S. Grant enjoys exploring the bizarre, unusual, and topics that hide in plain sight. Contact S. Grant here.

Earth’s magical ecosystems might be on their way out, but they’re still full of awesome surprises — like these ten animal behaviors, each of which is so totally opposite to what you’d expect that they’re practically oxymoronic.

10 Flying Squid

Often mistaken for flying fish, there are at least six known species of flying squid and possibly dozens more. But because catching a glimpse of them in the wild is a blink‑and‑you’ll‑miss‑it affair, scientists rely heavily on sailor anecdotes that report squid landing on decks at dawn.

Marine biologist Silvia Maciá got lucky on a 2001 holiday when a Caribbean reef squid, startled by her boat’s noise, shot out of the water and arced through the air. She gauged the creature’s ascent at two meters high and a ten‑meter glide— roughly fifty times its own length. Yet this wasn’t a mere hop; the squid “extended its fins and flared its tentacles in a radial pattern while airborne,” steering its flight like an inside‑out bird. In their joint paper, Maciá and co‑authors argued that “gliding” underplays the act, insisting that ‘flight’ is a better descriptor because it implies active propulsion.

Co‑author reports even claim to have seen squid flapping fins as if they were wings, and using powerful water jets for extra thrust— sometimes enough to keep pace with boats. Flocks of flying squid have also been observed. While the exact reason remains uncertain, the prevailing hypothesis is that aerial movement conserves energy while evading predators.

9 Walking Bats

Although mammals, bats have adapted so thoroughly to flight that their “legs” are essentially attachment points for wing membranes, making terrestrial locomotion a challenge. In most bat species, crawling is a laborious effort.

Out of the 1,110 bat species, only two possess a true walking gait: the vampire bat and the lesser short‑tailed burrowing bat. For vampire bats, walking is vital; after alighting near a sleeping host, they must stealthily creep to feed on blood, and some can even run, using their wings for added thrust.

The lesser short‑tailed burrowing bat of New Zealand showcases remarkable adaptations for walking, including grooved soles, clawed toes, and wing‑holding pockets. This species spends roughly 40 percent of its foraging time on the ground, yet it can still fly as adeptly as any other bat— a contrast to birds, which sacrifice flight efficiency for terrestrial specialization.

8 Bat‑Catching Snakes

Since most bats cannot walk and snakes cannot fly, one might assume their paths never cross. Yet a population of yellow‑red rat snakes in a Yucatán cave has taken to hanging from ceiling cracks, dangling to snatch passing bats.

The dense nightly bat swarms exiting the “Bat Cave” make this aerial hunting strategy viable. Similar behavior occurs 1,000 km away, where Caribbean boas seize fruit bats from cave ceilings, often coordinating in packs to maximize capture success.

7 Fish‑Eating Spiders

Although some spiders are known to eat frogs, rodents, and birds, the notion of a spider preying on fish may sound far‑fetched. A comprehensive review, however, lists five genera spanning every continent except Antarctica that specialize in fish capture.

In North America, semi‑aquatic spiders anchor their hind legs to stones or plants and “fish” with front legs on the water surface, snaring tiny freshwater mosquito fish. After hauling the catch ashore, they often spend several hours feeding because the fish are typically at least twice the spider’s length.

6 Hornet‑Cooking Bees

Stinging isn’t the only extreme defense employed by bees. When a hornet invades a nest, hundreds of worker bees swarm the intruder, forming a tight ball that generates intense heat to roast the predator alive. This phenomenon, called “hot defensive bee balls,” was first documented in detail in Japan in 1995.

By rapidly vibrating their wing muscles for up to half an hour, bees raise the temperature inside the ball to about 46 °C— just enough to kill the hornet. While this heat is just below the lethal point for the bees themselves, it shortens their lifespan and appears to lower neurological inhibition, making them more prone to join future defensive balls.

Some bee species also use non‑heated balls to suffocate attackers or create shimmering wave dances that signal danger to conspecifics. However, hornets can release pheromones to summon reinforcements, so speed is essential for the bees.

