There’s an almost magical quality to cats that we sometimes take for granted. Their incredible flexibility, sensory awareness, and uncanny ability to always land on their feet when they fall make cats some of the most unique creatures around. There’s an actual scientific reason for this! This is all thanks to something called “cat righting reflex.”

But how do they pull it off? Whether it’s falling off a seven-foot fridge or your couch, they always manage to right themselves before hitting the ground. While we’ve seen animals do some extraordinary things, these little feline acrobats are pretty impressive!

Let’s dive and look at the science behind cats always landing on their feet!

What is Cat Righting Reflex? 

Cat righting reflex is a cat’s innate ability to orient itself as it falls in order to land on its feet. This ability appears when the cat is still a kitten, around 3-4 weeks of age. 

Cats have two physical advantages to perfect this reflex. 

First, cats have an unusually flexible backbone and no clavicle (collar bone). While the cat’s tail is also an effective tool for maintaining balance, cats without tails also have this righting reflex. 

Secondly, a cat’s ears actually play a significant role in why they always land on their feet. As it turns out, their inner ear holds the vestibular apparatus. This is a sensory system that helps with balance and spatial awareness so a cat can tell up from down.

The Techniques 

According to University of North Carolina Physics Professor Greg Gbur, cats can employ a series of different techniques when they fall. 

First technique: “Tuck and Turn”

A cat tucks in a pair of its paws so it can twist rapidly before hitting the ground. 

Second technique: “Falling Figure Skater”

Proposed by nineteenth century physicist James Clerk Maxwell, a cat can shift its angular momentum by retracting or extending its paws in a flash. 

Third technique:  “Bend and Twist”

The front half of the body rotates on a different axis from the back half.

Fourth technique:  “Propeller Tail”

This may be the most hysterical of the techniques. This is when the cat rotates its tail in the opposite direction of its body to right itself. Let that image sink in for a second. 

While these furry trapeze artists use a combination of all of these techniques to avoid a splat, their bodies also have low terminal velocity. Meaning, their small size, light bone structure and thick fur decreases the maximum speed at which they can fall through the air.

Everybody Wants to Be a Cat!

I mean, who wouldn’t want the ability to always land on their feed?

But beyond their gravity-defying ability, cats are unique, and sometimes mysterious, animals.

For example, cats can purr for a variety of reasons and you may not be able to tell exactly why. They might be purring because they want you to keep petting them, because they’re sick, or, if they’re a younger kitten, they may be persuading their mother to keep nursing them. If you’re not paying close attention to their behavior, it can be impossible to tell. 

This complexity relates to their cat righting reflex as well. Some cats are longer than others, fatter, skinnier, older, younger. – you name it! All these factors are at play, leaving that precise certainty of why cats always land on their feet still a bit up in the air

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The Polish Army was not the only Allied power that got some help from the animal kingdom – so did the US government! The US military employed thousands of military working war dogs during World War Two. Additionally, Army, Marine Corps and Navy units unofficially adopted thousands of animals when they served in war-torn areas.

So, how did all these dogs end up fighting in World War 2? Keep scrolling to read about how these dogs became an incredible asset for the US military!

How Did These “War Dogs” End Up in WWII?

During their first six months involved in WWII, the US government realized the need for working dogs. There was a great fear of German and Japanese soldiers landing on US shores. So, huge numbers of sentry and guard dogs were needed for the big leagues! The military initially envisioned these dogs patrolling coastlines, protecting industrial facilities and guarding military bases from attack. But, there was just one problem: The US military had no dog program. They also could not wait to breed their own dogs.

Because of this, the Army launched the Dogs for Defense Program, which allowed patriotic citizens to donate their dogs for military service. They Initially accepted almost any breed. However, the Army soon narrowed down the list once they built training centers. Approximately 75% of dogs that ended up being recruited during the war were Doberman pinschers and 25% were German Shepherds. 

What Did War Dogs Do During WWII?

