It's World Oceans Day

KEEP OUR SEAS HEALTHY. LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP.

World Oceans Day

Swimming in trash? That's gross and unhealthy—and not just for you. A healthy planet needs a healthy ocean, but our waters face huge risks from overfishing, climate change, and plastic pollution. Luckily, you can help!

This year's World Oceans Day on June 8 is all about saying "no" to plastic trash—and therefore helping protect the ocean. Check out the tips below to find out what you can do to stop plastic pollution (plus other kinds of planet-harming trash) and save the seas.

Here's what you can do to help:

REDUCE YOUR TRASH

Find ways to reuse, donate, or recycle unwanted items instead of tossing them in the landfill.

RESPECT THE BEACH

Always clean up after yourself and consider participating in a local beach cleanup.

TAKE THE BETTER BAG CHALLENGE

Instead of using disposable bags, grab a reusable tote bag when you go shopping. You can even make one out of reused items, like an old T-shirt!

PLEDGE TO THE PLANET

Choose how you’ll contribute by taking the poll on this page.

"WEAR BLUE, TELL TWO"

Participate by wearing blue and telling others two facts about why the ocean is important and how they can help.

JUMP IN!

Ask a parent to take you to a World Oceans Day event near you.

Click on this photo to "see the facts about blue marlin"

Click on this photo to "see the facts about jellyfish"

New Frog

LOOKS LIKE KERMIT

New Real-Life Frog Looks Like Kermit

Calling all Muppets fans: A new species of see-through frog looks just like Kermit. The lime-green amphibian has bulging white eyes with black pupils, much like those of the famous frog puppet. Dubbed Diane's bare-hearted glass frog, the inch-long (2.5-centimeter) amphibian is the first glass frog to be discovered in Costa Rica in over 40 years.

SEE-THROUGH STOMACH

"Glass frogs" are a group of frogs with translucent bellies. Found in Central and South America, these amphibians live high up in tree canopies near streams and creeks. They come down from the treetops when it's time to mate.

The lack of stomach color is still a mystery to scientists. But they think the green coloration on the newly discovered frog's back might help the nocturnal creature stay hidden during the day, when it snoozes while clinging onto the undersides of leaves.

 

FROG VS. FUNGUS

The newfound frog lives in eastern Costa Rica's mountainous forests, which range in elevation from 1,300 to 2,500 feet (400 to 800 meters). It's the altitude at which a deadly fungus called chytrid is most widespread. Chytrid attacks the skin of amphibians, suffocating its victims.

Since the 1980s, several frog species have disappeared from Costa Rica and other parts of the world because of the fungus. Frogs are also threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation. Luckily scientists are working hard to stop the fungus from spreading. They’re also creating breeding programs to maintain the populations of certain frog species threatened by chytrid.

That’s good news for the Diane’s bare-hearted glass frog. What’s more, this amphibian is drawing many fans because of its Kermit-like looks. That’s got to make it a little easier to be green!

Meet Sparklemuffin

NEW PEACOCK SPIDER FOUND

Say Hello to Sparklemuffin

Photograph by Jurgen Otto

If you don't think of spiders as cute and cuddly, then you've never met Sparklemuffin. Scientists have identified the adorable arachnid as one of three recently discovered species of peacock spider in eastern Australia.

Less than a quarter-inch (five millimeters) long, male peacock spiders are known for their bright colors and flashy mating dance. These colors—like the vibrant red and blue of Sparklemuffin's stripes—make it easy to tell the difference between species. Many female peacock spiders, though, look alike, even to the males.

So how do peacock spiders like Sparklemuffin—a pet name given to this new species—break it down? When a female is nearby, the male begins his dance by raising the third pair of legs from his front and waving them around. Then he unfolds the flaps over his belly and waves those around. As the female comes toward him, he starts shaking and rolling his body, sending vibrations through the ground that the female can sense.