5 Sea‑Faring Spiders

One would assume spiders avoid water, yet many thrive near or even within it. The diving bell spider constructs an underwater silk dome that traps air bubbles from the surface, maintaining a stable oxygen supply through diffusion from nearby aquatic plants.

Even more astonishing, coastal spiders of the genus Amaurobioides travel across oceans. Using their legs as sails and silk as anchors, they can drift thousands of kilometers, explaining their presence from South America to South Africa during the Miocene, and later to Australia and New Zealand. This behavior also sheds light on Darwin’s observation of spiders appearing on ships far from shore.

4 Immaculately‑Conceiving Komodo’s

In 2006, a startling report in Nature described two captive female Komodo dragons in English zoos reproducing without male contact. One laid eleven eggs, eight of which developed normally; the other produced twenty‑two eggs, four of which hatched. Though the second dragon had mated two and a half years earlier, genetic analysis revealed the offspring were clones of the mother— all male— confirming parthenogenesis.

Parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction, is exceedingly rare, occurring in only about 0.1 percent of vertebrates. For Komodo dragons, isolated island habitats likely favor this ability, allowing a single female strand‑washed onto a new island to establish a population.

Unfortunately, parthenogenetic offspring suffer from reduced genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to disease. Moreover, the sex determination system in Komodos (ZZ = male) means all parthenogenetic hatchlings are male, offering little advantage for the endangered species.

3 Bird‑Catching Fish

Sharks aside, fish are usually the prey, not the predator, of birds. However, in 2014 South African researchers filmed a tigerfish leaping from a lake to snatch a swallow mid‑air—the first confirmed instance of a freshwater fish capturing a bird in flight. The team observed up to twenty such strikes per day, indicating that avian predation by fish is more common than previously thought.

Another avian‑predating fish, the silver arowana, also targets birds, as well as bats and even mice, exploiting its powerful leap and sharp teeth within the dwindling Amazon rainforest.

2 Land‑Stalking Fish

Birds aren’t safe from fish on dry land either. On a small island in France’s River Tarn, European catfish ambush pigeons that come to preen. These catfish, typically 1–1.5 m long with some specimens reaching three meters, are Europe’s largest freshwater fish and display remarkable adaptability.

Using their barbels— sensory “whiskers”— to detect vibrations, catfish swim near the island, then launch themselves onto land, seizing any pigeon that moves. The entire ambush, from splash to capture, takes under four seconds before the catfish retreats back into the water.

1 Tree‑Climbing Fish

Defying the age‑old adage “a fish out of water,” Asian mudskippers can survive on land for up to two days by retaining water bubbles in their gill chambers and breathing through both gills and moist skin. Their specially adapted fins enable them to walk or hop on solid ground, and their vision actually improves out of water.

Recent studies have revealed that certain mudskipper species, such as the dusky‑gilled and slender varieties, can also climb trees. They achieve this feat through a combination of suction, friction, slime‑like secretions, and fin movements, allowing them to ascend vertical trunks.

Even more astonishing is their ability to traverse water surfaces. Observations of the dusky‑gilled mudskipper in Java show it leaping from mangrove roots onto water, then propelling itself to another vertical incline, reaching speeds of 1.7 m s⁻¹.

Every day the internet throws a fresh animal fact our way, and the reason is simple: researchers are constantly uncovering new quirks of the natural world. Among the countless species studied by ethologists, some have evolved strategies that are as brutal as they are bizarre. From hunting tricks that border on sadistic to defensive moves that seem straight out of a horror film, the top 10 animals on this list prove that nature can be both awe‑inspiring and downright unsettling. Buckle up and prepare to have your next nature walk feel a little more ominous.

What Makes These Top 10 Animals So Fascinating?

10 Mass Suicide

It may sound like folklore, but the phenomenon of mass suicide isn’t confined to a single creature. Scientists have documented a bewildering array of species—ranging from insects and birds to amphibians and mammals—engaging in coordinated self‑destruction, and the underlying reasons remain largely mysterious.