So, how many dogs did military forces adopt during WWII? It is estimated that 1,047 dogs were donated and trained for military service throughout the war. And photographic evidence from the National Archives shows that the practice was widespread. These war dogs successfully served in both the Pacific and European areas.

Working dogs were used as scouts, messengers and attack dogs. They were trained not to bark, alerting soldiers of Japanese presence through special signals. The trained dogs could also detect a human scent up to one-half mile away.

Dogs were also adopted by smaller units at the platoon and company level. Sometimes divisions even had official dog mascots. Though dog mascots were not expected to perform military functions, their role was crucial in keeping troops fighting. Regardless of how official it was, service members adopting animals proved to be a widespread practice. The dogs also a huge morale booster!

What Did The Dogs Do After the War Ended?

In 1945, the military retrained these dogs back to civilian life. All but four dogs were able to be retrained and re-homed. Though it was common to adopt cats, birds, goats and mules, dogs were by far the most popular choice among service members. 

Throughout World War Two, dogs played a crucial part in the US military. Military working dogs served in a variety of roles, both on the home front and in frontline combat. Numerous stories of dogs’ heroism solidified their use for future generations. Of the 1,047 dogs that served, 25 died during their service.

To this day, the US military still uses dogs to fight in wars. Take a look at their intense training:

The post Good Boys: The War Dogs of World War 2 first appeared on History In Memes.

During the Ice Age, the short-faced bear was among the most menacing animals to reside in North America. If they weren’t extinct, they would still tower over the bears that inhabit these same areas today.

But how much do you really know about the short-faced bear? And with no natural predators, what could have happened to them? 

Let’s take al look at this exciting creature and what led to its disappearance. 

How Big Was the Short-Faced Bear?

The short-faced bear was a Goliath of an animal. While on all fours, it stood approximately 6 feet tall at the shoulders. When they stood up on two legs, they were 11-12 feet tall! Their arms reach was believed to be an incredible 14 and a half feet – or possibly higher. 

The short-faced bear is estimated to have weighed around 2500 pounds on average. In fact, one bear was uncovered in South America, weighing roughly 3500 pounds, making it the largest bear ever discovered.

Short-Faced Bears Diet?

The diet and hunting style of the short-faced bear has been subject to debate. The bear was initially believed to chase down its prey with its long limbs. Similar to giant ground sloths. 

But recent studies suggest that it was more likely to have been an omnivore and ate whatever it could find. The longer, thinner limbs would not be able to support the sudden turns or quick agility required to chase down prey. But the bear could easily steal the kills of a big cat or dire wolf with its overwhelming size and chow down on the leftovers!

The Habitat of a Short-Faced Bear

The Short-Faced bear lived roughly 8,000 to 12,500 years ago during the Pleistocene period. It inhabited much of North America, from Alaska to Mexico. They have been uncovered as far east as Virginia and as far south as Southern Patagonia.

Covering such a massive area, the short-faced bear inhabited a range of diverse climatic conditions. These include subtropical woodlands, steppe tundra, open plains, grasslands, and boreal forests!

The Behavior of the Short-Faced Bear

The nasal opening of the short-faced bear leads researchers to believe it had an elevated sense of smell. The large teeth in their cheek are perfect for cracking bones, and the razor-sharp fangs are excellent for tearing flesh. Similar to modern bears, they were likely solitary scavengers that traveled vast distances using the wind as their compass toward a fresh carcass. 

Based on the findings of females in or around caves, it is likely to have been the denning location for short-faced bears. Cubs would stay with their mothers until they could survive on their own. 

What Happened to the Short-Faced Bear?

Habitat was vastly changed by the disappearance of the northern grasslands depriving them of their best scavenging areas. It is also possible they were outpaced by the slighter, more efficient brown bears that migrated from the west. Climate change played a significant role in the disappearance of the short-faced bear. 

