We use analogies all the time to help us explain things. But what if we could use characters from a famous story – the Lord of the Rings – to learn about different life strategies of organisms?

Every so often, cicadas rise up from their quiet underground burrows to “sing” their best ballads. Aside from their sound, what do you know about the patient, musical lifestyle of these insects?

Some ticks carry a nasty bacteria that they can pass on to humans when they bite. Learn how the health status of the humans they bite helps control what they pass.

Being a parent is hard work. Though a snake might not seem comforting to you, pythons are actually very dedicated moms that take good care of their kids.