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Science news
Lack of renewable energy metals could hold up net zero goals
Giving communities a greater say over mining could help to speed up the transition to net zero.
22 February 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 -
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 pterosaur from Skye reveals the hidden diversity of the Middle Jurassic
Discovered in Scotland, Ceoptera evansae has been named as a new species of pterosaur.
6 February 2024 -
Science news
Scientists plan ‘seaweed breakthrough’ to restore threatened species
Seaweeds play a vital role in the modern world, but their existence is under threat.
2 February 2024 -
Science news
Natural History Museum scientists described a record 815 new species in 2023
This year scientists at the Natural History Museum have been busy.
28 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
Museum scientists published over 700 new pieces of research in 2023
Our scientists have contributed papers on everything from deep sea diversity to marsupial evolution.
14 December 2023 -
Science news
Potential signs of life on Mars might be easier to find than first thought
A school science experiment is answering questions that are out of this world.
12 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
Toxic chemicals in UK whales and dolphins are exceeding safe limits
Almost half of marine mammals around the UK are being poisoned by banned chemicals.
28 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 -
Collections
Women of colour who have broken barriers in the world of science
Our new Women in Science: Women of Colour Tour tells some inspiring stories.
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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 -
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 -
Science news
UK seaweeds face an uncertain future in a warming ocean
Seaweeds are vital for the health of our planet, but we are unaware of just how threatened they might be.
13 October 2023 -
Science news
Loss of tropical pollinators puts chocolate and coffee production at risk
The tropical crops may face an uncertain future amid rising temperatures and habitat loss.
12 October 2023 -
Science news
Digitising UK museum collections could help to boost the global economy
Investing in natural history collections could offer new scientific and economic opportunities.
5 October 2023 -
Science news
Climate change threatens thousands of amphibians with extinction
Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates in the world.
4 October 2023 -
Science news
Discovery of Moroccan fossil footprints points to unknown dinosaur diversity
Researchers are hot on the trail of Morocco’s missing dinosaurs.
27 September 2023 -
Science news
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returns to Earth with pristine asteroid samples
OSIRIS-REx returned to Earth with a record-breaking amount of material from an asteroid dating back to the birth of our solar system.
24 September 2023 -
Science news
Identity of Jurassic plesiosaur fossils from Dorset could finally be revealed
Though the Portland plesiosaur made headlines in the 1960s, it has never been formally described.
21 September 2023 -
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
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 -
Science news
Our appetite for shellfish risks pushing mussels and scallops into extinction
Bivalves have been touted as a food of the future – but wild populations might not last that long.
15 August 2023 -
News
Deep sea mining: A necessary industry or too much risk?
Scientists are warning that we simply know too little about the deep sea.
15 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 -
Science news
Pacific wasp named as a new species over a century after first being spotted
The discovery of a new parasitoid wasp could help to save an Endangered Pacific butterfly.
7 August 2023 -
Science news
Organic molecules in Martian crater help to reconstruct planet’s history
NASA’s Perseverance rover may have discovered organic molecules on the surface of Mars.
4 August 2023 -
Science news
‘Dividing line’ for undersea wildlife discovered in the deep Pacific Ocean
The pattern of diversity in the deep sea is more complex than first thought.
24 July 2023 -
News
Asteroids named after Museum scientists studying the early solar system
The asteroids 28994 Helenabates and 31551 Ashleyking are part of the main asteroid belt, a collection of rocky debris left over from the solar system’s beginning.
30 June 2023 -
Behind the Science: Ashwini Mohan highlights the challenges
International scientists must overcome many obstacles to obtain research posts in the UK.
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Anthropocene
Our Broken Planet podcast
Hear stories from the front line of the planetary emergency, as well as solutions from nature, science and people power.
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Science news
Bivalves were slow starters during the Cambrian explosion
The bivalves appear to have been left behind in history’s biggest ever burst of evolution.
31 May 2023 -
Behind the Science Justin Isip on the challenges of doing a PhD
Justin chats about the challenges involved in getting a PhD placement and maintaining a work-life balance.
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Science news
Scientists weed out harmful genes to breed better potatoes
An unprecedented look at potato genetics could help to tackle world hunger.
11 May 2023 -
Science news
New group of butterflies named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron
While there are currently only two members of the genus Saurona, many more as-yet-undescribed species are thought to exist.
7 May 2023 -
Science news
Ancient human DNA found in 20,000-year-old bone jewellery
A new technique allows researchers to extract the DNA of people who have handled bone artefacts, giving clues about prehistoric cultures.
3 May 2023 -
Science news
Crushed Scottish fossils reconstructed to reveal ancient predator's skull
Digital reconstructions of broken fossils have revealed more about the life of an ancient crocodile-like predator.
2 May 2023 -
Science news
Hanuman plover makes a comeback as a species after 86 years
Named after a Hindu god, it is hoped that resurrecting the species will focus conservation attention on at-risk habitats.
