Life's Little Mysteries

Milk isn't the same across species. Here's the science of why babies shouldn't drink cow's milk until they're older.

Camels' large, leathery mouths can handle the prickly thorns of almost any kind of desert vegetation, including that which other desert animals steer clear of.

The largest coastal redwoods tower more than 350 feet above the ground.

Scientists may have untangled the mystery as to why parrots have such long lifespans.

The ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun was entombed with lavish grave goods. What were other Egyptian pharaohs buried with in ancient times?

Here's the science behind whether all bees die after stinging humans.

A healthy adult bladder can hold a fair amount of urine, but regularly holding it to the point of discomfort isn't a great idea.

To produce vodka, you must first ferment a foodstuff that contains sugar or starch, then distill the product to increase its alcohol content. But what is vodka made from?

Though related, there are key differences between them.

The difference between a frog and a toad is mainly skin-deep. Here's how to tell the amphibians apart.

Here's the science behind the so-called "cat gap," a roughly 7 million-long period in North America in which there aren't any known cat fossils.

Burning is the release of energy, and some materials like metals, can absorb energy better than others, such as wood.

Is it the combination of the pineapple's acidity and the enzyme complex called bromelain that likely make your mouth sore.

When a lunar eclipse occurs and our lone satellite inches into Earth's shadow, the moon's face becomes painted red. Here's why.

Octopuses are one of the most successful camouflaging animals in the world. But exactly how they pull off their rapid, high-resolution color changes is still a mystery.

Here's a look at the science for why we haven't cloned any humans yet.

Here's the science behind why some deep sea creatures — such as squids, sharks, sea spiders and worms — get so giant.

Trees don't fit into a species, family or even an order. So do they really exist, scientifically speaking?

Some mosquitoes can smell humans from a distance.