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Science news
Most detailed bird evolutionary tree reveals new and surprising relationships
It proposes an entirely new group of birds that connects the smallest flying birds to the largest.
2 April 2024 -
Unfurl the secrets of ferns
With their soft unfurling fronds, ferns are fabulous. In fact, we love them so much, we’re filling our new Evolution Garden with them.
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News
Earliest fossilised forest discovered in Somerset
This rare find gives scientists an insight into how trees shaped life on land 390 million years ago.
15 March 2024 -
News
Going through the menopause helps whales to become long-lived grandparents
A select group of toothed whales may have doubled their lifespan to become better grandparents.
13 March 2024 -
Science news
Snakes’ rapid evolution might be the secret of their success
They might not have legs, but snakes are outpacing their relatives in the race to evolve.
22 February 2024 -
Dinosaurs
Xu Xing: The palaeontologist who's named the most dinosaurs
Within the world of dinosaurs Xu Xing is a globally important figure.
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News
Whales are being drowned out by the sound of shipping
The cacophony in the oceans is preventing whales from making themselves heard.
21 February 2024 -
Science news
New species of pirate spiders discovered on South Atlantic island
Named in honour of two dedicated conservationists, the discovery of the spiders could help to protect at-risk forests on St Helena.
15 February 2024 -
Science news
New technique detects distinct fish populations in a single lake through their environmental DNA
A new study has allowed scientists to see how populations of fish differ through their DNA.
7 February 2024 -
News
Oldest evidence of Homo sapiens in northern Europe discovered
The first modern humans to live in northern Europe arrived more than 45,000 years ago.
31 January 2024 -
Science news
Early giant whale from Australia changes our understanding of whale evolution
A jawbone fragment overlooked for more than 100 years was once part of a nine-metre-long ancient whale.
20 December 2023 -
Science news
Jawbones reveal how evolution has shaped the face of whales
It’s said that you are what you eat – and that’s certainly true of toothed whales.
19 December 2023 -
Science news
Better fossil dating could help to clear up human evolution
Going back to basics could help to unlock the mysteries of our origins.
18 December 2023 -
News
Young tyrannosaurs may have eaten completely different food to their parents
An extraordinary dinosaur fossil has revealed what young tyrannosaurs were eating over 70 million years ago.
8 December 2023 -
Science news
Fungus named after Beatrix Potter is one of the earliest plant pests
The oldest disease-causing fungus on record has been found in the Natural History Museum’s collection.
5 December 2023 -
Science news
Skull shape can predict how extinct vultures fed on carrion
Variations in the skull shape of vultures have been found to coincide with the preferred method each species uses to feed on a carcass.
21 November 2023 -
News
Serotine bats have sex unlike any other mammal
Their style of mating is more similar to birds than any known mammal.
20 November 2023 -
Science news
Unravelling the surprisingly complex history of crocodiles
Crocodiles have a deep and varied evolutionary past.
17 November 2023 -
News
New species of big-thumbed dinosaur discovered in Mongolia
Jaculinykus yaruui is thought to have dug for food using an enormous thumb on each hand.
16 November 2023 -
Science news
Insect trapped in amber reveals the evolutionary battles of ancient Europe
Katydids have been using ultrasounds for millions of years to try and avoid predators hearing them.
13 November 2023 -
Science news
400-million-year-old fish fossil reveals how we got our arms
A question that has puzzled scientists for over 150 years may finally have been answered.
1 November 2023 -
What on Earth?
Convergent evolution explained with 13 examples
The same useful traits appear again and again in nature.
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Science news
Bird beaks reveal the changeable nature of evolution
The Natural History Museum’s collections are helping scientists to get a handle on how evolution works.
25 October 2023 -
Dinosaurs
Prehistoric plants: How to grow a dinosaur garden
As part of our Urban Nature Project, we’re planting a dinosaur garden in front of our iconic building.
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News
Natural History Museum human evolution expert awarded Huxley Medal
Professor Chris Stringer, our longest-serving researcher, is set to be honoured for his contributions to human evolution.
23 October 2023 -
Science news
Dog volunteers needed to understand canine motion and domestication
Your dog could have its day as part of a new scientific study.
20 October 2023 -
News
From staple to superfood: how seaweed fed prehistoric Europeans
Dental plaque may help to reveal what prehistoric humans ate.
17 October 2023 -
Oceans
How trilobites conquered prehistoric oceans
Trilobites survived for more than 250 million years. But what made them some of the most successful early animals?
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Science news
Oldest evidence of human cannibalism as a funerary practice
Human bones with cutmarks, breaks and human chewing marks are found across northern Europe.
4 October 2023 -
Human evolution
Homo habilis, an early maker of stone tools
This ancient human was once thought to be the first to make stone tools, but is this true?
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Science news
Ancient fish reveals how vertebrates put their heads together
New research on the 450-million-year-old Eriptychius suggests it could be a ‘missing link’ in the evolution of the vertebrate skull.
20 September 2023 -
Science news
Ancient bacteria species among the first of its kind to colonise land
A species of bacteria that lived 407 million years ago would have flourished among early land plants.
8 September 2023 -
Science news
Three-eyed ‘fossil monster’ could help explain how insects evolved
A marine predator living over 500 million years ago might bridge the gap between insects and their ancient relatives.
1 September 2023 -
News
Human ancestors may have almost died out after ancient population crash
Almost 99% of all human ancestors may have been wiped out around 930,000 years ago, a new paper has claimed.
31 August 2023 -
Science news
Most complete frog family tree shows they evolved later than previously thought
The group may have evolved tens of millions of years later than originally thought.
31 August 2023 -
Science news
How deep-sea drilling is helping to unravel elephant evolution
Elephants and their relatives evolved in a previously unappreciated way.
14 August 2023 -
Science news
Ancient ice age could have caused the first Europeans to go extinct
Melting polar ice caps may have pushed some of the first ancient humans out of Europe.
10 August 2023 -
News
Crocodiles might understand how upset ape babies are
Nile crocodiles may have a limited ability to understand our emotions.
9 August 2023 -
News
New fossil whale might have been the world’s heaviest-ever animal
Fossils found in Peru are redefining the history of whale evolution.
2 August 2023 -
Science news
Cambrian apex predator probably preferred soft-bodied prey
A 500-million-year-old murder mystery has been solved.
5 July 2023