Happy Wednesday!
Did you know that London just had its first rain-free month in more than 150 years?
Also: today (8/12) might be the single greatest day for star gazing!
Here’s what we’ve got this week:
TRIVIA
Dinosaur legacy 🦖
What is the closest living relative of the T. rex?
ANIMAL FOCUS
Moose 🦌
Shoutout to Roxanne, who asked us to feature some Canadian animals!
Moose are amazing swimmers! They can swim as fast as Michael Phelps (about 6 mph) for hours without stopping! For short bursts, they can even reach 10 mph! 🏊
Moose antlers are some of the fastest-growing bones on Earth! They can grow up to 1 inch per day during the summer! When moose shed their antlers in winter, the antlers can weigh up to 40 pounds (Alaskan moose antlers can reach 80 pounds)! 🦌
They can sprint up to 35 mph! Their long legs and wide hooves help them avoid sinking in deep snow. Their hooves also act like paddles when they swim. 🏃
Their fur is like a super-warm winter coat! It traps air to keep them warm, even when temperatures drop to –40°F. In fact, their fur is so good at holding heat that moose can become too warm when the temperature rises above 20°F! 🧥
They are fierce fighters! A single moose can easily fight off an entire wolf pack using its antlers and powerful kicks. Moose moms are especially protective and will even charge bears to keep their babies safe. ⚔️
Want more? Why is the plural of moose still moose?
EVER WONDER?
How do crickets tell the temperature? 🌡️
In 1897, physicist Amos Dolbear discovered that you can estimate the temperature by counting a cricket’s chirps!
Why crickets can “tell” the temperature 🦗
Crickets are cold-blooded, which means their body temperature changes with the weather. When it’s warmer, they chirp faster. When it’s cooler, they chirp more slowly.
How to “read” the temperature 🌡️
Dolbear found a simple rule: count the number of chirps you hear in 15 seconds and then add 40. The answer gives you an estimate of the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
For example, if a cricket chirps:
20 times in 15 seconds ➡️ about 60°F
30 times in 15 seconds ➡️ about 70°F
40 times in 15 seconds ➡️ about 80°F
This rule works best with the snowy tree cricket, which lives throughout most of the United States.
When doesn’t it work? 🥶
This method works best when temperatures are within the cricket’s normal living range, between 55°F and 100°F.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
🐘 Elephants have unique names for each other
⌛ 1,000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids
🦕 What happened to the dinosaurs
BRAIN TRIVIA
Logic Puzzle: Five animals arrived at a wildlife rescue center on different days of the week. Each animal also has a different favorite snack. Can you figure out who arrived when and what each animal likes to eat?
Animals: bear, fox, owl, rabbit, turtle
Snacks: apples, berries, carrots, insects, lettuce
Clues:
The owl arrived exactly one day before the animal that likes insects.
The animal that likes apples arrived on Monday.
The fox arrived sometime after the turtle.
The bear arrived on Wednesday.
The owl arrived sometime before the bear.
The animal that arrived on Friday likes carrots.
The rabbit arrived on Tuesday.
The bear likes lettuce.
Adam Claus | 2026 International Pet Photography Awards
Thanks for reading! Stay curious!
- Steve
P.S. Have an animal or science question you’d like us to feature? Just hit ‘Reply’ and tell us!