News

SCIENCE NEWS

Climate catastrophe has happened before - and it's teaching us about the future

10 June 2019

Past global warming events took place 183 million years ago. 

SUSTAINABILITY

A million threatened species? Thirteen questions and answers

6 June 2019

Dr Andy Purvis, coordinating lead author of the IPBES Global Assessment, answers the big questions about the report. 

SCIENCE NEWS

We need more scarce metals and elements to reach the UK's greenhouse gas goals

6 June 2019

To meet UK electric car targets for 2050, we would need just under twice the current annual world cobalt production. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Sponges are the ocean's natural DNA collectors

3 June 2019

Both penguin and seal DNA could be identified from within sponges.

NEWS

How Malaysia lost its rhinos

31 May 2019

The last male rhino in Malaysia has died - here's how it happened.

COLLECTIONS

Nadine Gabriel: studying 4.6 billion years of history

23 May 2019

The face of modern science is young, black, female and ambitious.

NEWS

New arrivals of Amazonian moss animals boost the world's largest collection

23 May 2019

The Museum now has the largest collection of freshwater bryozoa in the world.

SCIENCE NEWS

New species of ancient shark discovered from the coast of Madagascar

20 May 2019

The ancient shark was found in an unusual fossil ecosystem.

Elephant seals: a giant survival story

17 May 2019

Northern elephant seals once teetered on the brink of extinction. Now they are bouncing back.

SCIENCE NEWS

Early Neanderthal teeth shed light on the identity of our own ancient ancestors

15 May 2019

We've been looking at the wrong species. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Birds on an island in the Indian Ocean evolved flightlessness twice

10 May 2019

This is fastest recorded timeline of a bird losing its ability to fly.

SCIENCE NEWS

New species of subterranean fish named after Lord of the Rings character

9 May 2019

It has been named after Gollum due to its underground lifestyle. 

NEWS

The world is in trouble: one million animals and plants face extinction

6 May 2019

Humanity is eroding its own life-support system, a new report finds.

NEWS

Scottish beavers are now a protected species

1 May 2019

It is illegal to harm beavers or destroy their lodges and dams.

NEWS

Harlequin ladybirds are waking up from hibernation – here’s what to do

18 April 2019

Just how dangerous is the harlequin ladybird exactly?

SCIENCE NEWS

Neolithic Britain: where did the first farmers come from?

15 April 2019

The introduction of farming across the world changed the course of human history.

NEWS

New species of ancient human discovered in the Philippines

11 April 2019

It has been named Homo luzonensis.

NEWS

First-ever photo of a black hole released

10 April 2019

It is 6.5 billion times more massive than the Sun, and it is 55 million light years away.

SCIENCE NEWS

An expedition to the uninhabited island harbouring 38 million pieces of plastic

4 April 2019

It has the highest density of plastic in the world.

NEWS

Ancient four-legged whale with webbed feet and hooves uncovered in Peru

4 April 2019

It is the oldest quadrupedal whale from the Americas.

NEWS

White-tailed eagles could return to England

3 April 2019

It has been 230 years since they were declared extinct in England.

SCIENCE NEWS

Historic whale and dolphin stranding data made public for the first time

28 March 2019

It's one of the oldest datasets of its kind.

SCIENCE NEWS

New species of extinct pig-footed bandicoot described from Australia

13 March 2019

Driven to extinction in the 1950s, very little is know about this species. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Seabirds on remote islands are contaminated with lead and selenium

6 March 2019

Despite breeding on remote islands, petrels are being poisoned by lead. 

NEWS

The worlds largest bee rediscovered after 38 years

21 February 2019

Found in Indonesia, the bee lives inside termite mounds. 

SCIENCE NEWS

If you're a bird, you aren't what you eat

20 February 2019

A new paper is shedding light on the relationship between a bird's diet and how it looks.

SCIENCE NEWS

The Cambrian explosion was far shorter than thought

19 February 2019

The diversification of life occurred rapidly during the early Cambrian.

