Marine biologists at the University of Copenhagen and Denmark's Natural History Museum have discovered an entirely new genus, Dendrogramma, of two new species. Dendrogramma is Latin for "baffling," because the species don't fit any existing classification. The little guys live in the deep sea and look like mushrooms.

It's no giant squid, but what the latest discovery in marine biology lacks in excitement for the layperson it makes up for in sheer quantity. Researchers studying the deep waters off the coast of Scotland have discovered four new species. Spoiler alert: they're all pretty slimy.

Smithsonian researchers announced the discovery of a new species today—and it's not the usual slimy earth bug! This new species is a distractingly delightful mammal with stylish fur and an energetic attitude. It's called an olinguito and according to the Smithsonian researcher who discovered the creature, "it looks kind of like a fuzzball."

It feels so good to bring that headline back again. We have new developments and origin stories; ice-bound catastrophes averted and mysterious crimson disks identified. For all of these stories we have caves to thank (say thank you to the caves. Go on. Say it).

The very endearing results of a 2008 expedition to New Guinea's Foja Mountains have been released. The recently-discovered species include the smallest known wallaby and a frog with a nose. [Time; pic, from Foja in 2007, via AP]

This giant speckled beady-eyed six-foot reptile from the Philippines has been declared a new species. It "feasts on fruits and snails rather than carcasses." Sure, sure. You can pat it. [AP]