Nature. Travel. Animals FYI

Welcome to the World of Animals and much more! We travel the world in search of fascinating creatures and cultures in some of the most spectacular places in the world. Join us as we explore the world!

Cruise News

Follow along on our journeys as we travel around the world as guest speakers.

A joyful white dog running framed within an oval shape, accompanied by an inspirational quote from the Viking World Cruise 2024.

Viking World Cruise – Viking Sky 2023/24

Resource Page

The resource page has some of the key pieces of information that I mention in many of my lectures.


Cover of Animal Facts book by B.B. Brilliant

Download Your Own Free Copy of Fun Animal Facts

This little e-booklet is loaded with amazing fun animal facts.

Great for sharing with kids and grandkids!

Download here

For example, did you know that the barrel eye fish has a transparent head?! It can look upwards through its transparent skull. The barrel eye fish has a 360-degree field of vision without moving its body. Better than having eyes in the back of your head!


Read George’s book on the Amazing Octopus –

The Octopus Paradox: 9 Brains, 3 Hearts, and 8 Arms Make for a Fascinating Creature” Learn how octopuses make nine brains work as one!

Dive into the mesmerizing world of octopuses with this captivating book! Explore their incredible abilities, from problem-solving to tool usage. Discover the intriguing behaviors that hint at their possible consciousness. Immerse yourself in a journey that unveils the mysteries of these fascinating creatures. Get ready to be amazed and gain a whole new appreciation for the extraordinary octopus.


Share Your Memories – the Easy Way!

Learn how easy it is to create your own free eBook to share your travel adventures and photos with family and friends. Download my FREE eBook written from personal experience as a world traveler and cruise ship lecturer for over 17 years.

George Sranko free PDF cover-  share your memories of travel the easy way.

  • Viking World Cruise 2024

    Viking World Cruise 2024

    Hi Friends, thank you for visiting! It is my great pleasure to join you for this exciting segment of the Viking Sky World Cruise from Asia to Africa and around the Cape to Lisbon, where we will disembark. I am one of your guest speakers on board and my focus is on the Natural Sciences.…

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  • 10 Amazing Facts About the Secretary Bird: Stilt-Walker of the African Savanna

    10 Amazing Facts About the Secretary Bird: Stilt-Walker of the African Savanna

    The Stilt-Walking Secretary Birds of Africa In the open African plains, there’s a bird so unique that it could have sprung from the pages of an explorer’s wildest journal. The secretary bird, with its long legs and quill-like feathers upon its head, is a sight to behold. It’s a bird that wears its name like…

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  • How do we Inspire Young People? Using Fun Facts to Engage Young Minds

    How do we Inspire Young People? Using Fun Facts to Engage Young Minds

    How do we inspire the Young People in our lives? I’ve been reflecting on this as we come towards the end of our time on the Viking World Cruise.  Our lives have been filled with so many awesome experiences, stories and photos!  What are the messages we want to convey to our friends and family?…

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  • How Smart Is a Crow: Unveiling Avian Intelligence

    How Smart Is a Crow: Unveiling Avian Intelligence

    The Intelligence of a Crow Crows possess a remarkable level of intelligence that is evident in their behavior and social interactions. Their cognitive skills are on display when they encounter obstacles; they use a variety of strategies to navigate these challenges. For instance, they are known to select sticks as tools to retrieve insects from…

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  • Deep Sea Dragon Fish: 12 Fascinating Facts and Best Kept Secrets

    Deep Sea Dragon Fish: 12 Fascinating Facts and Best Kept Secrets

    Diet and Hunting Deep-sea dragonfish have a diverse diet, primarily focusing on smaller marine life such as crustaceans and various types of fish. Their unique hunting techniques allow them to effectively find and capture prey in the challenging deep-sea environment. You may find it interesting to know that the deep-sea dragonfish possess specialized adaptations for…

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  • Elephant Trunks: 10 Incredible Facts and Secrets Uncovered

    Elephant Trunks: 10 Incredible Facts and Secrets Uncovered

    Anatomy of Elephant Trunks The elephant trunk, an incredible fusion of the upper lip and nose, is a testament to the extraordinary adaptations found in these majestic animals. The anatomy of an elephant trunk, which lacks any bones or cartilage, consists of a muscular hydrostat, a powerful arrangement of muscles that makes it extremely flexible…

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  • Why Did Giraffes Evolve Long Necks? Discover the Latest Science

    Why Did Giraffes Evolve Long Necks? Discover the Latest Science

    There is still some debate about why giraffes have long necks. The accepted theory has been that long necks evolved as as an adaptation to feeding in tall trees and to help giraffes spot predators. Another idea is gaining support; it is called the “necks-for-sex” hypothesis, which suggests that a primary driver for the evolution…

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  • How Does an Anaconda Snake Kill Its Prey? Science of Constrictors Explained

    How Does an Anaconda Snake Kill Its Prey? Science of Constrictors Explained

    In recent years, it has been discovered that boa constrictors, anacondas, and other nonvenomous constrictor snakes kill their prey by inducing cardiac arrest rather than suffocation. This means that the constriction process is quicker and more efficient than previously thought. When these snakes wrap their coils around their prey, they apply pressure that essentially stops…

