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News
Three Museum scientists awarded on the New Year Honours list
Professor Chris Stringer has been awarded a CBE and Dr Sandra Knapp and Dr Richard Fortey an OBE.
31 December 2022 -
Science news
Museum scientists described 351 new species in 2022
It has never been more important to describe as much of the natural world as possible.
30 December 2022 -
Science news
Fossils give clues as to how turtles might respond to a warming planet
Current turtle habitats are likely to become unsuitable, but new areas could become available.
21 December 2022 -
News
Male wasps can use their genitals to fight off predatory frogs
One of the most unusual self-defence techniques in the animal kingdom has been uncovered.
19 December 2022 -
Science news
Stromboli's 'rejuvenation' heralds era of more variable volcanic eruptions
An unexpected series of eruptions at Stromboli may be due to changes in the volcano's internal 'plumbing'.
16 December 2022 -
Science news
Underground wildlife is slow to recover from soil damage
Intensively used land isn't just harmful to biodiversity we can see – it's also harming the wildlife living under the ground.
13 December 2022 -
News
Walrus spotted on beach in southern UK
A walrus has been seen hauled out on a beach in Hampshire, UK.
12 December 2022 -
News
Ankylosaurs may have used their tail clubs to fight each other, not predators
Competition between ankylosaurs may be responsible for their iconic tail clubs.
7 December 2022 -
News
The world's oldest DNA represents a two-million-year-old ecosystem
DNA found in Greenland has broken the record for the oldest yet discovered.
7 December 2022 -
Science news
Gloucestershire fossil suggests modern lizards could have Triassic origins
A new species of extinct lizard has been described from the Museum's collections.
2 December 2022 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 58: People's Choice winner
Discover the stories behind the stunning images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year's 2023 People's Choice Award.
1 December 2022 -
Science news
South African fossils reveal the lost world of ancient invertebrates
Leeches, mites and plants found at the site are revealing the ecosystems ancient animals walked over 260 million years ago.
30 November 2022 -
News
Mussels in the Thames have declined by 95% since the 1960s
Native mussels in the River Thames are in decline, with some species having disappeared since a landmark study in 1964.
28 November 2022 -
Science news
Understanding the geology of Mars in the hunt for life
Data being collected from the surface of Mars are already providing a glut of information about Jezero crater.
25 November 2022 -
News
Giant glyptodont armadillos may have been hunted by early South Americans
A chink in the armour of giant South American armadillos may have left them vulnerable to human hunting.
25 November 2022 -
News
Evidence of the world's oldest meal may have been discovered
Algae and bacteria were on the menu for the early animal Kimberella shortly before it was buried over 500 million years ago.
24 November 2022 -
Science news
Ancient Martian rivers discovered at planned ExoMars rover landing site
The next rover to land on Mars could discover signs of a once mighty river ecosystem.
22 November 2022 -
News
Europe's largest ever turtle species has been discovered
Measuring almost four metres in length, Leviathanochelys aenigmatica reveals that giant turtles were more common than previously thought.
17 November 2022 -
Science news
Winchcombe meteorite delivers extraterrestrial water to Earth
The origins of a meteorite which lit up skies above the UK last year have been revealed.
16 November 2022 -
Science news
Tadpoles have an eye on the future as their vision develops
Frog lenses develop differently depending on what environment they will live in as adults.
16 November 2022 -
Science news
Earliest human fossils in the UK reveal how ancient Europeans were connected
Fossils discovered in Sussex were compared to human remains found in Spain from a similar time period to see if the populations are linked.
14 November 2022 -
Science news
The oldest evidence of life on Earth could help us discover ancient life on Mars
Minute structures found in 3.48-billion-year-old Australian rocks are the oldest evidence of life on Earth.
11 November 2022 -
Science news
Destruction of forests and grasslands is biggest cause of biodiversity loss
A new study has looked at what is driving the biodiversity crisis.
9 November 2022 -
News
Some mouthbrooding fish eat their children to reduce stress
Fish raised in their mother's mouth can sometimes end up their parent's next meal.
9 November 2022 -
News
Earliest gibbon fossil unlocks clues about the history of apes
The discovery of a seven million-year-old gibbon fossil has filled a long-elusive gap in the fossil record.
7 November 2022 -
News
COP27: What to expect from 2022's climate change conference
Demands for climate action are stronger than ever as the world comes together once again to discuss the rapidly warming world.
