Read more
Discover more stories about nature, our research and the collections we care for.
-
Science news
Material necessary for life on Earth may have been delivered by asteroids like Bennu
Samples from the asteroid Bennu contain some of the ingredients needed for life to develop.
29 January 2025 -
News
Ocean temperature rise accelerating as greenhouse gas levels keep rising
The surface of the ocean is warming four times faster than it was 40 years ago.
28 January 2025 -
Science news
First dinosaurs may have evolved in northern Africa and South America
The remains of the earliest dinosaurs could lie beneath the Amazon rainforest and the Sahara Desert.
23 January 2025 -
Human evolution
Modern humans, Homo sapiens: When, where and how did we evolve?
Find out key facts about our species, Homo sapiens, and how we evolved.
-
Science news
Mysterious Martian mounds formed by ancient water
Over 15,000 mounds are scattered across Mars’ lowlands – but until recently, no one knew how they got there.
20 January 2025 -
Science news
Big-eyed conch snails use vision to jump away from predators
Conch snails make death-defying leaps to evade deadly predators.
16 January 2025 -
News
A quarter of all freshwater species are at risk of extinction
New research reveals that damage to these environments is pushing freshwater animals to the edge of extinction.
13 January 2025 -
Anthropocene
Passenger pigeon: How the world’s most common bird went extinct
The passenger pigeon was once the most numerous bird in the world, but in just half a century, it had gone extinct.
-
News
Footprints from a vast dinosaur highway discovered in the UK
The UK’s biggest-ever site of dinosaur footprints has been discovered in Oxfordshire.
6 January 2025 -
Space
Meteor showers to watch in 2025
Planetary scientist and meteorite expert Dr Ashley King shares his tips on how to get the best view.
-
Science news
DiCaprio’s snake and Sauron’s piranha: Natural History Museum describes 190 new species in 2024
Over the last 12 months our scientists have been describing a dizzying array of new species.
20 December 2024 -
Space
What are the northern lights? The aurora borealis explained
Discover what causes the colourful lights of the aurora borealis.
-
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Wild and wonderful birds
Delve in to the wonderful world of birds and discover their incredible behaviour through photos from our Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
-
Science news
Debris from ancient explosive volcanoes found at Mars rover landing site
A previously unknown rock type at the new Mars rover landing site is revealing more about the red planet.
13 December 2024 -
Dinosaurs
How did birds and other dinosaurs learn to fly?
Millions of years before modern birds evolved, their dinosaur ancestors were soaring through the air.
-
News
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbred within the past 50,000 years
Our species mated with the Neanderthals much later than thought, tearing up the timeline of human evolution.
12 December 2024 -
Science news
Tyrannosaur teeth discovered in southern England reveal Cretaceous dinosaur ecosystem
Spinosaurs, tyrannosaurs and relatives of Velociraptor once stalked England’s south coast.
10 December 2024 -
Science news
Triassic reptile with unusual jaws named as a new species
Threordatoth chasmatos was one of the last survivors of a once-widespread group of lizard-like animals.
6 December 2024 -
Collections
The plants in your Christmas pudding
We take a look at the plants used to create the festive figgy pudding and the stories behind them.
-
Science news
Largest marine reptiles may have been wiped out by hidden Triassic extinction
The whale-sized shastasaurids went extinct over 200 million years ago.
4 December 2024 -
Science news
Homo sapiens and Neanderthals were becoming reproductively isolated
Researchers are probing what it means to be a separate species.
4 December 2024 -
Science news
15,000-year-old human burial shows evidence of medicinal plant use
Buried alongside this individual were a range of symbolic objects.
2 December 2024 -
Science news
Climate change linked to mass poisoning of hundreds of elephants
The 350 elephants died because of a toxic algal bloom exacerbated by climate change.
29 November 2024 -
News
Fossil footprints of different ancient humans found together for the first time
The fossils show Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei lived alongside each other.
28 November 2024 -
News
Vote for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60 People’s Choice
This year the People’s Choice category features a curious chimp, a dancing crab and a snuffling sengi.
27 November 2024 -
What on Earth?
Were all mammoths woolly?
The woolly mammoth is an ice age icon. But it was only the very last chapter in a six-million-year-long story.
-
News
Whales in ship strike hotspots could be saved by protecting just 3% more ocean
Protecting a little bit more of the ocean could lead to big changes for whales.
21 November 2024 -
News
Dinosaur fossils reveal how birds got their distinctive walks
New research has revealed how birds changed from rigid raptors to flexible fowl.
20 November 2024 -
Science news
The slender-billed curlew is declared extinct
This is the first mainland European bird declared extinct in 500 years.
18 November 2024 -
Science news
Ancient humans feasted on a giant elephant in India over 300,000 years ago
A breakthrough fossil discovery is changing what we know about some of the largest mammals to ever walk the Earth.
15 November 2024 -
Science news
‘One of a kind’ fossil from the age of dinosaurs reveals roots of bird intelligence
A remarkable fossil could transform our understanding of how the intelligence of modern birds evolved.
13 November 2024 -
Science news
Climate change threatens nearly half of all corals with extinction
Rising temperatures are pushing many species to the brink, alongside disease, pollution and unsustainable fishing.
13 November 2024 -
News
London commuter rediscovers tiny, invasive bug not seen for 18 years
Even the most blurry photo can be consequential.
12 November 2024 -
News
COP29: All you need to know about the upcoming climate change conference
Nations are meeting in Azerbaijan to discuss the future of our changing Earth.
11 November 2024 -
Science news
Molluscs could have been the first animals to venture on land
The story of how animals first set foot out of the water and onto land just became more complex.
7 November 2024 -
Science news
Whales in Wembley: Origins of mysterious blue whale bones uncovered
A mystery beginning in the South Atlantic, and ending in South Kensington, has finally been solved.
6 November 2024 -
News
COP16 roundup: The key decisions from the biodiversity summit
While some progress was made, crucial decisions on protecting nature will be left until next year after the meeting ran out of time.
5 November 2024 -
Science news
Antarctic krill genes could reveal how they’re responding to climate change
Even the world’s most successful wild animal isn’t safe from rising temperatures.
1 November 2024 -
News
‘Golden’ fossil of ancient arthropod named after Natural History Museum scientist
Lomankus edgecombei has been preserved in fool's gold.
31 October 2024 -
Anthropocene
How to clean up a mine: From toxic waste to feeding communities
In 1982, the company managing the Santo Niño copper mine packed up and left. The local community is dealing with its toxic legacy.
-
Oceans
Ocean conservation: How do we look after the largest environment on Earth?
Discover the importance of the oceans to life on Earth, the problems facing these waters and how to conserve them.
-
Science news
The evolution of birds made giant cicadas better flyers
An evolutionary ‘air race’ may have been taking place in forests during the age of dinosaurs.
28 October 2024 -
Collections
How ancient whale bones could help to restore the Antarctic
It's very difficult to know what the Antarctic was like before humans arrived – but whale bones could hold the answer.
-
News
Date of first coral and algae symbiosis pushed back by 170 million years
Algae and coral have lived together for over 380 million years.
23 October 2024 -
News
Almost 80% of nature critical for human wellbeing is outside of protected areas, analysis finds
New research is now mapping where these vital regions are.
21 October 2024 -
News
Deaths from climate change-linked wildfires are on the rise globally
The risk of wildfires is rising, and it’s only likely to get worse.
21 October 2024 -
Collections
Dr Blanca Huertas: Revealing the collection’s secrets, one butterfly at a time
Our butterfly expert talks about her life, passions and the power of perspectives.
-
News
Dolphins are exhaling microplastics through their blowhole
Tests on 11 dolphins in the USA revealed every one had tiny pieces of plastic in their breath.
16 October 2024 -
News
Hidden ecosystems discovered in seafloor beneath hydrothermal vents
Worms and snails are living in cavities under the bottom of the sea.
15 October 2024 -
News
Wildlife populations have plummeted by 73% in half a century
The WWF’s Living Planet Report comes with a stark warning that we are reaching a point of no return for nature.
11 October 2024 -
News
Carbon dioxide removal won’t reverse climate change
Passing 1.5⁰C of warming is a step that cannot easily be undone.
9 October 2024 -
Science news
Largest ever millipede’s head revealed by 300-million-year-old fossils
Arthropleura's head reveals that millipedes and centipedes are closely related.
9 October 2024 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 winning images
Shane Gross awarded the Grand Title for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60.
8 October 2024 -
News
Whale sharks 15,000 times more likely to be hit by ships in warming oceans
Climate change is putting the future of the biggest fish in the world at risk.
7 October 2024 -
News
Over two million square metres of school lands mapped to boost biodiversity
School grounds are one of the most under-recorded urban environments in the UK.
4 October 2024 -
Science news
Bird extinctions have a greater impact than we think
Every species extinction is bad, but the impacts are worse when we consider the ecosystem functions that are also lost.
3 October 2024 -
Science news
New species of tropical moth from Guyana discovered in Port Talbot living room
A new species of moth has been discovered 7,000 kilometres from home.
2 October 2024 -
What on Earth?
Snakes: Super senses, stretchy jaws and deadly venom
Get the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about these fascinating, slithering reptiles.
-
Anthropocene
California condor: Saving North America’s biggest bird
It took a controversial conservation tactic to prevent these giant vultures from going extinct.
-
Science news
Penguins and albatrosses have a ‘touch sensor’ in their beak
Some seabirds might have a ‘sixth sense’ at the end of their beak, new research reveals.
18 September 2024 -
Biodiversity
What is a species, and how many species are there?
Find out the different ways scientists have of describing what species are, how they form and how many there are on Earth.
-
News
New species of ancient thylacines are the oldest ever found
Fossils discovered in northern Australia mark the beginning of a 25-million-year-old family.
12 September 2024 -
Science news
Scientists propose changing bird’s problematic name
Researchers have proposed changing the common name of the flesh-footed shearwater.
5 September 2024 -
News
Almost 70% of all plastic waste is produced by just 20 countries
Each year, 52 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the environment.
4 September 2024 -
Science news
Pollution revealed as the greatest threat to healthy soils
Food security and biodiversity are threatened by the chemicals contaminating our soils.
3 September 2024 -
Dinosaurs
What were the first birds like?
The earliest ancestors of birds looked noticeably different from the creatures familiar to us today, reflecting their dinosaur origins.
-
News
Artificial intelligence could help to predict how endangered species are
The power of machine learning could be used to protect threatened fishes.
30 August 2024 -
News
First Look at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60
Celebrate the wonder of the natural world with some of the most extraordinary images of our planet.
29 August 2024 -
Science news
Plant-eating dinosaurs evolved backup teeth to eat tough food
Some of Earth’s most successful herbivores may have had hundreds of thousands of teeth in their lifetime.
27 August 2024 -
Anthropocene
Climate hope, grief and resilience
Activists and scientists share what brings them climate joy and how they stay motivated in the face of the climate and nature crisis.
-
Anthropocene
Guano mining: Our deadly obsession with bird poo
We’ve been using guano for more than 1,500 years, but our demand for it has had a devastating impact on the birds that produce it.
-
News
Human population boom will increase contact with wild animals
More and more land will be shared between people and wildlife by 2070.
21 August 2024 -
Science news
Tropical beetles unknown to science at higher risk of extinction
Humans are having a devastating effect on biodiversity, but the impacts might be worse than we thought.
