Prehistory squeezed out an inexhaustible list of captivating creatures. Everyone already knows about the raptors, mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, and similarly legendary beasts, but that’s barely scratching the surface of nature’s creativity. From sea lion–like whales that popped above water to give birth to the VW Beetle–sized armadillo that gave up its shell for the benefit

People from the 19th and early 20th centuries were fascinating, to say the least. Inspired by the Industrial Revolution and groundbreaking scientific discoveries, the average householder developed an interest in inventions, “improving” their lives by using cutting-edge (untested) science and technology in every aspect of their social and domestic lives. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm often ran

Scientists are at it again. This time, they are creating new viruses and bacteria in their laboratories. Scientists usually prefer altering already-existing or extinct bacteria and viruses to produce new strains that will defeat our immunity, vaccines, and drugs. Sometimes, they prefer creating new viruses and bacteria from scratch. However, these strains are not always

Are we alone in the universe? Ever since humankind discovered the existence of other planets and solar systems, we have been wondering if we might be contacted by another intelligent species one day. International SETI science projects and amateur backyard astronomers alike have directed their telescopes to deep space to find transmissions that might have

There’s no doubt about the connection between nerds and scientists. Often, the culture of one feeds the other. Perhaps it is because the phenomena of the natural and technological worlds become building blocks when creating fantastic fictional worlds. However, it is not always the scientists who inspire nerd culture to provide the elements to create

Serial killers have long been the focus of ghoulish fascination in the minds of the public. True crime readers experience the vicarious thrill of walking in the minds of vicious murderers, and Listverse may have published a few serial killer lists in the past. For most of us, this is as a harmless, if macabre,

Except for scientists who experiment on lab rats, many people scream at the sight of these creatures or try to kill them. The blanket perception is that rats are useless vermin. However, the truth is more unusual. These highly intelligent mammals have jobs in the military and medical sectors. They rescue their fellow rats and

Comets go missing. Yes, we know that sounds weird. Comets are huge and have distinctive tails, so they tend to stand out. And it isn’t like they can be stolen by aliens, or something. Nevertheless, sometimes they just disappear. Missing comets are a puzzle to astronomers. Most of the time, they suspect the comet broke