NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce had to know more when she recently heard this mind-bending fact for the first time: a quarter of all known animal species are beetles.
Turns out — it’s not just that beetles are incredibly diverse. It’s that they inspire a lot of passionate study within the scientific community. But there’s at least one other animal that might give beetles a run for their money.
Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Brent Baughman, fact-checked by and edited by Viet Le.
Short Wave Podcast
It’s science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.