February 13, 2009

I was walking down a trail in a swampy area near the shore in a National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia when this poisonous snake, a water moccasin,  crawled out of the grasses on one side of the trail and headed across to the other side. Naturally, I had no objections. Why does a water moccasin cross a trail?

To get to the other side, of course.

A water moccasin is also called a cottonmouth or a black moccasin.  It’s called a cottonmouth because it will stand its ground and open its jaws, exposing the white lining of its mouth. Adult water moccasins are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite,  but their reputation for attacking people without warning is not exactly accurate.

Water moccasins live in the Eastern part of the United States,  usually near slow-moving streams and shallow lakes. They are strong swimmers and will even enter the ocean where they will sometimes swim to nearby islands.

February 11, 2009

GORILLAS

Contest: Go Gorilla!

Gorillas and humans share 98% of their DNA. Now is your chance to show how similar our species really are!

First,  find an example of gorilla behavior online [see examples below]. Then,  submit a short video of you imitating some aspect of gorilla behavior-its walk, its sounds, facial expressions, and more. No costumes are required - in fact, they’re discouraged.
The Prize: An autographed copy of Seymour Simon’s new Gorillas book! Your video also gets posted on the SeymourScience Web site! In case of ties, more than one prize will be given.

Gorilla Behavior Videos

January 30, 2009

A lion decided one day to remind everyone he was king of the jungle.

He saw a monkey, and roared "Who is the King of the Jungle?"

"You are, Master," said the monkey, cowering.

Then the lion approached a warthog. "Who is the King of the Jungle?" roared the lion.

"You are, my Lord," said the warthog, quivering with fear.

Next the lion met an elephant. "Who is the King of the Jungle?" roared the lion.

The elephant grabbed the lion with his trunk, swung him in the air, slammed him ten times against a tree trunk, threw him into a dense patch of thorns, and strolled away.

"Okay!" shouted the lion. "There’s no need to turn nasty just because you don’t know the answer!" 

January 30, 2009

"Your dog must be sick. He isn’t barking. He just goes tick, tick,  tick."

"He’s not sick. He goes tick, tick, tick because he’s a watchdog!"

"Well, if he’s a watchdog, why is he running around in circles?"

"That’s because he’s all wound up!" 

January 29, 2009

Did you know that a baby cockroach can crawl into your house through an opening the thickness of a penny? Read about cockroaches, rats, hyenas,  vultures and other animals nobody loves in Seymour’s book ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES. Click on Seymour Simon’s Bookstore to get a copy.

January 27, 2009

Do you know that all snakes are carniverous? That is, snakes eat only other animals, no plants.

Do you know that some snakes can eat an animal that weighs more than they do? (Can you imagine eating a sandwich that weighs more than you do?) 

January 27, 2009

How about you trying to make up your own Animal Fact or Animal Fiction?

Do you know if everything you ever heard about snakes is fact or fiction?

Read Seymour’s book SNAKES and make up your own puzzle! Send it to Email SEYMOUR SCIENCE! 

January 27, 2009

What do you call a cat that just ate a pickle?

Are you ready for this one?

Really ready?

Ok, then,

You call it a SOUR PUSS! 

January 22, 2009

Take the challenge! What do you think? Is this Fact or Fiction?

BATS ARE BLIND: Fact or Fiction?

The answer is: (scroll down the page to find out if you’re right!) 

January 22, 2009

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