Humans would have also been directly competing with short-faced bears for the large herbivores they depended on. The most likely conclusion is that the combination of climate change, competition, and disease led to the extinction of this remarkable creature.

Conclusion

The short-faced bear had a good run. It is believed to have inhabited the earth for over 800,000 years and survived a variety of heating and cooling events. But like most creatures that made up the Pleistocene period, fossils give us the only window into their fascinating existence.

The post The Giant Short-Faced Bear of the Ice Age first appeared on History In Memes.

Privately owned, makeshift zoos have been thrust into the limelight with eccentric characters like Joe Exotic the “Tiger King” and his nemesis, Carole Baskin, dominating pop culture. But paying to interact with dangerous animals in shockingly unregulated environments is not exactly new. Welcome to the California Alligator Farm: A rather terrifying tourist attraction that opened in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, in 1907. 

While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen animals do the unexpected, the California Alligator Farm is a testament to America’s past – when things got a little wild from time to time…

Meet “Alligator Joe” Campbell

California’s alligator farms were founded by alligator king, “Alligator Joe” Campbell, and Francis Earnest, the man who owned an Ostrich Farm across the street. The price of admission? Just 25 cents!

“Alligator Joe” initially set up shop down south in Hot Springs, Arkansas. But when the bright lights of L.A. – and its hot bed of tourism – were too tempting to pass up, he loaded his gators on a train and headed West. 

In Lincoln Heights, Campbell’s impressive roster of nearly a thousand reptiles became the most complete reptile collection in the world. Over 13,000 visitors soaked in those scales every year. 

A Day at the Farm 

A typical visit to the Alligator Farm included men, women, and young children feeding, touching and even riding alligators. The alligators’ size ranged anywhere from between a few inches and 13 feet in size. 

Visitors could even buy the smaller alligators to take home!

At the nudging of the handlers, the alligators performed for the crowd. The alligators ate live chickens, rode down slides and wrestled with “trainers.” You could even visit the movie star alligator, Billy, who cameoed in various films from 1910-1940. Billy’s “star quality” came from his ability to open his jaw wide whenever meat dangled off-camera. 

Billy was the oldest reptile in the park. Because of this, he had been domesticated enough to wear a saddle that parents gladly placed their children on for a slithery ride.

There’s No Way This Ended Well, Right?

Correct. But not for the reasons you’re thinking!

Yes, it was risky to buy two acres for an alligator farm that was equipped with an incubator house – and then opening said alligator farm to children. But no serious accidents or lawsuits were responsible for the California Alligator Farm’s closure. It was actually poor attendance!

In 1953, tourists started to kse interest. The farm was relocated from LA to Buena Park, California, before closing for good in 1984. 

Even though it shut down, the park has remained a staple of Los Angeles history. Long live the days when you could put alligators on trains, ship them across the country and have people pay to hang out in pools with them. Yikes!

The post California’s Alligator Farms of the 1900s first appeared on History In Memes.

Without a doubt, the Allies had help from many people, countries, and even animals during World War Two. However, a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek was one of the most unexpected allies. Serving in the Free Polish Army from 1942 to 1945, Wojtek was known for his power, strength, and almost human-like personality. 

But, his service to the Allied cause goes far beyond his cute and cuddly face. Wojtek actually saw combat in one of the fiercest battles of the Italian campaign. 

Polish Soldiers in Iran rescued Wojtek 

In the spring of 1942, the Allies knew the war would last a long time. Because of this, they needed to raise as many armies as possible. One of the ways the Allies thought to do this was to raise new units from prisoners and refugees who had fled conquered countries. Poland was the perfect candidate for this proposal. 

Because the Soviet Union was a German ally before being invaded by German forces, Soviet authorities had hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians stashed away in gulags. With the new agreement inked in 1941, Soviet authorities granted pardons to any Polish man or woman who joined the new army. Known as Ander’s army, after its commanding officer, the unit shipped out in March 1942 to serve in the British army. 

