SCIENCE NEWS
Velvet spider named after Lou Reed found in Europe for the first time
18 January 2019
This velvet spider group was thought to live only in Africa and the Middle East.
NEWS
Over 270 new species discovered in 2018
27 December 2018
They include new dinosaurs, an ancient wombat and a giant shark.
BRITISH WILDLIFE
How well do you know your winter wildlife?
18 December 2018
Take our quiz to find out how familiar you are with the UK's plants and animals and their strategies for surviving winter.
Common dolphins are flocking to Britain
10 December 2018
Climate change could be behind the increase.
Towns and cities benefit the same animals and plants everywhere
5 December 2018
Rats and pigeons are thriving, but unique species are disappearing.
Bee declines: is banning pesticides the solution?
29 November 2018
Experts argue that changing the way we use land could help bees even more.
Four new species of frog from one of the wettest regions on Earth
20 November 2018
These horned frogs are named for their pointy eyebrows.
Whale earwax reveals just how much human activity can stress out marine mammals
12 November 2018
Whales had more cortisol in their bodies while the global whaling industry was at its peak.
Vertebrate populations have declined by 60 percent in just four decades
2 November 2018
Humans are the driving force behind the mass decline of species.
Genomes of all 66,000 UK species of plants, animals and fungi to be sequenced
1 November 2018
The project will help us understand how the natural world is changing.
Spider webs: not just for Halloween
31 October 2018
Explore seven common styles of spider web and discover the arachnids that make them.
Kelp dredging in Scotland would be a 'disaster' for British coasts
30 October 2018
A proposed plan to mechanically dredge kelp in Scotland would destroy a unique habitat.
SUSTAINABILITY
Bye-bye dark sky: is light pollution costing us more than just the night-time?
16 November 2018
Help local wildlife, see more stars and get better rest - just a few compelling reasons to join the dark side.
What birds can teach us about evolution
8 October 2018
A new study is helping to explain how evolution works.
The UN is aiming to protect the last remaining ocean wilderness
11 September 2018
Is this enough to save the world's oceans?
More whales and dolphins than ever spotted in the UK
7 August 2018
It has been a record year for cetacean sightings in the waters around Britain.
You can name the Museum's cutest members of staff
31 August 2018
Three lambs have been born to the Museum's sheep, and you can name them.
Two new species of Indian lizard described by Museum scientist
1 August 2018
The discovery is expected to be followed up by more new species.
Cave life: creatures that lurk in the shadows
23 July 2018
Discover the rocky abyss and meet some unusual residents thriving in the absolute darkness of caves.
OCEANS
Explore a 360 panorama of Antarctica
12 July 2018
Join Dr Adrian Glover as he journeys to the site of a collapsed Antarctic ice shelf. Experience the awe-inspiring view from the ship deck.
Dredged from the deep: huge donation of specimens arrives from the ocean floor
8 June 2018
Thousands of ocean animal specimens have joined the Museum's collections, including a group of rare anglerfish.
The origins of a deadly disease that's killing amphibians
10 May 2018
A deadly fungus has been devastating populations of amphibians all over the world - but no one knew where it began until now.
To boldly go where no phycologist has gone before
30 April 2018
Seaweed experts visit the Falklands' remote coastlines to uncover new species.
Superior senses in the dark
14 January 2019
From bioluminescent lures to infrared abilities, meet some of the animals that have found ways to master life in the dark.
Survival at the ocean's hot springs
19 August 2018
Oceans are crucial for life on Earth - but did it begin at a hydrothermal vent?
Blue-green algae from legendary Captain Scott expedition help study of climate change
5 April 2018
This discovery will allow scientists to look at the effects of climate change on blue-green algae and their toxins in Antarctica.
COLLECTIONS
The incomparable tale of Evelyn Cheesman
29 March 2018
The adventures of a tenacious female explorer brought to life by comic artist Sammy Borras.
Why the Coral Triangle is the most important part of the ocean
28 March 2018
It's the most diverse part of the ocean, but plenty of people have never heard of it.
White rhino Sudan dies: is all hope lost for this subspecies?
20 March 2018
Mammal expert Richard Sabin explains how a subspecies extinction could affect rhino evolution.
Heroes of the green seas
26 February 2018
Earth may be the blue planet, but beneath the ocean waves lies a vast forest of green.
Life in the ice wilderness
23 February 2018
Hear from researcher Dr Anne Jungblut as she explores the abundance of life in the glaciers of South Georgia.
A mission to map the hidden ocean floor
25 January 2018
A Museum scientist will be one of the first to examine a newly exposed part of the Antarctic sea floor.
New life found at the bottom of Antarctic seas
A massive survey of life in the freezing seas around Antarctica has shown that they harbour many more animals than previously thought.
New bee species in London garden generates buzz
9 January 2018
A new British bee has turned out to be an overlooked, long-time resident.