4 November 2022 -
News
Dams threaten populations of Australia's duck-billed platypus
Dam building in Australia is reducing gene flow between platypus groups, piling pressure on populations whose numbers are already falling.
3 November 2022 -
News
Rediscovered casts bring back historic ichthyosaur fossil destroyed in war
The first complete ichthyosaur skeleton has resurfaced, despite being thought destroyed during World War Two.
2 November 2022 -
Science news
Neanderthal extinction may have been caused by sex, not fighting
The question of how the Neanderthals died out remains one of the biggest mysteries in human evolution.
31 October 2022 -
Science news
More sociable mammals evolve quicker than solitary ones
The study could help in predicting how species will respond to the rapidly changing environment.
27 October 2022 -
Science news
Aye-aye recorded picking nose and eating snot for the first time
The aye-aye is one of 12 primates that pick their nose - but we have no good reason why the behaviour evolved.
27 October 2022 -
Science news
Exceptional Jurassic fossil lizard sheds light on early lizard evolution
The most complete Jurassic fossil lizard ever found has been discovered in Scotland.
26 October 2022 -
Science news
The oldest human DNA in the UK reveals two distinct populations in late Ice Age Britain
The sequencing of the oldest human DNA in the UK so far.
24 October 2022 -
Science news
Sinuses offer new way of studying the evolution of ancient humans
While their function remains uncertain, the sinuses provide an insight into how ancient human skulls changed over time.
21 October 2022 -
News
First wild European bison born in the UK for thousands of years
A herd of bison released into woodland near Canterbury, Kent, have surprised conservationists by giving birth to a calf.
21 October 2022 -
Science news
Outer solar system near Neptune and Uranus was source of rare asteroids
A large part of the asteroid belt may have been formed out on the fringes of the Solar System.
20 October 2022 -
News
Siberian remains could represent first-known Neanderthal community
Neanderthals may have lived in small groups of around 10 to 20, with females moving between the different communities.
19 October 2022 -
News
World war shipwrecks are leaking pollutants into the world's oceans
Carcinogenic fuel, explosives and chemical weapons are leaking into the seas from sunken naval vessels.
18 October 2022 -
News
Feeding British red squirrels is changing their skulls
Red squirrels are developing differently depending on the region of the UK they live in.
17 October 2022 -
News
Mummified dinosaur could show evidence of scavenging by ancient crocodiles
Scavengers could help to preserve the soft tissue of the ancient reptiles by removing flesh and fluid from the body shortly after death.
13 October 2022 -
News
Wildlife populations have crashed by 69% within less than a lifetime
We know the problems, but we also know how to fix them.
13 October 2022 -
Science news
New way of understanding Earth's ecosystems could help to restore them
The new Global Typology of Ecosystems provides an important step towards characterising the true diversity of life on Earth at its largest scale.
12 October 2022 -
News
Unlocking wheat's genetic secrets to feed the world
A new project aims to use the Museum's historic collections to investigate how the genome of wheat has changed.
12 October 2022 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 winning images
Winners of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 announced.
11 October 2022 -
News
Dormancy in malarial mosquitoes may offer new ways to fight disease
A process mosquitoes use to weather harsh conditions offers new opportunities in the fight against malaria.
10 October 2022 -
Science news
Scottish fossil reveals clues about the earliest pterosaurs
Living over 200 million years ago, Scleromochlus helps to show how ancient reptiles took their first steps towards flight.
5 October 2022 -
News
Wax moth caterpillar spit could be used to break down plastic waste
Mass producing the proteins in the saliva could provide a cheap and effective way to break down polyethylene waste.
4 October 2022 -
News
Researcher who sequenced Neanderthal genome awarded Nobel Prize
Professor Svante Pääbo, considered a founding father of palaeogenomics, has helped to reveal how humans evolved, and how we relate to our closest relatives.
3 October 2022 -
Science news
An ancient hairy, armoured worm lived in the oceans over 500 million years ago
A fossil from China has filled in a major gap in the evolutionary tree for life on Earth.
29 September 2022 -
Science news
How scientists are saving Ukraine's cultural heritage during the Russian invasion
In the midst of war, scientists have been working to protect historic artworks.
28 September 2022 -
Science news
Ryugu asteroid samples offer insight into early years of the solar system
Researchers have caught a glimpse of the cosmos just two million years after the formation of the solar system.