17 April 2023 -
Science news
First British fossils of therizinosaur and troodontid dinosaurs are world's oldest
The isolated teeth were identified using machine learning models, and could represent some of the earliest relatives of birds ever discovered.
14 April 2023 -
Behind the Science: Eva Stewart explores how deep-sea invertebrates might be impacted by seafloor mining
Museum PhD student Eva researches deep-sea animal biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean.
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Science news
Fossils of whale ancestors reveal the path to becoming Earth's largest mammals
Whales started becoming big early in their evolution – and kept going for millions of years.
30 March 2023 -
Science news
Fossils reveal how giant amphibians swam on shores of ancient sea
Amphibians the size of crocodiles once lurked along the shores of ancient South Africa.
29 March 2023 -
Science news
Plastic diet could be causing seabird chicks to shrink
The body mass of young shearwaters has deteriorated in just over a decade, with plastic consumption believed to be the most likely cause.
24 March 2023 -
Science news
Extinctions on the island of the dodo are pushing plants towards extinction
Almost a third of Mauritius' native fruits are no longer being dispersed as no animals are big enough to swallow their seeds.
16 March 2023 -
Collections
11 inspiring stories from the Women in Science Palaeontology tour
The Museum's new, free Women in Science: Palaeontology tour tells some inspiring stories of women in science.
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Science news
'Plasticosis': a new disease caused by plastic that is affecting seabirds
A new disease has been described in seabirds, but it might just be the tip of the iceberg.
3 March 2023 -
Behind the Science: Cassius Morrison spearheads inclusivity in the workplace
Museum Palaeontologist Cassius discusses and promotes inclusivity within science and other workplaces.
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Science news
How one of nature's fastest cells can vanish in the blink of an eye
Able to contract faster than a racing car, Spirostomum's abilities could one day be copied to develop faster machines.
22 February 2023 -
Science news
Boring bivalves are much more diverse than non-boring molluscs
A new study reveals that there are many ways these animals bore through solid rock, but a lack of habitat may lock them into an evolutionary dead end.
8 February 2023 -
What on Earth?
Murder, maggots and forensic entomology
Did you know that flies have been helping us solve crimes for hundreds of years?
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Behind the Science: Carla Greco investigates how cyanobacteria thrive in Antarctica's lakes
PhD student Carla on exploring how cyanobacteria survive in the cold temperatures of Antarctic lakes.
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Science news
Unique trilobite trident could be the oldest evidence of male sexual combat
Fighting for mates may be a behaviour that dates back over 400 million years.
16 January 2023 -
News
Origin of fireball spotted falling across UK last night discovered
An orange-sized space rock blazed across the skies on Monday 9 January.
10 January 2023 -
Science news
Early dinosaur skulls show how meat-eaters became vegetarian
The skulls of early herbivores are helping scientists to understand how a diverse group of dinosaurs evolved different ways of eating plants.
4 January 2023 -
Science news
Museum scientists described 351 new species in 2022
It has never been more important to describe as much of the natural world as possible.
30 December 2022 -
Science news
Stromboli's 'rejuvenation' heralds era of more variable volcanic eruptions
An unexpected series of eruptions at Stromboli may be due to changes in the volcano's internal 'plumbing'.
16 December 2022 -
Science news
Underground wildlife is slow to recover from soil damage
Intensively used land isn't just harmful to biodiversity we can see – it's also harming the wildlife living under the ground.
13 December 2022 -
Anthropocene
Plant expert Ana Claudia Araujo investigates the extinction of our global flora
Museum plant specialist Ana Claudia researches global biodiversity decline.
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Collections
Hidden Treasures: Season one of our behind-the-scenes live streams
Catch up on season one of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.
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Science news
Ancient Martian rivers discovered at planned ExoMars rover landing site
The next rover to land on Mars could discover signs of a once mighty river ecosystem.
22 November 2022 -
Science news
Tadpoles have an eye on the future as their vision develops
Frog lenses develop differently depending on what environment they will live in as adults.
16 November 2022 -
Science news
Winchcombe meteorite delivers extraterrestrial water to Earth
The origins of a meteorite which lit up skies above the UK last year have been revealed.
16 November 2022 -
Science news
Aye-aye recorded picking nose and eating snot for the first time
The aye-aye is one of 12 primates that pick their nose - but we have no good reason why the behaviour evolved.
27 October 2022 -
Science news
Sinuses offer new way of studying the evolution of ancient humans
While their function remains uncertain, the sinuses provide an insight into how ancient human skulls changed over time.
21 October 2022 -
Science news
New way of understanding Earth's ecosystems could help to restore them
The new Global Typology of Ecosystems provides an important step towards characterising the true diversity of life on Earth at its largest scale.
12 October 2022 -
Collections
7 fascinating stories from the Women in Science Space tour
Our new, free Women in Science: Space Tour explores the lives of women who've contributed to the study of space.