Fifty-three species of peacock spider, which are found only in Australia, have been named so far. But photographer Jürgen Otto thinks many more are waiting to be discovered. Because not many scientists are studying these spiders, he says photographers and nature lovers will probably be the ones to find new spiders. We can't wait to see what name they come up with next!

Facts About Insect

INSECTS ARE OLDER THAN YOU!

Facts About Insect

Insects have many interesting facts that you can know. Consider the following facts:

This is very heavy!

Ants can bring food that weighs 50 times heavier than its weight.

Long journey

A bee can fly as far as 60 miles in one day.

Guitar of love

Some male spiders, webs vibrate like playing guitar to attract the attention of female spider.

Confused to name her baby!

Termite queen can produce 40,000 eggs every day.

Insect are older than you!

Insects have been living in the world as long as 350 million years ago, while humans live for 130,000 years ago.

Shape Shifting Frog

THIS AMPHIBIAN'S SKIN CHANGES!

Shape Shifting Frog

April is National Frog Month! To celebrate, check out this newly discovered supercool amphibian whose skin can go from spiky to smooth in just a matter of minutes.

Photographs by Juan M. Guayasamin (right) and Lucas Bustamante (left), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

Deep in the rain forest of Ecuador lives a frog that just can't seem to make up its mind. The amphibian can be covered in spikes one moment and totally smooth the next! Dubbed the "punk rocker" frog, it’s the first vertebrate—or an animal with a backbone—known to change its skin texture.

On a nighttime walk in 2009, scientist Katherine Krynak spotted a well-camouflaged, marble-size amphibian that was covered in spines. But when she brought it inside, suspecting it was a new species, Krynak found a rather smooth and slimy critter.

"I was so mad at myself!" Krynak says. "I thought I had brought back the wrong frog."

But she hadn't. When she tucked a small piece of moss in the frog's container to make it more comfortable before releasing it back into the forest, the spines slowly reappeared.

"It was shocking," she says. It took Krynak and colleagues years to gather enough information to prove it was a new species. Now the frog finally has an official name: the mutable rainfrog.

Scientists aren't sure how the frog forms these spines so quickly, or what the spikes are made of. But they do think the shifting skin texture might be a form of camouflage to help the animal blend into mossy environments. Talk about a smooth transition!

Monkey Discovered

SMALL PRIMATE FOUND IN BRAZIL

New Monkey Discovered

Photograph by Adriano Gambarini

In 2011, scientist Julio Dalponte was looking for animals in the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, a country in South America. That's when he noticed an unusual monkey with a reddish-orange tail "like a blaze," he says. Turns out he and his team had discovered a brand-new species of monkey, now named Milton's titi monkey.

MONKEY BUSINESS

Milton's titi monkeys live in small family groups. The fruit-eating, 3.3-pound (1.5-kilogram) primates spend a lot of time grooming each other and sometimes sit next to one another on branches with their tails entwined.

Dalponte and his team were sometimes able to find the primates hiding in the forest canopy by playing back recordings of their vocalizations, which are some of the most complex in the animal kingdom. Then they'd listen for their replies from the trees.

STUCK IN PLACE

Because these monkeys can't swim well or cross mountainous terrain, they're stuck in the small region where they live. Dalponte says it’s too soon to tell if these monkeys are endangered. But for now scientists are just happy to see them hanging out.

For Real?

WEASEL RIDES WOODPECKER

Weasel's Wild Ride

Can weasels fly? This photo says yes—if they hitch a ride on the back of a woodpecker!

Photograph by Marlin Le-May

The picture, taken in London, England, shows a least weasel clutching onto the back of a European green woodpecker. So what’s the deal with this death-defying encounter?

"While it looks like a bizarre event, it's really not all that surprising if you know a little bit about these two species," says David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation in Virginia.

Mizejewski says European green woodpeckers feed on ants, which means they spend a lot of time on the ground. This makes them vulnerable to predators such as weasels.