22 September 2022 -
Science news
Climate change will increase termite activity, releasing more carbon dioxide
Termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier.
22 September 2022 -
Science news
Early English Anglo-Saxons descended from mass European migration
The people after which England is named made up more than three quarters of the nation's genetic ancestry during the early Middle Ages.
21 September 2022 -
Science news
Ancient crater lakes on Mars could have hosted life
Investigating Mars' dry lakes could help scientists to discover how life began on Earth.
16 September 2022 -
Science news
The oldest known animal with mammalian-like teeth unearthed in Brazil
The dental record of a small animal has pushed back the origin of mammals by 20 million years.
16 September 2022 -
Science news
Small fossil reptile could help to explain large evolutionary mystery
The description of an extinct lizard-like animal may help reveal why its kind were rapidly pushed to the edge of extinction.
15 September 2022 -
Science news
Size, not sex, is key to the development of wildebeest horns
Female wildebeest are engaged in an evolutionary arms race - but scientists aren't sure why.
14 September 2022 -
News
Net zero is cheaper and greener than continuing the use of fossil fuels
Going green is no longer just the smart decision – it's also the most profitable one.
13 September 2022 -
News
Gliding reptiles have been taking to the skies for 260 million years
Researchers have reconstructed one of the first gliding reptiles in extraordinary detail.
12 September 2022 -
News
Her Majesty The Queen
The Natural History Museum pays tribute to Her Majesty The Queen.
9 September 2022 -
News
Greta Thunberg warns 'humanity's life support is being destroyed' on visit to the Museum
Greta Thunberg and the Museum have teamed up to help educate students on the importance of tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises.
8 September 2022 -
News
Work begins on the Museum's landmark garden redevelopment
The works are part of the wider Urban Nature Project.
8 September 2022 -
News
European moles can shrink by a tenth in winter to save energy
A new study shows the tunnelling mammals are among a handful of mammals known to be capable of an unusual process known as Dehnel's phenomenon.
7 September 2022 -
News
HMS Challenger: How a 150-year-old expedition still influences scientific discoveries today
Over a century ago, one of the most important scientific expeditions in history departed from the UK to explore the oceans of the world.
6 September 2022 -
News
To the moon and beyond: An essential guide to Artemis I
NASA has launched its brand new rocket on its first uncrewed test flight to the Moon.
16 November 2022 -
News
Moist mountain mice grow bigger than their drier relatives
Andean mice grow differently depending on what side of the mountain they come from.
1 September 2022 -
News
First Look at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 58
Get a sneak peek at some of the powerful photographs from this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
1 September 2022 -
News
The cost of carbon dioxide may be four times higher than thought
Carbon dioxide could be being undervalued by over 70% in the USA, making the cost effectiveness of climate action appear much lower than it actually is.
1 September 2022 -
Science news
Ancient DNA from medieval Norwich skeletons shed light on Jewish history
The twelfth century skeletons have provided an unprecedented look at the genetic history of Ashkenazi Jews.
30 August 2022 -
Science news
'Bird-hipped' Jurassic dinosaur was one of the first to live in herds
As the world recovered from a volcanic extinction event, Lesothosaurus may have banded together to help ward off predators.
25 August 2022 -
Science news
Detailed record of ancient British birds reveal potential rewilding candidates
For the first time the records of ancient British birds have been formally incorporated into the British List.
24 August 2022 -
Science news
Climate stress is changing the physical shape of UK bumblebees
Bumblebees are getting more stressed as the climate warms.
18 August 2022 -
News
Solitary whales and dolphins could be becoming more common
Scientists and conservationists are continuing to investigate this phenomenon, with the exact reasons remaining unclear.
17 August 2022 -
News
Artificial grass controversy as campaigners call for taxes and bans
Debate over the use of artificial and natural lawns has been rekindled in recent weeks as temperatures surge across the UK.
16 August 2022 -
Science news
Recreating the song of a 150-year-old insect could help rediscover its species
An insect last seen in 1869 has sung again, which could help give researchers clues about where the insect might still be living.
10 August 2022 -
News
New group of spiders named after David Bowie and his back catalogue
The tropical arachnids have been named after the musician to draw attention to the threats they face.
8 August 2022 -
News
Concerns grow for beluga whale swimming in France's River Seine
A beluga whale has been spotted heading towards Paris, thousands of miles from its natural habitat.
