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One-celled algae called diatoms are unique because their cell walls are made of transparent silica, like glass, allowing their internal patterns to be visible. Diatoms are key producers of atmospheric oxygen and uphold the aquatic food chain.

See 17 Intricate Microscope Photographs That Make the Miniature World Immense. They Won the Evident Image of the Year Contest

The sixth annual competition showcases scientific microscopic imaging, illuminating tiny parts of nature, from individual cells to arthropods, diatoms and a zebrafish brain

About 50 organisms have been named for David Attenborough or elements of his legacy, from an orchid to a marine worm to one of the earliest known predators.

David Attenborough Has Inspired Countless Scientists. To Mark His 100th Birthday, Here Are Ten Living Things They’ve Named After Him

Researchers around the planet grew up watching documentaries hosted by the English broadcaster and naturalist, which sparked their love of the natural world. Now, their discoveries become tributes to his legacy

Megachelicerax cousteaui and a close-up of one of its pincers, or chelicerae

This 500-Million-Year-Old Fossil of a Claw-Bearing Predator Uncovers the Origins of Spiders, Scorpions and Other Arthropods

A new analysis of a specimen found more than 40 years ago reveals the oldest known chelicerate, defined by its pair of pincer-like appendages

A small underwater lens made a coral in Indonesia look like another common lifeform.

See the Beauty of Corals, Beehives, Mushrooms and More in These 11 Images From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Awards

Now in its seventh year, the competition honors macro, micro and close-up images snapped around the world

A polar bear cub walks along the ice in Svalbard, Norway.

See 24 Astounding Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest—and Vote for Your Favorite

The public will choose the winner of the People’s Choice award in a vote that runs from February 4 to March 18

The giant structure—made up of thousands of individual funnel-shaped webs—spans over 1,000 square feet.

This Massive Web—Home to More Than 100,000 Spiders—Found in a Cave in Europe Could Be the World’s Largest

The cavern along the border of Greece and Albania is home to a terrifyingly high number of two species of arachnids that live together peacefully in complete darkness

A silver Argiope spider in a spiderweb with stabilimenta.

These Mysterious ‘Decorations’ in Spiderwebs Might Help Spiders Better Locate Their Prey

Researchers used computer models to simulate if and how these features influence prey affect vibrations of orb-weavers’ webs

Joro spiders are essentially harmless to humans and pets, but scientists are concerned about their impact on native species.

Scientists Want Your Help to Track the Spread of Invasive Joro Spiders at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The invasive arachnids were first spotted in the park last year, and now, researchers hope to keep tabs on when and where they occur

For the first time ever, the genome of a knotty sea spider was sequenced in high resolution.

These ‘Weird’ Sea Spiders Don’t Have Abdomens—and Instead Store Organs in Their Legs. With DNA, Scientists Are Learning Why

Researchers sequenced the knotty sea spider’s genome for the first time, revealing a missing gene that many other animals have

A veery gets ready to rise into the Vermont skies, not long before setting off on an annual migration to the species’ wintering grounds in Brazil.

Scientists Are Tracking Worrying Declines in Insects—and the Birds That Feast on Them. Here’s What’s Being Done to Save Them Both

In Vermont, researchers have investigated the types of creepy, crawly bugs that their avian predators consume and may have found the answers to keeping them both alive

A male sea spider, preserved for imaging under a microscope, carries egg sacs after mating with two different females.

Scientists Discover First Known Sea Spider Species That ‘Eat’ Methane With the Help of Bacteria

The research offers new insights on interactions between creatures on the mysterious seafloor and sheds light on the methane cycle

A "bone collector" caterpillar sits in a cobweb with a spider and its egg sac. The newly discovered moth species disguises itself as a larva by covering itself with insect parts.

Researchers Discover a Rare, Carnivorous Caterpillar That Wears Dead Insect Parts to Fool Spiders

The species, dubbed the “bone collector,” belongs to an ancient lineage of moths older than the Hawaiian island of Oahu, which is the only place it’s known to live today

A funnel-web spider patrols its web, waiting to detect the vibration of unsuspecting prey.

Getting Annoyed at Your Noisy Neighbor? Spiders Are, Too. New Research Finds They’ll Build Webs Differently in Loud Conditions

In lab experiments, spiders changed how they constructed their webs in noisy environments, and rural and urban spiders responded differently

Illustration from a 16th-century Falnama, or Persian Book of Omens

How People of the Past Predicted the Future, From Spider Divination to Bibliomancy

A new exhibition spotlights the ways in which cultures around the world have sought answers in the face of uncertainty

Australian Reptile Park spider expert Rob Porter milks a male Sydney funnel-web spider to create antivenom in 2001.

Australian Zoo Asks Residents to Capture the World’s Most Venomous Spider: the Deadly Sydney Funnel-Web

The Australian Reptile Park’s annual callout is crucial to creating life-saving antivenom

The arthropod fossil used to describe a new species (left) and CT scans of the specimen (right)

Cool Finds

Scientists Reveal Rare 450-Million-Year-Old Arthropod Fossil Preserved in Glittering Fool’s Gold

The critter found in New York represents a new, extinct species of arthropod that could shed light on the evolution of today’s insects, crustaceans and spiders

Tourists watch leatherback sea turtle hatchlings crawl toward the sea under the glow of less intrusive red lights. Artificial white lighting can attract the hatchlings away from the ocean, where predators may be lurking.

From Prolonging Wallaby Pregnancies to Disorienting Hatchling Turtles, 11 Ways Artificial Lights Affect Animals

From the busy cities to ocean waters, our need to illuminate the world has had some strange and tragic consequences

The iridescent abdomen of a cuckoo wasp (Hedychrum gerstaeckeri) looks beautiful when viewed under a microscope.

See 15 Mesmerizing Photos of Hidden Scenes Only Visible Through a Microscope

Winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition captured insects, cancer cells, cat claws and more

A mother manatee and her calf in Florida's Crystal River amid eelgrass, which is crucial for supporting the large mammals.

See 13 Captivating Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest

The highly commended shots provide a preview of the 60th annual competition, which spotlights astounding animal behaviors and the conservation issues they face

An orb-weaver spider wraps a male firefly in silk while it flashes from its lanterns. Male fireflies typically signal with multiple pulses using two lanterns, while females emit single pulses from one lantern.

These Spiders Use Captured Fireflies as Flashing Lures to Snare More Prey

A new study suggests orb-weaver spiders manipulate trapped male fireflies to emit female-like signals, which in turn draws more males into the web

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