SCIENCE NEWS TUESDAY: A New Species is Discovered

Scientists have officially identified a new wild cat species in Bolivia and a new snake species from New Guinea—and one of them is named after Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. But these discoveries are about much more than a cute cat and a rock-star snake.

In this episode of How Did We Get Here? Science News Tuesday, we look at how scientists identify new species, why some animals can remain hidden in plain sight for centuries, and how modern genetics and genomics are changing our understanding of the tree of life.

From Carl Linnaeus and the origins of scientific classification to DNA analysis and museum specimens, we explore how scientists went from naming what they could see to uncovering evolutionary relationships that aren't visible to the naked eye.

And there's a bigger question: How many species are still out there waiting to be recognized—and could some disappear before we even know they exist?

Three Things You'll Learn

1. How a "new" species can hide in plain sight.

2. Why a snake was named after Slash, and how Slash rocks out for animals!

3. How DNA changed the way we classify life

4. Why discovering species matters for conservation

Welcome to the jungle: newly-discovered snake named after Slash from Guns N' Roses - Field Museum

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-the-first-new-species-of-cat-discovered-in-more-than-a-century-its-adorable