Weasels usually eat mice and voles but have been known to prey on much bigger animals, including rabbits, frogs, and birds. To kill its prey, the weasel will bite the back of the neck—which is exactly what it seems to be attempting to do in the picture.

While the photo itself is amazing, Mizejewski says the best part is that amateur photographer Martin Le-May was there to shoot it. "The natural world is filled with wonders," Mizejewski says. "We have the chance of observing them firsthand if we get outside to experience them."

Of course, the woodpecker might think the best part is that it escaped becoming a weasel meal!

Dinosaurs

MASSIVE PREHISTORIC CREATURES

Dinosaurs

Click this photo to "see a spinosaurus "

Click this photo to "see the real big bird"

The Real Big Bird

ANCIENT BIG BIRD HAD HUGE WINGSPAN

Ancient Big Bird

Today's biggest flier, the royal albatross, wouldn't have looked so big compared to the Pelagornis sandersi, a giant flying seabird that lived some 25 million years ago and belonged to a family of now extinct "toothed" birds.

The ancient bird's fossil bones were uncovered just outside an airport in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1983. Paleontologists recently analyzed the fossils, which had been sitting in a museum drawer for decades, and revealed the bird as having a 21-foot (6.4-meter) wingspan. By comparison, the royal albatross measures 11.5 feet (3.5 meters).

Pelagornis comes close to the largest flying bird in history, the South American condor, which had a 23-foot (7-meter) wingspan and glided among the mountaintops of the Andes six million years ago.

However, paleontologists believe that the ancient seabird was lighter—weighing 48 pounds (21.8 kilograms)—and a better flier than the ancient condor. Still, a running take off on the water would have been unlikely for a bird of this size.

"I think they just waited on the beach for a strong wind to carry them aloft," says Daniel Ksepka, curator of science at the Bruce Museum in Connecticut.

The study also found that the ancient bird may have soared just above the ocean waves for long distances, rather than ascending air currents to maintain high altitudes, as some large birds do today.

What's Bigger Than a T. Rex?

THIS GUY!

Spinosaurus Takes Over RR Animals Worldwide

The long-extinct Spinosaurus — the first dinosaur known to dwell in water — is back on its feet. Well, sort of. A life-size bone model of the supersize predator, built by an international team of scientists that included University of Chicago paleontologists Paul Sereno and Nizar Ibrahim, is currently on display at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C.

A partial Spinosaurus skeleton was first identified in 1912 by a German paleontologist during his expeditions to the Sahara in Egypt. Those fossils were later put on display at a museum in Munich, Germany. During World War II in the 1940s, bombing demolished the museum and its many treasures, including the skeleton. The only known Spinosaurus bones were lost.

Fast-forward to 2008, when new Spinosaurus fossils were found in the Moroccan Sahara along desert cliffs known as the Kem Kem beds. It turned out that these bones matched a partial Spinosaurus skeleton that had recently turned up at the Natural History Museum in Milan, Italy. All of these bones belonged to the same dinosaur.

In 2013 Sereno, whose relationship with National Geographic spans more than three decades and who heads the University of Chicago’s Fossil Lab, and Ibrahim, a 2014 National Geographic Emerging Explorer, worked with an international team of researchers to analyze these fossils and create a computer model of the dinosaur’s entire skeleton. Then the scientists used a 3-D printer to produce a replica of each bone, and these artificial remains were assembled into the life-size model.

By studying the dino duplicate, the team confirmed that Spinosaurus grew to approximately 50 feet in length, nearly 10 feet longer than the largest T. rex specimen. The scientists also noticed that Spinosaurus had odd features not seen in other dinosaurs, such as feet that may have been webbed and a crocodile-like snout. Sereno, Ibrahim, and the other researchers realized that these traits would help the predator survive in water and came to the surprising conclusion that Spinosaurus was semi-aquatic.