10 August 2022 -
News
How beavers stay wet during UK drought
As parts of the UK experience one of the worst droughts in a century, a little patch in the southeast of England is babbling with life.
5 August 2022 -
Science news
Pandemic face masks could harm wildlife for years to come
The protective equipment that kept us safe during from COVID-19 could pose a lethal threat to nature.
4 August 2022 -
Science news
Whales have altered their development to be able to echolocate
The ability of dolphins and toothed whales to echolocate is shaped before they're even born.
3 August 2022 -
News
Fossil teeth could represent Europe's last panda species
While the evolutionary history of the bears remains uncertain, it contributes evidence to suggestions that panda bears could have evolved in Europe.
1 August 2022 -
News
The oldest known animal predator has been uncovered in Leicestershire
The 560-million-year-old specimen of Auroralumina attenboroughii reveals that the origins of complex life may date back further than was previously known.
28 July 2022 -
Science news
Pacific expedition may have discovered over 30 new deep sea species
Over 30 potential new species, from starfish to sea cucumbers, have been discovered living at the bottom of the sea.
27 July 2022 -
News
First report of deadly disease raises concerns for Europe's starfish
A disease that causes starfish to disintegrate has been reported in the UK and Europe, raising fears for marine ecosystems.
27 July 2022 -
News
40⁰C heatwaves could happen every few years because of climate change
Records for the highest UK temperature have been set three times already in the twenty-first century and could continue to do so as global warming takes its toll.
25 July 2022 -
Science news
The biodiversity crisis is making birds more similar
The days of the most distinctive bird species could be numbered as the most unusual forms bear the brunt of global extinctions.
21 July 2022 -
Science news
Rare moth collected by Museum founder Sir Richard Owen rediscovered
Digitising Museum collection leads to rediscovering a moth collected by Richard Owen
20 July 2022 -
Science news
Mammal ancestors became warm-blooded in burst of Late Triassic evolution
As mammaliamorphs switched from being cold to warm blooded, new behaviours, habitats and ways of living became available to them.
20 July 2022 -
News
Penguins are some of the slowest-evolving birds in the world
The evolution of penguins has been laid out in unparalleled detail, revealing how they came into being.
19 July 2022 -
News
Amphibian microbiome could be key to fighting deadly fungal disease
Frogs with less diverse microbiomes are more severely affected by chytridiomycosis than those with a greater range of microbes, suggesting possible new treatments.
18 July 2022 -
News
Risks to human health are increasing because of climate change
The effect of rising global temperatures on human health may require changes in our behaviour, mindset and the spaces we live in.
15 July 2022 -
News
Underwater noise pollution is risking the lives of whales and dolphins
Loud sound bursts throwing cetaceans out of balance and risk their health, amid growing concern over the impacts of anthropogenic noise pollution.
14 July 2022 -
News
Prehistoric giant stork competed with 'hobbit' human relative for food
Measuring almost two metres tall, Leptoptilos robustus would have lived in a unique ecosystem which included the mysterious miniature human relative Homo floresiensis.
13 July 2022 -
News
James Webb Space Telescope reveals its first spectacular images of the universe
With targets spanning the birth and death of stars, the James Webb Space Telescope is set to give us our clearest view of the universe so far.
12 July 2022 -
News
Tree-climbing UK toads spark investigation of unusual behaviour
Some individuals have been found as much as 2.8 metres above the ground, but no one is quite sure why.
11 July 2022 -
News
New dinosaur species reveals short arms evolved repeatedly in theropods
The tiny arms of Tyrannosaurus rex may bring ridicule, but a new dinosaur reveals they were part of a much larger trend.
7 July 2022 -
News
Drug pollution is threatening the water quality of the world's rivers
Over 40% of the world's rivers could contain harmful levels of pharmaceuticals.
6 July 2022 -
Science news
The solutions to climate change and plastic pollution are linked
Despite vast investment in climate change, much less attention is being paid to plastic pollution - and we need to fight both together.
5 July 2022 -
News
The world's largest waterlily is bigger than a double bed
The world's largest waterlily has been discovered in the wetlands of northern Bolivia.
4 July 2022 -
News
Killer whales that attack great white sharks are changing a marine ecosystem
By scaring away the great whites, the killer whale hunters are altering the habits of other sharks, abalone and even penguins.
1 July 2022 -
News
First carnivorous plant to grow underground pitfall traps discovered
Nepenthes pudica is changing what we know about carnivorous species, but may already be Critically Endangered.