20 August 2024 -
Science news
Dodos were fast, active birds that roamed their forested island home
Despite their fame, astonishingly little is known about these large, flightless birds.
16 August 2024 -
News
Dinosaur-killing Chicxulub asteroid came from the edge of the solar system
The prime suspect in the extinction of the dinosaurs was no ordinary asteroid.
15 August 2024 -
News
Rewilding Scottish Highlands could help UK hit 30 by 30 conservation goal
Northern Scotland is among the quarter of Europe that could be suitable for rewilding.
15 August 2024 -
News
New species of extinct walrus discovered from UK fossils
The jawbone of Ontocetus posti helps to reveal how the animals became specialised suction feeders.
13 August 2024 -
Science news
Things just got weird: skinks provide a window onto how evolution works
The social skinks are helping scientists answer fundamental questions about evolution.
12 August 2024 -
Science news
Early mammals lived for longer than their modern relatives
Tiny teeth are revealing the roots of the modern mammal lifestyle.
7 August 2024 -
Anthropocene
Palm oil: The controversial ingredient that’s in nearly everything
Find out the facts about palm oil and its impact on the health of rainforests.
-
Science news
Fossil hunter discovers new species of 210-million-year-old lungfish
Ferganoceratodus edwardsi suggests that many ancient lungfish are more closely related than first thought.
6 August 2024 -
Science news
Scientists genetically remove prickles from flowering plants
Genetically removing the prickles from crops could have huge benefits for agriculture.
2 August 2024 -
What on Earth?
Griffinflies: The earliest flying insects
With wingspans that stretched a whopping 71 centimetres, these epic insects would have blocked out the Sun as they flew past.
-
Science news
New technology protects crops by testing the air for the DNA of plant diseases
Plant infections can now be detected in our crops before they’re even visible.
2 August 2024 -
Science news
Conservationists need to pay more attention to ‘degraded’ tropical forests
We’ve been underestimating the importance of partially logged forests.
1 August 2024 -
Meet the artist unveiling the mysteries under the water’s surface
Sound artist Jana Winderen talks about her experiences recording underwater noises and exploring sound pollution in our waters.
-
Science news
Rare 520-million-year-old larva could reveal more about early animal evolution
A three-dimensional preserved fossil larva has been found to contain traces of internal organs.
31 July 2024 -
Science news
North Sea oil rig pollution linked to seafloor biodiversity decline
The North Sea’s oil and gas rigs impact more than the atmosphere.
29 July 2024 -
What on Earth?
Argonauts: Are these the world’s weirdest octopuses?
Detachable, autonomous penis arms – need we say more?
-
Science news
Rare tooth from 55-million-year-old predator uncovered by seven-year-old boy
A molar found in sand from south London could shed light on the last days of an ancient mammal.
25 July 2024 -
News
Komodo dragons bite prey with iron-tipped teeth
Iron-rich enamel helps the world’s largest living lizard to keep its teeth sharp.
24 July 2024 -
British wildlife
Our ponds are where it’s at
Find out what wildlife you can see at our ponds and how they support life in our gardens.
-
Collections
Twelve treasures of our gardens
From hidden highlights to star sights and surprising sounds, explore 12 treasures in our new gardens.
-
Science news
Microbial structures in Antarctic lake could reveal more about how life evolved
Scientists are studying microbial structures in extreme environments to learn more about early life.
16 July 2024 -
Collections
The making of Fern the Diplodocus: Engineering meets natural history
Our latest attraction stands tall over the new gardens.
-
Collections
Our new Evolution Timeline rocks
Experience the connection between rocks and life in our new Evolution Garden where rocks, fossils, plants and sculpture tell a story of evolution and geological change.
-
News
Woolly mammoth genome rebuilt in 3D from freeze-dried skin
Ancient DNA has been reconstructed in three dimensions for the first time ever using a 52,000-year-old mammoth.
11 July 2024 -
Science news
The most complete UK dinosaur in a century found on the Isle of Wight
Comptonatus chasei is the newest member of the Iguanodon family.
10 July 2024 -
Anthropocene
Seaweed farming for sustainable food
Growing food on land can be challenging and costly for the planet. Discover how seaweed farming offers a solution.
-
News
For the first time, global temperatures above 1.5⁰C limit for an entire year
The past year has been more than 1.5⁰C hotter than it was over than a century ago.
9 July 2024 -
News
First known Denisovan rib could reveal more about our ancient human relatives
The rib bone suggests that the Denisovans may have been living in eastern Asia as recently as 32,000 years ago.
3 July 2024 -
Anthropocene
RSPB Wallasea Island: Turning farmland into a wetland for birds
An unlikely alliance between a nature charity and a railway has created a haven for birdlife in Essex.
-
Science news
Trilobite ‘Pompeii’ reveals 500-million-year-old animals preserved in exquisite detail
Some of the best three-dimensionally preserved fossil trilobites have been revealed from Morocco.
28 June 2024 -
Science news
Ammonite extinction at the end of the dinosaur era was not inevitable
The iconic marine molluscs might be alive today had Earth not been struck by a meteorite.
27 June 2024 -
Science news
World’s smallest living elephants listed as Endangered on Red List
Only 1,000 Bornean elephants are thought to be left in the wild.
27 June 2024 -
News
Frog ‘saunas’ could help species to battle deadly disease
Artificial hotspots might be able to help frogs fight off chytridiomycosis.
26 June 2024 -
News
Fossils of ancient predatory reptile named as new relative of crocodiles
A new species of 237-million-year-old reptile has been uncovered in Brazil.
21 June 2024 -
News
Jumping leeches caught on camera for the first time by scientists
Some leeches aren’t just passive parasites but might actively hunt for food.
20 June 2024 -
Anthropocene
Wetlands: Our hidden climate superpower
Boosting biodiversity and locking away more carbon from our atmosphere than forests, wetlands are incredible ecosystems.
-
Science news
Dinosaurs were thriving in the Western USA before end Jurassic extinction
Scientists are trying to unravel the mysteries of an extinction event that occured in North America at the end of the Jurassic.
13 June 2024 -
Dinosaurs
The Jurassic Period: How did dinosaurs go from basal to bulky?
By the end of the Jurassic Period, dinosaurs ruled our planet. But how they became such a diverse group remains a mystery.
-
What on Earth?
Lifting the lid on gay natural history
Discover the extraordinary diversity of sex and sexual behaviour in nature.
-
News
Flies cross mountains and continents in one of the largest migrations on Earth
One of the world’s largest migrations is made by some of its smallest inhabitants.
12 June 2024 -
Anthropocene
From aurochs to burgers
Uncover the past, present and future of cattle and what this means for climate change and nature.
-
Science news
New species of vegetarian piranha named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron
The newly described Myloplus sauron highlights how little we know about South America’s biodiversity.
11 June 2024 -
News
Tiny flower that survived deforestation named as new species
Amalophyllon miraculum reveals that the region’s biodiversity may not have suffered as badly as first feared.
11 June 2024 -
Science news
UK’s hidden biodiversity could be revealed by technology that samples the air for DNA
By sequencing airborne eDNA, a new project hopes to find out more about the UK’s wildlife.
10 June 2024 -
News
World’s smallest great ape may have lived in Europe, researchers claim
While the researchers describing Buronius manfredschmidi claim it is a new species, not all scientists are convinced.
7 June 2024 -
Science news
Largest cyclone to hit Australia killed off 90 percent of Bedout Island’s masked boobies
A vast colony of breeding seabirds experienced “unprecedented” mortality.
6 June 2024 -
What on Earth?
Disco clam: A poster child for weird bivalves
As soon as you scratch the surface, the weirder and weirder bivalves get.
-
News
Face of ancient Australian ‘giga-goose’ revealed after fossil skull found
After more than a century of searching, the head of one of the largest ever birds has been found.
3 June 2024 -
Anthropocene
Eleven ways to help birds in towns and cities
Increasing urbanisation is putting pressure on many birds. Here are 11 top tips for helping your local feathered friends.
-
Science news
New species of sauropodomorph dinosaur from Zimbabwe reveals Africa’s hidden heritage
Musankwa sanyatiensis is just the fourth dinosaur species ever found from Zimbabwe.
30 May 2024 -
Science news
A handful of big flower groups represent a quarter of all species
Dandelions, buttercups and brambles might help to answer some of the biggest questions in botany.
29 May 2024 -
What on Earth?
What is the biggest bird in the world?
From the tallest and the heaviest to giant nests and extra-long toes, discover the world’s record-breaking birds.
-
Science news
Most comprehensive seal family tree reveals the hidden history of walruses
Seal diversity is just a snapshot of the species that used to exist.
24 May 2024 -
Science news
New species of ‘Dune-like’ carnivorous worm described from UK fossils
An ancient worm may have dragged itself along the sea floor, consuming whatever prey it could find.
23 May 2024 -
Anthropocene
Can seagrass sow hope for the planetary emergency?
Seagrass meadows store carbon, safeguard shorelines and support marine life. But they’re disappearing at a rapid rate.
-
News
Origin of the Sun’s magnetic field discovered under the star’s surface
New research into the Sun's magnetism could make solar storms easier to predict.
22 May 2024 -
News
A third of surveyed UK bird species have declined since the 1990s
Some of the UK’s most recognisable birds are vanishing before our eyes.
21 May 2024 -
Science news
Earliest animal ecosystems may have played a role in the evolution of complex life
The first animal communities could have impacted on how complex life evolved over 550 million years ago.
17 May 2024 -
Anthropocene
Remembering the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine
Looking back at the story of the Tasmanian tiger, the echoes of colonialism and its impact on Australia’s wildlife today.
-
News
Blueprint launched to save 1,000 of the world’s most threatened fishes
A new project to kickstart conservation for some of the world’s rarest fishes is making a splash.
15 May 2024 -
News
2023 was the northern hemisphere’s hottest summer in 2,000 years
New research suggests that Europe hasn’t had as warm a summer since the time of the Romans.
14 May 2024 -
British wildlife
Making room for mushrooms
Sal Chebbah talks about her love of mushrooms and how they can bind communities together.
-
News
Governments falling short of protecting the world’s oceans
Protections for the world’s oceans need strengthening, a new report suggests.
9 May 2024 -
Anthropocene
The resilient coral reefs surviving ocean warming
Ocean warming is threatening coral reefs but some reefs are surviving the warming waters and offer hope for these vital ecosystems.
-
News
Orangutan spotted treating head wound with medicinal plant
It is the first time a wild animal has been seen applying a medicinal plant to an injury.
2 May 2024 -
British wildlife
Bright and beautiful: The UK’s most colourful birds
From fiery red to electric blue, birds in the UK are a riot of colour.
-
Science news
Organic compost and diverse gardens are best for the UK’s earthworms
Making our gardens earthworm friendly could help urban spaces become more resilient.
30 April 2024 -
Anthropocene
Future proofing with fungi
From helping us grow our food to tackling our plastic waste problem, fungi can help us achieve a more sustainable future.
-
Science news
Laser technology could help curb the illegal trade in ivory
Every year thousands of elephants are still killed for their ivory.
24 April 2024 -
News
The world’s largest ever salmon had tusk-like teeth
Scientists now know more about how the three-metre-long Oncorhynchus rastrosus might have looked.
24 April 2024 -
News
Giant marine reptile found in the UK could be the largest ever discovered
A fossil jawbone, which may belong to the largest marine reptile ever discovered, has been found in Somerset.
