These ancient arthropods are commonly found in snow at this time of year. Here's what gave them the nickname "snow flea." ...

In virtually every piece of land on Earth—from near the summit of Mount Everest to Antarctica to caves nearly 2,000 meters underground—live tiny critters that have shaped the health of our planet for ...

Springtails, a harmless arthropod, are typically found in snow during the winter. Here's what to know about them.

Step right up to see tiny springtails spin through the air with the greatest of ease! Step right up to see tiny springtails spin through the air with the greatest of ease! In ponds and streams, they ...

Springtails are about the size of a pinhead, but they can control their jumps like seasoned acrobats. By Oliver Whang Among the wonders of the natural world that few people have ever noticed: a ...

Spring is fast approaching, and as the weather warms, snow and ice are beginning to melt. These new patches of water draw one of the very smallest of creatures: springtails. Springtails, also known as ...

A cloud of them hovers over the fruit bowl. Some alight in the tiny puddles left by a pepper decomposing in a box. The lushes among them home in on the wine glasses. Who are these numerous and ...

Early in the pandemic, Víctor Ortega-Jiménez was exploring creeks near his home and observing springtails. The organisms are the most abundant non-insect hexapods on earth, and Ortega-Jiménez ...

The master chemists known as Streptomyces bacteria have turned a compound rich with the tangy odor of moist soil into a hitchhiking scam. This group of bacteria, the inspiration for streptomycin and ...

When trying to better the odds for survival, a major dilemma that many animals face is dispersal -- being able to pick up and leave to occupy new lands, find fresh resources and mates, and avoid ...