Last fall Sereno and Ibrahim brought the life-size skeletal replica to National Geographic headquarters to be the centerpiece of the National Geographic Museum exhibition. The exhibition remains in Washington, D.C., until April 12, 2015, and will then travel around the world. And as the researchers continue to study Spinosaurus, you can expect this water-dwelling dino to make more waves.

Chinese Horoscopes

SEE WHAT ANIMAL YOU ARE!

Chinese Horoscopes

Sheep Can Recognize Faces

Year of the Sheep

The Real Thing

Timid sheep graze in flocks to guard against predators. Sheep have good memories; they can recognize many other sheep faces and remember them for two years. They can also remember human faces. Most are raised for their wool.

Born a Sheep?

At your best when people who admire you flock to your side, you stick by your friends. You are artistic, creative, and like to look good.

Sheep Years

1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027

Rats Are Adaptable

Year of the Rat

The Real Thing

Most rats are highly adaptable. They can live just about anywhere and eat just about anything. Before brown rats leave their underground burrows, these clever creatures send one rat ahead to make sure danger isn't lurking outside.

Born a Rat? 

You welcome challenges and enjoy learning about new things. Funny and smart, you are generous and will protect your pack of friends.

Rat Years

1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

Oxen Are Strong

Year of the Ox

The Real Thing

Oxen have been known to pull loads of 11,284 pounds (5,118 kilograms). People value their strength as well as their work ethic. An ox's horns can grow to be more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) long.

Born an Ox?

You approach projects in a step-by-step manner, wanting to do things right the first time. Shy but dependable, you are caring and trustworthy and never lose sight of your goal.

Ox Years

1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Tigers Hunt Alone

Year of the Tiger

The Real Thing

The largest of the big cats, tigers hunt alone. They secretly stalk prey, then leap and attack when the time seems right. Dinner still escapes most of the time.

Born a Tiger?

You're a natural leader but often like to do things by yourself. (That's how you stay in charge!) You believe in fighting for what's right, even if you'll lose in the end.

Tiger Years

1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Rabbits' Ears Keep Them Cool

Year of the Rabbit

The Real Thing

Rabbits normally give birth to about six babies at once and often live in groups. Their long ears help them cool off by lowering the temperature of the blood that circulates through them.

Born a Rabbit? 

Well-liked and popular, you have a large circle of family and friends. You are very protective of them, and they protect you back. You tend to keep your cool and avoid conflicts.

Rabbit Years

1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Dragons Are Mythical

Year of the Dragon

The Real Thing

The mythical dragon is a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese culture. One of the most popular figures in Chinese art, the dragon is believed to be a combination of nine animals, including a frog, a tiger, an eagle, and a fish.

Born a Dragon?

You go out of your way to help your friends, who often seek you out for advice. Your outgoing personality helps you get along with many types of people.

Dragon Years

1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

Snakes Have Good Instincts

Year of the Snake

The Real Thing

Snakes have great instincts. Some "play dead" to fool predators, and most sense prey by detecting ground vibrations. They can take more than an hour to swallow a meal, and they become inactive for up to two weeks before they shed their skin.

Born a Snake?

You rely on your instincts before asking others their opinions. At times you want to take a break from the action. It's not that you're lazy—sometimes you just like to think.

Snake Years

1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

Horses Are Intelligent

Year of the Horse

The Real Thing

A horse sleeps only about three hours a day. Intelligent, most can sense nervousness in people.

Born a Horse?

You have loads of energy and love adventure. You take charge and understand people, so you know how to work a crowd.

Horse Years

1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026

Monkeys Are Clever

Year of the Monkey

The Real Thing

Social and playful, monkeys show affection and friendship by picking bugs and dirt out of each other's fur. These animals use their hands and feet to grip objects and climb trees. Some even have tails that can grab items as small as peanuts.

Born a Monkey?

Swinging from one group of friends to another, you love to have a good time. You like to entertain your friends by showing off your talents, and they appreciate your cleverness and sense of humor.

