Ben Grossblatt - 100 Crazy Questions: Creatures: The Science Behind Silly Animal Scenarios

Look, its right there in the name: poison dart frog. Though not all poison dart frogs are actually poisonous, a number of them release toxins through their skin. These frogs are so named because indigenous hunters of Central and South America would rub the tips of their blow darts on the frogs backs. This made blowgun attacks double deadly. If the darts didnt finish off the hunters prey, the frog poison would. (The beautifully named golden poison frog has enough poison in its tiny body to kill 10 adult humans.) Scientists arent sure how these frogs turn toxic, but some think it might be toxic stuff in the plants eaten by the insects the frogs eat.

If you did, you might be in big trouble. While not all poison dart frogs are poisonous, and not all of them are poisonous to touch, its true that with some frogs, a touch is all it takes. The good news is that its hard to do this on purpose. These frogs even come packaged in bright colors to warn youand the frogs natural predatorsaway. The bold patterns and their blues, reds, yellows, and greens are signs that the frogs are not nice to eat and are potentially deadly.

CREATURE FEATURES

Poison dart frog

More than 100 species in the family Dendrobatidae

Length: Up to about 1.5 inches (4 cm)

Weight: Less than 1 ounce (up to 20 g)

Location: Central and South America

Birds have wings, feathers, and light, hollow bones. And they all lay eggs. From ostricheswhich, at 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, can tower above youto hummingbirds so small you could practically stick one behind your ear like a pencil, birds come in an incredible variety of shapes, sizes, and special abilities. There are birds that can outrun the fastest human, birds that can fly upside down, and birds that hunt in almost total silence.

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

Well, we know they definitely dont have hands. But bald eagles are famous for lots of things: their strength, their size, their overall majesty, and the way they appear on American quarters. But while youre remembering all that, dont forget their impressive construction abilities.