Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This August, we're exploring the science behind the animals that share our planet. From the behaviors and adaptations that help species thrive to the conservation efforts protecting wildlife around the world, animal awareness days like World Lion Day, World Elephant Day, International Cat Day, and International Wolf Day are an opportunity to celebrate biodiversity and discover the research helping us better understand and protect the species that call our planet home.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Oct-2026 12:17 ET (22-Oct-2026 16:17 GMT/UTC)

10-Sep-2026

 

Fossil feathers preserved inside dinosaur poop could help explain why some birds survived the dinosaur mass extinction

University of Washington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A University of Washington-led research team has discovered the best-preserved fossil feathers from the Mesozoic era — in fossilized dinosaur poop. Some of these feathers have features that look like modern birds’ feathers. This finding can help researchers better understand why and how some birds survived the catastrophic event 66 million years ago that killed 75% of life on the planet.

Journal

Current Biology

Funder

donations to the Hell Creek Project

10-Sep-2026

 

Applied Microbiology International announces new president, Professor Raquel Peixoto

Applied Microbiology International
Business Announcement

Applied Microbiology International is delighted to announce that Professor Raquel Peixoto will be taking over the reins from Professor Jack Gilbert as President.

10-Sep-2026

 

Professor Jack Gilbert leaves a lasting legacy of collaboration and global engagement at AMI

Applied Microbiology International

As Professor Jack Gilbert steps down as President of Applied Microbiology International, he leaves a legacy of collaboration, generosity and an unwavering commitment to strengthening our global community.

10-Sep-2026

 

Sea-level rise could squeeze shorebirds out of critical coastal habitat, researchers find

University of British Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As sea levels rise, coastal wetlands around the world are expected to shrink – and researchers at the University of British Columbia have found this could put the world’s shorebirds and their critical habitat at risk.

Journal

Biodiversity and Conservation

10-Sep-2026

 

A fossil feather preserved inside dinosaur poop could help explain why birds survived the mass extinction

Field Museum
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About 66 million years ago, a dinosaur—maybe a T. rex or a Nanotyrannus—ate a bird. The record of that meal, in the form of fossilized poop, has survived to today, preserving the best example of a feather ever found from the age of dinosaurs. And by studying this feather, researchers have found clues that help explain why birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction 66 million years ago.

Journal

Current Biology

10-Sep-2026

 

A fake spider at the tip of this snake’s tail helps it lure birds. Scientists got their first look inside the “spider.”

Field Museum
Peer-Reviewed Publication

True to its name, the spider-tailed horned viper has a fake spider at the end of its tail, which it uses to lure in birds to eat. In this study, scientists took the closest-ever look at this snake's bizarre tail, using X-ray computed tomography. By peering inside the snake's tail, they learned that the bones inside its tail are... strangely normal-- all the weird stuff is on the outside. Which means that for paleontologists studying fossils, there could be a lot of unusual features in prehistoric snakes that no one knows about.

Journal

The Anatomical Record

10-Sep-2026

 

Most Americans know how to control mosquitoes, but many are unsure how to use insect repellent

Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Reports and Proceedings

More than 8 in 10 U.S. adults know that preventing mosquito bites and controlling mosquitoes in and around the home is the best defense against mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and dengue fever, but far fewer know how to correctly apply or choose insect repellent, according to an Annenberg Public Policy Center survey.