30 June 2022 -
News
Climate change report lays out what the UK must do to achieve net zero
The UK is on track to cut just 40% of the emissions required to reach net zero, the country's top climate body has warned.
29 June 2022 -
News
Bird flu outbreak devastates UK seabird colonies
Thousands of seabirds are dropping dead from bird flu at some of the UK's most important seabird colonies.
28 June 2022 -
News
Monkeypox: How is biodiversity loss linked to emerging zoonotic diseases?
As we encroach more on the natural world, new diseases are likely to become more common.
24 June 2022 -
News
The world's largest bacteria are visible to the naked eye
Measuring over a centimetre long, Thiomargarita magnifica is over 5000 times bigger than the average microbe.
23 June 2022 -
News
COP15 explained: What is the biodiversity conference and why is it important?
Discussions which will define the future of the world's biodiversity are set to take place in Canada later this year.
22 June 2022 -
Science news
Invasive mice are pushing the Tristan albatross to the brink of extinction
A Critically Endangered species of albatross may be in more danger than previously thought.
21 June 2022 -
Science news
Prickly leaf beetle is found in the UK for the first time
The beetle usually lives on the warm Mediterranean coast.
17 June 2022 -
News
Greenland polar bears have learned to hunt without sea ice
A group of newly-discovered polar bears may reveal how the Arctic mammals could survive climate change.
17 June 2022 -
Science news
Asteroid sample is ancestral material from the start of the solar system
Ryugu sample is one of the most pristine material from the solar system.
10 June 2022 -
Science news
Largest carnivorous dinosaur in Europe unearthed on the Isle of Wight
The largest meat-eating dinosaur ever found in Europe.
9 June 2022 -
News
Principal Curator Miranda Lowe awarded CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list
Miranda Lowe has now been recognised for her brilliant work by being awarded a CBE.
2 June 2022 -
Collections
Jubilee agate: a royal piece of quartz
The specimen is currently on display at the Museum in the Minerals gallery.
1 June 2022 -
News
The world's largest plant is an Australian seagrass clone
Believed to be at least 4,500 years old, Shark Bay's Posidonia australis covers an area bigger than Washington DC.
1 June 2022 -
News
Great white sharks could have contributed to megalodon extinction
Great whites and megalodon may have been competing for the same prey in the last years of the megalodon's life.
31 May 2022 -
News
The first people in Australia likely feasted on the eggs of giant ducks
Genyornis newtoni may have become extinct after humans stole and ate its eggs.
27 May 2022 -
News
Half of British butterflies placed on extinction Red List
While more butterflies are being threatened, the report finds they can recover with our help.
26 May 2022 -
News
Dinosaurs may have evolved from warm-blooded ancestor
Some dinosaurs, such as stegosaurs, may have needed to bask in the sun to keep their body temperature constant.
25 May 2022 -
News
Saving British bumblebees needs a range of habitats
A new report lays out how we can prioritise the best selection of habitats to give the UK's 24 species of bumblebee a boost.
24 May 2022 -
News
Outrunning the worlds fastest-flowing lava and rebuilding Goma
Re-establishing the city of Goma one year after the destructive eruption of Mount Nyiragongo
22 May 2022 -
News
Museum to move over 27 million specimens to new science centre
The Museum will open a new facility at the Thames Valley Science Park in collaboration with the University of Reading.
20 May 2022 -
Science news
'Ghost' fossils reveal how oceans could be affected by climate change
Plankton which help feed the ocean, lock away carbon dioxide and even influence the weather may not be as vulnerable to climate change as feared.
19 May 2022 -
News
Demand for exotic pets risks spider and scorpion extinctions
Scientists have called for greater protections for species which are at risk of being collected into extinction.
19 May 2022 -
News
Fossil tooth could show the mysterious Denisovans made it to southeast Asia
The tooth of a young girl living hundreds of thousands of years ago may be from the Denisovans, an extinct hominid species of which very little is known.
18 May 2022 -
News
Protected areas could help world's biggest ray to bounce back
Crowdsourced photographs are helping to demonstrate the value of nature reserves to one of the world's largest fish.
17 May 2022 -
Science news
Mauritius' 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 -
News
Plants 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 -
News
Trilobite 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 -
News
Seasonal 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 -
Science news
Whale faces reveal how the world's biggest animals evolved
We now know how whales evolved from furry, four-legged critters to giants of the ocean.
