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Sustainability

Amazing ocean facts you never learned in school

Not even Captain Ahab knew this much about marine life.

Photo by Milos Prelevic on Unsplash

brown fish beside coral under body of water

The ocean covers more than 70 percent of our planet—yet there’s so much about it that we don’t yet know. Experts, in fact, believe we’ve only explored about five percent of the ocean so far—meaning that most of it remains completely unseen and undiscovered.

What we do know, however, is that the ocean is truly wise. Not only does it sustain all human and animal life on the planet, the creatures under the sea continue to give scientists insight that can transform human lives as well (just read about the amazing axolotl below to see what we mean).

A happy ocean makes for happy, healthy human beings (not to mention a healthy planet)—so this summer we’re helping our friends at Ocean Wise spread the word that no action is too small—holding a cleanup on a local shoreline, for instance. Learning about our ocean and all its wonders is another step anyone can take for conservation, so buckle in and prepare for a tidal wave of info that will blow your mind.

1. Playing music—specifically, recordings of healthy reef soundscapes—can help grow coral reef populations.

live coralsPhoto by QUI NGUYEN on Unsplash

Healthy coral reef populations are filled with diverse sounds, thanks to the fish, snapping shrimp, and other marine life that live there. Scientists have found that playing recorded sounds of healthy reefs actually attract coral larvae, since the sounds indicate a healthy, vibrant habitat. Using this knowledge, scientists have taken recorded reef sounds, played them near degraded reefs, and in doing so, have increased the settlement rates of coral larvae, helping the coral reefs regenerate.

2. Dolphins like to party with pufferfish.

Photo by Talia Cohen on Unsplash

How’s this for a good time? Dolphins, particularly younger ones, have been known to seek out pufferfish to play games with them, chewing on them and passing them back and forth between each other like a hacky sack. Not only is this entertainment for the dolphins, scientists theorize that they may intentionally be trying to get the pufferfish to give off a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX)–which is a chemical they release when threatened. This chemical is highly toxic in large doses–but in small quantities, experts think that it might induce a mild, pleasurable effect in the dolphins, similar to a narcotic. Party on.

3. Male humpback whales are total crooners.

A male humpback whale breaches the water.

Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash

All humpback whales can vocalize, but male humpback whales actually sing.

During mating season, scientists have observed male humpback whales making sounds that are distinctly different from other humpback calls. Unlike other sounds, these songs have a clear structure, and use small, repetitive “phrases” organized in a specific sequence—in the same way humans sing different verses during a song. Even more amazing? Male humpbacks all sing the same song together in “choruses,” in sessions that last from five minutes to several hours.

4. Axolotls have superpowers (and scientists think it could benefit humans one day).

a couple of animals that are in some waterPhoto by T K on Unsplash

Among biologists, axolotls are known for their ability to regrow lost or damaged tissue. When an adult axolotl loses a limb, they can actually grow it back in just a few months time, thanks to a substance they produce called retinoic acid, which plays a large role in regenerating skin cells. (If the name sounds familiar, it’s because retinoic acid is a derivative of Vitamin A, and it’s commonly found in skin creams.) While we already know that retinoic can make our skin look fabulous, scientists are currently studying whether it could someday help human limbs regrow, similar to the axolotl’s.

5. A healthy ocean can help reverse climate change

green algae underwater photographyPhoto by Brian Yurasits on Unsplash

The ocean generates half of the oxygen we breathe and absorbs nearly a third of the world’s carbon emissions. Phytoplankton, the microscopic algae that float near the ocean’s surface, are a big part of the reason why. But there’s another unsung hero—kelp. Unlike phytoplankton, kelp are large seaweeds that grow in dense underwater forests along coastlines, absorbing CO2 and supporting ecosystems. Ocean Wise is helping bring back these powerful carbon sinks one kelp forest at a time.