19 April 2024 -
News
Rewild the soil: The largest urban rewilding project is going underground
The largest urban rewilding project in the UK is happening on an old golf course.
18 April 2024 -
Science news
Rising water levels threaten the survival of the lesser flamingo
The lesser flamingo is in danger of losing its feeding and breeding grounds.
12 April 2024 -
British wildlife
Flock Together: In our own words
The positivity and radical power of Flock Together – the UK’s first birdwatching collective for and by people of colour – as told by its members.
-
News
River restoration is encouraging Atlantic salmon to return to heart of UK
For the first time in 100 years, Atlantic salmon are once again spawning in the upper waters of the River Derwent.
8 April 2024 -
What on Earth?
Do birds pee?
What are those milky white splatters – are they pee or poo?
-
Science news
Australia remains bird flu free as outbreak continues elsewhere
Since 2020, millions of birds have been struck down by avian influenza, but Oceania remains virus free.
4 April 2024 -
Science news
Most detailed bird evolutionary tree reveals new and surprising relationships
It proposes an entirely new group of birds that connects the smallest flying birds to the largest.
2 April 2024 -
News
Counting butterflies can reduce anxiety
Taking part in the UK’s Big Butterfly Count has been found to reduce anxiety by almost 10%.
28 March 2024 -
Oceans
Jellyfish: The smart stinging creatures drifting through our oceans
Discover the fascinating, gelatinous world of jellyfish, from painful stings to brilliant bioluminescence.
-
News
Climate change is causing days to get longer by slowing down the Earth
The melting of the polar ice caps is affecting how fast our planet spins.
27 March 2024 -
Science news
Expedition to the Pacific deep sea reveals extraordinary creatures never seen before
An international team of scientists have spent the last few weeks finding out what is living 4,000 metres beneath the surface.
25 March 2024 -
What on Earth?
How do electric eels work?
Electric eels are like living batteries, but how does their amazing electric-shock ability work?
-
News
Ancient amphibian species named after Kermit the Frog
Kermitops gratus highlights the number of specimens waiting to be described in the world’s museums.
21 March 2024 -
Science news
Rediscovering the world’s largest cormorant
The spectacled cormorant went extinct almost 200 years ago – but almost nothing is known about its life.
19 March 2024 -
Unfurl the secrets of ferns
With their soft unfurling fronds, ferns are fabulous. In fact, we love them so much, we’ve filled our new Evolution Garden with them.
-
News
Earliest fossilised forest discovered in Somerset
This rare find gives scientists an insight into how trees shaped life on land 390 million years ago.
15 March 2024 -
News
Number of threatened bird species falls in latest conservation update
We now know more about the threats affecting birds than ever before.
14 March 2024 -
Anthropocene
Barbary macaques: Europe and north Africa’s last monkeys
Learn about Barbary macaques and the challenges they face.
-
News
Going through the menopause helps whales to become long-lived grandparents
A select group of toothed whales may have doubled their lifespan to become better grandparents.
13 March 2024 -
News
Most male mammals aren’t bigger than females
New research is cutting male mammals down to size.
12 March 2024 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Bobcat Bounty
Killing predators comes with big prize money in the USA. Photographer Karine Aigner goes behind the scenes of contests where hunters win and nature loses.
-
Science news
Giant fishes in the Mekong River at risk of extinction
Some of the world’s largest and most unusual fishes could be wiped out.
8 March 2024 -
News
New Royal Mail stamps will feature dinosaurs and celebrate Mary Anning
Royal Mail is releasing a trove of new palaeontological-themed stamps.
5 March 2024 -
What on Earth?
Why do star-nosed moles have a ‘hand’ on their face?
It may look like it’s fallen to Earth from space, but the star-nosed mole is perfectly adapted to its wet soil habitats.
-
News
Solo south African orcas learn how to hunt great white sharks
The orcas have learnt to catch and eat young great white sharks in less than two minutes.
1 March 2024 -
Dinosaurs
A history of African dinosaurs: Unique narratives starting to be told
A new generation of palaeontologists is rising up to tell the stories of these important animals.
-
British wildlife
Uncovering the hidden life in soil
Our scientists have been digging tiny holes in soil in allotments, gardens and museum lawns around the country.
-
News
Newly discovered deep-sea species could help to protect fragile ocean habitats
As many as 100 new species of deep-sea animals may have been discovered living on undersea mountains.
27 February 2024 -
Dinosaurs
Xu Xing: The palaeontologist who's named the most dinosaurs
Within the world of dinosaurs Xu Xing is a globally important figure.
-
Science news
Lack of renewable energy metals could hold up net zero goals
Giving communities a greater say over mining could help to speed up the transition to net zero.
22 February 2024 -
Science news
Snakes’ rapid evolution might be the secret of their success
They might not have legs, but snakes are outpacing their relatives in the race to evolve.
22 February 2024 -
News
Whales are being drowned out by the sound of shipping
The cacophony in the oceans is preventing whales from making themselves heard.
21 February 2024 -
Dinosaurs
The seven greatest dinosaur discoveries of the last 200 years
The discoveries that changed our understanding of dinosaurs over the past two centuries.
-
News
‘Skin’ of ancient reptile was painted on, new research claims
A new study of Tridentinosaurus suggests that preserved skin is just black paint.
16 February 2024 -
Science news
New species of pirate spiders discovered on South Atlantic island
Named in honour of two dedicated conservationists, the discovery of the spiders could help to protect at-risk forests on St Helena.
15 February 2024 -
News
Coral reefs cover more of Earth’s surface than realised, new estimates reveal
Satellite images have revealed a missing 64,000 square kilometres of coral cover, an area similar to the size of Ireland.
13 February 2024 -
British wildlife
For the love of snails and slugs
‘I love snails and slugs! I just think they’re fascinating,’ says Jon Ablett, our Curator of Molluscs.
-
News
Migratory fish, mammals and birds at risk of extinction
The first State of the World’s Migratory Species report found that countries aren’t doing enough to save threatened species.
12 February 2024 -
Science news
New technique detects distinct fish populations in a single lake through their environmental DNA
A new study has allowed scientists to see how populations of fish differ through their DNA.
7 February 2024 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 59 People’s Choice winner announced
Nima Sarikhani’s stunning picture of a sleeping polar bear was crowned 2023's People's Choice.
7 February 2024 -
Science news
New pterosaur from Skye reveals the hidden diversity of the Middle Jurassic
Discovered in Scotland, Ceoptera evansae has been named as a new species of pterosaur.
6 February 2024 -
News
Earth has already passed 1.5⁰C of warming, controversial study claims
Has the world already passed a critical level of global warming? A new paper claims so.
5 February 2024 -
Science news
Scientists plan ‘seaweed breakthrough’ to restore threatened species
Seaweeds play a vital role in the modern world, but their existence is under threat.
2 February 2024 -
News
Ban on sandeel fishing to support UK’s struggling seabirds
The fishing of sandeels in the UK’s portion of the North Sea will be banned from April.
1 February 2024 -
News
Oldest evidence of Homo sapiens in northern Europe discovered
The first modern humans to live in northern Europe arrived more than 45,000 years ago.
31 January 2024 -
Collections
Whale oil and half an inch of dust: our bowhead whale gets a clean
The whale hall at the Natural History Museum undergoes a deep clean.
-
What on Earth?
Pufferfish: An underwater balloon of death?
Meet the fish with many faces: famous inflatables, fatal poisoners and even romantic artists.
-
Collections
Our LGBTQ+ video tour
Take a virtual tour of the Natural History Museum and explore the astonishing diversity of the natural world.
-
News
Tiny ants are changing the diet of Kenya’s lions
Invasive ants are reducing tree cover on the savannah, causing lions to hunt buffalo over zebra.
25 January 2024 -
News
World’s first rhino IVF could help save the northern white rhino
Scientists have successfully managed to perform IVF on a rhino for the first time.
24 January 2024 -
Dinosaurs
Your dinosaur questions answered
Dinosaur expert Professor Paul Barrett answers your questions about the prehistoric reptiles that once ruled our world.
-
News
Underground freshwater levels are declining rapidly around the world
Wells, streams and springs are in danger of going dry as we take water out of the ground faster than it can be replaced.
24 January 2024 -
News
Re-examining Sir Hans Sloane’s collections
The private collections of Sir Hans Sloane formed the basis of the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the British Library.
18 January 2024 -
British wildlife
Life in soil
Dark, dramatic and dead set on decomposition, soil is alive. Find out the dirt on soil’s drama.
-
Science news
Natural History Museum scientists described a record 815 new species in 2023
This year scientists at the Natural History Museum have been busy.
28 December 2023 -
Science news
Early giant whale from Australia changes our understanding of whale evolution
A jawbone fragment overlooked for more than 100 years was once part of a nine-metre-long ancient whale.
20 December 2023 -
Science news
Jawbones reveal how evolution has shaped the face of whales
It’s said that you are what you eat – and that’s certainly true of toothed whales.
19 December 2023 -
Science news
Machine learning could help scientists understand why birds are eating plastic
Seabirds in the Pacific Ocean are eating plastic and feeding it to their chicks.
18 December 2023 -
Science news
Better fossil dating could help to clear up human evolution
Going back to basics could help to unlock the mysteries of our origins.
18 December 2023 -
News
Museum scientists published over 700 new pieces of research in 2023
Our scientists have contributed papers on everything from deep sea diversity to marsupial evolution.
14 December 2023 -
News
New Royal Mint coins to feature three iconic dinosaurs
The Natural History Museum has teamed up once more with The Royal Mint.
14 December 2023 -
Science news
Potential signs of life on Mars might be easier to find than first thought
A school science experiment is answering questions that are out of this world.
12 December 2023 -
News
Ancient plant species revealed to be fossilised baby turtles
A case of mistaken fossil identity has been resolved after 20 years.
11 December 2023 -
Collections
What is a fossil?
Fossils are physical evidence of prehistoric animals and plants, but there may be more to them than you ever realised.
-
News
How do we know which parts of the planet to protect?
Nations around the world have agreed to protect 30% of the land and sea by the year 2030.
8 December 2023 -
News
Young tyrannosaurs may have eaten completely different food to their parents
An extraordinary dinosaur fossil has revealed what young tyrannosaurs were eating over 70 million years ago.
8 December 2023 -
Science news
Fungus named after Beatrix Potter is one of the earliest plant pests
The oldest disease-causing fungus on record has been found in the Natural History Museum’s collection.
5 December 2023 -
News
An upside down deep-sea anglerfish might be hunting for prey
The mystery of the whipnose anglerfish’s extraordinarily long lure might have finally been solved.
1 December 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 59: People’s Choice shortlist
Discover this year's shortlisted images and don't forget to vote for your favourite.
-
Science news
‘It’s almost like a dream’: Sample of asteroid Bennu arrives at the Natural History Museum
Welcome to the next era of natural history collections.
28 November 2023 -
Science news
Toxic chemicals in UK whales and dolphins are exceeding safe limits
Almost half of marine mammals around the UK are being poisoned by banned chemicals.
28 November 2023 -
Science news
Moth found in West London is a new species from Australia
Specimens of the hitchhiking insect have been sitting undescribed in the Museum’s collections since 1886.
23 November 2023 -
British wildlife
Seven designs that bring nature into towns and cities
Can creativity carve out more space for nature in our towns and cities?
-
Science news
Skull shape can predict how extinct vultures fed on carrion
Variations in the skull shape of vultures have been found to coincide with the preferred method each species uses to feed on a carcass.