9 May 2022 -
News
UK's flying insects have declined by 60% in 20 years
The UK's insect population has fallen sharply as the invertebrates are affected by rising temperatures and fragmented habitats.
6 May 2022 -
News
Moon dust could be used to make rocket fuel
Moon dust can be used to create the materials needed to explore space.
5 May 2022 -
News
Critically Endangered porpoise can bounce back from edge of extinction
There are fewer than 10 vaquita left in the world, but it's still possible to save the species.
5 May 2022 -
News
Giant ichthyosaur fossils reveal the last days of Triassic marine reptiles
Some of the largest animals that ever lived retained their size right up until they were wiped out 200 million years ago.
29 April 2022 -
News
Climate change could cause diseases to gain new hosts
Diseases which spread between animals and humans, such as Ebola virus, are likely to spread further than ever before.
28 April 2022 -
News
More than a fifth of reptiles are threatened with extinction
Habitat loss and human persecution are the key drivers of their decline, with crocodiles and turtles most at risk.
27 April 2022 -
News
Meteorites could have brought DNA precursors to Earth
Analyses of three meteorites suggest that the raw material for the origin of life may have formed in space.
26 April 2022 -
News
UK set to miss pledge to protect 30% of territory by 2030
A new report from the British Ecological Society warns the UK needs to change how it looks after biodiverse areas of the country.
25 April 2022 -
Science news
Seabird declines threatening coastal nutrient supply
Over half of all seabirds have been lost in the past 50 years, seeing less of the nutrients vital to life moved from sea to land.
22 April 2022 -
News
New natural history GCSE to focus on saving the planet
A new natural history course for UK high school students will help pupils develop a deeper understanding of the natural world.
21 April 2022 -
Science news
Ancient fossil may be the first bryozoan with a hard skeleton
It beats the previous record holder by tens of millions of years.
20 April 2022 -
News
Pterosaurs may have had coloured feathers similar to birds
The world's first flying vertebrates may also have been some of the biggest show-offs.
20 April 2022 -
News
'Extinct' flower rediscovered in Ecuador after forest destruction
Though Gasteranthus extinctus may be Critically Endangered, there is hope it can be brought back from the brink.
15 April 2022 -
News
Koala biobank could help save Australian mammal from extinction
Freezing koala eggs and sperm may help to buy the species time while wider threats are tackled.
14 April 2022 -
Science news
Six of the world's smallest frogs discovered in Mexico
Some of the species, described for the first time, are smaller than a 1p coin.
13 April 2022 -
Science news
Museum bats digitised to combat future pandemics
Understanding how bats, which are one of nature's largest disease reservoirs, have changed over time can help scientists to identify new disease hotspots.
7 April 2022 -
News
Scientists find the most distant object ever seen from Earth
Dating back to over 13 billion years ago, HD1 could have formed shortly after the Big Bang, with properties unlike any modern galaxy.
7 April 2022 -
News
Fossilised leg buried by dinosaur-killing asteroid uncovered in North America
With the finding yet to be published in a scientific journal, debate continues over whether this could be the case.
7 April 2022 -
Science news
Climate change has caused Britain's butterflies to get bigger
In response to a warming world, many species are physically changing their body sizes.
5 April 2022 -
Science news
Birds are officially more colourful closer to the equator
The tropics have long been perceived as being a riot of colour.
4 April 2022 -
News
Avoiding the worst of climate change is possible if we act now
We have just three years to keep the dream of 1.5⁰C of global warming alive.
4 April 2022 -
News
Members of the public encouraged to take part in The Big Plastic Count
The Big Plastic Count will take place between 16 and 22 May
30 March 2022 -
News
Wildfires can damage the ozone layer
As climate change intensifies, a greater number of wildfires will increase the risk from ultraviolet radiation.
26 March 2022 -
News
Highest number of bitterns in the UK since the 1880s
The bittern, whose call is as loud as a jet taking off, is returning to areas of the country it hasn't been seen in for centuries.
25 March 2022 -
News
Mystery of how Boa constrictor breathes while crushing prey solved
The snakes can move their ribs independently to suck in air while others are constricting.
24 March 2022 -
News
Spinosaurus and Baryonyx may have hunted fish underwater
Spinosaurs were some of the only dinosaurs that spent much of their lives in water.
23 March 2022 -
News
NASA rocket which will eventually take humans to the Moon unveiled
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) is undergoing its last big test before its first flight.