Help us #BeOceanWise by doing one small thing for ocean conservation in your community (because just one thing can start a huge wave of positive change). Visit ocean.orgfor tips and tricks to keep our oceans healthy because no action is too small.

Science

A scientist created a 'utopia' for mice and then they all started dying

The results are fascinating, but are they relevant to humanity?

Canva Photos

How could Mouse Heaven go so terribly wrong?

In 1968 John Calhoun, a scientist and animal behavioralist, decided to create a "utopia" for mice. It would have unlimited food and water, with beautiful nesting spaces and plenty of materials for the mice to make cozy homes with. Sweet experiment! the mice were probably thinking. Much better than the Maybelline trials we're used to.

However, there was a catch, of course. There was one thing the utopia would be lacking, and that would be physical space. As the mouse population grew, overcrowding would become an issue, and Calhoun wanted to study the problems this would potentially cause. That sound you hear is the collective sigh of the disappointed mice who were stoked about the 24/7 all-you-can-eat buffet.

The experiment, dubbed Universe 25, began when Calhoun introduced four mouse "couples" into the utopian complex. A year or so later, it was overrun and the conditions had turned hellish, even though the mice had not run out of food or water.

mouse, mice, animals, science, research, studies "The conditions had turned WHAT?"Giphy

Initially, for just the eight original mice, the square box Calhoun built included 256 nesting boxes (or apartments) stacked on top of one another. Water bottles and food dispensers were located all along the nesting spots, and mice could travel throughout the complex at will via mesh tunnels. The starter mice were also screened for diseases and the population was obviously protected from predators. The climate was controlled and comfortable. Conditions were perfect.

The first mouse pups showed up a little over three months later, with the population of the colony doubling every 55 days. Nineteen months later, there were 2200 mice living inside the box. With such perfect surroundings, the infant mortality rate was practically zero, leading to the rapid rise in numbers.

mice, mouse experiments, scientific research, animal experiments, overpopulation John Calhoun poses with his rodents inside the mouse utopia.Yoichi R Okamoto, Public Domain

By month 19, this rodent utopia had become an overcrowded hellscape. Calhoun noticed three alarming trends, in particular.

In short, everything was devolving into chaos and the very society of the mice began to collapse at a rapid rate.

The "Beautiful Ones" and the "Dropouts": Mice have a complex social hierarchy ruled by dominant alpha males. Sam Kean of Science History Institute Museum & Library notes that, in the wild, non-dominant males (the ones who lose macho showdowns) can skip town and start over somewhere else. But in the close quarters of Calhoun's experiment, with nowhere to hide, they were forced to hang around and viciously battle with each other over scraps. Eventually, non-dominant male mice, which Calhoun called the "Beautiful Ones," withdrew from society completely and only ate, slept, and groomed themselves.

Though resources were unlimited, certain aggressive males hoarded them anyway: The alpha males ruled over everything in the once-utopian mouse society. They kept harems of females in the apartments to mate with and fought fiercely to defend their territory. But new waves of hungry young male mice kept coming and coming, and eventually even the most dominant alphas abandoned their posts. This led to more attacks on nursing females, which in turn led to more mothers kicking their pups out of the nest early.

Birth rate declined dramatically: With the non-dominant males giving up completely and focusing on #SelfCare, dominant males too exhausted from endless battles, and females sick and tired of it all (many became asexual hermits by the end), stopped mating and giving birth entirely. Once this happened, the society was doomed. Even with plenty of food still available, cannibalism was rampant.

Calhoun was not shy about drawing parallels between his research and humanity. "I shall largely speak of mice, but my thoughts are on man, on healing, on life and its evolution," he once wrote.

mice, mouse experiments, scientific studies, universe 25, sociology, overpopulation Alpha male mice, anyone? Photo by Kanashi on Unsplash

There are aspects of his wild experiment that certainly sound familiar.

