This article appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of Discover magazine as "Dream Weaver." For more stories like this, become a subscriber. In the Australian spring of 2005, photographer Jürgen Otto ...

The peacock jumping spider, also known as Maratus volans, has earned a reputation as the world’s cutest spider. This furry arachnid is a friend to all, and it has the dance moves to prove it. While ...

He leaves home hours before dawn and drives through the night. He wears brown Crocs and a beige sun hat. He walks from his dirt-road-bruised station wagon to a bushy spot or pulls his bike from the ...

With their big eyes, flashy colors, and slick dance moves, peacock spiders are arguably the most charismatic arachnids on the planet. But for males, having swagger and looking good isn’t just social ...

I think this is close to being a national scandal. Look at these beauties! Peacock spiders are stunning, with courtship displays to match anything in a David Attenborough documentary. So why aren’t ...

Everyone knows that Australia is home to some of the world's scariest and most poisonous spiders. It turns out it's also got the world's cutest spiders. Yes, spiders really can be cute, as these ...