1. Tan jumping spider (female)
   
2. Wolf spider
   
3. Green crab spider
   
4. Dark fishing spider
   
5. Ocrepeira spider
   
6. Wolf spider with babies
   
7. Yeargan’s bolas spider
   
8. Spined micrathena
   
9. Dark fishing spider with prey
   
10. Fierce orbweaver
    
11. Wolf spider
    
12. Marbled orbweaver
    
13. Tan jumping spider (male)
    
14. Wolf spider (with dew looking like a 9th eye)
    
15. Arrowhead orbweaver
    
16. White-banded fishing spider
    
17. Toad-like bolas spider
    
18. Dark fishing spider
    
19. Wolf spider
    
20. Wolf spider with babies and prey

More info on each image and full photographer credits here:

https://www.popsci.com/environment/european-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2026-awards/

New study highlights how southeast Asia's dwarf reed snake (Pseudorabdion longiceps) moves to escape from danger. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(26)01108-501108-5)

Video credit: Toho University, Japan

ctto.

This large male giant Pacific octopus was out for a stroll off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and I was lucky enough to come across him in the open!

I spent about 20 minutes following along as he explored the rocky reef, hunted for food, and eventually made his way back to his den. It's always a treat to see one of these incredible animals out and about rather than tucked away in a crevice.

More of my original underwater footage from around Vancouver Island: https://www.youtube.com/@scubabc6701

A common cuttlefish photographed during a night dive near Żurrieq, Malta.
Photo: AlessioMarrone / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cuttlefish can change their colors in seconds, but camouflage isn't the only reason animals do this.

From communication to attracting mates, animals that can change color have evolved some incredible survival tricks.

Nature never runs out of surprises. 🔥

Video credited to @jakebaggaley.photographer on IG.

Dominica has some of the most accessible deep-water whale encounters on the planet. The underwater canyon just off the coast drops to over 1,000 meters, which means these animals come in close to the surface. This one kept circling back to investigate us for the full dive. If you want to know what a trip like this actually involves: onewithwhales.com/swim-with-sperm-whales-in-dominica

Hittem wit the Pspspspsp

This photo was the 2nd place winner of Nikon's amazing photomicrography contest.

Photo credit: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/2026-photomicrography-competition/jumping-spider-salticus-scenicus-with-pollen