We live in a world with plenty of resources for everyone, but a few select people hoard more than their fair share. When you think of the rodent "apartments," it's hard not to picture densely packed urban environments where people are stacked on top of each other at every turn. Maybe on some level some of us can relate to the “Beautiful Ones” and their urge to not participate in all the ugliness and just sequester and groom themselves. You can make an argument that when the mice stopped having to worry about food and shelter, it removed the element of challenge from their lives and left them lost–like many of us are lucky enough to not have to wonder where our next meal comes from, and maybe that has something to do with our never-ending search for meaning. Some even go so far as to link more people choosing to delay having children, or not have children at all, with the collapsing society of the mice.

But Calhoun's work has also been heavily scrutinized, with some claiming it's based on shaky science. And in the end, there’s the small matter that humans are not mice. We are infinitely more complicated, and so much better suited to adapting to our environments. Kean writes, "Ultimately Calhoun’s work functions like a Rorschach blot—people see what they want to see."

It's fascinating and thought-provoking nonetheless.

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Science

Forget what you know about bed bugs. Avoiding and getting rid of them is pretty simple.

And thankfully, there are no toxic chemicals involved.

Mark Rober/YouTube

Mark Rober subjected himself to bed bug bites in the name of science.

"Good night! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" This sing-songy rhyme that has been around for centuries alludes to the fact that bed bugs were prevalent in the past. After a significant decrease post-WWII, however, the sneaky pests have been making a comeback. Since the 1990s, bed bug infestations have risen dramatically, leading people to look for ways to avoid and get rid of the blood-sucking little buggers.

Unfortunately, a lot of the information about how to do that is flat-out wrong. Popular YouTube science communicator Mark Rober invites viewers to forget what we think we know and go on an educational journey with the leading bed bug researchers at Rutgers University's urban entomology lab. Not only did Rober subject himself to bed bug bites on purpose to see what happens when they feed, but he also conducted a series of experiments in the lab to find out what is actually effective at killing them and what is not.

Bed Bugs Belarus GIFGiphy

Bed bugs have a reputation for being nearly impossible to get rid of, which isn't really the case, according to Rober. When you know what works, it's actually a fairly simple process to kill an infestation. And the good news is that it doesn't entail any toxic chemicals—in fact the pest control chemicals sold for bed bugs don't work at all, according to Rober's tests.

In the process of learning about bed bugs, Rober shared a few "super wild" facts about the infamous creatures.

Fact #1: Bed bugs can live 3 to 10 months without feeding.

Eek. No wonder it seems like it's impossible to get rid of them. Starving them doesn't work. They can live in the resting stage for 3 to 6 months, and if the environment is cold enough, they can survive around 300 days, or 10 months, without eating.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Fact #2: Bed bugs don't transmit disease

Some good news here: Unlike blood-sucking mosquitoes, bed bugs don't carry or transmit disease. The bad news on the front is that because they don't pose a disease threat, only an annoyance, there's not a big incentive to fund research to eradicate them.

Fact #3: Bed bugs are attracted to vertical objects

In one of Rober's experiments, he placed a dish with a cylindrical vertical post inside it an a dish without a column, and nearly all of the bed bugs in the enclosure ended up in the dish with the column. "If you think about it, humans sleep at the highest elevation any given room. So their logic is just crawl up any vertical surface you see until you eventually find a warm-blooded meal at the top."

Part of how they find humans is by smell, which is why certain strong-smelling items can act as a deterrent for bed bugs. In Rober's experiment, Bounce dryer sheets, moth balls, baking soda, and essential oils all seemed to repel bed bugs (as opposed to ultrasonic pest repellers, which appeared to have no effect). However, none of those things did anything to kill them.

bed bugs, bed bug infestation, how to spot bed bugs Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed.Photo credit: Canva

Fact #4: Before 1950, one in three homes had bed bugs

Yikes. Even with the resurgence, we're still nowhere near those numbers, thank goodness.

