NEWS
Brilliant Butterflies project launched to restore rare grasslands
25 September 2019
The two-year project will help conserve rare plants and invertebrates.
COLLECTIONS
The 330-million-year-old fossil tree that's stood the test of time
3 September 2019
Discover the story of the 11-tonne fossil that's been welcoming visitors to the Museum since 1887.
Experts explain the effect of the Amazon wildfires on people, animals and plants
23 August 2019
Wildfires are ripping through the Amazon rainforest at an unprecedented rate.
BRITISH WILDLIFE
UK tree identification: five common urban trees
28 August 2019
Discover the most common trees in Britain's towns and cities and what helps them to thrive in an urban environment.
SCIENCE NEWS
How did potatoes adapt to Europe?
2 August 2019
How did potatoes come to Europe and how did they adapt to a new environment?
Joseph Banks: scientist, explorer and botanist
17 June 2019
Meet eighteenth-century naturalist and collector Sir Joseph Banks.
How to press flowers
31 May 2019
Follow our simple instructions to prepare pressed flowers for craft projects or create your own plant herbarium.
Our favourite signs of spring
1 March 2019
Museum wildlife experts share their favourite signs spring is here or on its way.
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.
Termites help protect rainforests from climate change
11 January 2019
The small but mighty insects buffer the forests against drought.
Hans Sloane: physician, collector and botanist
10 January 2019
Hans Sloane's collection formed the basis of the Natural History Museum.
Over 270 new species discovered in 2018
27 December 2018
They include new dinosaurs, an ancient wombat and a giant shark.
How well do you know your winter wildlife?
18 December 2018
Take our quiz to find out how familiar you are with the UK's plants and animals and their strategies for surviving winter.
Who was Graman Kwasi?
4 October 2018
Though visitors can spot his namesake on the iconic gilded ceiling of the Museum's Hintze Hall, few will have heard of Graman Kwasimukambe.
Tracing the evolution of the aubergine
30 August 2018
Researchers are delving into the origin of the aubergine by sequencing its DNA.
SUSTAINABILITY
Flies are saving your chocolate cravings
14 May 2018
Bees' pollinating prowess often overshadows many of the insects working just as hard as them.
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.
Anna Atkins's cyanotypes: the first book of photographs
16 March 2018
Meet the first person to illustrate a book with photographic images.
Plant life on Earth is much older than we thought
26 February 2018
Plants appeared on Earth 100 million years earlier than scientists previously thought.
OCEANS
Life in the ice wilderness
23 February 2018
Hear from researcher Dr Anne Jungblut as she explores the abundance of life in the glaciers of South Georgia.
Thousands of Indian plants to be digitised for the first time
1 November 2017
More than 20,000 plant specimens held at the Museum will be digitally copied.
How to count every plant in the Amazon rainforest
19 September 2017
Scientists have for the first time a clear baseline figure for the number of plant species that grow in the vast lowland rainforests of the Amazon.
Join the Big Seaweed Search
6 June 2016
Beachgoers are being asked to become scientists to help gather important data about British seaweeds.
Plants under pressure
1 August 2015
One fifth of the world's plant species are threatened with extinction. Museum scientists and collaborators discuss this shocking statistic.
Sneaky orchids manipulate bees for pollination
30 July 2015
Discover the flowers that go to extraordinary lengths to attract insect pollinators.
Shining seaweeds reveal the secret to their iridescence
3 July 2015
The common British seaweed Irish moss displays a blue shine using unique structures that bend light, according to a new study.
Spot UK orchids and help research climate change impact
23 April 2015
Look out for orchids and help scientists see how climate change is affecting flowering times.
Little green men spotted in Britain?
15 March 2015
You don’t have to go to exotic locations to see weird and wonderful wildlife.
Scientific garden to show at Malvern Spring Festival
19 February 2015
Britain’s crop wild relatives will feature in the first scientific garden to show at the Royal Horticultural Society event.
Flowering plants revolutionised life on Earth
8 August 2014
New evidence from primitive plants and beetles shows how the evolution of flowering plants caused a boom in land-based life.
Clever enemy could control invasive plant pest
4 June 2014
A tiny rust fungus could save the UK millions by halting the spread of the Himalayan balsam.
Museum launches tree identification app
22 May 2014
Created by Museum botanists, Leafsnap UK helps users match leaves to their trees.
