Gross But Good

S3, E4: Some superheroes wear tights, while others wear slime! But you have to hand it to them (and then wash your hands!), some of nature’s nastiest creatures are actually experts at doing the ecosystem’s dirty work, and have cooler powers than one might think. So, let’s hear it for the unsightly underdogs! Turkey vultures are an ominous sight, but they really do clean up! Everyone knows skunks stink, but did you know they can spray an assailant’s eyes with pinpoint accuracy? There may not seem to be much to the slug, but the goo is the clue—they defy gravity! Only a mother could love a Piranha’s face, but is the bad rap undeserved? The cicada’s bug eyes might bug you, but they’re real-life transformers.