21 November 2023 -
News
Antarctica’s ozone hole has been growing since 2004
A new study suggests that levels of ozone have declined by as much as 26% over the south pole.
21 November 2023 -
News
Serotine bats have sex unlike any other mammal
Their style of mating is more similar to birds than any known mammal.
20 November 2023 -
Science news
Unravelling the surprisingly complex history of crocodiles
Crocodiles have a deep and varied evolutionary past.
17 November 2023 -
Collections
Black history at the Natural History Museum
Discover the contribution of Black people to the field of natural history.
-
News
New species of big-thumbed dinosaur discovered in Mongolia
Jaculinykus yaruui is thought to have dug for food using an enormous thumb on each hand.
16 November 2023 -
News
Microplastics are carried in clouds and could be affecting the weather
Microplastics in the atmosphere might encourage the formation of clouds.
15 November 2023 -
British wildlife
Green on top: Raising the roof for biodiversity
Discover the unexpected wildlife living the high life in cities and towns and the positive difference green roofs can make to an area.
-
Science news
Insect trapped in amber reveals the evolutionary battles of ancient Europe
Katydids have been using ultrasounds for millions of years to try and avoid predators hearing them.
13 November 2023 -
Science news
New toad from Kenyan volcano reveals hidden evolution of African amphibians
The species has only been found once on the side of the inactive volcano.
9 November 2023 -
Science news
One fifth of all species in Europe threatened with extinction
The dramatic decline in biodiversity is the result of agricultural change, pollution and habitat loss.
9 November 2023 -
Collections
Fossil preparation: How do we get specimens ready for display?
It takes time, endless patience and skill to transform a fossil into a museum-worthy exhibit.
-
Anthropocene
The Arctic: Exploration to Exploitation
Once a remote and impenetrable region, the Arctic is opening up like never before. Here, in the most northerly region on Earth the effects of climate change are felt at full force.
-
Science news
400-million-year-old fish fossil reveals how we got our arms
A question that has puzzled scientists for over 150 years may finally have been answered.
1 November 2023 -
Collections
Women of colour who have broken barriers in the world of science
Our new Women in Science: Women of Colour Tour tells some inspiring stories.
-
Science news
Most Martian meteorites are curiously young in age
Putting Martian meteorites in a nuclear reactor has confirmed their curiously young age.
27 October 2023 -
What on Earth?
Convergent evolution explained with 13 examples
The same useful traits appear again and again in nature.
-
Dinosaurs
Prehistoric plants: How to grow a dinosaur garden
Our Evolution Garden shows how plant life has changed over time and includes lots of examples that dinosaurs would recognise.
-
Science news
Bird beaks reveal the changeable nature of evolution
The Natural History Museum’s collections are helping scientists to get a handle on how evolution works.
25 October 2023 -
News
Climate change reaching unprecedented levels as records tumble
Earth’s climate is entering “uncharted territory” – and we have no idea what’s coming next.
24 October 2023 -
News
Natural History Museum human evolution expert awarded Huxley Medal
Professor Chris Stringer, our longest-serving researcher, is set to be honoured for his contributions to human evolution.
23 October 2023 -
Science news
There is a sex bias in amphibian and reptile natural history collections
More surprising is that the vast majority of herpetology records are unsexed.
20 October 2023 -
Science news
Dog volunteers needed to understand canine motion and domestication
Your dog could have its day as part of a new scientific study.
20 October 2023 -
News
The world’s last untouched wildernesses are at risk of becoming farmland
The last remaining wildernesses on Earth could be swept away to feed humanity’s growing appetite.
19 October 2023 -
News
From staple to superfood: how seaweed fed prehistoric Europeans
Dental plaque may help to reveal what prehistoric humans ate.
17 October 2023 -
Science news
UK seaweeds face an uncertain future in a warming ocean
Seaweeds are vital for the health of our planet, but we are unaware of just how threatened they might be.
13 October 2023 -
Oceans
How trilobites conquered prehistoric oceans
Trilobites survived for more than 250 million years. But what made them some of the most successful early animals?
-
Science news
Loss of tropical pollinators puts chocolate and coffee production at risk
The tropical crops may face an uncertain future amid rising temperatures and habitat loss.
12 October 2023 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 winning images
The image, titled The Golden Horseshoe, has won Laurent Ballesta his second Wildlife Photographer of the Year Grand Title award.
10 October 2023 -
Collections
What can shark teeth tell us?
Sharks have been around for millions of years. Their teeth are some of the most common fossils you can find.
-
News
Human voices scare African mammals more than lions
African wildlife is more than twice as likely to flee from the sound of humans than lions.
5 October 2023 -
Science news
Digitising UK museum collections could help to boost the global economy
Investing in natural history collections could offer new scientific and economic opportunities.
5 October 2023 -
News
Schools in England invited to join new programme to boost nature in education
The National Education Nature Park will create a network of green spaces right across the country.
4 October 2023 -
Science news
Oldest evidence of human cannibalism as a funerary practice
Human bones with cutmarks, breaks and human chewing marks are found across northern Europe.
4 October 2023 -
Science news
Climate change threatens thousands of amphibians with extinction
Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates in the world.
4 October 2023 -
Human evolution
Homo habilis, an early maker of stone tools
This ancient human was once thought to be the first to make stone tools, but is this true?
-
News
Fossilised trilobite gut contents reveal what ancient arthropods were eating
For the first time ever, researchers have found a trilobite’s final meal.
27 September 2023 -
Science news
Discovery of Moroccan fossil footprints points to unknown dinosaur diversity
Researchers are hot on the trail of Morocco’s missing dinosaurs.
27 September 2023 -
News
One in six species at risk of going extinct in Great Britain
Wildlife in the UK has declined on average by 19% since monitoring began in 1970.
27 September 2023 -
News
Calls for the UK to legally ban keeping whales and dolphins in captivity
Around the world, over 3,600 whales and dolphins are being kept in captivity.
26 September 2023 -
Oceans
Sea cucumbers: Weird and wacky natural recyclers
From the headless chicken monster to anal teeth, discover the curious world of sea cucumbers.
-
Dinosaurs
What happens when you find a dinosaur?
If you know what you’re looking at, little bits of bone can add up to something big.
-
Science news
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returns to Earth with pristine asteroid samples
OSIRIS-REx returned to Earth with a record-breaking amount of material from an asteroid dating back to the birth of our solar system.
24 September 2023 -
Science news
Identity of Jurassic plesiosaur fossils from Dorset could finally be revealed
Though the Portland plesiosaur made headlines in the 1960s, it has never been formally described.
21 September 2023 -
Science news
Ancient fish reveals how vertebrates put their heads together
New research on the 450-million-year-old Eriptychius suggests it could be a ‘missing link’ in the evolution of the vertebrate skull.
20 September 2023 -
British wildlife
What's that insect?
Find out if you're an above-average insect spotter with this quiz.
-
News
Europe’s bumblebees threatened with extinction as their habitats shrink
Rising temperatures and habitat loss could spell an uncertain future for bumblebees in Europe.
13 September 2023 -
News
Invasive red fire ants found in Europe for the first time
Red imported fire ants are one of the world’s most damaging invasive species.
11 September 2023 -
Science news
Ancient bacteria species among the first of its kind to colonise land
A species of bacteria that lived 407 million years ago would have flourished among early land plants.
8 September 2023 -
British wildlife
Why we should rewild ourselves and the places we live
When we live alongside nature, we end up happier and healthier. We might even end up rewilding ourselves.
-
Science news
Horns in the Natural History Museum's collection confirmed to be from extinct bluebuck antelope
Only four confirmed specimens are known to science.
4 September 2023 -
Science news
Three-eyed ‘fossil monster’ could help explain how insects evolved
A marine predator living over 500 million years ago might bridge the gap between insects and their ancient relatives.
1 September 2023 -
News
First look at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 59
Here’s a glimpse at some mesmerising images from this year's upcoming exhibition.
31 August 2023 -
Science news
Most complete frog family tree shows they evolved later than previously thought
The group may have evolved tens of millions of years later than originally thought.
31 August 2023 -
News
Human ancestors may have almost died out after ancient population crash
Almost 99% of all human ancestors may have been wiped out around 930,000 years ago, a new paper has claimed.
31 August 2023 -
News
Sir Patrick Vallance awarded Royal Medal for role during COVID-19 pandemic
Sharing the honour with Professor Sir Christopher Whitty the pair were given the award in recognition for their work during the pandemic.
30 August 2023 -
News
Emperor penguin colonies abandoned after ‘unprecedented’ loss of sea ice
The breeding failure of four emperor penguin colonies is a sign of things to come, researchers have warned.
24 August 2023 -
News
Sperm and bottlenose whales may have learnt to follow trawlers for easy meals
A new study demonstrates the extraordinary ability of whales to develop new ways of feeding.
23 August 2023 -
News
Rainforest leaves feel the burn of climate change as temperature limit approaches
If the worst case predictions of climate change come to pass, rainforests could be at serious risk.
23 August 2023 -
Oceans
Sea urchins: Strange and spiny wonders of the ocean
Sea urchins can be found in every ocean on Earth. They’ve been around for 450 million years - but are they now at risk?
-
News
Ancient otter-like seal relative may have used whiskers to find food
Whiskers may have been crucial to allow seals to adopt a life in water.
21 August 2023 -
News
New species of Triassic reptile reveals lifestyle of ancient pterosaur relatives
The new species, named Venetoraptor gassenae, suggests that the lagerpetids were more diverse than previously realised.
17 August 2023 -
News
Deep sea mining: A necessary industry or too much risk?
Scientists are warning that we simply know too little about the deep sea.
15 August 2023 -
Science news
Our appetite for shellfish risks pushing mussels and scallops into extinction
Bivalves have been touted as a food of the future – but wild populations might not last that long.
15 August 2023 -
Science news
How deep-sea drilling is helping to unravel elephant evolution
Elephants and their relatives evolved in a previously unappreciated way.
14 August 2023 -
Science news
Ancient ice age could have caused the first Europeans to go extinct
Melting polar ice caps may have pushed some of the first ancient humans out of Europe.
10 August 2023 -
Dinosaurs
The Isle of Wight: Welcome to Dinosaur Island
Discover a treasure trove of fossils just off Britain’s south coast.
-
News
Crocodiles might understand how upset ape babies are
Nile crocodiles may have a limited ability to understand our emotions.
9 August 2023 -
Collections
Seven highlights of Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur
Discover seven highlights from our exhibition Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur and uncover the secrets of the largest known animal to have ever walked the planet.
-
Science news
Pacific wasp named as a new species over a century after first being spotted
The discovery of a new parasitoid wasp could help to save an Endangered Pacific butterfly.
7 August 2023 -
Science news
Organic molecules in Martian crater help to reconstruct planet’s history
NASA’s Perseverance rover may have discovered organic molecules on the surface of Mars.
4 August 2023 -
Science news
Winchcombe meteorite is helping us to understand more about asteroids
One of the UK’s most famous meteorites is helping scientists learn more about asteroids millions of kilometres away.
3 August 2023 -
News
New fossil whale might have been the world’s heaviest-ever animal
Fossils found in Peru are redefining the history of whale evolution.
2 August 2023 -
Fossil hunting: How to find fossils on the beach
All it takes is a bit of practice and plenty of patience.