When researchers asked why cetaceans, the group that includes whales and dolphins, so often strand themselves on shore in lethal beachings, marine biologist Darlene Ketten likened it to a car crash: a multitude of factors can converge to produce the same tragic outcome. Roughly half of global strandings can be traced to disease, harmful algal blooms, injuries, or human‑induced habitat changes, yet the remaining half leaves us staring at piles of carcasses without a clear explanation.

9 Torture Your Food

Orcas aren’t just masters of the deep; they also have a disturbing penchant for tormenting their prey before the final bite. These apex predators have been filmed repeatedly grabbing seals, releasing them, then dunking them back into the water in a cruel game of cat‑and‑mouse, seemingly savoring the prey’s desperate attempts to breathe.

Dolphins display a similarly unsettling behavior. Observers have captured them slapping injured fish back and forth with their powerful tails, turning a hunt into a macabre version of underwater badminton—an act that appears to be driven more by play than necessity.

8 Spartan Eagles

Golden eagles, among the largest birds of prey, rely heavily on active hunting rather than scavenging. While they typically capture rabbits and medium‑sized rodents, they have been witnessed tackling prey far larger than themselves, including mountain goats.

When faced with a goat too hefty to lift, these eagles employ a bold tactic: they swoop down onto a cliff edge and push the animal over the precipice. The sheer audacity of using gravity as a weapon showcases a blend of intelligence and ruthlessness that is both clever and chilling.

7 Storm Hunter

Tigers have been observed exploiting thunderstorms as a veil for their ambushes. The dark, rolling clouds provide cover, while the thunder masks the soft sounds of their paws, allowing the big cats to stalk prey with near‑invisibility.

By positioning themselves downwind and timing their pounce with the storm’s roar, tigers ensure that even the most alert deer or wild boar remain oblivious until it’s far too late to escape.

6 Venomous Armpits

Slow lorises, those endearing primates with a perpetually surprised look, conceal a lethal secret in their armpits. When they feel threatened—often misinterpreted as a playful “tickle” response—they raise their arms to expose venom‑filled glands hidden beneath the skin.

This rare mammalian venom, delivered via a lick of the armpit secret, makes their bite as dangerous as a cobra’s. The behavior also involves a visual display that mimics a cobra’s hood, reinforcing the loris’s warning to potential predators.

5 The Taste of Human Flesh

Even herbivores can turn carnivorous when necessity strikes. Deer, for instance, have been caught gnawing on the bones of small animals and, in one unsettling case, a human rib at a forensic research facility.

Eyewitness accounts describe deer hunched over a rabbit carcass, tearing through flesh with blood‑soaked muzzles—a grim tableau that underscores how scarcity can push typically gentle grazers into predatory behavior.

4 Stronger Than Steel

Spider silk has earned the reputation of being tougher than steel, and for good reason. While only a subset of spiders spin webs, every species produces silk for various purposes, with “dragline” silk boasting tensile strength that rivals many metals.

Beyond sheer strength, this silk stretches up to five times its original length without breaking, granting it a toughness that outperforms most synthetic fibers. The combination of durability and elasticity makes spider silk a marvel of natural engineering.

3 Power Punch

Mantis shrimps are the living embodiment of an alien super‑weapon. Equipped with 16 types of photoreceptors, they see a spectrum far beyond human capability, but their most terrifying trait is their lightning‑fast punch.

These crustaceans can strike at 75 feet per second—comparable to a .22 caliber bullet—shattering the shells of clams, crabs, and other prey in a single, bone‑crushing blow, making them the undisputed heavyweight champions of the animal kingdom.

2 Organ Bombs

Autotomy, the deliberate shedding of body parts, is a common escape tactic among reptiles. Sea cucumbers, however, have taken self‑defense to an extreme by ejecting internal organs when threatened.