18 March 2022 -
News
Lead ammunition poisoning Europe's birds of prey
Populations of raptors are over 50,000 birds smaller than they would otherwise be.
18 March 2022 -
News
Beavers reintroduced to London after 400 years
The reintroduction is another step forward for campaigns to return the aquatic rodent to the UK.
17 March 2022 -
News
Cities are influencing plant evolution globally
White clovers are adapting to face the dryness of cities globally by reducing production of anti-herbivore compounds.
17 March 2022 -
News
Stunning bright blue, red and pink minerals go on display at the Museum
The minerals, Tanzanite, Morganite and Rhodochrosite, are richly coloured, great in size and scientifically significant.
16 March 2022 -
Science news
New species is earliest armoured dinosaur described from Asia
It adds to the understanding of how these curious dinosaurs evolved and spread around the world.
15 March 2022 -
News
One of the earliest sabre-toothed mammals discovered in the USA
Living over 40 million years before the sabre-tooth tiger, Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghae may have preyed on rhinos and primates in the forests of California.
15 March 2022 -
News
Potential new species of giant tortoise discovered in the Galápagos Islands
There is currently not enough evidence to prove they are a genuine new species, or just a distinct population of an existing one.
14 March 2022 -
News
Greenland asteroid struck world recovering from dinosaur extinction
While its impacts are uncertain, it could have caused the world to warm significantly.
11 March 2022 -
News
Museum nominates two projects for this year's Earthshot Prize
The Earthshot Prize is the most prestigious environmental prize in the world.
10 March 2022 -
News
Artificial whale poo could help restore ocean biodiversity
While it could provide a useful stopgap, there is no guarantee the technique, or whales, will ever fully restore what has been lost.
9 March 2022 -
News
Treaty to end plastic pollution moves a step closer
175 countries voted to start preparations for a new treaty aimed at regulating and controlling plastics last week.
8 March 2022 -
News
Octopus ancestor with 10 arms named after President Joe Biden
The fossil uncovered in Montana suggests the ancestor of all squid and octopus had 10 arms, with some of these then lost by its descendants.
8 March 2022 -
News
Megalodon sharks grew biggest in colder waters
The finding could offer insights into the impact of climate change on its modern relatives.
7 March 2022 -
Science news
New stegosaur dinosaur species could be the oldest ever discovered
Bashanosaurus primitivus adds to evidence the group of dinosaurs may have originated in Asia.
4 March 2022 -
Science news
Frog eyes shed light on their UV vision
Understanding how frog eyes evolved can help explain how the diverse group came into being.
1 March 2022 -
News
Controversial paper suggests there are three Tyrannosaurus species
Palaeontologists have reacted with scepticism over the claims.
1 March 2022 -
News
New climate change report shows that 'nature can be our saviour'
The second IPCC report is looking at the effects of climate change on extreme weather, floods and temperature rises.
28 February 2022 -
News
Stephen Fry explores how nature and myth shape our view of life on Earth
Over thousands of years people have dreamt up all manner of strange and fantastic beasts in folklore, myths and legends.
27 February 2022 -
Science news
Lizard lifestyle has no impact on their biting force
Even the most carnivorous lizard can bite no harder than herbivores of the same size, Museum researchers have found.
23 February 2022 -
News
Britain's rural hedgehogs see dramatic population decline
Up to three quarters of all of Britain's rural hedgehogs have been lost in the past 20 years.
22 February 2022 -
News
Eagles in the USA poisoned by widespread lead pollution
Almost half of all American bald and golden eagles are being poisoned by lead.
18 February 2022 -
News
Reintroducing large mammals could restore the world's ecosystems
Just 20 large mammals, including beavers, bears and bison, could bring back communities across a quarter of the planet.
17 February 2022 -
Science news
New group of plants was one of the first to colonise the land
Ancient plants measuring just two centimetres long could show what the ancestor of vascular plants looked like.
16 February 2022 -
Science news
New armless abelisaur dinosaur species discovered in Argentina
Scientists believe there could be many as yet unknown fossils to be uncovered in the region.
15 February 2022 -
News
Fossils suggest dinosaurs could get ill from respiratory disease
The neck of a diplodocid shows evidence of a disease that still affects birds today.
10 February 2022 -
Science news
Nanofoam discovered in pollen could power cars and save lives
Structures inspired by pollen could make electric car batteries cheaper and more efficient.