While en route through Iran, 18-year-old Irena Bokiewicz encountered a brown bear cub at a rail station. She convinced her great uncle, to adopt the bear. The Iranian boy selling it said poachers had killed its mother. Taking pity on the bear, the niece convinced an army Lieutenant to buy the bear and that she would take care of it herself. The officer agreed.

Over the next three months, Wojtek, which is short for happy warrior, grew stronger and bigger. Soon, he was the official mascot of the Second Polish Army Corps.

Wojtek Served in Combat in Italy

Before leaving Iran, General Anders had to figure out how to get Wojtek onto a British transport ship. Army regulations forbid mascots or animals from embarking. General Anders enlisted Wojtek as a private in the army to get around this rule. Wojtek was now a soldier with an actual pay account and identity card. 

With the problem of transporting Wojtek out of the way, the next issue was how to employ him. Polish officers agreed that he could be used to haul heavy artillery shells. So, they put him in the 22^nd Artillery Supply Company. After his new assignment, the Polish Second Army Corps arrived in Italy, enduring almost three years of constant combat. 

The deadliest battle the Poles fought in was the Battle for Monte Cassino. Overlooking a strategic height of the infamous Gothic Line, taking the centuries-old monastery was vital to cracking German defenses in Italy. During the months-long battle, the Poles were engaged in heavy fighting, including the 22^nd Artillery Supply Company.

With casualties high, Polish leadership even threw support units into infantry roles. With a shortage of manpower, the company’s commander started using Wojtek to carry artillery shells to the guns. Wojtek is said to have done such a good job carrying crates of ammunition that he was promoted to corporal! 

Though Wojtek handling shells like a human is disputed, at least one British observer claimed he saw him do it. But, regardless of how true the story is or not, Wojtek was a great morale booster for the unit. Here’s some other habits he was known to do:

• Drink beer and coffee
• Smoke (and eat) cigarettes
• Sleep with other soldiers if they were cold in the night
• Salute when greeted

Wojtek’s Legacy

Wojtek was a morale boost during a time when there wasn’t much to smile about. His happy-go-lucky personality made him a hit with soldiers who had endured so much already. After serving in Italy for three years, he was brought to the UK. he was brought along with his unit, where it was disbanded. However, like many Polish soldiers serving the Commonwealth, Wojtek stayed in the UK. 

Wojtek took up residence at the Edinburgh Zoo, where visitors would even throw cigarettes into his enclosure sometimes. He enjoyed his celebrity status until 1961, when he passed away.

The post Wojtek: The Bear Who Fought in WWII first appeared on History In Memes.

Imagine: You’re face-to-face with a leopard viciously trying to kill you. We know, this sounds like your worst dream – or more like a nightmare – you’re hoping you wake up from. But, this is something that actually happened to taxidermist Carl Akeley – and he lived to tell the tale.

Unless you’re a pro fighter like Mayweather, there’s no shot of fighting off such a primal animal who is dead-set on killing you. But for Akeley, his encounter with a leopard was not him staring death in the face, but rather, getting into a little scuffle with a bully. No big deal!

So, who is this man who’s able to fight a leopard? Here are five facts about certified badass Carl Akeley and his strange ride to becoming obsessed with taxidermy.

1. Carl Was a Major Advocate For Taxidermy 

Carl Akeley was many things – a naturalist, inventor, conservationist. But was more notably known as a taxidermist. So much so, he’s actually known as the father of modern taxidermy. After viewing an exhibit when he was younger, Carl became fascinated with taxidermy and believed it was an art form. Carl believed it’s important to show people what animals look like in the wild, in their natural habitat. He didn’t “hide his methods, he shared them with museums in hopes of having the animal skins placed on a perfectly molded recreation of the animal’s body, thus melding the artificial and the real to make something educational. His biggest goal was to build a large-scale diorama of Africa with the game that could be found on the plains.”