Fact #5: The way bed bugs mate is weird

The term used to describe it is called "traumatic insemination," and really, you should just let Mark Rober explain it with his visual metaphor. Start at minute 11:30.

bug GIFGiphy

Two things work well to kill bed bugs—diatomaceous earth and heat

In testing chemical sprays, foggers, and other items marketed for killing bed bugs, Rober found a "superstar" in a natural, non-toxic substance. Diatomaceous earth—pulverized fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms—was the most effective at killing the buggers with a 90% mortality rate after 10 days as opposed to 12% with the Hot Shot bed bug spray. Diatomaceous earth is mostly silica, which absorbs moisture, and when the silica dust sticks to the bed bugs as the walk through it, it dehydrates them. A light dusting of diatomaceous earth around all the cracks and crevices of a room is one way to kill off an infestation, though that process can take days.

The other way to kill bed bugs is heat. Steam kills bed bugs, as does heating up a room to over 122 degrees Fahrenheit does the trick. Temps over 122 degrees kills bed bugs instantly, and as Rober points out, there's no way for them to build immunity to this kind of treatment. So steamers and clothes dryers set to high are the average person's best bet for killing off bed bugs if they have them. The "nuclear option" is to have a pro come in with big heaters and cook your home for a day.

checking for bed bugs, bed bug poop, bed bugs in mattress Checking mattresses for signs of bed bugs at a hotel can help you avoid bringing them home.Photo credit: Canva

How do you avoid getting bed bugs in the first place?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's true for bed bugs especially. Avoiding an infestation if there's already one in your apartment building is trickier, but a lot of people inadvertently bring bed bugs home from hotel stays. Checking the underside of a hotel mattress as soon as you come in the room is a good habit to be in. Bed bugs poop a lot, and there will be spots along the edges of the mattress if bed bugs are present.

The other tip is to use the luggage rack to store your suitcase instead of leaving it on the floor or furniture and to hang clothes on the closet hangers instead of putting them into the hotel room's dresser drawers. Some people may even put their suitcase in the bathtub, at least until they've checked the bed for signs of poop.

Nobody wants to deal with bed bugs, but at least now we have clear evidence of what actually works to get rid of them and what doesn't. Cook them with heat/steam and dehydrate them with diatomaceous earth, and take some simple steps when traveling to lessen your chances of getting them in the first place.

Sleep tight, everyone!

This article originally appeared in March

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Animals & Wildlife

Scientists have finally discovered the gene mutation that makes most orange cats male

For decades, the gene that results in only 1 in 5 ginger kitties being female has eluded researchers.

Photo credit: Canva

We know 80% of orange cats are male, but until now we didn't know the specific gene mutation that causes orange fur.

If an orange cat were to show up at your doorstep and you had to wager whether it was male or female, the odds would definitely be in your favor if you bet male. Only around 20% of orange cats are female, making them fairly rare (though not as rare as a male calico cat, as 99.9% of calicos are female).

Up until now, scientists assumed that the male-to-female ratio for orange cats was due to an X chromosome gene mutation. Since male cats have XY chromosomes, having the gene mutation on the X chromosome makes a male cat orange. But since female cats have two X chromosomes, they have to inherit the mutation on both of them, making it statistically less likely for a female cat to come out with orange fur. While the fact that a sex-linked gene causes orange coloring in cats was understood, which specific gene and what kind of mutation have been an elusive mysteries for decades.

orange cat, ginger kitty, male orange cat, female orange cat, genetic mutation A genetic mutation deletes a piece of DNA that usually suppresses a specific gene in orange cats.Photo credit: Canva

Not anymore. In two studies published simultaneously in the journal Current Biology in May 2025, geneticists at Stanford University in the U.S. and Kyushu University in Japan have pinpointed the exact gene mutation that causes orange pigmentation in cats. The gene is known as Arghap36, and the mutation appears to delete a section of DNA that normally suppresses the expression of the gene, allowing it to remain active.

