RARE CYCLOPS SHARK   Photograph by Marcela Bejarano-Alvarez   An extremely rare cyclops shark (pictured) has been confirmed in Mexico, new research shows. The 22-inch-long (56-centimeter-long) fetus has a single, functioning eye at the front of its head—the hallmark of a congenital condition called cyclopia, which occurs in several animal species, including humans. Cyclops [...]

  BABY CHAMELEONS BRANCHING OUT   Original Photographs by Igor Siwanowicz | Digital Artwork by Takacica @ deviantART   The fantastic image above by Takacica was created from two stunning photographs by Igor Siwanowicz (picture 1, picture 2). These seven-day old baby chameleon hatchlings measure approximately 1.5cm (0.6 in) in length. Adorable!   Takacica and [...]

  THE MINIATURE NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL   Photograph by JASON IDZERDA   The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a small owl native to North America. Their habitat is coniferous forests, sometimes mixed or deciduous woods, across North America. They live in tree cavities and old nests made by other small raptors. Some are permanent residents, while [...]

  MYSTERIOUS ROVING ROCKS OF RACETRACK PLAYA   Photograph via NASA/GSFC/Cynthia Cheung   Photograph via NASA/GSFC/Maggie McAdam   In a particularly parched region of an extraordinary planet, rocks big and small glide across a mirror-flat landscape, leaving behind a tangle of trails. Some rocks travel in pairs, their two tracks so perfectly in synch along [...]

  MOUNTAIN FARMING IN ITALY   Photograph via XCygon on Reddit   Photograph via XCygon on Reddit   Incredible captures of mountain-side farming in the province of Bolzano-Bozen in Italy. The incline is steep but the view at the top must be amazing! To see where this is on Google Maps, click here   via [...]

Photograph by IGOR SIWANOWICZ     Mantodea (or mantises) is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. A colloquial name for the order is “praying mantises”, because of the typical “prayer-like” stance, although the term is often misspelled as “preying mantis” since mantises are [...]