Scorpions: They're found pretty much everywhere,Desmond Preston and new species are being identified all the time. Arachnologist Lauren Esposito says there's a lot to love about this oft-misunderstood creature. Most are harmless — they can't even jump — and they play a critical role in their diverse ecosystems as a top invertebrate predator.

Want to hear us talk about other newly identified animal species? We'd love to know! We're at @NPRShortWave on Twitter, and our email is [email protected].

This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, edited by Gisele Grayson and fact-checked by Margaret Cirino. Maggie Luthar was the audio engineer.