But the finding was surprising in a few ways.

“At the time we found it, the Arhgap36 gene had no connection to pigmentation,” said Stanford geneticist and lead author Christopher Kaelin, PhD. in a statement. Arhgap36, which has been studied in cancer and developmental biology research, is normally expressed in neuroendocrine tissues. Overexpression there can lead to tumors, but the increased activity of the gene in orange cats causes their unique pigmentation.

orange cat, ginger kitty, male orange cat, female orange cat, genetic mutation Most orange cats are male.Giphy by UC Davis

“In a number of species that have yellow or orange pigment, those mutations almost exclusively occur in one of two genes, and neither of those genes are sex-linked,” Kaelin said. “The mutation in orange cats seems to turn on Arghap36 expression in a cell type, the pigment cell, where it’s not normally expressed.”

Notably, this seems to truly be specific to orange cats and only orange cats.

“Arghap36 is not expressed in mouse pigment cells, in human pigment cells or in cat pigment cells from non-orange cats,” Kaelin said. “The mutation in orange cats seems to turn on Arghap36 expression in a cell type, the pigment cell, where it’s not normally expressed. Certainly, this is a very unusual mechanism where you get misexpression of a gene in a specific cell type."

orange cat, ginger kitty, male orange cat, female orange cat, genetic mutation Orange cat pigmentation is due to a unique gene mutation. Photo credit: Canva

The development of genomic research over the past five to ten years is what enabled the scientists to pinpoint the way the gene mutation works. Hiroyuki Sasaki, a self-proclaimed cat-lover and geneticist at Kyushu University’s Medical Institute of Bioregulation and the Institute for Advanced Study, organized a crowdfunded effort in Japan, raising $70,000 so he could fund his study.

“Identifying the gene has been a longtime dream, so it’s a joy to have finally cracked it,” Sasaki said in a statement. "Arghap36 is essential for development, with many other roles in the body, so I had never imagined it could be the orange gene."

Sasaki points out that the DNA deletion lies in a non-coding deletion region of the gene, so the protein itself doesn't change. Arghap36 is also active in many areas of the body, including the brain and hormonal glands, which means the activation of it could theoretically affect more than just fur color in orange cats.

— (@)

“For example, many cat owners swear by the idea that different coat colors and patterns are linked with different personalities,” laughs Sasaki. “There’s no scientific evidence for this yet, but it’s an intriguing idea and one I’d love to explore further.”

One thing the scientists don't know for sure is when along the line of evolution this mutation first occurred. Kaelin says it probably occurred early in the domestication process, but Sasaki has ideas for figuring it out.

“One idea is to study ancient Egyptian cat paintings—or even to test DNA from mummified cats—to see if any cats back then were orange,” he says. “It’s ambitious, but I’m excited to try.”

You can read more about the study from Stanford University here and the Kyushu University study here.

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Animals & Wildlife

34-year-old orangutan learns how to tie knots, and now we're wondering what else he can do

Could an orangutan learn to braid hair? The people want to know.

Metro Richmond Zoo/TikTok

Patrick the orangutan is a knot-tying master.

We've all heard the stories about how intelligent the great apes are, the great apes being a family of primates that include chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and bonobos. There've been many famous cases of gorillas learning sign language, caring for kittens, or otherwise showing pretty astounding human-like behaviors.

Remember Koko, the famous gorilla who knew over 1,000 American Sign Language gestures? Her language proficiency may have been overestimated at the time, but she did help to completely change the way we view the intelligence and capabilities of the great apes. More recently there was Kanzi, a bonobo, who showed amazing proficiency at understanding and communicating with language. Kanzi once demanded the materials for s'mores, made his own fire, and roasted his own marshmallows!

