It's that time of year again – and my personal favorite corner of science to look back on – when we recap the many fascinating discoveries in the plant and animal kingdom that made headlines in 2025.
While medical discoveries tend to get the spotlight in science research, countless ecologists, biologists, zoologists and conservation geneticists spend just as many hours in labs and out in the field in an effort to further our understanding of the species we share the Earth with – and can't live without.
There were orcas making tools, 110,000 spiders sharing a massive interconnected web in complete darkness and some wholesome news about the friendship bonds in both birds and baboons, it's been another varied and wonderful year for learning about life around us. And while some findings may seem quirky and trivial, understanding animal (and plant) behavior, genetics and adaptation strategies is critical to species survival in the face of increasingly challenging environments we all call home.
We hope you enjoy our year's highlights (and if you want more, head back into the archives for 2024, 2023, and beyond).
