Snake skins are awesome! Have you ever been out walking and see a long piece of, what looks like, a scaly tissue paper? This is actually the dead skin of the entire length of the snake's body.

  When snakes grow they get too large for their outer skin and the skin will actually peel away from the body. The snake then has room to grow larger and grow new skin. When the snake gets larger it will eventually shed its skin again to be able to grow even more.

  Unlike popular belief snakes are not actually slimy. They are a smooth kind of leather and are actually quite dry. Snake skin is quite sought-after for some people and can be used for boots and other clothing.

  When humans shed skin we usually wash it off in the shower or the bath tub but if you were to lose a bunch of skin quickly, for instance when you get a bad sun burn, then you can see how your skin can shed much like a snake's skin does.

Sponsors:

Real Life Real Estate

  A Salamander's Tale is actually about its tail and is not a sad story but one with a happy ending.

  Salamanders are an amazing amphibian. They are small but tough little creatures and they can escape from many dangers without too much harm.

  Salamanders are small and slimy and live in wet environments. They are usually very colorful to ward off prey and some are even poisonous to other animals who try to eat the salamander. If an animal tries to catch the salamander by the tail then the salamander can release its tail and escape.

  When a salamander releases its tail and loses it, the salamander does not lose it forever. It can regenerate and grow back its tail to full size over time. This allows the salamander to live a long life and have baby salamanders.

Sponsors:

Real Life Real Estate

  A shark is a magnificent fish. Did you know that sharks can have up to 6 rows of teeth?

  It's true. Sharks have many rows of teeth for chewing and they get replaced with new teeth regularly.

  Sharks eat many different things including mollusks (clams, squids), crustaceans (crabs, lobsters), other fish, and sometimes large mammals. Their teeth have different shapes depending on the shark's diet. Their teeth can range from big and flat to small and pointed. Not only do their teeth change depending on their diet but also where they live in the ocean and what type of shark they are.

  Try looking in a mirror and see what types of teeth you have and what the purpose of each kind is. Even though humans only have one row of teeth we have different kinds of teeth for chewing different food such as vegetables and meat.

Sponsors:

Real Life Real Estate

  One of the most interesting insects is the Praying Mantis.

  They are not only known for their unusual arms that look like swords but also for the fact that they hold their arms in a folded up manner that makes them look like they are praying.

  Praying Mantis are not the same as grasshoppers or crickets. They do not make any sounds with their legs. Some Praying Mantis can fly short distances with their wings. They like to eat smaller bugs and use their arms to hold them.

  Also not for the faint of heart… When the female praying mantis is ready to hatch her young; she will decapitate the male and lay her eggs inside of his body so that they are warm and have food when they hatch.

Sponsors:

Real Life Real Estate

  One of the strongest materials that are not manmade is trees.

  Trees are naturally made to grow tall so that they can absorb the most sunlight that they can. This also means that their roots must go deep and their trunk must be strong so that they do not fall over.

  The trunk and body of the tree are made of rings as the tree grows. A new ring grows every year. These rings have cross sections known as fibers and are built to not sway in the wind.

  Wood is used as one of the main materials to build houses and boats and many other things. It is also renewable and light. Wood is used as an example for scientists to create new materials such as carbon fiber and glass fiber. Fibers are very strong and used for many things nowadays.

  Nature grows to be strong and to last. To grow and live is what evolution is about and trees are one of the best examples of this.

Sponsors:

Real Life Real Estate