The next famous great ape just might be Patrick the chimpanzee, a resident at the Metro Richmond Zoo.

orangutan, animals, zoo, great apes, monkeys, chimpanzees, animal intelligence, viral, funny, amazing Puffy cheeks called flanges are a sign of attractiveness and dominance in orangutans. Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

In a video posted to TikTok, the zoo notes that Patrick just turned 34. His zookeepers gave him a royal green cloak to mark the occasion.

If he looks a little different than you're used to, it's because Patrick has especially pronounced flanges, or puffy cheeks. Not all males have flanges, but the ladies dig them. So those big old cheeks are just one more reason Patrick is a total stud.

In the video, we see Patrick wrap the cloak around himself and tie it into a perfect knot. It's absolutely astonishing to watch. It's maybe less impressive than some of the greatest feats accomplished by Koko and Kanzi, but there's something so human about the moment. It makes you view these animals in a completely different light. Just watch him pull the knot tight and then double-knot it to make sure it won't budget. Amazing!

Watch the viral moment here:

@metrorichmondzoo
Patrick turns 34, receives a royal cloak, and then ties the perfect knot - because even jungle royalty needs a signature look! 👑🦧✨ King behavior. #metrorichmondzoo #rva #orangutans #patricktheorangutan

5 million people viewed the video and were left in awe. They were also left wondering: What else can Patrick do?

Commenters had some interesting ideas:

"Now give him a fitted sheet and see what he can do"

"why do I feel like he could french braid my hair better than I can"

"Has anyone ever hugged him and if so what was it like?"

People were jokingly convinced that Patrick could speak, but chose not to:

"100% believe the conspiracy that they can talk but dont because they dont want humans to know"

Patrick isn't the first orangutan to tie knots. They've been observed doing it in the wild, and their weaving and tying skills are considered an extension of their nest-building behaviors.

orangutan, animals, zoo, great apes, monkeys, chimpanzees, animal intelligence, viral, funny, amazing Orangutans have been observed tying knots in the wild without human instruction. Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash

But truly, what else can great apes do?

It was recently discovered that chimpanzees used medical plants to treat each other's wounds in the wild, in addition to using leaves to wipe themselves down after sex or pooping. This fits with the great apes well-known use of tools, but it also challenges the notion that humans are the only species that displays empathy and altruistic behaviors. Chimpanzees also have highly sophisticated memories and are capable of recalling specific events from years ago and even recognizing photos of themselves when they were younger.

Chimps and other apes have been proven to be able to perform basic math and some experts even say they have a photographic memory!

It's impossible to read all this and watch Patrick's intelligence on display without wondering whether great apes should ever be kept in captivity. They're so intelligent and capable of feeling, it seems cruel to keep them behind bars. But as conservation organizations have pointed out, many great apes simply can not be introduced back into the wild due to massive habitat loss. These creatures are endangered for a reason, and kudos go to the caring zookeepers who take care of them and help provide apes like Patrick with safe, enriching lives.

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Animals & Wildlife

Afraid of seagulls? Animal enthusiast explains why the beach pigeons are actually terrifying.

Turns out Alfred Hitchcock used the wrong bird for his famous film.

Photo credit: Canva

Why seagulls are actually terrifying, it's okay to be afraid

Beach pigeons: nature's cleanup crew–better known as seagulls. If you've ever been near a beach you've likely come into contact with seagulls. As long as you don't pull out French fries or any other food, they mind their business but when the smell of food wafts up to their tiny nostrils, prepare to be harassed. Although, there's no legal document that can keep seagulls from dive bombing you in hopes to bully you into giving up your cheese puffs, these birds are more terrifying than one might realize.

Animal enthusiast Mamadou Ndiaye, who has a habit of telling the public terrible unexpected things about the most adorable looking animals. This time is no different. While some people might be afraid of seagulls, many just find the to be a noisy price to pay for enjoying a day at the beach. Thanks for Finding Nemo, they're also seen as adorably possessive of things that don't belong to them. But Ndiaye reveals that the birds are not just crumb snatches but can be aggressively violent to humans and other animals for little to no reason outside of feeling a bit snack-y.

