The Natural History Museum London

The Natural History Museum stands out as a premier destination for visitors and a key center for scientific research. We leverage the Museum's extraordinary collections and our deep knowledge to address some of the most pressing issues in our world today. Our collection boasts over 80 million items that represent billions of years of history. Each year, we draw in more than five million guests to explore our exhibits, while an additional 16 million people engage with us online. In today's world, the Museum has become more significant and impactful than ever. By bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds, we can continue to approach global challenges with innovative perspectives.

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Fossil of ancient crustacean gathering reveals new insights into their lives

1 month ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

Caught in the actThe slab was found in the Bear Gulch Limestone of Montana, USA. These rocks are renowned for preserving fossils in fine detail, including the remains of sharks, worms and even an octopus ancestor named after former US President Joe Biden. They’re the last remnants of a marine ecosystem that existed over 320 million years ago in a monsoon climate of alternating dry seasons and heavy rain.
World’s oldest known cerapodan dinosaur discovered in Morocco

1 month ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

The murky Middle JurassicThe Middle Jurassic is notoriously difficult to study because of its relative lack of land-based fossils. Volcanic eruptions in what is now southern Africa and Antarctica led to rapid and extreme climate change that caused sea levels to rise sharply. As a result, there was less space for the fossils of land-based animals during this time. This means that fossils of dinosaurs, pterosaurs and other Middle Jurassic wildlife are very rare.
What is taxonomy?

1 month ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

Linnaean classificationCarl Linnaeus, also known as Carl von Linné, was an eighteenth-century Swedish scientist who’s often known as the ‘father of taxonomy’. Having developed a passion for plants at a young age, he would go on to revolutionise the science of classification. As a botanist, Carl Linnaeus would have been used to the long, formal Latin descriptions used to name plants.
Birds-of-paradise ‘glow’ with their skin and feathers

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

For some of the world’s most decorative birds, the phrase ‘positively glowing’ has taken on a different meaning. New research reveals that many birds-of-paradise emit light from special patches on their head, feet and even inside their mouths. Of the 45 species, 37 have been found to be bioluminescent, absorbing UV and blue light which they release in pale blues, greens and yellows.
Shark attacks fall to 28-year-low in 2024

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

In an average year, humans kill tens of millions of sharks. At the same time, about 70 people will be injured by sharks. A global shark bite census has revealed that this number has fallen even further in 2024. Just 47 unprovoked shark attacks were recorded in the latest update to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), which included four deaths.
New early bird species revealed by fossils unearthed in China

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

By James AshworthFirst published 12 February 2025Ancient birds may have soared over their dinosaur relatives in the Late Jurassic. A new species found in China, known as Baminornis zhenghensis, shows that early birds already had some of their characteristic features 149 million years ago. The oldest known bird with a short, modern tail has been discovered. When birds first evolved, they would have initially been very dinosaur-like.
Ancient bird skull from Antarctica might be from early duck relative

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

Birds evolved from dinosaurs millions of years ago – but the route from these avian ancestors to now is largely mysterious. Scientists now have a new waypoint on this journey, thanks to the discovery of a fossil skull from an ancient bird known as Vegavis iaai. While the species itself was named more than 20 years ago, its skull was a mystery until a newly identified fossil was found. The new skull shares many similarities with living birds, such as a toothless beak and a bird-like braincase.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60 announces People’s Choice winner

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

By James AshworthFirst published 5 February 2025A striking portrait of a badger admiring some street art has swept to victory in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60 People’s Choice Award. Titled No Access, Ian Wood’s photo fought off competition from 24 other images to emerge victorious. Residents of St Leonards-on-Sea, on England’s south coast, had been leaving scraps of food out on the pavement to encourage foxes. But the scraps were encouraging other urban wildlife as well.
Ocean temperature rise accelerating as greenhouse gas levels keep rising

2 months ago | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

Record breaking ocean temperatures in 2023 and 2024 may become the new normal in the coming decades. For 450 days between April 2023 and July 2024, average sea surface temperatures were higher than anything seen before. By analysing decades-worth of climate data, researchers at the University of Reading believe they now know how the ocean got so hot. Their study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, lays the blame on ever-rising levels of greenhouse gases.
First dinosaurs may have evolved in northern Africa and South America

Jan 23, 2025 | nhm.ac.uk | James Ashworth

The origins of the dinosaurs are shrouded in mystery – but new research might have revealed the best places to look for clues. At the moment, the oldest known definitive dinosaurs are 230-million-year-old fossils from Argentina and Brazil, including species such as Eoraptor and Herrerasaurus. However, these animals are already recognisably dinosaurs, which suggests that they had already been evolving for millions of years before.