Snails

 Snails can sleep for up to three years by entering a state of dormancy called estivation (to avoid heat and dryness) or hibernation (to prevent cold temperatures). During these prolonged rest periods, their metabolism slows to conserve moisture and energy. To protect itself, the snail secretes a thick layer of mucus that hardens into a barrier, sealing the opening of its shell. This natural shield helps prevent dehydration and keeps out predators. When favorable weather conditions return, the snail simply dissolves the barrier and reawakens.

Tuxedo Park, NY

 The "tuxedo" was named after Tuxedo Park, an upstate New York countryside enclave for Manhattan's wealthiest citizens. The story has it that one evening, Griswold Lorillard, the son of the founder of Tuxedo Park, and his friends came up with the idea to wear a short black jacket without tails to the club's first Autumn Ball in October 1886. The new fashion was a hit. When male guests would visit with families in Tuxedo Park, they were intrigued by the jackets that men wore and would ask their tailors to make them a jacket “like the ones worn in Tuxedo.”

Baltimore Colts

 Between 1953 and 1984, the Colts were a professional American football club that competed in Baltimore. The squad currently goes by the name Indianapolis Colts and moved there in 1984. The team's name honors Baltimore's equine breeding and racing heritage. It was the Baltimore Colts' second incarnation after their original team spent three years competing in the All-America Football Conference and one year in the National Football League. Memorial Stadium served as the home field for the Baltimore Colts from 1953 through 1983.

In 1983, the Colts franchise received a proposal to relocate to Indianapolis, Indiana. The municipal administration of Baltimore tried to convince the state legislature to take away the Colts franchise and provide ownership to a different company that would guarantee to keep the Colts in Baltimore after failing to persuade them to do so. With the Oakland Raiders, Oakland, California, has recently had some legal success. On March 29, 1984, in the middle of the night, the franchise moved to Indianapolis under the threat of eminent domain from the city of Baltimore.

Baltimore would not give up and filed a lawsuit to declare the franchise invalid and take ownership. Despite losing in court, Baltimore finally gained a new NFL club in 1996 with the formation of the Baltimore Ravens in response to the Cleveland Browns' relocation issue.

The action outraged a lot of former Colts players. One of the most noteworthy was Johnny Unitas, who made the decision to sever all relations with his previous squad after the tragedy. On the other side, Colts owner Jim Irsay hosted a reunion for the Baltimore Colts, the 1975 AFC East champions, in 2009 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Bert Jones, Lydell Mitchell, and Mike Curtis were among the 39 of the team's 53 members who showed up for the event.

Sea Otter

 The sea otter is one of the few non-human animals known to regularly use tools. These intelligent marine mammals, found along the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean, often use rocks or other hard objects to help them access their favorite meals, such as clams, mussels, sea urchins, and crabs. A sea otter will float on its back, place a rock on its chest, and then smash the shellfish against it until the shell cracks open. This remarkable behavior demonstrates problem-solving and dexterity rarely seen among marine mammals.

Sea otters have a very high metabolic rate, which means they must eat about 25% of their body weight in food every day to stay warm in cold ocean waters. Unlike whales or seals, sea otters lack a thick layer of insulating blubber, so they rely on their extremely dense fur—around 600,000 to 1,000,000 hairs per square inch—to trap air and maintain warmth. This makes their fur the densest of any animal on Earth, but it also made them a target for fur hunters in the 18th and 19th centuries, pushing the species close to extinction.

Fortunately, conservation efforts and international protection have allowed many sea otter populations to rebound. They play a critical role in maintaining the balance of coastal ecosystems, particularly kelp forests. By feeding on sea urchins, they prevent these invertebrates from overgrazing and destroying kelp beds, which serve as vital habitats for numerous marine species.

The sea otter’s use of tools not only reflects intelligence but also cultural transmission—young otters often learn foraging techniques by observing their mothers. Scientists have even documented individual differences, with some otters favoring particular types of rocks or methods. This remarkable adaptability highlights the sea otter’s status as one of the most fascinating creatures of the marine world.

M&Ms

 If you were born before the 1990s, chances are high that you have encountered tan M&Ms. However, in 1995, the Mars candy company decided that having two shades of brown M&Ms was unnecessary. The company held a contest and invited M&Ms lovers to call 1-800-FUN-COLOR to vote for their favorite replacement color: blue, pink, or purple. After 10 million votes were cast, the color blue was chosen to replace the tan M&M. Since then, a regular pack of M&M's has contained a total of six colors: brown, yellow, green, red, orange, and blue.