A scorpion is a small creature with eight legs, two pincers in front, and a curved tail that ends in a venomous stinger. Scorpions are arachnids, which means they're related to spiders, not insects. They've existed for over 400 million years, making them one of Earth's most ancient animals.

Most scorpions are only a few inches long and hunt at night, using their pincers to grab insects and spiders. The tail curls up and over to inject venom that paralyzes their prey. While a scorpion sting can be extremely painful to humans, only about 25 of the world's 2,000 scorpion species are dangerous to people. Most stings feel similar to a bee sting.

Scorpions live in deserts, forests, and caves around the world. They glow bright blue-green under ultraviolet light, which scientists still don't fully understand. Some species can survive being frozen solid and can go a year without food.

The word scorpion also refers to Scorpius, a constellation, and Scorpio, a zodiac sign shaped like this creature. Ancient peoples saw the scorpion's distinctive shape in the night sky and created myths about it.