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  • The Blue-Ringed Octopus: A Shy, Venomous Creature That Can Kill You

    The Blue-Ringed Octopus: A Shy, Venomous Creature That Can Kill You

    The Blue-ringed octopus only shows its bright blue rings when it is disturbed and ready to bite in self defense. This small marvel from Australia and the Western Pacific possesses enough venom to kill approximately 30 people, making the toxin 1,000 times more lethal than cyanide. Those who fall victim to its bite may not…

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  • Are Octopuses Classified as Fish? Discover Crucial Differences

    Are Octopuses Classified as Fish? Discover Crucial Differences

    No, octopuses are not fish. They are mollusks, like clams and snails. In fact, octopuses are like super-intelligent, highly-evolved clams with eight arms rather than one foot! Octopuses, along with squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses, are members of the class Cephalopoda, which belongs to the phylum Mollusca. Cephalopods are highly advanced and organized marine animals without…

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Browse Our Posts – More Fascinating Creatures!

Picture of octopus and cartoon crab with title, "how do octopus kill their prey?"

How Do Octopus Kill Their Prey? Can an Octopus Sting You? (Beaks and Venom)

Octopuses are stealth hunters that feed on prey such as crabs, lobsters, and shellfish—and even other octopuses. They grasp the ...

How do Octopus Reproduce? (Cannibalistic Sex and a Detachable Member)

I have written this article to give wider exposure to some fascinating scientific insights into the complicated mating habits of ...

How Do Penguins Stay Warm? (Why don’t Penguin Feet Freeze?)

Penguins are superbly adapted to staying warm in sub-zero temperatures. They use vasoconstriction of blood vessels under the skin to ...
Two snakes copulating

How do Snakes Mate? (Snake Reproduction Explained in Detail – with Videos and Diagrams)

Male snakes have two penises, each with its own testicle, but they only use one at a time. During copulation, ...
Cover of Animal Facts book by B.B. Brilliant

How do we Inspire Young People? Using Fun Facts to Engage Young Minds

How do we inspire the Young People in our lives? I've been reflecting on this as we come towards the ...

How Do Whales Communicate and Make Sounds Under Water? Latest Science

Whenever I listen to the song of a Humpback whale, I am captivated by the eery quality of the complex ...
Anaconda snake facing camera

How Does an Anaconda Snake Kill Its Prey? Science of Constrictors Explained

In recent years, it has been discovered that boa constrictors, anacondas, and other nonvenomous constrictor snakes kill their prey by ...
Amazon deforestation

How Does Soybean Cultivation Contribute to Amazon Deforestation and Loss of Biodiversity?

On a recent cruise up the Amazon river, we witnessed firsthand the relentless deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Our shore ...

How Far Can Skunks Spray: Uncovering the Stinky Truth

Skunks are notorious for their pungent and infamous defense mechanism - their spray. These small, nocturnal creatures might look cute, ...
Albatross flying on open ocean

How Long Can an Albatross Fly? (Do Albatrosses Sleep While Flying?)

Albatrosses are large seabirds with the longest wingspans of any bird in the world, up to 10 or 12 feet ...
Earthworm closeup

How Many Hearts Do Worms Have? Digging Deep into Earthworm Anatomy

Earthworms do not possess traditional hearts similar to those found in humans. However, they do have five pairs of aortic ...
Photo of shark swimming towards camera

How Many Senses Do Sharks Possess? (Electroreception Made Easy!)

I've researched sharks for many years and some of my most popular presentations feature sharks and their amazing abilities. Sharks ...
A large crocodile displays its intelligence by using tools to communicate and cooperate with others.

How Smart are Crocodiles? Can They Cooperate, Communicate…Use Tools?

One of our most memorable times involved taking our five-year old son to visit to Hartley's Crocodile Adventures in far ...
Octopus photo

How Smart are Octopuses? (Are Octopuses As Intelligent as Dogs?)

Cephalopods, including octopuses, are the smartest invertebrates on the planet.  They can use tools, carry coconut shells for shelter, stack ...
Unlocking the Mystery of a Remarkable Crow's Intelligence.

How Smart Is a Crow: Unveiling Avian Intelligence

The Intelligence of a Crow Crows possess a remarkable level of intelligence that is evident in their behavior and social ...
A map showing earthquake locations worldwide.

How to Find Travel Destinations with the Best Weather: 5 Top Tools

We travel extensively throughout the world and have learned how important it is to choose our destinations with the climate ...
House of representatives: screenshot thumbnail.

How to get millions of views online: the Platform You’ve Missed

My portfolio of online photos attracts over one million views per month.  At the time of writing, I’ve received over ...
Bird feeder

How to Keep Bird Feeders Clean (Top Tips for Avoiding Salmonella)

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Pine siskins have been dying from a Salmonella outbreak this winter. We've found over 125 ...
Tree frog in Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

How to See MORE Wildlife in the Amazon: 10 Practical Tips

After several visits to South America including an Amazon river cruise, and after careful research, we chose a lodge adjacent ...

How to Use Google Earth to Enhance Your Presentations

I'm a frequent user of Google Earth to help enrich my presentations in front of large and demanding audiences. When ...
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