-
Oceans
A deep dive into sea snakes, sea kraits and their aquatic adaptations
Sea snakes are often feared. But are they dangerous or do we just need to get to know them better?
-
News
Artificial reefs in seagrass meadows could help protect against climate change
Artificial reefs attract fish, which can improve the ability of seagrass to lock up more carbon dioxide beneath the waves.
26 July 2023 -
Science news
‘Dividing line’ for undersea wildlife discovered in the deep Pacific Ocean
The pattern of diversity in the deep sea is more complex than first thought.
24 July 2023 -
Collections
Travelling 2.7 billion years back in time on the search for the UK's oldest rock
Our scientists have been looking for a rock that formed so long ago it was on Earth before complex life lived on land.
-
British wildlife
Ticks, tick bites and Lyme disease: How to protect yourself
Ticks are becoming increasingly common in the UK and can carry a health risk for people and pets.
-
News
New species of palm found to flower and fruit underground
A newly described palm species from Borneo has been discovered with the unusual phenomenon of producing its fruit and flowers below ground.
7 July 2023 -
Science news
Cambrian apex predator probably preferred soft-bodied prey
A 500-million-year-old murder mystery has been solved.
5 July 2023 -
Oceans
Sea turtles: serene marine marvels and how we affect them
How much do you know about these incredible marine reptiles?
-
News
Missing Crystal Palace mammal recreated decades after disappearance
A new statue is joining the world’s oldest display of extinct wildlife in south London.
1 July 2023 -
News
Asteroids named after Museum scientists studying the early solar system
The asteroids 28994 Helenabates and 31551 Ashleyking are part of the main asteroid belt, a collection of rocky debris left over from the solar system’s beginning.
30 June 2023 -
News
Sir David Attenborough unveils quote at the Museum
The quote will form part of the newly developed gardens at the Museum.
29 June 2023 -
Behind the Science: Ashwini Mohan highlights the challenges of being an international researcher
International scientists must overcome many obstacles to obtain research posts in the UK.
-
News
New forests and restoration among proposals for England’s woodlands
A new report offers a path to recover England's woodlands, one that could increase the country's biodiversity from the mid-2040s onwards.
28 June 2023 -
Anthropocene
Our Broken Planet podcast
Hear stories from the front line of the planetary emergency, as well as solutions from nature, science and people power.
-
News
Australian lizard species rediscovered following extinction fears
The Victorian grassland earless dragon was last seen in 1969, but recent surveys of its habitat have revealed new populations of the species.
27 June 2023 -
News
Europe warming twice as fast as other continents
A new climate change report reveals that Europe is heating up fast, but expanded use of renewable energy offers some hope for the future.
26 June 2023 -
Collections
Bold and beautiful specimens from South Asia
An array of charming specimens collected from South Asia.
-
News
UK’s cuckoos unable to adjust migrations to keep up with climate change
Cuckoos are being forced into riskier migrations to get ahead of the competition.
22 June 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The Disappearing Giraffe
Jose Fragozo’s image The Disappearing Giraffe captures the contrast between the natural world and human infrastructure.
-
News
Oldest known Neanderthal engravings unearthed in French cave
Neanderthals might have been making some of Europe’s oldest art thousands of years before the arrival of humans.
21 June 2023 -
British wildlife
The insect orchestra: From meadow melodies to riverside rhapsodies
Who's hitting the high notes in the insect orchestra? Despite their small size, they sure know how to make themselves heard.
-
Science news
New species of dinosaur named after Museum scientist Paul Barrett
The remains of the armoured dinosaur were discovered on the Isle of Wight.
16 June 2023 -
What on Earth?
The unusual link between parrotfish and sand
In some places, it's estimated that up to 70% of beach sand has gone through the guts of parrotfish.
-
News
Fossils reveal early modern humans in southeast Asia 77,000 years ago
Our ancient relatives may have reached southeast Asia over 10,000 years earlier than thought.
15 June 2023 -
Anthropocene
Meet Gregor Sailer, the man photographing The Polar Silk Road
We interview photographer Gregor Sailer about his experiences of working in the Arctic ahead of our newest exhibition The Polar Silk Road.
-
News
Fossil reveals smallest sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Jurassic
The ancient relative of some of the largest ever animals may have been lighter than some humans.
14 June 2023 -
Collections
Well-loved specimens by our South Asian scientists
Our South Asian scientists share their research and their favourite specimen.
-
News
New flying gecko species reveals hidden biodiversity of northern India
The oldest group of lizards has just gained their newest member.
12 June 2023 -
Science news
X-rays identify a 240-million-year-old mystery fossil
An ichthyosaur fossil found in Svalbard is finally revealing its secrets 15 years after it was discovered.
9 June 2023 -
News
Invasive oak processionary moth caterpillars cause concern for England’s trees
An insect that can be hazardous to human health is spreading across southeast England.
8 June 2023 -
News
Traces of ancient life found in 1.6-billion-year-old rocks in Australia
A previously unappreciated group of lifeforms are changing what we know about the evolution of life on Earth.
7 June 2023 -
News
World’s longest fence affecting the development of kangaroos
Kangaroos spring up faster when they’re living with their predators.
6 June 2023 -
British wildlife
Dusk till dawn: The secret world of night creatures
Our top tips for how to see nocturnal animals as they go about their busy lives after dark.
-
News
Claims that Homo naledi buried their dead could alter our understanding of human evolution
New claims argue that the ancient human species Homo naledi buried their dead and made engravings.
5 June 2023 -
News
Imports of ivory from hippos and killer whales to be banned in the UK
Five species are set to receive greater legal protection under a new extension to the UK’s ivory ban.
31 May 2023 -
What on Earth?
The real cast of The Little Mermaid
Meet the creatures that really are part of your world.
-
Science news
Bivalves were slow starters during the Cambrian explosion
The bivalves appear to have been left behind in history’s biggest ever burst of evolution.
31 May 2023 -
News
Oldest evidence of plague in Britain is over 4,000 years old
New research reveals that Yersinia pestis was widespread across Europe during the Bronze Age, thousands of years before the Black Death.
30 May 2023 -
News
New sabre-toothed species reveals 'unprecedented' impact of largest ever extinction
A new fossil predator has offered an insight into the chaotic final years of the largest extinction of all time over 250 million years ago.
26 May 2023 -
What on Earth?
Axolotls: Meet the amphibians that never grow up
These characterful creatures also have amazing regeneration abilities.
-
Behind the Science Justin Isip on the challenges of doing a PhD
Justin chats about the challenges involved in getting a PhD placement and maintaining a work-life balance.
-
Science news
Around 90% of species in prospective deep-sea mining zone are unnamed
Many regions of the deep sea are currently being explored for the potential to mine them.
25 May 2023 -
News
Endangered chimpanzees contaminated with pesticides and flame retardants
Primate poo is revealing how pollutants are affecting threatened species in the wild.
24 May 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Draining the Basin
Who gets water when there's not enough for everyone? Morgan Heim's image captures the moment of relief as groundwater gushes from a ditch in the parched Klamath Basin.
-
News
The Natural History Museum shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023
The Museum is as a finalist for the world's largest museum prize.
22 May 2023 -
Science news
Marsupials might be the more evolved mammals
Mammal evolution has been flipped on its head, according to new research that suggests marsupials are the more evolved mammals.
19 May 2023 -
News
Lack of methane emissions control threatens climate change action
Over 85% of methane emissions aren't being regulated by governments around the world.
19 May 2023 -
News
New species of spinosaur suggests the predators co-existed in western Europe
Protathlitis cinctorrensis is the latest to be discovered in Spain, adding to the evidence that spinosaurs first evolved in Europe.
18 May 2023 -
News
Climate change set to breach 1.5⁰C limit for first time by 2027
The world is rapidly running out of time to halt rising temperatures.
17 May 2023 -
News
Britain has lost 73 million birds over the last 50 years
Most of the declining species are farmland birds.
12 May 2023 -
Science news
Noisy neighbours: Listening in to nature in cities and towns
Urban soundtracks allow us to listen in to wildlife, from calling birds and shouting foxes to chirping insects and quiet worms.
12 May 2023 -
Science news
Rare fossils fill a gap in the evolution of major animal groups
Exceptionally well-preserved fossils from the Cambrian period have helped fill a gap in our understanding of the origin and evolution of major animal groups alive today.
11 May 2023 -
Science news
Scientists weed out harmful genes to breed better potatoes
An unprecedented look at potato genetics could help to tackle world hunger.
11 May 2023 -
Science news
New group of butterflies named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron
While there are currently only two members of the genus Saurona, many more as-yet-undescribed species are thought to exist.
7 May 2023 -
Science news
Monitoring changes in Wikipedia pageviews could help save wildlife
Scientists have developed an ambitious new tool which monitors the monthly changes in Wikipedia pageviews for thousands of species.
4 May 2023 -
British wildlife
How well do you know your nature sounds? Take the quiz and find out
Think you know your birds from your bees?
-
Science news
Ancient human DNA found in 20,000-year-old bone jewellery
A new technique allows researchers to extract the DNA of people who have handled bone artefacts, giving clues about prehistoric cultures.
3 May 2023 -
Science news
Crushed Scottish fossils reconstructed to reveal ancient predator's skull
Digital reconstructions of broken fossils have revealed more about the life of an ancient crocodile-like predator.
2 May 2023 -
Oceans
Beluga whales: Social, smart and wizards with sound
Get to know the Arctic’s most friendly faced white whales.
-
News
Plants emit ultrasonic popping sounds when stressed
Scientists have recorded plants producing airborne sounds in response to lack of water or having their stems damaged.
27 April 2023 -
Behind the Science: Chawatat pursues elusive Southeast Asian bumblebees
Thai PhD student Chawatat investigates the hidden lives of Southeast Asian bumblebees.
-
News
Bird flu outbreak spreads across West African migratory route
The bird flu pandemic has reached West Africa after being detected in Senegal and The Gambia.
26 April 2023 -
Oceans
Dumbo octopus: The murky world of the deepest octopus species
Named after its prominent ear-like fins, there's much more to this fascinating octopus than its adorable appearance.
-
Oceans
Great white sharks: Dangerous man-eaters or marine marvels?
Great white sharks are some of the world's most misunderstood animals. There is much more to these sensitive fish than just a big bite.
-
The henna plant: Transcending time, religion and culture
Despite its global popularity, the origin and history of the henna plant remains hidden.
-
Science news
Sea ice algae on which Arctic animals rely under threat from climate change
Traces of ice algae have been found in many animal groups revealing the critical importance of algae and the sea ice on which it grows to the fragile Arctic ecosystem.
19 April 2023 -
News
Pitcher plants might be luring in prey using specialised scents
While species focusing on bees produce more floral odours, those focusing on fruit flies make fruitier smells.
19 April 2023 -
Science news
Earliest ichthyosaur fossil discovered on remote Arctic Island
New research suggests that ichthyosaurs may have pre-dated the age of the dinosaurs after surviving Earth's largest mass extinction event.
18 April 2023 -
Science news
Hanuman plover makes a comeback as a species after 86 years
Named after a Hindu god, it is hoped that resurrecting the species will focus conservation attention on at-risk habitats.
17 April 2023 -
News
Beetles may have eaten dinosaur feathers and lived in their nests
The insects were frozen in time after being caught in amber, revealing rare evidence of how dinosaurs and insects interacted.
17 April 2023 -
News
Almost half of all UK bird species in decline
Bird populations in the UK continue to freefall as the government moves further away from achieving its own targets to protect nature.