NEWS

Darwin's rabbit is revealing how the animals became immune to myxomatosis

15 February 2019

Three separate rabbit populations all evolved immunity to the disease.

NEWS

Royal visit commemorates Darwin's birthday

13 February 2019

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Museum to watch a performance of The Wider Earth.

NEWS

Wildlife Photographer of the Year: LUMIX People's Choice Award winner announced

13 February 2019

Two adult male lions, likely brothers, rubbed faces for around 30 seconds before settling down.

NEWS

The world's insect populations are plummeting everywhere we look

12 February 2019

Crashing numbers will have serious implications on our future.

COLLECTIONS

Mylodon darwinii: Darwin's ground sloth

12 February 2019

The first specimen of Mylodon darwinii, a ground sloth found by Charles Darwin in 1832, is now available online.

NEWS

Queen Alexandra birdwing butterfly display causes a flutter

8 February 2019

A display showcasing Queen Alexandra birdwing butterfly specimens is open at the Museum at Tring.

NEWS

Whales and dolphins are getting stuck in fishing nets around the UK

6 February 2019

The biggest threat to marine life in Britain isn't plastic bottles - it's fishing gear.

NEWS

The war on plastic: Morrisons trials paper bags

28 January 2019

Supermarket chain Morrisons has announced an eight-week trial of 20p paper bags.

SCIENCE NEWS

A tiny fossil amoeba is helping us to understand how plants first bloomed

24 January 2019

The new amoeba species is the earliest of its kind ever discovered.

SCIENCE NEWS

Velvet spider named after Lou Reed found in Europe for the first time

18 January 2019

This velvet spider group was thought to live only in Africa and the Middle East.

NEWS

Death of George the tree snail marked the first extinction of 2019

15 January 2019

George's death is a reminder that snail populations are crashing all over the world.

NEWS

John and Elizabeth Gould's watercolour bird drawings join the Museum collection

14 January 2019

A volume of historical bird illustrations has joined the Museum collections.

SCIENCE NEWS

Termites help protect rainforests from climate change

11 January 2019

The small but mighty insects buffer the forests against drought.

NEWS

Dinosaurs to come to life in a new interactive Museum experience

10 January 2019

An immersive experience will bring dinosaurs to life using the latest mixed-reality technology.

SCIENCE NEWS

The rise and fall of the Inca Empire is recorded in llama poo

9 January 2019

The number of microorganisms linked with llama droppings gives clues about the Inca.

NEWS

China successfully lands Chang'e-4 spacecraft on the far side of the Moon

4 January 2019

These are the first images from the surface of the far side of the Moon.

NEWS

It's a record year for grey seal pups

2 January 2019

More grey seal pups are being born on British coastlines than ever.

NEWS

Over 270 new species discovered in 2018

27 December 2018

They include new dinosaurs, an ancient wombat and a giant shark.

NEWS

Common dolphins are flocking to Britain

10 December 2018

Climate change could be behind the increase.

NEWS

Mary Anning Rocks: the campaign for a statue of the palaeontologist in Lyme Regis

6 December 2018

A campaign group have attracted national attention for their quest to get her permanently commemorated. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Towns and cities benefit the same animals and plants everywhere

5 December 2018

Rats and pigeons are thriving, but unique species are disappearing.

NEWS

Vote for your favourite image: the Wildlife Photographer of the Year LUMIX People's Choice Award

5 December 2018

Preview images in the running for this year's award.

NEWS

Bee declines: is banning pesticides the solution?

29 November 2018

Experts argue that changing the way we use land could help bees even more.

SCIENCE NEWS

The Siberian unicorn lived at the same time as modern humans

26 November 2018

It likely went extinct at around the same time as Neanderthals.

NEWS

Darwin's giant ground sloth skull pieced together and scanned for the first time

23 November 2018

Half of the skull was lost for over a century. 

NEWS

Sperm whale found with flip flops stuck in its belly

21 November 2018

A sperm whale has washed up in Indonesia with nearly six kilogrammes of plastic in its digestive system.