Monkey Years

1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028

Roosters Are Noisy!

Year of the Rooster

The Real Thing

The rooster's loud cock-a-doodle-doo attracts females and warns other males to stay away. The red comb on his head may help other roosters identify him, and it also sets him apart from other bird species.

Born a Rooster?

You are practical and resourceful, and you use what you have to succeed without taking a lot of risks. A hard worker, you say what's on your mind and have a sense of style that sets you apart.

Rooster Years

1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029

Dogs Have Super-Sensitive Ears

Year of the Dog

The Real Thing

A dog's supersensitive ears can hear a noise about 100 yards (91.44 meters) away that a person couldn't hear more than 25 yards (22.86 meters) away. Its strong sense of smell helps it do things like find lost people or sniff out bad guys.

Born a Dog?

You're a great listener who can keep a secret. Loyal to your friends, you have a keen sense of right and wrong and stick to what you believe in.

Dog Years

1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030

Pigs Are Smart

Year of the Pig

The Real Thing

Domesticated pigs have been helping humans for about 9,000 years. Incredibly intelligent, a pig shows its smarts by rolling in mud and sticking its snout in dirt. Why? The mud keeps it cool, and rooting in the dirt provides important vitamins.

Born a Pig?

Smart and caring, you live to help other people. You have great taste and love to wallow in the nicer things in life.

Pig Years

1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Best of 2014 Animal Birthday Parties

A WILD TIME

Best of 2014: Animal Birthday Parties

Animal birthday parties can get pretty wild. With cakes, decorations, and presents, the parties may appear ordinary—but look a little closer. Is that cake made of meat? Is that rhino mom knocking over her son's cake?

These are our favorite animal birthday parties held in 2014. Next year we hope we make the invite list!

Best of 2014 Animal Records

THE BEST ANIMAL RECORDS OF 2014: BY LAND, AIR, AND SEA

Best of 2014: Animal Records

Fastest Sky Diver: Peregrine Falcon

When hunting prey, a peregrine falcon can dive through the air at speeds reaching 200 miles (320 kilometers) an hour, as fast as a race car at the Daytona 500. A man, Alan Eustace, reached a top speed of 822 miles (1323 kilometers) an hour. But to be fair to falcons, the man started his dive from more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) above the earth, whereas a peregrine falcon will start its hunting dive from just over half a mile (around one kilometer) above the ground.

Did You Know: The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world.

Deepest Diver: Cuvier’s Beaked Whale

This whale surprised scientists by reaching depths of nearly 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) below the ocean surface—the farthest depth ever observed among mammals. That’s close to seven times the height of the Empire State Building! Scuba diver Ahmed Gabr set the human diving record at just over 1,000 feet (305 meters).

Did You Know: The gentoo penguin is the fastest diving bird, reaching speeds of up to 22 miles (35 kilometers) an hour when diving headfirst into icy waters.

Fastest Runner: Cheetah

The fastest recorded speed of a cheetah was 61 miles (98 kilometers) an hour, or as fast as a car on some highways. The fastest human runner, Usain Bolt, clocked in at 27.49 miles (43.99 kilometers) an hour.

Did You Know: When running, cheetahs take about three strides a second. Olympic sprinters take just over two strides a second.

Fastest Swimmer: Sailfish

A sailfish can reach speeds of up to 68 miles (110 kilometers) an hour, or about as fast as the world’s fastest sailboat. Olympic medalist Michael Phelps reaches just 4.4 miles (7.08 kilometers) an hour doing the 100-meter butterfly stroke.

Did You Know: The sailfish uses its speed, as well as the giant dorsal fin on its back, to corral schools of sardines and anchovies for dinner.

Longest Jumper: Snow Leopard

The longest jump observed by a snow leopard was more than 49 feet (15 meters), even longer than the length of an average school bus. The long jump world record is held by Mike Powell, at 29 feet (8.95 meters).