14 April 2023 -
News
Juice mission launches to look for possibility of life on Jupiter's moons
On 14 April 2023, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission blasted off to Jupiter.
14 April 2023 -
Science news
First British fossils of therizinosaur and troodontid dinosaurs are world's oldest
The isolated teeth were identified using machine learning models, and could represent some of the earliest relatives of birds ever discovered.
14 April 2023 -
News
Oldest bat skeletons ever found described as new species
52-million-year-old fossils of Icaronycteris gunnelli offer researchers a deeper look at how bats evolved.
12 April 2023 -
News
Can ancient food webs help predict biodiversity collapse?
A gradual decline in biodiversity may have led to a more devastating ecosystem collapse during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction.
11 April 2023 -
Collections
Hidden Treasures: Season two of our behind-the-scenes live streams
Explore our collections and discover some of the many specimens you won't see on a regular visit to the Museum.
-
News
Snake that cartwheels away from predators described for the first time
The dwarf reed snake startles potential threats before using a burst of speed to disappear into the undergrowth.
6 April 2023 -
News
Deepest-ever fish filmed at a depth of 8,336 metres
An expedition to some of the Earth's deepest ocean trenches has broken records for deep-sea fish.
5 April 2023 -
British wildlife
Spring is for nesting: How birds build nests
Spring is an important time of year for birds to get cracking laying eggs and raising chicks. But first things first they need to build their nests.
-
News
Mystery emissions of ozone-damaging gases are fuelling climate change
Levels of some ozone-damaging gases are on the rise, despite a global ban on their production.
3 April 2023 -
Dinosaurs
The Cretaceous Period: What was Earth like before dinosaurs went extinct?
The Cretaceous Period is famous for ending with a massive asteroid impact, but what was our planet like in the millions of years before that?
-
Behind the Science: Eva Stewart explores how deep-sea invertebrates might be impacted by seafloor mining
Museum PhD student Eva researches deep-sea animal biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean.
-
News
Dinosaurs may have had scaly 'lips' to protect their teeth from damage
Rather than keeping them permanently exposed, like crocodiles, a new study suggests the teeth of theropods would have been kept behind lips.
30 March 2023 -
Science news
Fossils of whale ancestors reveal the path to becoming Earth's largest mammals
Whales started becoming big early in their evolution – and kept going for millions of years.
30 March 2023 -
Dinosaurs
Why were dinosaurs so big? The secrets of titanosaurs' super size
Dinosaurs are the largest land animals to ever live. Titanosaurs were the biggest of them all. Explore how they were able to grow to such a size.
-
Anthropocene
Human-elephant conflict: How to live alongside the largest living land animal
Humans have increasingly determined the future of elephants over recent centuries.
-
News
The first known dinosaur egg? A new discovery from the Museum's collection
A serendipitous discovery revealed that a beautiful mineral has been hiding a secret for over 170 years.
29 March 2023 -
Science news
Fossils reveal how giant amphibians swam on shores of ancient sea
Amphibians the size of crocodiles once lurked along the shores of ancient South Africa.
29 March 2023 -
News
Beaver families thriving in the West Country after unofficial reintroductions
As many as 50 beavers could be living in Somerset and Wiltshire, Natural England has revealed.
28 March 2023 -
News
Microplastics in seabirds linked with increase in illness-causing bacteria
Microplastics aren't just affecting large animals, they're also affecting microscopic species too.
27 March 2023 -
News
Biodiversity at risk as development encroaches into 80% of vital habitats
Development in Key Biodiversity Areas poses a risk to the stability and survival of unique ecosystems.
24 March 2023 -
Science news
Plastic diet could be causing seabird chicks to shrink
The body mass of young shearwaters has deteriorated in just over a decade, with plastic consumption believed to be the most likely cause.
24 March 2023 -
Science news
Natural history museums around the globe contain over 1.1 billion objects
The specimens and objects held in museums around the world represent an astonishing resource.
23 March 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: A Slim Outlook for South America's Spectacled Bear
Why are elusive spectacled bears roaming Quito's city limits?
-
British wildlife
Cherry trees and their beautiful blossom: Where and when to see it in the UK
Keep an eye out in spring and you may spot the delicate pink and white blooms of a cherry tree.
-
Date palm: The cornerstone of civilisation in the Middle East and North Africa
The date palm plays a significant role in evolution, religion and culture.
-
News
Beavers reintroduced in Ealing after London rewilding projects funded
22 rewilding schemes will share £850,000 to help bring back nature in the UK's capital city.
11 October 2023 -
News
Climate change 'survival guide' finds 1.5⁰C is achievable, but needs urgent action
The latest climate report reveals that the world is more than capable of tackling climate change, but current action simply isn't enough.
20 March 2023 -
News
Natural History Museum was the UK's most visited indoor attraction in 2022
We're the UK's most popular indoor attraction for the second year running.
17 March 2023 -
News
Bumblebees solve puzzles by learning from their peers
Bumblebees develop new 'trends' in their behaviour by watching and learning from other members of the group.
17 March 2023 -
Collections
11 inspiring stories from the Women in Science Palaeontology tour
The Museum's new, free Women in Science: Palaeontology tour tells some inspiring stories of women in science.
-
Science news
Extinctions on the island of the dodo are pushing plants towards extinction
Almost a third of Mauritius' native fruits are no longer being dispersed as no animals are big enough to swallow their seeds.
16 March 2023 -
Science news
Longest ever necked dinosaur discovered in China
The discovery was made three decades after the species was first uncovered as scientists try to understand more about how sauropods evolved in what is now eastern Asia.
15 March 2023 -
News
Calls for a treaty to tackle space pollution in Earth's orbit
With the number of satellites expected to increase by over six times by 2030, there are calls for a new treaty to curb space pollution.
14 March 2023 -
What on Earth?
How do dung beetles' diets keep the world clean?
Find out why dung beetles eat poo and how some use the Sun and stars when they travel.
-
News
Extreme snowstorms decimate Antarctic petrel nests
Climate change is thought to be responsible for bringing more extreme weather to the continent, which is exacerbating a long term decline in nest numbers.
13 March 2023 -
News
Over half of Britain's plant species are now non-native
Of the almost 3,500 British plant species, non-native plants now outnumber native species by 51% to 49%.
10 March 2023 -
News
Bird flu kills thousands of South American sea lions as outbreak continues
An outbreak of bird flu has swept the world over the past year, raising fears that humans could become more vulnerable.
9 March 2023 -
British wildlife
Birdwatching is not only good for you it also expands your world
The simple act of watching birds opens a window onto a whole other world right on your doorstep.
-
News
New fossils challenge the identity of the oldest bryozoan
The oldest colonial animal might actually be one of the oldest types of seaweed.
8 March 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The southern right whales' song of hope
Southern right whale numbers have bounced back since the end of whaling, and they got up close and personal with one photojournalist.
-
News
Historic treaty to protect the world's oceans finally agreed
Nations have reached a historic agreement to protect the world's oceans from exploitation.
6 March 2023 -
Science news
'Plasticosis': a new disease caused by plastic that is affecting seabirds
A new disease has been described in seabirds, but it might just be the tip of the iceberg.
3 March 2023 -
Science news
European woodcocks have the brightest feathers known to exist
The underside of their tails have feathers that are whiter than any others ever measured.
1 March 2023 -
Collections
The Legacy of Dürer's Rhinoceros
Dürer's woodcut print of a rhinoceros is as iconic as it is inaccurate. In this article we explore the legacy of this infamous artwork and how it shaped thinking on its subject for more than 200 years after its creation.
-
The giant sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum: the biggest tree in the world
Explore the stories of the giant redwoods and the extraordinary Cherokee man Sequoyah, who influenced their name.
-
News
UK creates three new 'highly protected' marine nature reserves in England
While conservationists have welcomed the announcement, they've also raised concerns that the proposals aren't enough to protect vulnerable marine habitats.
28 February 2023 -
News
Legendary beasts from ancient literature may have been whales gulping down fish
Ancient Norwegian and Greek literature may have described trap feeding as much as 2,000 years before it was first observed in 2011.
28 February 2023 -
News
'Unusually high' number of turtle strandings in the UK and Ireland
While these strandings are thought to be the result of an unseasonably stormy year, climate change could make them more common in future.
27 February 2023 -
News
Plans to reintroduce lynx and wolves to England could be put on hold
Thérèse Coffey has told farmers that she does not support reintroducing wolves and lynx to the English countryside.
24 February 2023 -
News
Rare look at the wildlife thriving in North Korea's DMZ
One of the most heavily militarised borders in the world has become a haven for nature.
24 February 2023 -
British wildlife
What happens to frogs and dragonflies when their pond disappears?
Natural ponds come and go. They fill up when it's wet and empty when it’s dry. Pond wildlife has learnt to live in these changeable worlds in remarkable ways.
-
Behind the Science: Cassius Morrison spearheads inclusivity in the workplace
Museum Palaeontologist Cassius discusses and promotes inclusivity within science and other workplaces.
-
Dinosaurs
What was the biggest dinosaur?
Get to know some of the largest dinosaurs to have ever walked the planet.
-
News
Welsh island becomes the first Dark Sky Sanctuary in Europe
As light pollution continues to increase around the world, the stars above Ynys Enlli remain much as our ancestors would have seen them.
23 February 2023 -
Science news
How one of nature's fastest cells can vanish in the blink of an eye
Able to contract faster than a racing car, Spirostomum's abilities could one day be copied to develop faster machines.
22 February 2023 -
News
The largest ever penguin species has been discovered in New Zealand
Kumimanu fordycei weighed an estimated 150 kilogrammes, demonstrating that penguins became large early in their evolution.
17 February 2023 -
News
Carnivorous dinosaur footprint is the largest found in Yorkshire
A fossil found in northern Britain is revealing insights into the behaviour of a 166-million-year-old carnivorous dinosaur.
16 February 2023 -
Science news
A new species of croakless frog described from the mountain forests of Tanzania
The race is on to learn more about these fragile forests as human impacts threaten their survival.
15 February 2023 -
News
Dodo 'de-extinction' announcement causes conservation debate
While some argue de-extinction could help to restore damaged ecosystems, others believe it is an expensive distraction from the threats facing living species.
15 February 2023 -
News
Spinosaur brain scans reveal possible new insights into their senses
It may have been a case of matter over mind for dinosaurs which lived around water.
14 February 2023 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 announces People's Choice winning image
The ethereal beauty of the snow leopard and its surroundings resonated with voters.
9 February 2023 -
News
Oldest remains of ancient human relative Paranthropus suggest possible tool use
Early humans, and an ancient relative, may have been using complex stone tools as early as three million years ago.
9 February 2023 -
Science news
Boring bivalves are much more diverse than non-boring molluscs
A new study reveals that there are many ways these animals bore through solid rock, but a lack of habitat may lock them into an evolutionary dead end.
8 February 2023 -
Science news
Creatures from the deep: exploring the seas around remote South Atlantic islands
Museum scientists joined a six-week voyage to understand more about the fragile environments surrounding South Atlantic islands.
3 February 2023 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Top Tips from Young Minds for a Compassionate World India
Wildlife Photographer of the Year worked with British Council India for a masterclass focusing on conservation, wildlife photography and storytelling for young people.
-
News
Everyone should live within a 15-minute walk of nature
The UK government has released plans to restore the natural world.