SCIENCE NEWS

Four new species of frog from one of the wettest regions on Earth

20 November 2018

These horned frogs are named for their pointy eyebrows.

SCIENCE NEWS

Ancient DNA reveals the origins of the bizarre Jamaican monkey

13 November 2018

Small primates were sailing the high seas long before humans existed.

SCIENCE NEWS

Whale earwax reveals just how much human activity can stress out marine mammals

12 November 2018

Whales had more cortisol in their bodies while the global whaling industry was at its peak.

NEWS

Chimpanzees are at risk of being eaten into extinction

9 November 2018

Hunting for meat is now a serious threat to the species' survival.

SCIENCE NEWS

Beautiful new species of swallowtail butterfly discovered on Fiji

2 November 2018

Scientists are still unsure where the species came from.

NEWS

Vertebrate populations have declined by 60 per cent in just four decades

2 November 2018

Humans are the driving force behind the mass decline of species. 

NEWS

Genomes of all 66,000 UK species of plants, animals and fungi to be sequenced

1 November 2018

The project will help us understand how the natural world is changing.

SCIENCE NEWS

The tiny sponge that could help preserve our deep oceans

31 October 2018

Scientists have collected data on a tiny sponge thought to be at risk from seabed mining.

NEWS

Kelp dredging in Scotland would be a 'disaster' for British coasts

30 October 2018

A proposed plan to mechanically dredge kelp in Scotland would destroy a unique habitat.

SCIENCE NEWS

Seabirds in the Pacific are using plastic to build nests

26 October 2018

The birds' nesting behaviour reflects the health of our oceans.

NEWS

BepiColombo sends back its first images from space

24 October 2018

The probe will help reveal some of the secrets about Mercury.

SCIENCE NEWS

Gangs of mice are eating seabird chicks alive on a remote Atlantic island

22 October 2018

The RSPB are planning a mouse eradication programme starting next year.

NEWS

Winning images announced for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018

16 October 2018

An image of two golden snub-nosed monkeys won this year's Grand Title.

NEWS

You are probably completely unaware of the largest wildlife crime in Europe

11 October 2018

The illegal trade of European eels is worth up to £3.5 billion a year.

SCIENCE NEWS

More than a quarter of fish in the Thames Estuary are eating plastic

9 October 2018

A study has found that 28% of fish living in the Thames Estuary have eaten microplastics. 

SCIENCE NEWS

What birds can teach us about evolution

8 October 2018

A new study is helping to explain how evolution works.

NEWS

Half the world's killer whales may go extinct within 50 years

28 September 2018

Refuges in the Arctic may help save the species.

NEWS

Could storms be behind the lost beluga in the Thames?

26 September 2018

Experts think it is likely that the beluga came from the direction of Svalbard off Norway. 

NEWS

A beluga whale could have swum into the river Thames

25 September 2018

The animal was spotted this afternoon near Coalhouse Fort in East Tilbury, Essex.

NEWS

Hayabusa2 lands two rovers on asteroid Ryugu

24 September 2018

The rovers have captured the first ever images from the surface of an asteroid.

NEWS

Fat molecules preserved in a 558-million-year-old fossil help settle decades-old debate

21 September 2018

The discovery of cholesterol is consistent with Dickinsonia being an animal. 

NEWS

The secret history of Hope the blue whale has finally been revealed

21 September 2018

Evidence suggests she may have given birth the year before she died. 

NEWS

Net to catch space debris around Earth is successfully deployed

20 September 2018

Scientists are trying to clean up the tens of thousands of pieces of junk in space.

SCIENCE NEWS

New species of blind eel that burrows through the soil discovered

17 September 2018

The fish burrows underground and breaths through the lining of its mouth. 

NEWS

Water voles return to Exmoor for the first time in 30 years

13 September 2018

The rodents are being reintroduced in the hope of starting a new colony.

