Museum scientist Anne Jungblut samples biofilms on the McMurdo ice shelf in Antarctica
Our scientists
More than 300 scientists work in Earth and life sciences, our core research labs and library and archives.
Our work
An acclaimed research institution, we publish over 700 scientific papers a year with international collaborators.
The collections
Where 80 million objects span 4.5 billion years, from the formation of the solar system to the present day.
Our work
The Natural History Museum at Harwell
We’re moving some of our collections to a new science and digitisation centre at Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire.
Biodiversity
Developing new molecular and digital tools for discovering biodiversity.
Anthropocene and sustainability
Securing the future of our food, health and natural materials.
Discovery, origins and evolution
Researching life on Earth and environmental change.
Collections
Explore the 80 million specimens that are a globally important resource for scientific reference and research.
Science departments and staff
Find the scientific staff at the heart of our world-class research and collections.
Library and Archives
The world's finest collection of natural history literature, artwork, photography and manuscripts.
Core research labs and consulting
Specialist staff prepare, analyse and interpret samples in our state-of-the-art facilities.
Courses and students
Students at the Museum access the collections, research, engage the public and gain skills.
The life of a Museum scientist
What do our curators and researchers get up to? Find out in our blog.
Digital collections
We are digitising large parts of the collections and giving online access to the data.
Science, society and skills
We are inspiring a new generation of professional and amateur scientists through training, art and community science.
News
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Science newsMauritius' pink pigeon faces extinction threat from inbreeding
Another bird from the island of the dodo is in danger of becoming extinct, scientists have warned.
13 May 2022 -
NewsPlants grown in lunar soil for the first time
While the plants flowered, lunar soils negatively affected their growth, meaning there is still some way to go until farming on the Moon becomes a viable prospect.
12 May 2022 -
NewsTrilobite fossil reveals how ancient arthropods mated
Male trilobites could have acted like modern horseshoe crabs, using claspers to grip females and increase their chance of fathering young.
11 May 2022 -
NewsSeasonal flu may have descended from deadly 1918 influenza pandemic
The 1918 influenza pandemic, also known as Spanish flu, can help scientists understand how modern viruses evolve as they spread across the world.
10 May 2022