These marine invertebrates can contract their bodies and launch their anus, intestines, tentacles, muscles, and even reproductive organs outward, creating a sticky, tangled mess that entangles predators and provides the cucumber a chance to flee.

1 Dead Body Camouflage

Assassin bugs are notorious for their gruesome feeding habits, injecting prey with venom that paralyzes and liquefies from the inside. One particularly macabre species, Acanthaspis petax, goes a step further.

After dispatching ants, this bug coats the corpses with an adhesive and piles them onto its back, forming a living shield of dead insects. The gruesome armor masks the bug’s scent and makes it appear larger, deterring potential threats while it roams the forest floor.

Animal behavior is a classic example of a topic most of us believe to be more knowledgeable about than we really are. Often, we turn out to be wrong because we should have checked our sources. However, it could also be because humans have a tendency to try to find their own habits in other species or because we have outdated information that has been disproven since our parents and teachers first mentioned a particular animal.

Here are 10 animal behaviors that humans think they may know… but might be surprised to find they’re all wrong.

10 Opossums Don’t “Play” Dead

Some people think opossums are adorable, while others hate them. But most people make two false assumptions about them: first, that English speakers are allowed to drop the first “o” when talking about them, and second, that trapped opossums feign death to scare off would-be predators. Indeed, the fuzzy creatures will fall down, tongues lolling out, discharging their bowels; they’ll lay—seemingly dead—for minutes to hours on end, making them not only appear dead but also smell too bad for most animals to eat. Humans have mistakenly assumed that this behavior was intentional for so long that “playing opossum” (or, colloquially, “playing ‘possum”) is a commonly used English expression for playing dead.

The sad truth is that the little animals involuntarily enter a catatonic state when taken by surprise. The phenomenon is closer to them being nearly scared to death. They can’t control it, and—what’s worse—they cannot get out of this state which lasts from several minutes to several hours, no matter what’s being done to them. Though their smell might dissuade most predators, opossums become incapable of defending themselves from being moved, injured, or killed.^[1]

9 Raccoons Don’t Wash Their Food

Raccoons look adorable when they take their food to a water source and “wash” it. However, they aren’t actually fussy eaters who worry about germs. What they are, in fact, are extremely tactile animals. They have four to five times the number of nerve endings in their paws that most mammals have. Therefore, they glean a lot of information from touching things. And it turns out that wetting their paws improves the nervous response to tactile input. That is why raccoons “wash their food.”^[2]

8 Not All Fireflies Are Looking to Mate

Fireflies, the common name for members of the Lampyridae family, light up our summer skies. Incredibly, there are more than two thousand species of the little beetles. They may all look the same to us, but there sure are distinctions and variations among them. We tend to assume that they light up in order to find mates, and predictably, that is the case for many of them.

However, not all fireflies are on the prowl in the same sense at night. Some of them use their phosphorescent lighting abilities to hunt. And some even use it to attract lightning bugs of a different species in a fake mating call. The unknowing bug will then fly over to them, only to get trapped and eaten.^[3]

7 Ostriches Don’t Stick Their Heads in the Sand

We all know the expression, “Don’t stick your head in the sand!” It is often associated with the idea of running away from one’s problems. In an extremely bizarre example of anthropomorphism, humans have thought ostriches literally stick their heads in the sand when scared.

Aside from the fact that they would not be able to breathe with their heads in the ground, ostriches aren’t actually dumb enough to think that not seeing danger would actually make it disappear. No potential prey animal that survived that long could possibly have such terrible instincts!

In reality, what looks like ostriches sticking their heads in the ground, is just them putting their beaks into their nests to turn their eggs a few times a day.^[4]

6 Lemmings Do Not Commit Mass Suicide

We all know the sweet—albeit disturbing—image of one lemming jumping off a cliff and the rest of the group following. Much like ostriches, lemmings don’t actually have bad survival instincts. They do, however, migrate when their population density becomes too great.

