Happy Wednesday!
Since we talked about El Niño last week, Tokyo just set a record for the longest rainy streak in more than 140 years! And if you’ve been stuck in the West coast heat wave, here’s how Americans stayed cool before AC!
Here’s what we’ve got this week:
TRIVIA
Praying mantis trivia 🦗
Which of these facts is NOT true?
Explanation at the end!
ANIMAL FOCUS
Pangolins 🛡️
Pangolins live in tropical parts of Africa and Asia. Here are some fun facts about them:
They are the only mammals covered in scales! Their scales are made of keratin, the same material as your hair and fingernails. Just like fingernails, their scales keep growing throughout their lives! 🛡️
Their tongue can be longer than their entire body! A pangolin’s tongue starts deep inside its chest, near its last ribs. There are 8 species of pangolins, and some have tongues that grow up to 16 inches long! 👅
One pangolin can eat up to 70 million ants and termites each year! Pangolins swallow insects whole because they don’t have teeth. Instead, they use small stones in their stomachs to help grind up food. One pangolin can help protect up to 40 acres of land from pests! 🐜
They curl into a ball and can even spray like skunks! When threatened, a pangolin rolls into a tight armored ball that predators can’t easily attack. Some species can also spray a smelly liquid from glands near their tail, just like a skunk. 🦨
They are more closely related to cats and dogs than to armadillos or anteaters! Pangolins are so unique that they belong to their own group of mammals called Pholidota. 🐱
Want more? Check out the rest of our facts, including why they might be the cutest animal you’ve never heard of!
EVER WONDER?
Why do we shiver? ❄️
Shivering is your body’s way of making more heat. 🔥
A part of your brain called the hypothalamus helps control your body temperature. When it senses that you’re getting cold, it sends signals to your muscles to quickly contract and relax. These tiny muscle movements create heat and help warm your body, but they use a lot of energy.
What happens if your body temperature gets too low? 🌡️
Most people’s body temperature is between 97°F and 99°F.
The temperature at which you start shivering depends on things like your age, body fat, and metabolism.
If your body temperature drops too low, you can develop hypothermia.
Mild hypothermia begins when your body temperature falls to 95°F or lower. This means your body is losing heat faster than it can make it.
Hypothermia is dangerous because your brain, heart, and other organs need a certain temperature to work properly. Even a small drop in body temperature can make it harder to think clearly and move around.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
🧱 Watch the world’s largest Lego set be built in less than 10 minutes
🦓 A baby zebra finds a new family among elephants
🔎 5 discoveries about the pyramids:
BRAIN TRIVIA
Vocabulary (Part 3 of 3): What do we call these animals when they’re in a group? How many do you know?
Tigers 🐯
Buffalo 🐃
Eagles 🦅
Penguins 🐧
Starlings 🐦⬛
Peacocks 🦚
Cheetahs 🐆
Hippos 🦛
Natalie Veekmans | Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2026
Thanks for reading! Stay curious!
- Steve
P.S. Praying mantises eat their prey alive. Don’t worry though, they’re harmless to people. They don’t have venom or stingers, and they prefer to hide or run away from us.