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Science news
Scottish fossil reveals clues about the earliest pterosaurs
Living over 200 million years ago, Scleromochlus helps to show how ancient reptiles took their first steps towards flight.
5 October 2022 -
Science news
Climate change will increase termite activity, releasing more carbon dioxide
Termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier.
22 September 2022 -
Science news
Early English Anglo-Saxons descended from mass European migration
The people after which England is named made up more than three quarters of the nation's genetic ancestry during the early Middle Ages.
21 September 2022 -
Science news
Ancient crater lakes on Mars could have hosted life
Investigating Mars' dry lakes could help scientists to discover how life began on Earth.
16 September 2022 -
Science news
Size, not sex, is key to the development of wildebeest horns
Female wildebeest are engaged in an evolutionary arms race - but scientists aren't sure why.
14 September 2022 -
News
Greta Thunberg warns 'humanity's life support is being destroyed' on visit to the Museum
Greta Thunberg and the Museum have teamed up to help educate students on the importance of tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises.
8 September 2022 -
Science news
Ancient DNA from medieval Norwich skeletons shed light on Jewish history
The twelfth century skeletons have provided an unprecedented look at the genetic history of Ashkenazi Jews.
30 August 2022 -
Science news
'Bird-hipped' Jurassic dinosaur was one of the first to live in herds
As the world recovered from a volcanic extinction event, Lesothosaurus may have banded together to help ward off predators.
25 August 2022 -
Science news
Recreating the song of a 150-year-old insect could help rediscover its species
An insect last seen in 1869 has sung again, which could help give researchers clues about where the insect might still be living.
10 August 2022 -
Science news
Pandemic face masks could harm wildlife for years to come
The protective equipment that kept us safe during from COVID-19 could pose a lethal threat to nature.
4 August 2022 -
Science news
Whales have altered their development to be able to echolocate
The ability of dolphins and toothed whales to echolocate is shaped before they're even born.
3 August 2022 -
Science news
Pacific expedition may have discovered over 30 new deep sea species
Over 30 potential new species, from starfish to sea cucumbers, have been discovered living at the bottom of the sea.
27 July 2022 -
Science news
The biodiversity crisis is making birds more similar
The days of the most distinctive bird species could be numbered as the most unusual forms bear the brunt of global extinctions.
21 July 2022 -
Science news
Mammal ancestors became warm-blooded in burst of Late Triassic evolution
As mammaliamorphs switched from being cold to warm blooded, new behaviours, habitats and ways of living became available to them.
20 July 2022 -
Science news
The solutions to climate change and plastic pollution are linked
Despite vast investment in climate change, much less attention is being paid to plastic pollution - and we need to fight both together.
5 July 2022 -
Collections
The Irish elk: when and why did this giant deer go extinct and what did it look like?
Fossil bones and antlers in the Museum's collection hold clues about the life and disappearance of Europe's biggest ever deer.
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News
Principal Curator Miranda Lowe awarded CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list
Miranda Lowe has now been recognised for her brilliant work by being awarded a CBE.
2 June 2022 -
Science news
Mauritius' pink pigeon faces extinction threat from inbreeding
Another bird from the island of the dodo is in danger of becoming extinct, scientists have warned.
13 May 2022 -
Science news
Whale faces reveal how the world's biggest animals evolved
We now know how whales evolved from furry, four-legged critters to giants of the ocean.
9 May 2022 -
Science news
Ancient fossil may be the first bryozoan with a hard skeleton
It beats the previous record holder by tens of millions of years.
20 April 2022 -
Science news
Six of the world's smallest frogs discovered in Mexico
Some of the species, described for the first time, are smaller than a 1p coin.
13 April 2022 -
Science news
Museum bats digitised to combat future pandemics
Understanding how bats, which are one of nature's largest disease reservoirs, have changed over time can help scientists to identify new disease hotspots.
7 April 2022 -
Collections
13 inspiring stories from the Women in Science tour
The Museum's new, free Women in Science tour tell some inspiring stories of women in science.
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Science news
New stegosaur dinosaur species could be the oldest ever discovered
Bashanosaurus primitivus adds to evidence the group of dinosaurs may have originated in Asia.
4 March 2022 -
Science news
Frog eyes shed light on their UV vision
Understanding how frog eyes evolved can help explain how the diverse group came into being.
1 March 2022 -
Science news
Lizard lifestyle has no impact on their biting force
Even the most carnivorous lizard can bite no harder than herbivores of the same size, Museum researchers have found.
23 February 2022 -
Science news
New group of plants was one of the first to colonise the land
Ancient plants measuring just two centimetres long could show what the ancestor of vascular plants looked like.
16 February 2022 -
Science news
New armless abelisaur dinosaur species discovered in Argentina
Scientists believe there could be many as yet unknown fossils to be uncovered in the region.
15 February 2022 -
Science news
Nanofoam discovered in pollen could power cars and save lives
Structures inspired by pollen could make electric car batteries cheaper and more efficient.
9 February 2022