Who was Alfred Russel Wallace?
8 January 2018
An intrepid explorer and brilliant naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace co-published the theory of evolution by natural selection with Charles Darwin.
A lifetime on the bottom of the sea
20 December 2017
What is it like to stand on the ocean floor? What do you learn from a lifetime spent in the heart of the sea?
Grinch bugs: the heartless insects making a meal of Christmas
8 December 2017
Better watch out - these insects consider your seasonal decor their dinner.
Thank the ocean with every breath you take, says Dr Sylvia Earle
28 November 2017
The marine biologist urged the public to learn about the Earth's life support system.
Bioluminescence: light in the dark
17 November 2017
Lanternfish are one of many animals that light up the ocean with their glowing bodies.
Cabbage versus clam: you pick the winner
15 November 2017
The public have the chance to vote in a major genetics project helping scientists to understand more about important British species.
Five surprisingly venomous animals
27 October 2017
Find out about five animals that you might not expect to be venomous
Why do wasps build nests?
11 October 2017
Most social wasps aren't fussy when it comes to finding a spot to settle down.
A year of British garden wildlife
21 July 2017
Join the team from BBC TV programme The British Garden: Life and Death on Your Lawn to uncover some of the hidden wildlife you could spot throughout the year.
Captain Scott's legacy supports Antarctic biodiversity research
21 June 2017
Bacterial samples collected by Captain Scott's Discovery Expedition more than 100 years ago have been used to assess the current state of Antarctic biodiversity.
Spotlight: the Madagascan moon moth
Living for a week at most, the Madagascan moon moth has a lot to accomplish in its short life.
Sharks got smaller after mass extinction event
8 June 2017
Fossil teeth show that sharks shrank in size and changed their diet after a major extinction event 66 million years ago.
Large egg collection donated to Museum
16 April 2017
An extensive, well-documented historical collection of over 22,000 birds' eggs has been donated to the Museum.
Nature on our doorstep: the art of British natural history
17 March 2017
For more than 300 years, Britain's wildlife has captivated scientists and artists alike.
Women in wildlife photography
8 March 2017
Meet the female photographers documenting wildlife and conservation issues across the globe.
Dangerous beauties: the world's tiniest insects
21 February 2017
Magnified images reveal the beauty of these tiny wasps, but mask their gruesome nature.
Could giraffes become extinct?
2 February 2017
Mammals expert Richard Sabin explains why giraffe numbers have plummeted in the past 15 years.
Vast biodiversity database now available to all
21 December 2016
Scientists have a new 'big data' tool to study how human activity affects the planet's biodiversity, with the publication of a gigantic database that compiles studies from across the globe.
Museum's oldest natural history book now accessible online
20 December 2016
The Museum's Library and Archives has digitised its oldest book, Historia Naturalis, to mark the tenth anniversary of the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
On the trail of polar bears
10 December 2016
Wildlife photographer Daisy Gilardini documents the lives of polar bear cubs in some of the most brutal temperatures on Earth.
Balloon powered by sunshine could help track biodiversity
24 November 2016
Museum scientists are investigating the possibility of using a heat-powered balloon to sample London's air.
Flies that use their eyes to fight for love - well, sex at least
28 October 2016
Dr Erica McAlister, one of the world's ultimate fly fans, introduces some of the strangest-looking flies around, and their equally bizarre behaviour.
Rainbow nature: life in bold black and white
24 October 2016
Black or white, or combinations of both, adorn some of nature's most charismatic creatures.
The lost world of the dodo
7 October 2016
Avian palaeontologist Dr Julian Hume explains why we still have much to learn about the lifestyle of the dodo.
Can you spot the hidden animals that use cunning camouflage?
5 October 2016
Take a look at these photos and see whether millions of years of evolution will outwit you.
Rainbow nature: life in proud pink
3 October 2016
While we humans associate pink with romance, in the natural world it can be a warning or part of an elaborate disguise.
Rainbow nature: life in majestic purple
12 September 2016
An exotic colour at the far end of our visible spectrum and often associated with royalty, purple is relatively rare in nature.
Rainbow nature: life in flaming orange
29 August 2016
Orange is the colour of zesty fruits and staple carrots, common fish and show-off birds.
Rainbow nature: the glory of green
15 August 2016
Green is the quintessential colour of nature - of parks, gardens and forests, and a reminder of the life-giving power of plants.
Amazing eyes: 17 vision champions
5 August 2016
Meet the creatures with the most crafty, strange and sophisticated eyes in the animal kingdom.
Rainbow nature: life in dazzling yellow
1 August 2016
The colour of sunlight, gold and daffodils, yellow is often associated with warmth and optimism.
Spotlight: great orange tip
28 July 2016
The great orange tip fights for survival by borrowing the outfit of a much deadlier creature.
