News archive 2010
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Stick-insect makes BBC top 10 new species of decade - 14/12/2010
A spectacular stick-insect, a rare specimen of which is looked after at the Natural History Museum, is in their top 10 species list.
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International Year of Biodiversity wins award - 07/12/2010
The UN 2010 International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) receives an influential Green Award at the Museum.
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Nature, nurture or neither? The view from the genes - 29/11/2010
This year’s Annual Science Lecture will be presented by Professor Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics at University College London.
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National Tree Week is perfect time to ID your trees - 26/11/2010
This weekend is the start of National Tree Week 2010 so why not help Natural History Museum scientists with the Urban tree survey.
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Dodo slims down for new Museum gallery - 24/11/2010
The iconic dodo has a makeover for the opening of the new permanent Images of Nature gallery next year.
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Neanderthal teeth reveal they grew up quicker than us - 22/11/2010
A high-tech study of tooth growth lines reveals that Neanderthals had shorter childhoods and reached maturity earlier than modern humans.
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Museum science director responds to Paraguay expedition queries - 10/11/2010
Richard Lane responds to Paraguay expedition queries.
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Expedition to explore biodiversity of the Dry Chaco region in Paraguay - 08/11/2010
Museum scientists due to work with Paraguayan partners to record the little known biodiversity of the Dry Chaco region.
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Is the Yangtze River dolphin extinct? - 04/11/2010
Last seen in 2002, this dolphin could be the first large marine mammal extinction for more than 50 years.
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House spiders prefer the shed, shock! - 31/10/2010
Between August and October the males of the long-legged Tegenaria spiders sneak indoors.
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Spooky Species of the day for Halloween - 30/10/2010
The Museum has a moth and a spider species of the day for Halloween.
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Next steps for biodiversity? - 29/10/2010
What are the next steps for biodiversity after Nagoya? A special evening event at the Museum tonight explores the issues.
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Conservation helps world’s threatened species - 27/10/2010
More species are moving closer to extinction each year, but this would be even worse without conservation activities.
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Turtle is Species of the day at start of biodiversity conference - 18/10/2010
The Museum’s Species of the day highlights the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle at the start of the Nagoya conference.
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A bluebell environmental mascot for Britain? - 14/10/2010
Experts take part in an Earthwatch debate to choose an environmental mascot for Britain.
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New carnivore species identified in Madagascar - 11/10/2010
A new species of carnivore the size of a cat has been identified in Madagascar.
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Big Nature Debate discusses issues before Nagoya - 06/10/2010
Have your say in the Big Nature Debate and watch live online before the biodiversity conference this month.
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First census of marine life completed - 05/10/2010
From the ghost-like sea-angel to the flamingo tongue snail, these are just two of the thousands of creatures uncovered.
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Surprising genetics of the African butterfly fish - 01/10/2010
Two populations of African butterfly fish look the same but differ genetically by large amount.
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Extinction threat to 1 in 5 of world's plants - 29/09/2010
A global analysis of extinction risk for the world's plants is revealed today.
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Skulls and maggots prepared for Friday night out - 22/09/2010
Star specimens are prepared for one-night-only Science Uncovered event.
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Science uncovered in Museum's record year - 15/09/2010
It's 1 year since the Darwin Centre opened, a record year for visitor numbers, and there's more science to be uncovered in the largest After Hours event.
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Species loss worries public, but who's heard of Nagoya? - 13/09/2010
The Big Nature Debate launches to explore public concerns about biodiversity loss ahead of conference.
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Thames right whale skeleton unveiled - 09/09/2010
A huge North Atlantic right whale skeleton found under the River Thames is unveiled for the first time.
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Big-eyed horny caterpillar sightings up - 06/09/2010
Sightings of what looks like a big-eyed horny fat caterpillar have shot up at the Museum's Identification and Advisory Service.
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New UK moth is species of the day - 02/09/2010
The Heckford pygmy moth, named earlier this year, is the Museum's species of the day today.
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Oily whale bones puzzle solved - 31/08/2010
A puzzle of why some oily whale bones make great habitats for weird and wonderful deep sea creatures has been solved.
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Wonderful weevil collection comes to Museum - 27/08/2010
A unique collection of more than 45,000 weevils arrives at the Museum and some are on display from today.
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Woolly mammoth extinction due to climate change - 23/08/2010
Woolly mammoths died out because climate change caused a massive decline in their grassland habitat, scientists report.
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Spinal gap of barbeled dragonfishes mystery solved - 17/08/2010
The mystery of a gap between the skull and backbone in barbeled dragonfishes has been solved.
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Oldest tool use and meat-eating revealed - 12/08/2010
Ancient human relatives used stone tools to help them eat animals more than 3 million years ago.
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Unusual orange lobster saved from the pot - 06/08/2010
A rare reddish-orange coloured North American lobster has been spotted in the UK.