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people French Fries GIF by ViralHogGiphy

It's immediately clear upon introduction of the bird that people are in for a rude awakening as Ndiaye says, "out of all the animals that can bring the world to its knees, seagulls might have an actual argument." He describes the bird as an avian antichrist, and it's not because he has some unresolved trauma around a childhood seagull attack. The information that follows is genuinely concerning enough that seagulls probably need to be added to a watchlist for Homeland Security.

"They'll swallow anything that isn't nailed down. This includes other birds like ducklings, starlings and they'll even past tense and prey on pigeons. To rodents, rabbits and even squirrels, seagulls have no morals and no gag reflex," Ndiaye says flatly while a video of a seagull eating different animals plays behind him.

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people Seagulls Beware GIFGiphy

How does a bird go from stealing fries to eating other species children? That's certainly a leap that many people didn't see coming but the disturbing facts didn't end there. Just when you think the little devil birds can't get much crueler, they tell you to hold their chips. It gets worse. Much worse and there's no way of unhearing the information, people have tried. Legend has it that viewers of the video have not closed their mouths since hearing about seagull hijinks. Now we can all have nightmares.

On top of them scraping the blubber off of baby whales likely causing an increase in deceased whales in Patagonia, they apparently stalk pregnant seals.

@mndiaye_97 I don’t hate all birds but I do not care for these ones #seagulls #birds ♬ original sound - Aura

Ndiaye calmly explains, "seagulls will also spawn camp by stalking pregnant seals and swarming the baby and gouging its eyes out. Just so they can eat the blind defenseless baby seals alive and like flying hyenas they start from the softest spots. Some seagulls will also cannibalize the chicks of their own species. They'll also mob other birds like puffins and literally steal the food right out of their throats before they can feed their family."

It's a lot to unpack about seagulls and even though the video is less than two minutes long, it seemed to go on much longer much to the horror of viewers. Though the video did make some people feel justified in their fear of seagulls, with one person writing, "I’ve always hated seagulls…. They’re horrifying and annoying, I hate the sound of them. One of the reasons I’m one of few people who would NOT want to live right on the water, f*cking seagulls."

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people Sf Giants Baseball GIF by San Francisco GiantsGiphy

"I am SHOCKED! WHAT!?!?!?! SEAGULLS ARE THAT CRUEL???? OMG!" another says.

"as someone who lives on the north Wales coast I fluffing hate sea gulls!! i saw man get a chunk of his lip bit off because a seagull swooped and tried to get the food he was eating!" someone else reveals.

"Whaaaat!! uggghh never gonna see seagulls in the same way again," one person writes. Neither will anyone else who stumbles across his video, unfortunately.

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Animals & Wildlife

Robert Irwin weighs in on the '100 men vs. 1 gorilla' debate with the best possible answer

In the most Irwin way, he turned the viral question on its head.

Queensland Police Service/Wikimedia Commons (left), Photo credit: Canva (center and right)

Robert Irwin's answer to who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 gorilla settles the debate.

In 2020, a viral debate was launched on social media prompted by an intriguing question: Who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 silverback gorilla? In the years since, the question has been reposed repeatedly, with people expressing diverse but vehement opinions about whether a gorilla is strong enough to take on 100 humans or whether the sheer number of people would be enough to overtake the powerful primate.

Silly question? Perhaps. Something people can't help weighing in on? Most definitely.

@cbsmornings
Could 100 men defeat one gorilla in a fight? #NateBurleson and the internet are on the case. #gorilla

Some might think the most prudent answer would be, "It depends. What size are the people, and what's their strategy for attacking or subduing the gorilla?" But Robert Irwin, the conservationist son of the late (and much beloved) wildlife expert Steve Irwin, actually provided a perfect answer that should end the debate once and for all.

