For thousands of years, steep mountain ranges and dense forests have limited interaction between many of Papua New Guinea's indigenous groups, creating one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse countries in the world. Geographic barriers also have limited scientific exploration in the country, which is known to harbor many undiscovered species. Trekking by foot, canoe, and helicopter, a team of scientists set out in 2009 on a survey to collect biodiversity information for conservation efforts. A year later, they've revealed over 200 species new to science, including 24 frog species, six mammals, nine plants, about 100 spiders and 100 insects!
