Animals

October 23, 2020

Researchers Discover Rare Gynandromorph Bird That Is Both Male and Female

Researchers in Pennsylvania made a startling discovery while recording and tagging birds on in Powdermill Nature Reserve in late September. The team encountered, tagged, and photographed a very special rose-breasted grosbeak. Although a fairly common East Coast species of woodland bird, this particular creature is a bilateral gynandromorph—genetically part male and part female, split visibly down the middle.

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October 16, 2020

Cat Takes Shelter From the Rain Under a Sacred Japanese Cat Shrine

Among their many other talents, cats are particularly good at finding the best spots to take a nap. And for one particular group of felines in Japan, there’s no better place than the Miyori Daimyojin shinto shrine in the town of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Also known as Neko Jinja, meaning “the Cat Shrine,” the small, sacred structure offers local cats a place to shelter from the rain.

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September 28, 2020

Meet Uni, the Lovable Shiba Inu Who Always Has a Smile on His Face

From a global pandemic to climate change, there hasn’t been a whole lot to smile about recently; but, there’s one pup in Japan that’s doing his best to spread positivity. Meet Uni, the adorable Shiba Inu who always has a huge grin on his face. The nine-month-old smiling dog has his own Instagram account, where his owner shares daily photos of him for his adoring, 113,000 followers.

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September 22, 2020

This Japanese Inn Is Offering Sleepovers With Cats to Encourage Adoption

If you’ve found yourself imagining a life with a cat, but you've lacked the fortitude to commit to an unknown roommate, there’s an inn located in Japan that might be the perfect testing grounds for you. Located in the hot spring town of Yugawara, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, My Cat Yugawara is an inn that’s enticing its visitors with a cuddly proposition: a “trial” sleepover with a cuddly feline.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.