2. Carl Akeley First Attempted Taxidermy At 12 Years Old

Killing and stuffing animals may not be everybody’s dream job, but it sure was Carl’s! His first attempt at taxidermy was at 12 years old when his friend’s pet canary died. Carl – being the good friend he was – offered to stuff the bird. Stuffing the inside of the bird, as well as sewing glass beads into the eye sockets, Carl fixed and preserved the animal. His attempt fueled his passion for taxidermy further, which led to years of educating and immersing himself in the subject matter. When he turned 19 years old, he was offered an apprenticeship at the Ward’s Natural Science Establishment, which started his journey of museum work all around New York.

3. Near-Death Encounters With Wild Animals

Leopards weren’t the only animals out for Carl’s blood – he has a long list of crazy scary encounters with wild animals. While on Mount Kenya, a bull elephant charged and almost crushed him. Another time he was tag-teamed by three charging rhinos, who just missed hitting him. And thank god for that –  he didn’t have any weapons on him! After successfully shooting a silverback gorilla, the limp, lifeless body came tumbling towards Carl and nearly knocked him off a cliff. Carl’s even shot hyenas, warthogs, and almost got an ostrich.

4. Carl Killed A Leopard With His Bare Hands

The ostrich attempt is where the infamous story of the leopard begins. During his first trip to Africa, Carl was face-to-face with a leopard. While out hunting for ostrich, there was a sound in the tall grass nearby. Figuring it was a hyena or maybe a warthog, Carl did a very foolish thing and shot blindly at the hidden animal. Hearing the animal’s shriek, Carl knew it was no hyena and most certainly was not a warthog. The 80-pound leopard lunged for Carl, sinking her teeth into his forearm. He jammed his arm down her throat while clutching her throat with his other hand in an attempt to strangle and subdue her. 

While discussing the near death incident, Carl explained:

“I couldn’t do it except little by little. When I got enough grip on her throat to loosen her hold just a little she would catch my arm again an inch or two lower down. In this way, I drew the full length of the arm through her mouth inch by inch… [There was] only the sound of the crushing of tense muscles and the choking, snarling grunts of the beast… I felt her relax, a sort of letting go, although she was still struggling. At the same time I felt myself weakening similarly, and then it became a question as to which would give up first.”

– Carl Akeley

Carl was successful, making it out of the fight with his life and with the prize of the killed leopard. That crazy experience didn’t stop him from going back. Carl made a total of five trips to Africa to observe, study, and bring back animals.

5. Carl Akeley Died While In The Field

Spending years and multiple trips to Africa studying animals, Carl also began inventing tools that would help other taxidermists. He invented the “Akeley cement gun,” which mounted animals, as well as the “Akeley camera,” also known as the “Pancake camera”, which helped taxidermists film animals in the wild. It also was impressive mechanically for its ability to be  easily mounted, rotated and reloaded.

Carl Akeley died from a fever he contracted while in Congo in 1926. He died a few miles away from where he had previously observed gorillas during a trip to Congo in 1921.

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Dogs are known as man’s best friend. But in the years of WWII, Smoky the Dog was more than Corporal Bill Wynne’s best friend – he was his heroic fellow soldier!

How Did Smoky the Dog Become Smoky the Soldier?

The 8-month-old Yorkshire Terrier Smoky, later nicknamed “Yorkie Doodle Dandy,” was abandoned in a New Guinea foxhole in 1944. She definitely could fit into small spaces – including a soldier’s pack. This little pup weighed in at 4 pounds, 7 inches tall – how cute!

Corporal Bill Wynne bought Smoky for a whopping $6. And he sure got his money’s worth – not only did the Corporal get a best friend, he got a soldier that would save so many lives during World War II combat. 

How Smoky the Dog Survived Combat and Enemy Attacks

Smoky learned over 200 hand signals and commands to survive and alert her team of incoming enemy attacks. She was involved in 12 air-sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions, survived 150 air raids, and to top it all off, she survived a typhoon. There was nothing this little pup couldn’t handle!