NEWS

The oldest drawing ever found is a stone 'hashtag'

12 September 2018

The earliest human drawing, dating back to the Stone Age, has been found in a cave in South Africa. 

NEWS

The UN is aiming to protect the last remaining ocean wilderness

11 September 2018

Is this enough to save the world's oceans?

SCIENCE NEWS

Biggest river delta ever discovered on Mars hints at an ancient ocean

10 September 2018

Researchers have found evidence that suggests Mars once had an ancient ocean and a water cycle similar to Earth's. 

SPACE

Maggie Aderin-Pocock on asteroid impacts – and how we can avoid them

9 September 2018

Dr Aderin-Pocock talks us through asteroid sample return missions, and what experts are doing to prevent a space rock hitting Earth.

NEWS

Fossils of extinct dwarf emu destroyed by golf course

7 September 2018

Dwarf emus were driven to extinction by humans. Now their remains are at risk too.

SUSTAINABILITY

The chicks choking on a toxic diet of ocean plastic

4 September 2018

Birds that live on Lord Howe Island are facing death by ocean plastic. 

NEWS

First look at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 54

3 September 2018

Preview the latest Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition images.

NEWS

Anning Rooms open to Museum Members

3 September 2018

New rooms for Members and Patrons of the Museum have been named in celebration of palaeontologist Mary Anning.

SCIENCE NEWS

Tracing the evolution of the aubergine

30 August 2018

Researchers are delving into the origin of the aubergine by sequencing its DNA.

NEWS

OSIRIS-REx has snapped the first images of asteroid Bennu

29 August 2018

The spacecraft will continue taking three pictures a week until it reaches the asteroid. 

NEWS

Is 2018 a bumper year for wasps?

24 August 2018

It's been a long, hot summer and now that August is drawing to a close, wasps are out in full force.

NEWS

Ancient child from Siberia was Neanderthal and Denisovan hybrid

23 August 2018

Fragments of bone from a Siberian cave reveal ancient human species were mating.

BRITISH WILDLIFE

Should we be scared of British snakes?

23 August 2018

There are four species of snake found in Britain - but are they dangerous to humans?

SCIENCE NEWS

New species of fossil wombat unearthed in the Australian outback

22 August 2018

The fossils will help us understand how these creatures evolved over the past 40 million years.

NEWS

'Asteroid forensics' could reveal the origin of water

17 August 2018

Meteorite impacts may have been key to life on Earth.

COLLECTIONS

Endeavour art collection highlighted on Royal Mail stamps

16 August 2018

Royal Mail has just launched Captain Cook stamps starring the Museum's collections.

NEWS

NASA launches solar probe to study the Sun

15 August 2018

The Parker Solar Probe will get closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft in history.

NEWS

Close-up images of asteroid Ryugu captured by spacecraft Hayabusa2

10 August 2018

Discover the story behind the latest images to come from a Japanese sample return asteroid mission.

NEWS

You can name the Museum's cutest members of staff

31 August 2018

Three lambs have been born to the Museum's sheep, and you can name them.

NEWS

More whales and dolphins than ever spotted in the UK

7 August 2018

It has been a record year for cetacean sightings in the waters around Britain.

NEWS

The secrets of frog vision are finally being revealed

6 August 2018

Museum scientists are travelling the globe to understand how frogs see the world. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Two new species of Indian lizard described by Museum scientist

1 August 2018

The discovery is expected to be followed up by more new species.

SCIENCE NEWS

Ancient human teeth suggest new links between prehistoric African populations

1 August 2018

The teeth are helping us to understand how ancient human populations interacted.

NEWS

It's official: we can't terraform Mars

30 July 2018

Scientists have concluded that there is not enough carbon dioxide on Mars for humans to live on the planet.

SCIENCE NEWS

Liquid water found beneath the surface of Mars

26 July 2018

The presence of a subglacial lake could provide an environment for life

NEWS

The blood Moon: a guide to the total lunar eclipse

17 December 2018

A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon's orbit takes it into the shadow of the Earth.

