Find answers to your big nature questions. Delve into stories about the Museum's collections, scientists and research. Uncover the history of life on Earth, from the smallest insects to the largest mammals.
Highlights
-
What on Earth?Curious collectors and hoarders of the animal world
Because sometimes more is more.
-
British wildlifeInvasion of the giant spiders? Not quite
Are giant spiders invading Britain's homes? Find out with expert Stuart Hine.
-
British wildlifeHow to make a small wildlife pond
A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.
-
What on Earth?Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more
Discover the real sea creatures behind the lore.
News
-
NewsAnimals 'shapeshifting' to adapt to rising temperatures
Animals are 'shapeshifting' as the planet warms, as limbs, ears and beaks change size to adapt to rising temperatures.
16 September 2021 -
NewsFabulous new rainbow fly with 'legs for days' named after drag icon RuPaul
Australian scientists are persevering in their quest to 'catch 'em all' as they name new species after pop culture icons.
16 September 2021 -
NewsWild cockatoos observed making their own tool kit for seed extraction
Wild Goffin's cockatoos have been observed to make their own 'cutlery' when setting down to eat a meal of sea mangoes.
15 September 2021 -
NewsDragonfly species are colonising the UK 'at a greater rate than ever before'
Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies have arrived in Britain since the late 1990s.
14 September 2021
Dinosaurs
-
Science newsDinosaurs were not in decline before the asteroid wiped them out
Many groups of dinosaurs were doing rather well right up until the end.
18 November 2020 -
DinosaursA shepherd stumbles across sleeping giants in a dinosaur graveyard
This is thought to be one of the most significant dinosaur sites ever found in South Africa.
23 June 2020 -
DinosaursHow are dinosaur fossils formed?
Even though dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, we know about them thanks to fossils. Watch our animation to find out how dinosaur fossils formed.
-
DinosaursThe world's first dinosaur park: what the Victorians got right and wrong
They aren't scientifically accurate, but the Crystal Palace dinosaurs have a special place in the history of palaeontology.
Dippy the Diplodocus 3D skull
Rotate, zoom in and explore the features of this popular dinosaur.
Anthropocene
-
NewsGlobal temperatures are now likely to rise by more than 1.5C
The world's largest-ever report on climate change has been published.
9 August 2021 -
AnthropoceneBag your next sustainable fashion haul on a budget
Eco-fashion can seem expensive and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Here are nine ways to forget fast fashion and shop sustainable instead.
-
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Is the USA on the cusp of banning tiger tourism?
Wildlife photojournalist Steve Winter explores the shocking world of tiger tourism in the USA.
-
AnthropoceneSnarge: the gruesome result of our holiday flights and why it's important to study it
As you're taxiing to the runway, spare a thought for what the impact of your flight might be.
Uncover wildlife crime
In a Natural History Museum podcast, discover some of the most shocking, sensational and sinister crimes committed against the natural world, and hear from the people working to end them.
British wildlife
-
British wildlifeHow to make a bug hotel: a ladybird lodge
This simple DIY insect hotel is perfect for ladybirds looking for somewhere to hibernate in winter.
-
British wildlifeSpider webs: not just for Halloween
Explore seven common styles of spider web and discover the arachnids that make them.
-
British wildlifeWhat do wasps do?
Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?
-
British wildlifeEuropean hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)
Get the facts on this garden favourite.
What on Earth?
-
What on Earth?Carnivorous plants: the meat-eaters of the plant world
These real-life triffids aren't picky eaters.
-
What on Earth?Velvet ants: flamboyant and fuzzy with extreme PPE
Meet the delightfully fuzzy wasps with an arsenal of defences that make them nearly impervious to attacks by hungry predators.
-
What on Earth?Wildlife Photographer of the Year: the curious case of parasitic bat flies
Wildlife photographer and entomologist Dr Piotr Naskrecki introduces the peculiar insects that spend their entire lives clinging to bats for dear life.
-
What on Earth?How big can beetles get?
We may often think of beetles as being relatively small, but there are some species that reach extraordinary sizes.
Space
-
SpaceShooting stars: How to photograph the night sky
Anyone can capture the majesty of the galaxy with a simple camera. All you need is a dark, clear night and the willingness to have a go.
-
SpaceWhat is space junk and why is it a problem?
Millions of pieces of human-caused debris are orbiting Earth. But are they an issue, and what can we do about them?
-
NewsFireball meteorite that blazed across the UK recovered from a driveway in Gloucestershire
For the first time in 30 years, a meteorite has been recovered in the UK
9 March 2021 -
SpaceHow does the Moon affect life on Earth?
Weeping trees, teeth stronger than Kevlar and one of Earth's most spectacular natural events are all shaped by the Moon.
Human evolution
-
Science newsModern human origins cannot be traced back to a single point in time
Genetic and fossil records do not reveal a single point where modern humans originated, researchers have found.
10 February 2021 -
Human evolutionHow we became human
What features make us human? And where, when and why did they evolve?
-
Human evolutionHomo erectus, our ancient ancestor
Learn about the longest-surviving human species, which was also the first known to leave Africa.
-
Human evolutionFirst Britons
Unearth the one-million-year story of humans in Britain and their struggle to survive in a changing land.
Who were the Neanderthals?
Explore Neanderthal facts, from looks to lifestyle and abilities. These early humans are far more similar to us than once believed.
Oceans
-
NewsWater from the deepest point on Earth joins the Museum collection
Last year an expedition to the Mariana Trench made history by conducting the deepest crewed dive ever.
24 March 2021 -
OceansWhat is an ammonite?
The often tightly wound shells of ammonites may be a familiar sight, but how much do you know about the animals that once lived inside?
