Next time you feel like defying gravity, consider a trip to Hawaii — specifically the island of Oahu, which is home to a reverse waterfall. Also known as the Upside Down Waterfall, Waipuhia Falls sprays up Mount Konahuanui and can be seen from Route 61 (the Pali Highway). The striking effect, visible only during the wet season between November and March, is a result of the island’s strong trade winds. They blow in a northeasterly direction, and catch the water before it can reach the bottom, making it look as though the waterfall flows in reverse.

No building on Kauai can be taller than a coconut tree.

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There is indeed a law on the books prohibiting any building on the Garden Isle from being taller than a coconut palm, or roughly four stories.

Though rare, reverse waterfalls do occur elsewhere. Perhaps the most famous is Naneghat, a waterfall in Maharashtra, India, some three hours from Mumbai. It’s at its strongest during monsoon season, from June to September. Similar phenomena have also been observed in places as varied as Utah and Sydney, though most of these are one-off events caused by extreme conditions — not that that makes them any less fascinating to watch.

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Although many people tend to focus on the chameleon’s ability to change its color (both for camouflage and to attract — or warn — potential mates), this amazing lizard’s tongue is an often-overlooked wonder. First, it’s the fastest “gun” in the animal kingdom: It can go from zero to 60 mph in one-hundredth of a second, something that the world’s fastest cars could never dream of achieving. But another surprising attribute of this incredible muscle is that it’s twice as long as a chameleon’s body on average — a handy feature when sneaking up on unsuspecting prey. Translated into human biological terms, that’s the same as a person having a 10- to 12-foot-long tongue. 

Giraffes have the longest tongues of any land mammal.

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Although giraffes have an amazing prehensile tongue, the anteater actually comes in first place here, with a tongue that stretches upwards of 2 feet long. Like most animal records, however, that accolade is obliterated by the blue whale, whose tongue is a staggering 18 feet long.

So how do chameleons, which are not particularly large lizards, keep this long tongue in such a small mouth? Well, scientists have discovered that a chameleon’s tongue contains elastic tissue that allows them to effectively store this secret weapon “folded up like an accordion,” in the words of National Geographic. When hunting prey, muscles contract in the mouth, similar to pulling back the string of a bow, and once that tension is released, simple physics takes over. The chameleon’s tongue propels forward with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it speed in a process scientists call “elastic recoil.” Then, a super-sticky, viscous fluid at the tongue’s tip ensnares the whiplashed insect, and the recoil returns the freshly caught meal to the chameleon’s mouth. Yum.

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Although ants rarely appear on the menu in the United States, it’s a different story in other parts of the world. Countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America — not to mention Mexico in North America — all have traditional dishes or ingredient blends that contain ants. In Laos, weaver ants add an acidic tang to fish soups, while in Mexico, fried leaf-cutting ants are a fixture at local markets. Although both larvae and adult ants can be eaten, the former is usually more appetizing; adult ants contain less flavor, though they are richer in protein. Ants also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus. In other words, ants might just count as a superfood.

Crickets are the most common insect food.

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Although crickets are a delicacy around the world (especially in Mexico), the most commonly consumed insect is the beetle. Many species are rich in protein and vitamins, and more than 650 species have been recorded as being eaten by humans.

Nutrition aside, perhaps the most convincing reason people might consider adding ants — and other insects — to their diet is the low environmental impact of consuming these creatures. Compared to conventional livestock farming, which may produce around 17% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, raising insects for consumption produces less emissions, uses less land, and provides other benefits, such as pollination and waste decomposition. Even substituting corn-based animal feed with insects could take a significant bite out of the agricultural industry’s carbon footprint. With the world’s population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, some experts argue that a green-friendly source of protein and vitamins shouldn’t be ignored — even if some people will still need to get past that unappetizing “ick” factor. 

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Despite their near ubiquity — they’re found in every ocean except the Arctic and Antarctic — stingrays remain enigmatic creatures. In fact, it was only recently discovered that one type of stingray, the cownose ray, appears to use its distinctive tail as an antenna to sense danger. That information comes to us from a 2025 paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society by Júlia Chaumel and George V. Lauder, who write that the tails are “able to detect water disturbances resulting from prey, predators, body movements, and near body flow dynamics.”

Stingrays don't have bones.

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Their skeleton is made up entirely of fibrous cartilage. They’re sometimes referred to as cartilaginous fish, as are sharks.

For most types of stingrays, it has long been known that their tails are used to defend against would-be predators such as sharks. But in the Myliobatiformes order, which includes manta rays, devil rays, and cownose rays, the purpose of the tail was not previously clear. The study focused on cownose rays, whose tails are made up of stiff tissue covered in small holes; 3D scans revealed these holes are connected to the lateral line canal, a series of sensory organs that extend the length of the ray’s body, including receptors in its skin that detect movement. That’s especially useful for cownose rays, which bury their heads in the sand to feed on burrowing bivalves. Lacking eyes in the back of their heads, they rely on their antennae-like tails to warn them of incoming predators before it’s too late.

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Like sanitation workers, human pet-food testers have a job that inspires a certain degree of stomach-churning but nevertheless provides a valuable service. Think about it: Some 87 million U.S. households own at least one pet, which means there's a bustling industry for nutritional products that keep our animal companions happy and healthy. And since Fido isn't likely to elaborate on how his breakfast tastes (satisfying crunch, but a little too much salmon?), the onus is on the two-legged testers to deliver more insightful evaluations.    

Pet food stamped with a "human grade" label should be produced at a facility licensed to prepare human food.

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According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), pet food labeled "human grade" must be "stored, handled, processed, and transported" in a manner compliant with federal human food laws, while clearly indicating that the food is meant for pet consumption.

As such, pet-food testing is a multifaceted role that requires attention to particulars and strong communication skills. Obviously, the products need to be taken into the mouth for tasting, and while some testers claim to actually enjoy eating the food, most simply spit it out after chewing for several seconds. From there, the tester provides detailed reports on the nuances of aroma, flavoring, and texture. They also may be involved in the development of new food formulas and production methodology. It’s a job that requires a distinct set of skills rather than a set education: While a degree in a culinary-related discipline such as nutrition science may help, it’s more important for a would-be employee to demonstrate a passion for the process and a clear ability to differentiate between mouthfuls of gravy chicken chunks from plates A and B.

The pros of this career choice include apparently high levels of job satisfaction: "No two days are ever the same," noted one longtime taster, who added that he derived joy from helping pets "become happier and healthier." And the pay isn't too shabby, either, with reports of a salary that can soar to over $100K for experienced testers. The cons? Quality ingredients or not, you're still required to dig into food you probably wouldn't touch otherwise. But if you're looking for a new source of income, and figure you can better tolerate a steady diet of cold meats compared to cold calls, then this may be the job for you.

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