Species Spotlight

Hafiz Muhammed Wariss and Wenjun Li are captivated by a pungent but threatened medicinal plant.

César Marín feels privileged to work among giants.

Patricia Sanchez-Baracaldo zooms in and out on cyanobacteria.

What being outsmarted by a tropical plant taught Matthew Betts about science.

Onja Razanamaro spends her time in the canopy of Madagascar’s majestic baobabs, contemplating their pollination.

Qiang Xu has been captivated by citrus fruits since childhood.

Eduardo Eizirik works to understand a cat complex.

For Christine Huffard, the bipedal octopus walks a fine line.

Joana Meier is fascinated by the diversity and mimetic colour patterns of glasswing butterflies.

Filipa Samarra is hooked on killer whale behaviour.

A dinosaur with a disputed name opened Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan’s eyes to the world of palaeobiology.

Cecilia Apaldetti’s palaeontological journey began with a turkey-sized dinosaur.

Kimberley Chapelle goes for quantity and quality.

Xing Xu picks a puzzler.

Sauropod specialist Verónica Díez Díaz retains a fondness for an armoured giant.

A surprisingly rare, yet iconic taxon is Susannah Maidment’s choice.

Cliché or classic? Stephen L. Brusatte celebrates the enduring appeal of T. rex.