31 January 2023 -
What on Earth?
Murder, maggots and forensic entomology
Did you know that flies have been helping us solve crimes for hundreds of years?
-
News
Bizarre filter-feeding pterosaur described from Germany
The ancient flying reptile would have used its toothed snout with a flared end to filter-feed.
27 January 2023 -
Behind the Science: Carla Greco investigates how cyanobacteria thrive in Antarctica's lakes
PhD student Carla on exploring how cyanobacteria survive in the cold temperatures of Antarctic lakes.
-
British wildlife
The best small trees, climbers and shrubs to plant for wildlife
Shrubs, climbers and small trees provide important food and shelter for insects, birds and other animals.
-
News
Increasing light pollution is drowning out the stars
Nights are becoming around 10% lighter each year, which has implications for the health of both humans and wildlife.
19 January 2023 -
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Taking Ethical Photos
In this article we look at how to take photos ethically, including tips from Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
-
News
Fossilised nests of the world's largest dinosaur discovered in India
More than 250 titanosaur eggs have been uncovered in India, revealing more about the lives of some of the largest animals which ever lived.
18 January 2023 -
News
Critically Endangered Yangtze finless porpoise shows signs of recovery
The Yangtze finless porpoise has faced habitat loss and a reduced range as a result of sand mining, but a suspension of the practice offers hope that they could recover.
16 January 2023 -
Science news
Unique trilobite trident could be the oldest evidence of male sexual combat
Fighting for mates may be a behaviour that dates back over 400 million years.
16 January 2023 -
Science news
Earliest insect ears reveal the soundscape of the dinosaur age
Katydids are the earliest known animals to evolve complex communication using sound.
13 January 2023 -
Science news
New species of large tortoise discovered after a century of mistaken identity
Though it may have gone extinct over 600 years ago, understanding more about Astrochelys rogerbouri could help to save its living relatives.
11 January 2023 -
British wildlife
Cool bug facts: Scary-looking minibeasts
With their pincers, horns and armour, these minibeasts might look terrifying, but luckily for us they are tiny and harmless.
-
News
Origin of fireball spotted falling across UK last night discovered
An orange-sized space rock blazed across the skies on Monday 9 January.
10 January 2023 -
News
First rocket to attempt orbit from UK set to blast off in Cornwall
Virgin Orbit is hoping to launch a rocket carrying a payload of satellites into space from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport.
10 January 2023 -
News
Invasive rats are affecting the behaviour of algae-farming fish
Invasive rats are devastating tropical islands, with effects reaching far beyond the land.
5 January 2023 -
Science news
Early dinosaur skulls show how meat-eaters became vegetarian
The skulls of early herbivores are helping scientists to understand how a diverse group of dinosaurs evolved different ways of eating plants.
4 January 2023 -
News
The conservation success stories of 2022
Here are just 20 of the ways humanity's efforts to help nature paid dividends in 2022.
4 January 2023 -
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 -
British wildlife
Where do animals go during the long, cold, dark winter?
Winter is a time where many animals conserve their energy, fly south or grow a thicker coat.
-
What on Earth?
The wonderfully weird world of tenrecs
From looking like Pokémon to having more nipples than any other mammal, tenrecs are an unusual bunch.
-
Collections
Christmas plants and flowers: The traditions and science of festive flora
Two Museum experts highlight the stories and science behind some of our most festive flora.
-
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 -
British wildlife
How to spot a starling murmuration
Flocks of starlings form ever-changing, mesmerising aerial displays in autumn and winter.
-
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 -
Who is Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg?
We interviewed Daisy about her work as an artist, curating an exhibition, and her feelings on museums and archives.
-
Anthropocene
Renewable energy and its importance for tackling climate change
Get the facts about sustainable energy.
-
Collections
Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg on the Lost Rhino
Discover the inspiration and concept behind the installation and gain a deeper understanding of what's on display.
-
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 -
Biodiversity
Indigenous Peoples call for co-operation to conserve the world's biodiversity
Recognising the rights of the world's Indigenous Peoples could be crucial to protecting nature.
9 December 2022 -
Anthropocene
How are climate change and biodiversity loss linked?
The climate crisis and biodiversity loss are closely connected but the good news is, so are the solutions.
-
Anthropocene
Plant expert Ana Claudia Araujo investigates the extinction of our global flora
Museum plant specialist Ana Claudia researches global biodiversity decline.
-
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 -
Collections
Hidden Treasures: Season one of our behind-the-scenes live streams
Catch up on season one of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.
-
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 -
Biodiversity
Explained: What is the Convention on Biological Diversity, and what does it do?
Nature faces a series of unprecedented threats in the twenty-first century - and the Convention on Biological Diversity sets the stage to help it fight back.
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 -
What on Earth?
Supervolcanoes and their enormous eruptions
Discover what a supervolcano is, what their eruptions are like and how they impact our planet.
-
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
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
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
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 -
Anthropocene
Eco-anxiety: how to cope at a time of climate crisis
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis or the state of our planet? These techniques can help you improve your mental wellbeing.
-
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 -
British wildlife
There's life among the dead: Wildlife in cemeteries
Left alone over time, many graveyards have become secluded sanctuaries where plant and animal life can thrive.
-
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 -
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 -
Finding common sense with Ananse, the West African spider-god
Every culture in the world has at least one mythical character who, in some way, represents wisdom, knowledge or just plain common sense.
-
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 -
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Meet Kathy Moran the new Chair of the Jury
As the Competition moves into its fifty-ninth year, we welcome Kathy Moran as the new Chair of the Jury.
-
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
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 -
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
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The small world of bees wins big
Karine Aigner's dynamic photo of a bee mating ball stole the show at the fifty-eighth Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards.
-
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
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 winning images
Winners of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 announced.
11 October 2022 -
Collections
7 fascinating stories from the Women in Science Space tour
Our new, free Women in Science: Space Tour explores the lives of women who've contributed to the study of space.
-
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 -
British wildlife
Daddy long legs: the flies that have us ducking and diving
But just when is daddy long legs season and how long does it last?
-
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 -
Human evolution
Homo floresiensis: the real-life 'hobbit'?
Fierce debate has raged about the origins of the tiny ancient human species Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the 'hobbit'.
-
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
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
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 -
Anthropocene
The baiji: why this extinct river dolphin still matters
Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.
-
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
Work begins on the Museum's landmark garden redevelopment
The works are part of the wider Urban Nature Project.
8 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
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
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 -
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 -
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
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 -
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 -
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 -
British wildlife
How to pond dip
Pond dipping is a wonderful way to look at the creatures that live in and around pond water.
-
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year The rise and fall of the humble herring
The herring narrowly escaped extinction in the twentieth century. But while some populations have recovered to healthy levels, others are still threatened by illegal fishing.
-
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 -
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 -
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
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 -
British wildlife
Cuckoo spit and fascinating froghoppers (spittlebugs)
In spring and summer, you might notice something looking like spit on a plant.
-
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 -
Collections
The Irish elk: when and why did this giant deer go extinct and what did it look like?
Fossil bones and antlers in the collection hold clues about the life and disappearance of Europe's biggest ever deer.
-
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 -
Wildlife photography
WPY Horizons: five photographers to watch
Go beyond the camera and discover five wildlife photographers who are using their work to celebrate the natural world and those protecting it.
-
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 -
Collections
Interesting shells: from bizarre biology to cunning counterfeits
Think you know shells? The ones you see at the beach are just the tip of the iceberg.
-
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 -
What on Earth?
Whale sharks: Meet the world's biggest shark
Whale sharks can be huge. But even experts aren’t entirely sure just how big they can get.
-
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 -
Dinosaurs
Palaeoart: The history of bringing dinosaurs back to life
How we depict extinct animals has changed significantly over time, as artists keep up with the latest scientific discoveries.
-
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: When the Wetland Caught Fire
Edson Vandeira's image of the burnt corpse of a yacare caiman exposes the devastating impact of the Brazilian Pantanal wetland fires.
-
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: A beautifully poisonous landscape
Aerial photo of poisoned Romanian village Highly Commended in the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
-
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
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
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 -
British wildlife
Who's tweeting nearby? Take our birdsong quiz
Can you match these songs and calls to nine common British garden birds?
-
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 -
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The world's most beautiful mosquito
Mesmerising blood-sucking mosquito Highly Commended in the Behaviour: Invertebrates category of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 57.
-
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
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 -
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 -
Collections
13 inspiring stories from the Women in Science tour
The Museum's new, free Women in Science tour tell some inspiring stories of women in science.
-
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 -
Anthropocene
Tumbleweeds: the fastest plant invasion in the USA's history
Tumbleweeds have starred in many movies, but their representation in popular media may be somewhat misleading.
-
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The Healing Touch
Community Care won the Photojournalist Story Award in the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The images document the efforts of the Lwiro Chimpanzee rescue centre and sanctuary, which rehabilitates orphaned chimpanzees.
-
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
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
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
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 -
What on Earth?
Giant and colossal squid: revealing the secrets of the largest invertebrates
Scientists have only just begun to reveal what the lives of giant and colossal squid are like in the past two decades.
-
News
Controversial paper suggests there are three Tyrannosaurus species
Palaeontologists have reacted with scepticism over the claims.
1 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
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 -
British wildlife
Squirrels in the UK: what they are up to, when and why
Discover what these rodents get up to - what they eat, where they sleep and why they keep digging holes in your garden.
-
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
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: A lake for all seasons
Chilly landscape photo of Lake Santa Croce wins the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award 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 -
Tring
Taxidermy at Tring: how Walter Rothschild procured specimens for the Museum
Walter Rothschild acquired animals from all over the world to study and display at his museum.
-
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 -
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 -
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
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
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
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 -
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: nature through a different lens
Explore the work of wildlife photographer Celina Chien who documents our imbalanced and unhealthy relationship with the natural world.
-
Collections
John James Audubon: creator of The Birds of America book
John James Audubon was a self-taught ornithologist and artist. He was also a contradictory figure.
-
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 -
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 -
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
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 -
Science news
Dinosaurs and meteorites: Museum scientists described 552 new species in 2021
Museum scientists have described 552 new species.
30 December 2021 -
News
The conservation success stories of 2021
Scientists, activists and members of the public fought to ensure that 2021 won't be remembered as all bad for conservation.
29 December 2021 -
Science news
Dinosaur tracks on Welsh beach are evidence of sauropod gathering
A series of tracks on a public beach point to the presence of large, long-necked dinosaurs in Wales over 200 million years ago.
29 December 2021 -
News
James Webb telescope launched to view the early universe
The largest space telescope ever built has been launched as part of a mission to view the early years of the universe.
25 December 2021 -
Biodiversity
Christmas animals and plants: The festive species named for 25 December
Over 30 species around the world are named after Christmas Day because of their bright colours, where they come from or when they reproduce.
-
News
Ancient shipwreck reveals 'ecological memory' of reefs
An ancient battle fought thousands of years ago has provided an oasis of life on the wrecks it left behind.
23 December 2021 -
Science news
Ancient Britons adapted to drink milk a millennium earlier than Europeans
The genetic landscape of England and Wales was shaken up thousands of years ago as new arrivals redefined its people.
22 December 2021 -
News
The world's largest arthropod was a car-sized millipede
One of the largest invertebrates to have ever lived once roamed the beaches of ancient England.
21 December 2021 -
News
First millipede with more than 1,000 legs discovered in Australia
A newly discovered millipede has claimed the title of the 'leggiest' animal in the world.
