FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD

Geckos have tiny hairs at the bottom of their feet. Those allow them to climb onto any surface.

Koalas drink by licking water off tree trunks.

Tree frogs confuse predators by croaking in almost perfect synchrony with each other. As a result, their enemies hear only one frog, while there are many more.

Seagulls prefer food touched by humans over food they’ve never seen people touch.

The Atacama Desert in Chile is one of the driest places on earth. Yet, micro-organisms there can literally extract water from stone.

Beneath the icy sheets of Antarctica, there are giant viruses. They’re ten times larger than those we normally come across and can live up to tens of thousands of years.

Heavy rain may cause volcanic eruptions. The water finds its way under the fiery mountains and increases the pressure, making lava burst out.

66 million years ago, a strange beaver-like creature lived alongside the dinosaurs. Scientists still don’t know which family it belonged to.

A leaf beetle has been found that can cure many allergies. It feeds on a powerful allergen that scientists believe can save us a lot of trouble.

Salmon, travelling thousands of miles a year, might be using tiny particles of magnetite in their bodies to navigate by the magnetic fields of Earth.

Forest fires might seem dangerous but, in small measures, they’re good for the environment. For example, they help honey bees to adapt to harsh conditions.

A bolt of lightning can reach temperatures 5 times higher than the surface of the sun.

Frogs can freeze and thaw without harming themselves.

Bananas have a curved shape because they turn towards the sun.