SCIENCE NEWS

Herd of sauropod dinosaurs become the oldest diplodocoids ever discovered

24 July 2018

The discovery is changing how scientists think these dinosaurs evolved. 

NEWS

Museum scientist immortalised after asteroid is named in their honour

19 July 2018

Orbiting between Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid has been named after the Museum's Head of Collections.

NEWS

Museum membership packs go plastic-free

18 July 2018

All membership packs and magazines will now be mailed in 100% biodegradable or recyclable packaging. 

SCIENCE NEWS

New deep-sea species discovered in Pacific conservation zones

17 July 2018

Researchers have discovered several new animal species living on the Pacific seafloor.

SCIENCE NEWS

The way we have been thinking about the first modern humans in Africa could be wrong

11 July 2018

A new paper challenges the traditional idea that our species evolved from a single population in one region of Africa.

NEWS

Lighting up South Kensington

10 July 2018

This mesmerising light display may be the closest you can get to experiencing the phenomenon of deep-sea bioluminescence for yourself.

SCIENCE NEWS

Searching for plastic in the belly of a seal

6 July 2018

Scientists have been investigating the last meals of a seal in search of plastic.

SCIENCE NEWS

The lost dogs of America

5 July 2018

There are about 90 million dogs living in North America, but where did they all come from?

NEWS

Pregnant grey seal found with possible bullet wound in its head

4 July 2018

Museum scientists have found a metal fragment embedded in the skull of a seal found on a UK beach.

NEWS

Baby planet's birth caught on camera

3 July 2018

New stars and planets are being born all the time, but it's not often that scientists get catch a glimpse of the process.

SCIENCE NEWS

New evidence of ancient child sacrifice found in Turkey

28 June 2018

Remains of young people who were ritually sacrificed have been found from Bronze Age Mesopotamia.

NEWS

Dragonfly wings could inspire new aeroplane flight control

27 June 2018

Scientists are studying the way dragonflies fly in the hope of making small planes more stable and robust.

SCIENCE NEWS

How slug slime could help heal a broken heart

14 November 2018

Scientists have developed new adhesives inspired by some very sticky slugs.

SCIENCE NEWS

Why are some seabirds better at avoiding eating plastic?

21 June 2018

Some shearwaters in Australia appear to be better than others at avoiding feeding plastic to their chicks. 

NEWS

Rare meteorite from the edge of the solar system falls in farmer's field

15 June 2018

At around 4.5 billion years old, the Mukundpura meteorite may hold key information about the early solar system.

SCIENCE NEWS

Measuring the teeth of an ancient reptile

13 June 2018

Scientists have peered inside the tooth of the extinct reptile Eilenodon.

NEWS

Dredged from the deep: huge donation of specimens arrives from the ocean floor

8 June 2018

Thousands of ocean animal specimens have joined the Museum's collections, including a group of rare anglerfish.

SCIENCE NEWS

The brain worm that turns ants into zombies

5 June 2018

First for the first time, scientists have an image of what happens inside an ant's brain when it is infected with a parasitic worm.

NEWS

Scientists have traced what dinosaur DNA could have looked like

25 May 2018

Researchers uncovered how the genome of a dinosaur might have looked by studying turtles and birds.

SCIENCE NEWS

Ancient meteorite gives a glimpse into the crust of Mars

24 May 2018

A meteorite sample from the Museum collection is revealing more about how and when the crust of the Red Planet formed.

COLLECTIONS

Animal DNA to be frozen in huge national bank

23 May 2018

The DNA of thousands of animals, including endangered species, is being collected in a national network of freezers.

NEWS

New beetle is named after London Pride beer

17 May 2018

A Brazilian beetle in the genus Metallactus has been named after an ale.

NEWS

Risso's dolphin on Great Yarmouth beach is latest UK stranding

25 May 2018

A dolphin that washed up on a beach in Norfolk is one of the latest cetaceans to strand.