In the case of migrations, they’ve been known to try to cross a body of water that turns out to be too large for their endurance capacity, in which case many of them will drown. They’ve also been known to accidentally fall off the edge of a cliff.

For the longest time, their behavior and the resulting lemming corpses were inexplicable to humans, causing false theories about lemmings falling out of the sky, exploding, swimming into the ocean until they drowned, and jumping off cliffs.

Most notably, perhaps, these misconceptions were reinforced by the 1958 Walt Disney documentary White Wilderness.^[5]

5 Skunks Do Not Spray Every Time They’re Scared

Under the impression that skunks always spray larger animals, most people panic when they encounter one. In reality, skunks spray as rarely as possible. Indeed they try to avoid using their glands whenever they can because the liquid they secrete is limited and will fully empty itself out before getting replenished. Depending on the skunk, they can spray up to six times before they need to wait two weeks for their glands to recharge. In those two weeks, they are, of course, extra vulnerable. So skunks do, in fact, employ any other method to get away from predators before they resort to spraying.

On an interesting side note, skunks warn us that they are about to spray by doing what looks like a very specific little dance. It involves stomping on the ground and handstands, depending on the species of skunk—though, of course, what we see as a “warning dance” is, in reality, a way to attempt to scare us away. And it will work on any knowledgeable human!^[6]

4 Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Cats are extremely good at jumping, balancing, and righting themselves during a fall. Among other things, their whiskers (which do not only exist on their faces but also on the backs of their legs) help them orient themselves and keep their balance.

However, they do not always land on their feet. It’s a great evolutionary tool, but it isn’t magic. If a cat falls from too short a distance and can’t course correct or if it’s overweight, it might very well have a bad fall and injure itself or die. If you are an apartment-dwelling cat owner, keep your windows closed…^[7]

3 Cats Don’t Play with Their Prey

Another common misconception about cats is that they play with their prey. For instance, when domesticated cats have been observed hunting mice, they toss them around in much the same way as they do one of their toys. In truth, though, it is the opposite: they treat their toys the same way they treat their prey; for many predators, playtime is hunting practice time.

So why do they toss their food around instead of just killing and eating it? Simply put, all cats are highly specialized predators. They are incredibly well-built killing machines from their prey’s perspective, but if anything goes wrong, they can quickly get injured and die. Therefore, they have to be very careful in their hunting technique and avoid any risk of getting scratched or bit back.

Cat owners will, for instance, notice that the mice their pets bring home never die from a bite but almost always from a broken spine, where the cat tossed the mouse with a strong flick of its paw instead of risking getting its face too close to the little rodent.^[8]

2 The Alpha Wolf Doesn’t Beat Down the Pack

We used to believe that wolves (and, by extension, dogs) fought for dominance and that the most dominant male or female of the species became their leader. However, more recent research has disproven this theory.

Indeed, it would seem that the pack leader is no more than the most prolific breeder, who consequently has the most children in the pack, and that wolves and dogs very much just know that “father/mother knows best” and follow their parents’ guidance.

What’s even more interesting is that most wolf “packs” actually turn out to simply be singular wolf families. In that case, the supposed alpha doesn’t even need to outbreed anyone. They are simply pack leader by the fact of being the parent.^[9]

1 Pandas Excel at Mating—in the Wild

Giant pandas are famously kept in captivity in an effort to save the species from extinction. They’re adorable, have the most useless eating habits (they almost exclusively eat bamboo, which has such poor nutritional value to them that they need to eat up to eighty-four pounds of it a day), and have been branded as inept at surviving.

In an incredible twist of irony, though, it turns out that giant pandas barely mate in captivity. The females are only fertile for a very brief period of time. When set up in a scientific context, neither the males nor the females seem particularly interested in copulating. The funny (and very sad) fact is that, in the wild, pandas have no libido problems at all. In fact, it’s hard to put delicately just how much sex they have…

Now that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t die out if left alone. But it sure says a lot about humans that we think any male and female of a species will reproduce if we just lock them up together…^[10]