50+ Awesome Animal Facts I Googled All Night
BRIGHT SIDE・9 minutes read
Various animals have fascinating adaptations, such as squirrels' constantly growing teeth, birds' insensitivity to capsaicin in chili peppers, and rhinos' horns made of keratin. Additionally, woodpeckers peck wood incredibly fast, starfish have eyes at the end of each arm, and narwhals' tusks are actually teeth.
Insights
- Squirrels' teeth continuously grow but are kept in check by gnawing on hard foods, thanks to their front teeth being covered in tough orange enamel.
- Animals like rhinos and narwhals have unique features such as horns and tusks made of keratin, a protein also found in human hair and nails, showcasing the diverse adaptations in the animal kingdom.
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Recent questions
How do squirrels maintain their teeth?
By gnawing on hard foods to wear them down.
Why can birds eat chili peppers without feeling the heat?
Due to lacking taste buds sensitive to capsaicin.
What are rhinos' horns made of?
Keratin, the same protein found in hair and nails.
How fast can woodpeckers peck wood?
Up to 20 times per second.
What are narwhals' tusks made of?
Teeth, unique for being tough inside and soft outside.
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Summary
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Fascinating Animal Facts: Teeth, Horns, and More
- Squirrels' teeth continuously grow, but they wear them down by gnawing on hard foods, with the front teeth covered in tough orange enamel.
- Birds can eat chili peppers without feeling the heat due to lacking taste buds sensitive to capsaicin, the chemical causing the burning sensation.
- Rhinos' horns are made of keratin, the same protein found in hair and nails, unlike other animals with horns containing a bony center.
- Woodpeckers can peck wood up to 20 times per second, totaling 8,000 to 12,000 pecks daily, almost too fast for the human eye to perceive.
- Starfish have eyes at the end of each arm, frogs absorb water through a "drinking patch" on their bellies and thighs instead of drinking, and caterpillars have around 4,000 muscles in their bodies.
- Narwhals' tusks are actually teeth, unique for being tough inside and soft outside, while anteaters lack teeth but have a long tongue to consume termites and ants.
- Fleas can jump over 200 times their body length, red-eyed tree frog eggs can hatch early in unsafe environments, and koalas have fingerprints similar to humans.
