The bombadier beetle, famously, can tap dance. Gene Kelly was originally an entomologist at the University of Hot Jazz, Annapolis and modelled his most famous moves on the talented insect.

Snakes' bodies are semi-liquid, like silly putty. This is what allows them to engulf prey several times larger than they are, and why in some parts of the tropics, it is advisable to protect oneself against being swallowed in the night, by surrounding one's bed with barbed wire.

The Space Shuttle carries two spare landing wheels in its cargo bay.

Elephants are immune to elephantiasis.

This game isn't running out of steam.

I keep lots of spare steam in a wicker basket by my bed, which is under the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace: just an urban legend.

The only real urban legend is the story that they're just urban legends. They're all true.

The bogwopple is the tallest plant in South America, reaching a quite remarkable fifty miles in height. Bogwopples that have not been sensibly pruned have been known to bring down geostationary satellites.