Best Fighter: Elephant and Porcupine

(Tie)

A single wild porcupine and an elephant both made headlines this year by fighting off prides of more than 13 lions each. ESPN ranks Sugar Ray Robinson as the all-time greatest boxer, holding world titles for much of the 1940s and 50s.

'Tis The Season!

CELEBRATE WITH FACTS

Winter Holidays

Click this photo to "Make a Poached Pears"

Poached Pears

COOK SOME UP!

Cookbook

Impress your guests with this beautiful and tasty desert.

Poached Pears With Ice Cream

This is one of the most elegant desserts, and it is so easy to prepare—it’s also sure to wow your friends. You can serve it with a swoosh of Greek yogurt or sour cream, but a little ice cream never hurt anyone. So go ahead and pick your favorite.

Prep: 10 minutes / Cook: 1 hour / Serves: 4 

4 pears, slightly underripe

1 quart pomegranate juice (you can also use cherry or grape juice; just dilute with water by half)

1 lemon, cut in half 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1. Peel the pears and then cut them in half from top to bottom. Use a spoon to remove just the seed ball. Place the pears in a medium-size pot just big enough to hold them. Add the lemon halves, juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves and place the pot over medium heat. When the liquid just begins to steam, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 45 minutes and then test the pears to see if they are cooked. They should be tender but not falling apart. 

2. When the pears are cooked, remove them from the liquid with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Reduce the liquid by cooking it over medium heat until it begins to thicken just a little, about 15 minutes. Return the pears to the liquid and allow to cool. 

3. Serve each person two pear halves drizzled with a little of the poaching liquid. Finish it off with the yogurt, sour cream, or ice cream topping of your choice.

Caught On Camera!

SECRET LIFE OF THE SERENGETI

Secret Life of The Serengeti

When scientists wanted to know how the animals in the Serengeti get along, they decided to catch them on hidden camera!



Dr. Craig Packer, founder of the Serengeti Lion Project, and one of his graduate students, Ali Swanson, used camera traps to try to understand how so many species were able to coexist with lions, which are, Packer explains, “pretty nasty to all the other carnivores.” The hidden cameras captured a short sequence of photos when triggered by motion, creating a sort of who’s who at the watering hole.

In 2010, Swanson created a grid of 225 camera traps so that she could see how “different carnivores managed to avoid each other.” But she was quickly overwhelmed by the large number of photos each month. So she asked for help from citizen scientists! Teaming with Zooniverse, Swanson asked for help from laypeople to identify the animals photographed by the camera traps. They called the project Snapshot Serengeti.

From 2010 to 2013, field assistants visited the camera traps, replacing batteries and swapping out memory cards. They put the photos on Zooniverse where volunteers viewed the photos at random. The volunteers could view as many photos as they wanted, and their classifications were recorded.

And how did the citizens perform? “It turns out that, collectively, citizen scientists are extremely good in correctly identifying the species in these photos," says Packer. "Compared to the judgments of a panel of experts who have viewed a selection of 4,400 photos, the Snapshot volunteers were correct about 97 percent of the time!”

In all, 32,935 registered volunteers (and almost as many unregistered users) classified 1.54 million photographic sequences. With numbers that large, Packer says it would have taken scientists months or years to finish what took citizens a couple of days.

But what was the draw for the volunteers? Not only did they have a front row seat on a safari from their living room, but there was an element of discovery in looking through the photos. “Nothing, nothing, wildebeest, nothing, wildebeest, nothing, nothing, then LEOPARD!! It’s like hitting the jackpot!” Packer says.

These observations have opened up a world of information for scientists. “We’ve seen a lot of interactions between species that I doubt anyone has ever observed before, like bat-eared foxes chasing off an aardwolf, and topi saying hello to warthog.” 

High five, everyone!

The interview with Dr. Craig Packer was conducted by Tess Vincent.

All images courtesy Snapshot Serengeti.