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: 23-Oct-2026 00:16 ET (23-Oct-2026 04:16 GMT/UTC)

12-Aug-2026

 

Sensory overload makes it harder for female treefrogs to select a mate

Smithsonian
Peer-Reviewed Publication

When shopping for a new appliance, choosing a movie to watch or even ordering a cup of coffee, people often experience “choice overload.” New research from the Smithsonian suggests that female Cope’s gray treefrogs face a similar challenge when selecting a mate. In a study published today in iScience, researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Tennessee found that when female treefrogs are confronted with too many males calls at once, they become less likely to successfully choose a mate.

Journal

iScience

12-Aug-2026

 

More than a decade of observation in Seattle suburbs shows where sensitive bird species won’t go

University of Washington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

After tracking birds in the Puget Sound lowlands for 12 years, researchers conclude that birds respond better to some development configurations than others, highlighting measures developers can take to protect native species while still meeting the region’s growing demands.

Journal

Scientific Reports

12-Aug-2026

 

Scientists discover new frog species in the Amazon’s flooded forests

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Identified in western Acre, Adenomera varcena reveals a hidden diversity that could be confirmed only through call and DNA analyses.

Journal

Ichthyology & Herpetology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

12-Aug-2026

 

New evidence to help solve how earliest birds took flight

University of Southampton
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The first ever bird to inhabit the Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton.

Journal

Developmental Biology

12-Aug-2026

 

Genomics help identify endangered fish populations most vulnerable to climate change

Flinders University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists have shown that genomics can help identify which wild populations are most vulnerable to climate change – offering practical guidance for the conservation of threatened species before declines become irreversible.

The study, led by researchers from Flinders University's Molecular Ecology Laboratory and published in the Journal of Heredity, examined the endangered southern pygmy perch across Australia's Murray-Darling Basin.

Journal

Journal of Heredity

Funder

Australian Research Council

11-Aug-2026

 

Computed tomography findings of peritoneal tumor in the absence of primary lesions: Preliminary study

Osaka Metropolitan University

Osaka Metropolitan University assessed computed tomography findings of peritoneal tumors in the absence of primary lesions to identify primary characteristics. 

Journal

Australian Veterinary Journal