Stuart Blackman
Recent articles by Stuart Blackman
"Working together they can subdue prey 700 times their weight - even birds aren't safe..." Inside this terrifying web of nightmares
If one spider is enough to get you sweating, how about webs full of thousands of them?
![Chinese Softshell Turtle [Pelodiscus sinensis]](https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/62/2024/10/Pelodiscus-sinensis-scaled.jpg?w=1200&webp=1 "Chinese Softshell Turtle [Pelodiscus sinensis]")
"It may leave a bitter taste, but peeing out their mouths produces more concentrated urea – and they can simply rinse and gargle away – lovely"
This peculiar habit enables this turtle to enjoy the best of both worlds says Stuart Blackman
They're one of the weirdest type of animals on the planet, famous for their pouches, but what on Earth are marsupials and why do they have pouches?
Learn all about marsupials in our expert guide, including why they have pouches
Fierce, majestic – and built to kill – The world's biggest and mightiest birds of prey
All you need to know about the magnificent birds of prey, including the biggest in the world
18 ridiculous animal body parts that don’t make any sense (until you learn why...)
Discover the origin and purpose of the structures of living things, from why baboons have swollen bottoms to the comically-large paws of moles.
Know your Zygomorphic & Bioacoustics from your Anthropocene & Neotony? 81 strange, bizarre scientific & biological terms you probably don't know...
Have you ever puzzled over the meaning of a particular wildlife word or phrase? Then puzzle no more! From the 'Fraser Darling effect' to the 'K-T Boundary', our glossary provides the explanation – in plain, simple English.
"Armed with up to 60 serrated teeth, it attacks using a devastating 'grip-and-rip' technique." World's 8 deadliest bites that crush, slice or inject their victims
Stuart Blackman takes a look at the animals that can deliver the deadliest of bites
It has a cloak, huge eyes and bright blue snot – AND that's only the beginning...
What are vampire squids? Where do they live and why are they called vampire? Stuart Blackman explains all
What is a chicken wishbone – and why on Earth do people fight over it?
Just how useful is a wishbone to a chicken? Find out with our expert guide
Do any birds have teeth?
Why don't birds have teeth? And did they ever have teeth? Stuart Blackman explains
This peculiar rodent is the size of a domestic cat and weirdly covered in bands of deep, rich reds and blues
This giant squirrel is known more for its colour scheme, than its impressive size. Discover the rainbow squirrel
"Prey is disembowelled and rapidly consumed, often still conscious." 10 deadly species that form ruthless gangs to hunt and kill prey
From coordinated hunts to ruthless ambushes, some of the world’s deadliest animals become even more formidable when they work together
Pitfall traps, honeytraps, sticky traps, booby traps... 10 ingenious, chilling – and ruthless – ways deadly predators lure prey to their death
Rather than chasing down their prey these ruthless killers prefer their dinner to come to them
10 deadliest, most ruthless, savage primates on the planet – "Their hunting expeditions involve intelligence, cooperation and utterly brutal violence."
From stealthy forest hunters to fiercely territorial fighters, some primates possess a surprisingly deadly edge – combining strength, aggression and unpredictability
Why on Earth are pink lakes pink? The science behind nature's most vibrant waters
Yes some lakes are pink. Here's why
Just why do male animals produce so much sperm when females produce so few eggs?
Stuart Blackman explains why there is so much more sperm than eggs...
"It has a lethally large inner toe tipped by a deadly dagger-like claw..." 15 weirdest, strangest birds on the planet, including one that reeks of fresh cow manure
There are plenty of contenders for the weirdest bird list from the 'stinky' hoatzin to the strange-looking secretary bird. Here are our favourite weirdest birds
"The toady face is the spider’s backside..." Arachnophobes look away now as here are the 10 weirdest spiders in the world
Check out the weirdest spiders in the world, from the curiously-named 'happy-bum spider' to a fearsome species that eats its sexual partner
Do snakes eat each other?
Do snakes eat other snakes? Can they be cannibalistic? Stuart Blackman investigates
"It conjures horror images of wide-eyed insanity, foaming at the mouth and an excruciating death." 10 deadliest diseases humans can get from animals
From rabies to plague, the world’s deadliest zoonotic diseases have shaped human history — and continue to threaten millions today.
Why on Earth do animals all look the same when humans all look different?
Wondering why are humans so variable when other species tend to look the same? Stuart Blackman explains
David Attenborough as you've never seen him before – him laughing at the noisiest plant in the world might be the most joyful thing you'll watch today
The noisiest plant in the world is actually quite amusing, as this BBC video with David Attenborough proves.
9 animals that could take on (and probably kill) a saltwater crocodile: Just which creatures are able to take on one of the world's deadliest animals?
Although they are apex predators in their own habitats, saltwater crocodiles do face threats from other animals. Here are 9 that are capable of killing a saltie
"When danger threatens, the gut wall ruptures and the sticky organ is ejected through its bottom..."
Black sea cucumbers channel their inner spider to entangle predators