Irwin took to TikTok to share that he's been asked the "Who would win in a fight between 100 humans and 1 gorilla?" question over and over recently, even having people stop him on the street to ask.

"I have a couple thoughts on this," he began. "First of all, I don't know. Gorillas are strong, mate. Like really strong. But it's a hundred people. I'm not sure." But, he said, as an animal conservationist, the entire idea of fighting an endangered species didn't sit right with him. Then he turned the question on its head.

"How many people does it take to save gorillas?" he asked. "That's the question we should be asking because there's not many of them left."

@robertirwin
Everyone here on TikTok keeps asking me about this viral ‘Human V Gorilla’ debate 😂 I'm finally weighing in on the discussion everyone is talking about.

He explained that yes, gorillas are super strong and powerful, but most of the time "they're pretty chill." A gorilla isn't going to just randomly pick a fight with 100 people. Unless they feel threatened and need to defend themselves, they're just going to go about doing their thing, as gorillas do. "I guess what I'm trying to say is we don't need to fight gorillas," concluded Irwin. "Maybe let's just let this one remain a mystery."

People loved Irwin's take and the way he turned the question on its head from fighting gorillas to saving them.

"This is real masculinity. Lover not a fighter."

"Him gentle parenting us like school children is sending me."

gif, gorilla, animals, conservation, nature gorilla hurrying GIFGiphy

"The main man has spoken. The debate is over."

"He really said, 'it’s never HOW is the gorilla.'"

"'How many people does it take to save gorillas' is the most Robert Irwin answer."

"Your dad would be proud ❤️ spoken like a true conservationist ❤️."

Robert Irwin has followed in his father's footsteps and become an environmental icon in his own right, with fans from all over the world following his passionate educational content about our planet's creatures. Many in the comments remarked that they didn't know that gorillas were endangered, but it's true. All species of gorilla are considered Endangered or Critically Endangered, according to Endangered Species International.

— (@)

There are two main species of gorilla, the eastern and western gorilla, and the World Wildlife Fund reports that both species have been decreasing in number for decades. However, the mountain gorilla subspecies is the sole exception, with numbers on the rise thanks to concerted conservation efforts. Mountain gorillas were officially downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered in November 2018, a genuine conservation success story.

However, there are still only around 1,000 mountain gorillas in the world today, so that turnaround in numbers is a fragile success. And other species still need our help to save them from further demise.

gorillas, endangered species, gorilla vs 100 humans Gorillas are generally pretty chill.Photo credit: Canva

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund has been working on saving gorillas for over 55 years, focusing on a holistic approach that includes gorilla protection and ecosystem preservation, scientific research, training the next generation of conservationists, and helping local communities near gorilla populations. You can learn more here.

Thank you, Robert Irwin, for the gentle and timely reminder of what really matters in the gorilla vs. humans debate.

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Not even Captain Ahab knew this much about marine life.

1. Playing music—specifically, recordings of healthy reef soundscapes—can help grow coral reef populations.

2. Dolphins like to party with pufferfish.

3. Male humpback whales are total crooners.

4. Axolotls have superpowers (and scientists think it could benefit humans one day).

5. A healthy ocean can help reverse climate change

The results are fascinating, but are they relevant to humanity?

By month 19, this rodent utopia had become an overcrowded hellscape. Calhoun noticed three alarming trends, in particular.

And thankfully, there are no toxic chemicals involved.

Fact #1: Bed bugs can live 3 to 10 months without feeding.

Fact #2: Bed bugs don't transmit disease

Fact #3: Bed bugs are attracted to vertical objects

Fact #4: Before 1950, one in three homes had bed bugs

Fact #5: The way bed bugs mate is weird

Two things work well to kill bed bugs—diatomaceous earth and heat

How do you avoid getting bed bugs in the first place?

For decades, the gene that results in only 1 in 5 ginger kitties being female has eluded researchers.

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