Although barnacles have long been regarded as costly fouling agents, scientists are now making use of their remarkable capacity to accumulate concentrations of poisonous metals to assist in the management of environmental pollution. Phil Rainbow discusses the fascinating and bizarre world of barnacles, showing how barnacles are not only zoologically fascinating but terribly important economically.
The secret life of barnacles PDF (267.4 KB)
The Museum's smallest members of staff are our flesh-eating beetles, Dermestes maculates, who strip carcasses to the bone.