World's protected areas helping thousands of species
A huge range of animals and plants benefit from living in protected areas across the globe, a study has revealed for the first time.
Rainbow nature: wildlife in ravishing red
21 July 2016
Crimson and scarlet hues in nature often carry an important message.
Nature's Olympians: record-breaking butterflies
They could beat a horse in a race and survive a blizzard. No challenge is too big for these record-breaking butterflies.
Biodiversity loss breaching safe limits worldwide
14 July 2016
The loss of species diversity has reached unsafe levels across 58% of the world's land surface, according to a new assessment led by Museum scientists.
Spotlight: tiger longwing
Newborn humans take years to become adults - but for butterflies, the miraculous process takes just a few weeks.
Toxic talents of Britain's cyanide moths
Drowsy caterpillars are transforming into moths with a cunning skill - producing their own cyanide.
Eyes on the prize: the evolution of vision
7 July 2016
Museum scientists are investigating Earth's earliest eyes with exceptional fossils.
Rainbow nature: life in brilliant blue
4 July 2016
From ocean to sky, blue is seemingly everywhere - but it's one of the most difficult colours for nature to produce using pigments.
Body snatchers: eaten alive by parasitic wasps
30 June 2016
Delve into the dark world of parasitic wasps and discover their grisly takeovers of living caterpillars.
Spotlight: citrus swallowtail
23 June 2016
It looks like bird droppings on a leaf, but don't be fooled: it's a caterpillar in disguise.
Butterfly wings: the science behind the colour
16 June 2016
Masters of disguise, butterflies can look like animal faces, rolled-up leaves and even snakes. Explore their kaleidoscopic world.
Rainbow nature: most colourful creatures
15 June 2016
Meet some of the brightest and boldest creatures in the animal kingdom, where colour is a matter of life and death.
Diamondback moths: an epic journey
9 June 2016
Miniscule moths are using the power of wind to soar over oceans and continents.
Positive parasites
1 June 2016
Meet the pesky parasites with some surprising benefits.
Which parasite has the weirdest way of life? Have your say.
26 May 2016
Check out the amazing survival strategies of parasites from the Museum collections and vote for the strangest.
How to attract butterflies to your garden
11 April 2016
Filling your garden with insects will make your flowerbeds beautiful and support biodiversity. Ecologist Larissa Cooper explains how.
Butterflies unlocking our climate's secrets
2 February 2016
Climate change is having a dramatic effect on the lives of British butterflies - researcher Steve Brooks explains why.
New highly venomous snake species discovered in Australia
28 August 2015
A team led by a Museum scientist has discovered a new species of Australian death adder in the Kimberley region of the country.
Naming nature, putting life in order
4 August 2015
How do you name and categorise all life on Earth? Curator Jon Ablett gives an insight into the crucial and never-ending work of taxonomists.
Fishing for new life
1 August 2015
Meet some of the strange life forms that Museum scientists are uncovering in the peat swamps of southeast Asia.
Plants under pressure
One fifth of the world's plant species are threatened with extinction. Museum scientists and collaborators discuss this shocking statistic.
Sneaky orchids manipulate bees for pollination
30 July 2015
Discover the flowers that go to extraordinary lengths to attract insect pollinators.
Paradise in peril
17 July 2015
Coral reef research and conservation experts share their passion, hopes and fears for this underwater paradise.
Explore virtual reality with David Attenborough's First Life
5 June 2015
Journey back in time with David Attenborough to Earth’s ancient oceans.
Earthworms: humble underground heroes
9 May 2015
Museum scientist and champion of earthworms Emma Sherlock shares her passion for these vital invertebrates.
Sharing the Museum collection, one butterfly at a time
30 April 2015
Digitising our collection is leading to breakthroughs in our understanding of the natural world.
BBC Radio 4 Natural Histories series announced
19 April 2015
Museum announces a partnership with BBC Radio 4 to begin 2 June 2015.
Tracking and predicting biodiversity damage
1 April 2015
A major study provides the first global view of biodiversity damage since the 1500s and suggests how losses can be reversed.
Major study shows biodiversity losses can be reversed
A new study gives a global view of biodiversity damage since the 1500s. There has been an average drop of 14 per cent in local ecosystems.
Little green men spotted in Britain?
15 March 2015
You don’t have to go to exotic locations to see weird and wonderful wildlife.
Coral reefs: Lessons from the past
8 January 2015
Find out how Dr Ken Johnson is using 12-million-year-old fossil corals to hunt for clues about the future of our reefs.
Borneo biodiversity count
Join Museum scientists as they survey the incredible diversity of invertebrates living in the rainforests of Borneo.
Finding love on the web
Spiders may seem scary, but most of them are just looking for love. Read some dating profiles of spiders searching for the perfect mate.
Isles of Scilly field trip: collecting specimens, measuring change
Museum scientists travelled to the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, to collect fresh specimens to improve our collections.