NEWS

Creating a computer-generated Neanderthal

11 May 2018

Hollywood star Andy Serkis worked with Museum experts to create an animated Neanderthal.

SCIENCE NEWS

The origins of a deadly disease that's killing amphibians

10 May 2018

A deadly fungus has been devastating populations of amphibians all over the world - but no one knew where it began until now.

BRITISH WILDLIFE

The caterpillars causing allergic reactions in London

2 May 2018

The Forestry Commission issues annual alerts about toxic oak processionary moth caterpillars in London.

NEWS

Taking a spectacled porpoise to hospital

1 May 2018

The Museum's spectacled porpoise specimen went on a rather unusual trip, all in the name of science.

NEWS

To boldly go where no phycologist has gone before

30 April 2018

Seaweed experts visit the Falklands' remote coastlines to uncover new species.

NEWS

Wildlife Photographer of the Year image disqualified

27 April 2018

It was concluded by scientists that it is highly likely the animal in the awarded photograph is a taxidermy specimen. 

COLLECTIONS

Hundreds of hummingbirds get a makeover

17 August 2018

Cleaning over 300 specimens takes time and a lot of dexterity.

SCIENCE NEWS

Studying tiny, tropical and ancient marine invertebrates

25 April 2018

Museum palaeontologist Emanuela Di Martino has been studying ancient bryozoans to understand ocean diversity.

NEWS

New Centre for Human Evolution Research announced

25 April 2018

The new centre will allow scientists to collaborate more closely and share pioneering research.

SCIENCE NEWS

Just one spore could kill Europe's last ash trees

23 April 2018

Scientists believe that the arrival of just one more ash dieback spore could kill off Europe's remaining ash trees.

NEWS

Sex, genes and boozy fruit: inside the life of a vinegar fly

20 April 2018

Dr Erica McAlister, a fly expert at the Museum, explains how these small animals are doing great things. 

SPACE

Watch the 2019 Lyrids meteor shower

16 April 2019

Planetary researcher and stardust expert Dr Ashley King shares his tips on how to get the best view. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Blue-green algae from legendary Captain Scott expedition help study of climate change

5 April 2018

This discovery will allow scientists to look at the effects of climate change on blue-green algae and their toxins in Antarctica. 

SCIENCE NEWS

Island species threatened by extinction due to climate change

3 April 2018

Studying an Indian Ocean paradise is helping to reveal which animals living on low-lying islands are at risk from rising temperatures.

NEWS

Sir David Attenborough films new documentary at Museum

30 March 2018

The broadcaster visited Natural History Museum collections to create a documentary revealing the wonder of birds' eggs.

SCIENCE NEWS

245-million-year-old reptile finally gets a name

29 March 2018

Scientists have formally given an ancient reptile a name, over 80 years since its fossils were found in Tanzania.

SCIENCE NEWS

Meteorite reveals the oldest magnets in the solar system

29 March 2018

Researchers have been studying the magnetic fields of 4.6-billion-year-old meteorites. 

NEWS

Why the Coral Triangle is the most important part of the ocean

28 March 2018

It's the most diverse part of the ocean, but plenty of people have never heard of it.

NEWS

Museum first to sell zero-plastic canned spring water

27 March 2018

Canned water will be replacing single-use plastic bottles.

SCIENCE NEWS

Scientist turns detective to identify mysterious moth

26 March 2018

The arrival of a tiny moth in the Wildlife Garden sparked a scientific search of London.

NEWS

White rhino Sudan dies: is all hope lost for this subspecies?

20 March 2018

Mammal expert Richard Sabin explains how a subspecies extinction could affect rhino evolution.

SCIENCE NEWS

Ancient human DNA recovered from the oldest cemetery in Africa

16 March 2018

Museum archaeologists have helped to uncover clues to the people who lived in North Africa 15,000 years ago. 

NEWS

Sir David Attenborough on bringing wildlife into your living room

12 March 2018

Sir David Attenborough has had a 60-year career in TV - but he's still interested in new ways of delivering nature to your door.