Animals & Nature
![Black widow spider](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/70/62770-131-C97CD1F7/Black-widow-spider.jpg?w=768&h=432&c=crop)
9 of the World’s Deadliest Spiders
More than 43,000 different species of spiders are found in the world. Of these, only a small number are said to be dangerous, and less than 30 (less than one-tenth of one percent) have been responsible for human deaths.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
![Sergeant Stubby or also known as Mascot Stubby. Unofficial mascot dog of the 102nd Infantry Regiment of the United States with the 26th (Yankee) Division in World War I. War dog. Possibly a Boston terrier - also sometimes described as a Boston bull terrier](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/52/236352-050-B27CF044/Sergeant-Stubby-World-War-I-dog.jpg?w=768&h=432&c=crop)
The Protected Art Archive/Alamy
8 Famous Animals
They don’t do interviews or write self-promoting memoirs—though some definitely know how to strike a pose.
The Protected Art Archive/Alamy
Editor's Picks
![Sergeant Stubby at your service](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/52/236352-050-B27CF044/Sergeant-Stubby-World-War-I-dog.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Sergeant Stubby
Sergeant Stubby was a stray dog whose heroic service during World War I (1914–18) saved lives and even led to the capture of a German spy. He was the unofficial mascot for the 102nd Infantry, 26th “Yankee” Division, and is the first dog to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army. When
![Malayan Leaf Frog - Megophrys nasuta](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/65/196165-131-DF59D0CD/Malayan-leaf-frog.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
9 Animals That Look Like Leaves
Live and let leaf.
![Macro image of pollen-covered bee on purple crocus. (flowers, stamen, pollination, insects, nature)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/56/166356-131-804EFED9/honeybee-crocus.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
5 Fast Facts About Flower Anatomy
Those sexy, sexy, flower parts.
![Three types of eels. Fish / Anguilliformes / American eel (Anguilla rostrata), European eel (Anguilla anguilla), conger eel (Conger oceanicus)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/95/91195-131-62D0FFFE/American-eels-freshwater-European-Congers-sea.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Eels are some of nature’s weirdest creatures. Here are 5 reasons why they’re so cool
Australian and European eels are amazing creatures that have become critically endangered and scientists have found a way to track their incredible migration journeys in order to help protect them.
![Beet. Beta vulgaris. Sugar beet. Two rows of harvested beets.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/35/174335-131-F8549285/Rows-sugar-beets-sugarcane-concentrations-sucrose.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
18 Questions About Farming Answered
Find out what really happens down on the farm.
![Hungry Pelican waiting to be fed, beak open, Australia](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/38/231238-131-48ED15FD/pelican-beak-open-Australia.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?
Using a toothless beak to break food into smaller pieces has its advantages.
![bird. pigeon. carrier pigeon or messenger pigeon, dove](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/39/173439-131-F0263665/bird-pigeon-carrier-messenger.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Fightin’ Fauna: 6 Animals of War
Some battles were won with unexpected weapons.
![Monarch butterfly on Buddleja](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/76/151376-050-13586FE2/monarch-butterfly-flowers-bush.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
monarch butterfly
Monarch butterfly, (Danaus plexippus), familiar member of the milkweed butterfly group (subfamily Danainae, order Lepidoptera) known for its large size, its orange and black wings, and its long annual migrations. Monarchs are concentrated in North, Central, and South America but can also be found
Spotlight: Brown Bears
These shaggy-haired bears, native to Europe, Asia, and North America, include species such as the Grizzly and the Kodiak bear, which weighs up to 720kg (1,600 pounds) and is often considered the world's largest carnivore.
Quizzes
![Lion (panthera leo)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/54/92754-131-661B61DB/lion-Panthera-leo.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Deadliest Animals Quiz
Do you know which species of shark is most likely to attack a human? Or what animal has the strongest bite?
![Sunflowers growing in a field](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/10/214410-131-252D25BC/sunflowers-in-a-field.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Name That Flower!
Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a hyacinth?
![Red and yellow cherry tomatoes, some forming a question mark, against a light blue background. (organic, fruits, vegetables)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/35/245035-131-0C09D257/red-and-yellow-cherry-tomatoes.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Fruit or Vegetable? A Quiz
How to be a smarty-pants in the produce aisle.
![The cheetah is the fastest land animal over short distances. It has become an endangered species in Africa, and is almost extinct in Asia. Cheetah mother with young. Cheetah cubs](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/66/103766-131-9AF4E5B9/cheetah-distances-land-animals-species-Asia-Africa.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop)
Moms of the Animal Kingdom Quiz
The mother of all animal quizzes.
Videos
![How do cicadas know when to go aboveground?](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/30/222430-138-A4D31FC4/did-you-know-17-year-cicada.jpg)
How do cicadas know when to go aboveground?
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Galleries
![Jellyfish, medusa stage, bioluminescent. Bioluminescence emission of light by an organism.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/74/115174-131-2C9DE823/jellyfish-medusa-stage.jpg)
Jellyfish
![Baobab trees on Madagascar Island.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/20/155820-131-7921972A/baobab-trees-Madagascar.jpg)
Baobab Trees
![Male lion (Panthera leo) in Nambia, South Africa. Savannah, mammal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/30/150930-131-D3D93F1E/lion-Namibia.jpg)
Lions
![Welwitschia Mirabilis, Namibia, Africa. (desert plant)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/82/171282-131-E3DE95E0/Welwitschia-mirabilis-Namibia.jpg)
Gymnosperms
![The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in Egypt, Africa largely tropical and common in coral reef habitats. Cheloniidae, Endangered. Homepage blog 2011, science and technology, animal](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/62/150362-131-F65F00EF/Hawksbill-sea-turtle.jpg)
Turtles
![white shark. white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also called great white shark or white pointer near Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Mexico, Baja California peninsula, Pacific Ocean.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.britannica.com/88/151688-131-AE954EDE/White-shark-Guadalupe-Island-Mexico.jpg)
Sharks
Featured Categories
Marine Life
Do Sharks Really Die if They Stop Swimming?
We’ve all heard the rumours. But what really happens when a shark stops swimming?
A Dose of Dolphin-Induced Dopamine: 8 Species of Adorable Cetacean
Splish splash…give your brain a feel-good bath.
What’s the Difference Between Seals and Sea Lions?
Beneath our blubber, aren’t we all just the same?
10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish
Don’t let their innocent fishy faces fool you.
Plants
Botanical Sex: 9 Alluring Adaptations
Plants gettin’ it on.
Do Plants Emit Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide at Night?
Most plants release only one gas at night, but there are exceptions.
7 Dangerous Plants You Should Never Touch
Don’t even think about it…
Do Plants Have Sexes?
Are plants male or female? Does that question even make sense?
Mammals
7 Questions About Mammals Answered
A few important things you wanted to know about mammals.
What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?
Where exactly do buffalo roam?
Are Cows Really Unable to Walk Down Stairs?
We know they can get up stairs, but what about moo-ving back down?
Will we ever know the difference between a wolf and a dog?
When distinguishing between a wolf and a dog, we face the classic challenge of being able to sort out differences on a meaningful level.