9 February 2022 -
Science news
New species of ancient reptile would have been an apex predator of the Middle Triassic
A new species of crocodile-like animal has been described from fossils unearthed in Tanzania.
9 February 2022 -
Science news
Oldest evidence of modern humans in western Europe discovered
Modern humans arrived in western Europe about 10,000 years earlier than previously thought.
9 February 2022 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 57 announces People's Choice winning image
A chilly scene of willow trees rising above a frozen lake in Italy.
9 February 2022 -
News
Fossil-eating sponges discovered in the Arctic
The unique ecosystem is one of the most diverse of the high Arctic.
8 February 2022 -
Science news
Two thirds of life in the seabed is unknown to science
The deep seafloor could be up to three times as diverse as the overlying waters, with much of this diversity yet to be discovered by science.
4 February 2022 -
News
Woolly mammoth and rhino among Ice Age animals discovered in Devon cave
The animals roamed Devon's vast grasslands thousands of years ago.
3 February 2022 -
News
Global warming is causing UK plants to flower earlier
Plants in the UK now flower around a month earlier than they were hundreds of years ago.
2 February 2022 -
Science news
Snails narrow down the impacts of the largest ever extinction
A group of fossilised snails and clams are challenging suggestions that ocean acidification contributed to the largest extinction in history.
31 January 2022 -
News
Sir Patrick Vallance to become Museum's next Chair of the Board of Trustees
Sir Patrick Vallance to become Museum's next Chairman of the Board of Trustees
31 January 2022 -
News
Crocodiles prefer aquatic meals after toxic toad invasion
Scientists believe that the behavioural change may help the reptiles wash away poison from the cane toad, an amphibian which has decimated Australian biodiversity.
26 January 2022 -
News
Bees, butterflies and moths 'confused' by air pollution
Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides can cause as much as a 90% decline in pollinator visits to flowers.
24 January 2022 -
News
Human ancestor Homo erectus probably wasn't the carnivore we thought
Evidence of increasing carnivory in ancient humans may just be a quirk of sampling.
24 January 2022 -
News
The universe could contain 40 trillion black holes
Black holes could make up as much as 1% of all known matter, and may be the building blocks of the largest and most powerful objects in the entire universe.
20 January 2022 -
News
Giant pandas' supercharged gut takes advantage of changing seasons
Pandas develop a supercharged gut for part of the year, allowing them to gain weight when they chow down on the most nutritious parts of bamboo.
19 January 2022 -
Science news
Museum digitises five millionth specimen to unlock secrets of collection
The digitisation of these collections could be worth two billion pounds to the global economy.
18 January 2022 -
News
UK must adapt to climate change now, report warns
The UK faces more deaths, higher costs and greater disruption if preparations to adapt to climate change aren't taken now, the government's climate advisors have warned.
18 January 2022 -
News
Without animals, plants' ability to move with climate change halves
The historic loss of large mammals such as wolves and aurochs means that plants are much less able to spread their seeds to suitable climates.
17 January 2022 -
News
The last eight years have been the hottest on record
2021 is tied as the sixth hottest year on record
14 January 2022 -
News
Tree named after Leonardo DiCaprio is one of 2022's first new species
A newly described species of tree has received international attention after being named in honour of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
11 January 2022 -
News
Britain's largest ever ichthyosaur is discovered in Rutland Water
The largest and most complete ichthyosaur ever found in the UK has been unearthed in the nation's smallest county.
10 January 2022 -
News
Velociraptor relative that ambushed dinosaurs is a new species
The first large raptor to ever be discovered in the UK has been described as a new species.
8 January 2022 -
Science news
Volcano 'recharging' can give clues about its next eruption
The way a volcano is filled with boiling hot magma can help improve forecasts of how it will next erupt.
7 January 2022 -
News
Thousands of birds killed amid 'biggest ever outbreak of bird flu in Britain'
The 'biggest ever outbreak of bird flu in Great Britain' has been blamed for killing thousands of birds across the UK.
6 January 2022 -
News
DNA floating in the air can be used to identify nearby animals
Animals can be detected from hundreds of metres away, just by the presence of their DNA in the air.
6 January 2022 -
News
Shackleton's final expedition: Reuniting Quest's collection 100 years later
A century ago, the era of 'heroic' Antarctic endeavours came to an end as the Quest expedition made its way home.
5 January 2022