A new research paper published in Zootaxa describes five new species of freshwater mussels in the southern U.S., providing the scientific foundation for protecting the most imperiled group of animals in North America. Researchers from Shedd Aquarium, Arkansas State University and the U.S. Geological Survey discovered the new species after testing the DNA of mussels found in rivers in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. These newly identified mussels, in the genus Obovaria, are rare and only live in specific geographic areas, underscoring the need for region-specific conservation strategies. The findings of this study fill in critical knowledge gaps about what freshwater mussel species exist and where they are found. Recognizing distinct species enables scientists and resource managers to better assess extinction risk, prioritize conservation actions and habitats, and guide recovery efforts for imperiled species.

Acanthamoeba is a protozoan pathogen that causes infections in the eye or brain that can lead to blindness or death. Currently, diagnosis is difficult and treatments are harsh and untargeted. A pair of new studies, part of the MitoCarta Tree of Life consortium, accurately annotates the organism’s genome and identifies mitochondrial proteins that could be targets for safer, more effective treatments.

Researchers used GPS data from 172 jaguars to identify priority habitats and potential movement corridors across the species' range, revealing a vast connected South American stronghold but also substantial connectivity gaps in several regions outside the Amazon.

National happiness is influenced by complex relationships beyond basic economic factors, according to a study published September 30, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Javier I. Borráz-León of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation, Mexico City and colleagues, which finds that cats and their parasites are strongly correlated with both positive and negative happiness scores worldwide.

For nearly 30 years, a small fossil from Scotland has been celebrated as one of the earliest known reptiles. A new study is rewriting that story.

A bird attacking a butterfly will often find its beak snapping at thin air. According to new research, that split-second miss isn't just bad luck. It's caused by a visual illusion from the butterfly's wings.