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Rare angel shark arrives at Museum - 30/07/2010
A rare angel shark caught in the Bristol Channel has been brought to the Museum this week.
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Flying ant season begins - 23/07/2010
The brief season for flying ants has begun in parts of the UK. But where have they come from?
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Stag beetles take flight, but not for long - 21/07/2010
Now, and for the next few weeks only, is the time to see the impressive adult stag beetles in flight.
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ID your trees in the Urban tree survey - 16/07/2010
Help scientists at the Museum with one of the biggest ever urban tree surveys in the UK, launched today.
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Ancient Britons were earliest northern Europeans - 07/07/2010
Ancient humans lived in Britain more than 800,000 years ago Museum scientists report.
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A good week for fossil hunters - 02/07/2010
Big-toothed sperm whales and the International Palaeontological Congress. This week has been busy for fossil experts.
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Tiny Turkish diatom discovered - 24/06/2010
A new diatom smaller than the tip of a pin has been discovered in Turkey with the help of Museum scientists.
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National Insect Week at the Natural History Museum - 22/06/2010
Join us to celebrate National Insect Week with activites, books, and more at the Museum and online.
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World’s oldest fig wasp revealed - 16/06/2010
A 34-million-year-old fossil from the Isle of Wight is the world’s oldest example of a fig wasp.
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Prehistoric sex-life revealed in new display - 15/06/2010
3D models showing the unusual reproductive organs of 100-million-year-old shrimp-like animals called ostracods are on display.
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Museum shark helps investigate smell - 11/06/2010
A hammerhead shark from the Natural History Museum is helping scientists to investigate how sharks smell.
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Artificial life, can we redesign nature? - 25/05/2010
Scientists made a leap towards creating ‘artificial life’. Join the debate in a Museum evening event in the Darwin Centre.
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Dracula is in top 10 species list - 21/05/2010
A tiny fish called the dracula minnow, identified by Museum experts, has been voted one of the top 10 species of 2009.
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New Environment Secretary visits Centre for UK Biodiversity - 20/05/2010
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman visits Museum's newly launched Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity.
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First genetic code of Neanderthal reveals interbreeding - 06/05/2010
The genetic code of the Neanderthals has been revealed for the first time, giving surprising clues to their intimate relations with modern humans.
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Fossil fun at Dead and Alive beach festival - 30/04/2010
This weekend, families and Museum scientists will be heading down to the Jurassic Coast for the Fossil Festival.
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First African amber reveals Cretaceous life - 30/04/2010
The first amber fossils from the African continent have been discovered giving clues to the evolution of animals and plants.
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Cherry tree survey launches - 15/04/2010
Know your cherry tree from your apple, pear or plum tree? Help the Museum with the first UK cherry tree survey.
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New human-like species unveiled - 08/04/2010
The fossils of a new human-like species have been uncovered in South Africa, a team of scientists reports in the journal Science.
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Help investigate the changing bluebell flowering season - 07/04/2010
Look out for bluebells to help discover if flowering seasons are changing as a result of climate change.
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Hunt for African spiny aubergine begins - 06/04/2010
Museum plant expert Maria Vorontsova is on the hunt for wild spiny aubergines and records her daily activities in a NaturePlus blog.
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First southern tyrannosaur uncovered - 26/03/2010
Evidence for the first ever tyrannosaur dinosaur in the southern continents has been uncovered.
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DNA of ancient Siberian human uncovered - 25/03/2010
The DNA of an unidentified ancient human from Siberia has been revealed.
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CITES on agenda for Museum event - 24/03/2010
As the CITES meeting comes to an end, experts get ready for a Nature Live discussion at the Museum.
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New African fish unveiled for Commonwealth Day - 09/03/2010
A new African fish that was unveiled at Commonwealth celebrations yesterday, goes on display later this week.
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First images of 4 new spiny eels - 25/02/2010
The first images of live individuals of 4 new spiny eels are published today.
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Good or bad year for the Chinese tiger? - 14/02/2010
As the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese New Year begins, the South China tiger is highlighted in the Museum's Species of the day.
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New Museum id forums, expect the unexpected - 11/02/2010
Is that a fang or a goat horn you found on the beach? Find out with the Museum’s new online identification forums, launched today.
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Smallest eel-loach fish discovered - 08/02/2010
The world’s smallest species of eel-loach fish has been discovered by a Museum scientist and is the Species of the day.
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World Wetlands Day too late for spray toad? - 02/02/2010
For World Wetlands Day, the Museum’s Species of the day highlights the Kihansi spray toad, a species now extinct in the wild.
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Dinosaur colour revealed for first time - 27/01/2010
Scientists reveal the first evidence of colour-causing structures in dinosaurs and ancient birds.
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Do one thing for biodiversity - 12/01/2010
As the UN launches the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) this week the IYB-UK asks people to make a pledge for biodiversity.
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Happ-bee New Year - 01/01/2010
It may not be a happy New Year for the great yellow bumblebee, the Museum's first Species of the day.