Nature on film

More than 300 scientists work at the Natural History Museum carrying out vital research into the natural world. Take a look at some of their work in the videos below. Find out what Neanderthals ate, whether finches or mockingbirds had the biggest impact on Darwin's ideas about evolution, and why scientists are stumped by the mystery bug that's making its home in the Museum's Wildlife Garden.

New videos on the site

You can find out a lot about air quality in your area by studying lichens on local trees, as different lichens thrive in different conditions.

Watch the video below to find out how you can get involved in a national survey to monitor pollution levels by looking at lichens.

Lichens and air pollution

Watch the video to find out what the golden shield lichen, and others, can tell us about the air quality in our local areas.
Deforestation

Why do forests help to reduce global warming and how can we preserve them? Pavan Sukhdev from the United Nations Environment Programme explains in the video.
Fate of reefs depends on Copenhagen summit

Find out why coral reefs could be condemned to extinction if world leaders do not agree to low enough carbon dioxide emission targets at the Copenhagen climate summit.
Why conserve biodiversity?

Biodiversity is a fundamental part of the Earth's life support system, without it we would not be able to survive.
What is Ida's significance?

Ida is the most complete fossil primate ever discovered. So what can we learn from her?
British earthworm survey

There are 26 species of earthworm in Britain but scientists don't have a clear picture of their distribution. Can you help?
Hippo's island life helps explain dwarf hobbit

Ancient Madagascan hippos shed light on origins of small-brained hobbit. Watch the video.
Fish knew first about sex

Fossilised pregnant fish was one of the first animals to have sex. Read more and watch a video.
Taxidermy at Tring

Derek Frampton talks about how he became a taxidermist and the secrets of his craft. Watch the video.
Darwin's mockingbirds knock finches off perch

Find out how mockingbirds from the Galapagos Islands, not finches, gave Charles Darwin his ideas about evolution. Watch the video
Big teeth for a tiny dinosaur

A tiny dinosaur with big canine teeth shows for the first time how one of the earliest dinosaurs grew into an adult. Watch the video.
Neanderthal diet like early modern human's

New evidence reveals Neanderthals ate seafood such as shellfish, mussels and even seal. Watch the video.
Somerset seaweeds

Follow Museum expert Professor Juliet Brodie as she carries out the first seaweed survey since the 1970s in Blue Anchor Bay along the Bristol Channel. Watch the video.
Mystery insect found in Museum garden

An insect not seen in the UK before was discovered in the Wildlife Garden in 2008 and it baffled insect experts. Watch the video.
World's longest insect revealed

The record for the world's longest insect has been broken by a 56.7 cm long stick-insect from Borneo which has joined the Natural History Museum's collections. Watch the video.
The making of TREE (video)

Follow landscape artist Tania Kovats on her journey to complete this fantastic art installation project for the Natural History Museum.