-
British wildlifeBasking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
Explore facts about this huge shark - which can open its mouth up to a metre wide - including where you might see one in the UK.
-
OceansOctopuses keep surprising us - here are eight examples how
They have blue blood, three hearts and a doughnut-shaped brain. But these aren't even the most unusual discoveries made about octopuses!
See a blue whale skeleton in high definition
Explore a 3D model of the Museum's blue whale skeleton and learn more about how these animals behave.
Collections
-
CollectionsCaring for specimens at the Museum
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the conservation work undertaken for the Fantastic Beasts™: The Wonder of Nature exhibition.
-
CollectionsHidden figures: forgotten contributions to natural history
Discover more about the people behind the headlines and how they have been overlooked by the history books.
-
Gilbert White: the modern naturalist
Gilbert White's talent and passion for observing and recording nature inspired many future naturalists, including Charles Darwin.
-
CollectionsMaria Sibylla Merian: metamorphosis unmasked by art and science
Adventuring unchaperoned in seventeenth century Suriname, Maria Sibylla Merian blazed a trail for women and science.
Wildlife photography
-
NewsFirst Look: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 57
Take a look at some of the Highly Commended photos from the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, opening on 15 October.
1 September 2021 -
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Is the USA on the cusp of banning tiger tourism?
Wildlife photojournalist Steve Winter explores the shocking world of tiger tourism in the USA.
-
AnthropoceneWildlife Photographer of the Year: finding urban wildlife
Around the world sprawling towns and cities offer homes to millions of people, and while they may look like man-made spaces, there is nature in between the cracks.
-
AnthropoceneWildlife Photographer of the Year: the return of the gharials
In a conservation success story, gharials are slowly coming back to the rivers of India and Nepal - but sand extraction practices threaten their long-term survival.
Latest videos
-
British wildlife
How to make a small wildlife pond
A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.
-
British wildlife
How to make a bird bath
Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath.
-
AnthropoceneMountain chickens: how we almost lost the Caribbean's largest frogs
The mountain chicken is teetering on the brink of extinction, but we may now have a way to save them.
-
Anthropocene
How to make a worm composter
Turn your kitchen food scraps into fantastic fertiliser by making a wormery.
All articles
-
News
Animals 'shapeshifting' to adapt to rising temperatures
Animals are 'shapeshifting' as the planet warms, as limbs, ears and beaks change size to adapt to rising temperatures.
16 September 2021 -
News
Fabulous new rainbow fly with 'legs for days' named after drag icon RuPaul
Australian scientists are persevering in their quest to 'catch 'em all' as they name new species after pop culture icons.
16 September 2021 -
News
Wild cockatoos observed making their own tool kit for seed extraction
Wild Goffin's cockatoos have been observed to make their own 'cutlery' when setting down to eat a meal of sea mangoes.
15 September 2021 -
News
Dragonfly species are colonising the UK 'at a greater rate than ever before'
Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies have arrived in Britain since the late 1990s.
14 September 2021 -
NewsEntrepreneur plans to resurrect woolly mammoths
A new company has been launched to restore the woolly mammoth to the Arctic tundra.
13 September 2021 -
NewsTyrannosaurs competed by biting each other's face
Tyrannosaurs competed by biting each other's faces, research suggests. The bites could have been part of competition for mates, food and dominance between some of the largest land predators to have ever lived.
13 September 2021 -
What on Earth?
Curious collectors and hoarders of the animal world
Because sometimes more is more.
-
NewsKomodo dragon is now listed as Endangered as rising sea levels threaten its survival
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, could disappear in the next century as rising sea levels threaten to submerge its habitat.
10 September 2021 -
NewsWinchcombe meteorite driveway on its way to the Museum
The driveway onto which the Winchcombe meteorite came crashing down in early 2021 has now been recovered.
9 September 2021 -
NewsMars rover Perseverance collects first Martian rock sample
This is the first rock sample ever to be collected from the red planet.
3 September 2021 -
Science newsOldest evidence of hominins in Arabia give clues to how humans left Africa
A series of ancient lake beds discovered in Saudi Arabia is showing how the now arid deserts were once green wetlands.
1 September 2021 -
News
First Look: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 57
Take a look at some of the Highly Commended photos from the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, opening on 15 October.
1 September 2021 -
British wildlife
How to make a small wildlife pond
A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.
-
British wildlifeFAQ about creating and maintaining a garden wildlife pond
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about garden pond set-up, maintenance and care.
-
British wildlifePond life: facts about pond habitats, plants and animals
Ponds are crucial habitat for a great diversity of wildlife.
-
An almost complete mystery
This unusual object is an almost complete mystery.
-
Science newsHow to collect rocks on Mars
NASA's rover is attempting to collect first rock samples for Mars 2020 mission.
13 August 2021 -
News
Global temperatures are now likely to rise by more than 1.5C
The world's largest-ever report on climate change has been published.
9 August 2021 -
What on Earth?
Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more
Discover the real sea creatures behind the lore.
-
Science news310-million-year-old fossil shows how little horseshoe crab brains have changed
A new beautifully preserved fossil of a horseshoe crab has revealed that their brains have hardly changed since at least the Carboniferous Period.
5 August 2021 -
30 nature activities for summer
30 fun activities to get you out exploring and reconnecting with nature.
-
Science newsThe rise and fall of elephant ancestors
Elephant ancestors diversified widely thanks to climate change and new habitats.
28 July 2021 -
British wildlife
How to make a bird bath
Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath.
-
Science newsReviving the cold case of the Carolina parakeet extinction
Uncovering details about how the Carolina parakeet became extinct.
27 July 2021