Her most infamous mission was in February 1945. The US Army was in the Lingayen Gulf. Fearful of a repeated attack from the Japanese, Wynne desperately needed to send communications from his team’s spot back to the headquarters base. But, there was no way to get back to base without exposing themselves to attack, Wynne found a 70-inch pipe that traveled back to headquarters. Wynne sent Smoky through, which was littered with leaking sand from above. At some points, Smoky only had 4 inches of headway! Being that little has its perks!

They tied a string with their communications on it and nervously sent Smoky on her way through the pipe. Smoky was successful with her efforts. She not only spared her team exposure to bullets, bombs, and enemy attacks, but saved them from a three-day adventure that she resolved in minutes. The soldiers also gave Smoky the best reward of all: A large steak dinner as a thank you!

From The Battlefield To Therapy

Smoky’s legacy goes far beyond her war efforts. She also became known as the “world’s first therapy dog.” She entertained members of Wynne’s team with a number of learned tricks, as well as visiting injured veterans in hospitals to brighten up their days. Smoky also became the first dog to be awarded the honor of the Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service medal, which is the highest honor an animal can be awarded. The president of Animals in War & Peace, Robin Hutton, commented on awarding Smoky such an esteemed honor:

“We don’t think of the animal sacrifice in war, but what they have done is truly stunning,” she explained. “The soldiers they serve with become their ‘pack,’ so they do these fierce feats because they want to please and out of love and devotion they have for their handler. They prove themselves time and time again.” 

– Animals in War & Peace President Robin Hutton on honoring Smoky

Honoring Smoky’s Legacy

Unfortunately, Smoky died on February 21st in 1957. Corporal Wynne buried his best friend in a World War II .30 caliber ammo box in Rocky River Reservation in Cleveland. She was later moved to the “Smoky and Dogs of All Wars” memorial in 2005. The memorial honors Smoky’s legacy of being a loyal, dedicated war dog and first therapy dog. Learn more about the heroic, wonder dog Smoky with this brief video!

The post Smoky the Dog: A WWII Hero first appeared on History In Memes.

Don’t mind me, I’m just walking my…… anteater?

Well, some of us, like Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali, apparently aren’t big dog people.

This photo, taken in 1969, shows artist Salvador Dali taking a nice stroll through the streets of Paris with his pet anteater by his side. He was looking stylish and definitely caught everyone’s eye. Maybe this is a hot take, but it seems very peculiar to see an anteater on a leash roaming the streets like a domesticated dog. 

Maybe Salvador was allergic to dogs… or maybe anteaters make the best pet. Maybe he wanted the crowd’s attention or maybe there’s a deeper symbolism to his pet choices.

Salvador Dali even brought an anteater with him as a special guest on The Dick Cavett Show. But the real question here is not why does he have an anteater – but where did he get one?

In addition to his odd choice of anteaters as pets, here are five interesting facts you didn’t know about Salvador Dali:

1. He was both born and died in the same place – Figueres, Spain
2. Salvador’s father and older brother were also named Salvador. His brother had died nine months before Salvador was born. When his parents took him to visit his late brother’s grave, they told him he was the reincarnation of his brother. He clung to this concept and his brother was a major influence in his work.
3. Due to his behavior and creativity, Salvador was once asked if he did drugs to which he replied no. But followed up with the statement of “I am drugs.” 
4. When he went out to dinner with a big group of friends, Salvador would offer to pick up the tab. To pay the bill he would write a check out to the restaurant, but would also include a quick doodle on the back of the check. This was because he knew that the restaurant wouldn’t cash the check with his drawing on the back because his artwork was far too valuable. Therefore, it was the perfect plan to get out of paying the bill and spreading your artwork.
5. You can actually buy tickets to a 90-minute digital metaverse experience of Salvador Dali’s work here.

Into art history? Check out this video of Picasso painting!

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