20 December 2021 -
News
World's 'most wanted' fish rediscovered after 50 years
One of the world's 'most wanted' fish has been tracked down, almost 50 years after it was last seen.
16 December 2021 -
Science news
Colombia's twice-forgotten yellow butterfly offers hope for tropical wildlife
Elusive yellow butterfly from isolated Colombian mountain rediscovered twice.
15 December 2021 -
News
The largest-ever flying animal behaved like a giant heron
The largest-ever flying animal acted like a giant heron, plucking prey from the water and launching itself into the air.
15 December 2021 -
Science news
New species of chunky sauropod with a large 'funny bone' described from China
The dinosaur was much chunkier than any other sauropod.
14 December 2021 -
What on Earth?
How do camels survive in deserts?
From snowshoe-like feet to a nose that works like a dehumidifier, discover the amazing adaptations camels have that help them survive.
-
Science news
The earliest snakes didn't have tunnel vision
The ancestor of modern snakes was not the extreme burrower some thought it to be, adding to the controversial debate about the origin of snakes.
10 December 2021 -
What on Earth?
Are lobsters immortal?
Biological immortality is exceptionally rare. But is there any truth to the memes that claim lobsters can live forever?
-
News
Early crocodile ancestor shows how the reptiles became feared aquatic predators
An ancient relative of modern crocodiles and alligators shows that their semi-aquatic lifestyle dates back over 150 million years.
9 December 2021 -
News
Coral reefs at risk of being wiped out in western Indian Ocean
Some of the world's most picturesque coral reefs are at risk of being wiped out in the next 50 years.
8 December 2021 -
Science news
New soft tissue analyses show how ammonites lived in Jurassic oceans
New 3D scans of soft tissue show how ammonites functioned.
7 December 2021 -
What on Earth?
Unwanted guests: the weird world of parasitic plants
Most plants get the energy they need through photosynthesis, but some get their nutrition by stealing it from another plant instead. About 1% of flowering plants (around 4,000 species) are parasitic.
-
News
Earth's water may have been formed by solar winds
Solar winds from the Sun could have produced much of Earth's water by irradiating asteroids.
2 December 2021 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: People's Choice 2021
WPY People's Choice 2022 images released.
1 December 2021 -
News
The world's largest eagle hunted unlike any other bird of prey
Scientists have discovered how a bird of prey dubbed 'the flying tiger' could take down one of the heaviest birds that ever lived.
1 December 2021 -
British wildlife
Wild parakeets in the UK: exotic delights or a potential problem?
Ring-necked parakeets are a spectacle to see and hear, but are they causing problems for native UK wildlife?
-
News
The extinction of mammoths led to more wildfires
The end of the mammoths gave rise to a tinderbox world that was more likely to catch fire.
30 November 2021 -
Science news
The world's smallest elephants led unusually long lives
Ancient elephants that would have been born the size of a puppy lived for decades more than previously thought.
29 November 2021 -
News
Mind-controlling fungus could cause more crop damage in warmer climates
The combination of a common fungal disease with climate change on ladybirds could cause aphids to become more of a problem.
26 November 2021 -
British wildlife
How to make a log pile to provide shelter for garden wildlife
A log pile can give home and shelter to some of the smaller inhabitants of your garden.
-
What on Earth?
The blue-ringed octopus: small, vibrant and exceptionally deadly
Blue-ringed octopuses are stunning animals. But their flashy rings are not an idle threat.
-
News
Climate change could cause more animals to get divorced
Climate change could lead to an increase in break-ups as it puts pressure on the animal kingdom.
25 November 2021 -
Science news
Neanderthals grew up faster than humans to power brain growth
Neanderthals lived fast and died young, developing their teeth earlier than humans to power their rapid growth.
24 November 2021 -
News
Ants swap spit to help them live for longer
Ants swap chemicals in their 'spit' to support the most valuable members of the colony.
19 November 2021 -
News
Birds fake their own death to protect their nests
Birds will mock-up the scene of an attack to stop rivals from stealing their nest.
18 November 2021 -
Wildlife photography
10 smartphone camera tips for wildlife photography beginners
Dive into wildlife photography and discover how to take show-stopping images with only your phone camera.
-
News
600 million birds lost across Europe since 1980
There are over 600 million fewer birds in Europe than there were 40 years ago.
17 November 2021 -
News
Will walruses become established in UK waters?
A walrus has been spotted taking a rest on the coast of north-eastern England.
16 November 2021 -
News
COP26: the second week's headlines
Here's a roundup of the important announcements that have been made at COP26 over the past week amid plenty of promises but also harsh reality checks.
12 November 2021 -
Anthropocene
Why climate change is sexist
Climate change is a universal issue, but it's doing disproportionate harm to women and girls.
-
Science news
New dinosaur species related to Iguanodon found on the Isle of Wight
A new species of dinosaur has been discovered from the Isle of Wight after a case of mistaken identity.
11 November 2021 -
News
Sharks, seahorses and seals found in River Thames' first full health check
Sharks, seahorses and smelt are among the residents of the River Thames revealed in a new report.
10 November 2021 -
News
California condors can have chicks through 'virgin births'
One of the world's most endangered birds can choose to have young without sex, it has been found.
8 November 2021 -
News
Arctic whales may be consuming thousands of microplastics each year
Beluga whales may be consuming hundreds of thousands of microplastics each year due to the fish they eat.
7 November 2021 -
News
Ancient animals show how the elephants got their tusks
The fossils of 'very weird animals' have helped show how elephants and walruses may have evolved their iconic tusks.
6 November 2021 -
News
COP26: the first week's headlines
Read a summary of the major headlines coming out of the climate summit.
5 November 2021 -
News
The deadly effects of sewage pollution on nature
Sewage in Britain's waterways has been hitting the headlines recently. But what effect does raw waste have on our rivers, streams and oceans?
4 November 2021 -
News
Potential new human species may redraw the family tree
A new ancestor of modern humans with the potential to rip up the family tree has been tentatively named.
3 November 2021 -
News
Origin of domestic horses uncovered in central Asia
Domesticated horses are about three centuries younger than the Pyramids of Giza, researchers have found, as they uncover the origin of all domestic horses.
1 November 2021 -
News
Sardinia was once home to a corgi-sized canine
A corgi-sized canine once roamed Mediterranean islands, hunting small prey like birds and pika.
30 October 2021 -
News
COP26: this week's headlines
With COP26 starting in just a few days time, here's a roundup of the key headlines ahead of the upcoming climate summit.
29 October 2021 -
What on Earth?
What happens when you’re bitten by a venomous snake?
Snakebite is one of the world’s deadliest neglected health issues. But what does venom actually do to you?
-
News
Dippy returning to Museum after UK tour
Dippy the Diplodocus is coming home to the Museum after a tour that saw them meet over two million new friends around the UK.
27 May 2022 -
News
Numbers of North Atlantic right whales fall by almost 10%
Populations of the North Atlantic right whale fell by almost 10% in 2020, leaving only a few hundred of the animals surviving.
28 October 2021 -
Science news
Ancient bryozoan fossil solves one of early life's greatest mysteries
A conundrum that has foxed scientists for decades has been solved, revealing the origins of an ancient group of animals.
8 March 2023 -
News
Breakthrough offers a lifeline for one of the world's most endangered birds
A breakthrough in why eggs from one of the world's most endangered birds fail to hatch could provide a lifeline for the species.
26 October 2021 -
Science news
Digitising the entire Museum collection could contribute over £2 billion to the global economy
The economic benefit of digitising an entire museum collection has been quantified for the first time.
26 October 2021 -
News
The growth of mountains helped the development of early life
Rising mountains helped guide the development of multicellular life as they provided nutrients for its development. But that came at a price.
25 October 2021 -
News
Largest known Triceratops fossil sells for £5.6 million
The largest Triceratops ever found has sold for over £5 million in an auction that has caused controversy.
22 October 2021 -
News
COP26 explained: what it is and why it's important for tackling climate change
COP26 is a crucial moment for the future of our planet.
21 October 2021 -
News
Microbes that form clouds threatened by climate change
Microbes in the air could be among the victims of climate change, with 15% of airborne species of bacteria predicted to go extinct.
21 October 2021 -
News
Extreme weather from climate change could overwhelm bird eggs
Climate change could leave birds and their eggs unprepared for the extreme weather being thrown at them.
20 October 2021 -
News
Ancient rainforest-dwelling humans ate wide range of foods to survive
Some of the oldest evidence for modern humans living in rainforests has been found in a cave in Southeast Asia.
20 October 2021 -
News
Eagle reintroduction project cancelled despite widespread public support
The white-tailed sea eagle will not be reintroduced to Norfolk despite fully fledged plans and public support.
19 October 2021 -
News
Five projects to 'fix the planet' win the inaugural Earthshot Prize
Methods to regrow coral reefs, restore rainforests and reuse food waste have each received a million pounds as part of the first ever Earthshot Prize.
18 October 2021 -
News
Gorillas can recognise known and unfamiliar human voices
Gorillas react more strongly to the voices of unfamiliar humans and those they like less, researchers have found.
15 October 2021 -
Anthropocene
What's so bad about the spotted lanternfly?
The brightly coloured spotted lanternfly is causing problems in parts of Asia and North America.
-
News
Giant sloth that once roamed South America scavenged for meat
A giant ground sloth that once roamed South America occasionally broke its plant-based diet to eat meat, researchers have found.
14 October 2021 -
News
One in five European birds at risk of extinction, report warns
Over 100 species of European birds are on the road to becoming extinct, a new report has warned.
14 October 2021 -
News
Our ancestors were pushed to the brink during ancient African extinction event
Most African mammals all went extinct 33 million years ago as the world became dramatically cooler.
13 October 2021 -
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: life and death in an underwater world
Underwater photographer Laurent Ballesta has won the Grand Title in the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his photo, Creation.
-
News
Speaking up for the little ones: why bugs need our help more than ever
Over recent weeks there have been plenty of sensational headlines about insects invading our homes and causing the evacuation of schools.
12 October 2021 -
News
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 winning images
Winners of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 announced.
12 October 2021 -
News
Analysis warns global biodiversity is below 'safe limit' ahead of COP 15
The world's biodiversity has fallen below the 'safe limit', researchers suggest, as habitat destruction and agriculture take their toll on nature.
10 October 2021 -
News
Mexican mangrove forests offer glimpse into 110,000-year-old 'lost world'
The 'lost world' gives a glimpse of the planet before the last Ice Age.
9 October 2021 -
News
Rare 93 carat natural black diamond goes on display in The Vault
The rare natural black diamond was on display from October 2021 to April 2022.
22 June 2022 -
What on Earth?
16 weird plants that seem more supernatural than natural
Discover this creepy collection of nature's strangest plants.
-
Science news
Rocks in ancient Martian lake could hold remains of life
Rocks with the potential to hold fossils of Martian life have been identified by NASA's Perseverance rover.
7 October 2021 -
News
New reports of invasive stink bug raises concerns of imminent UK move
The discovery of a stink bug in a Surrey garden has caused worries the insects may be becoming established in the UK.
7 October 2021 -
Science news
New species is oldest meat-eating dinosaur found in UK
The oldest-known meat-eating dinosaur discovered in the UK has been named in honour of trailblazing Museum scientist Angela Milner, who passed away in August 2021.
6 October 2021 -
News
Ancient trilobites had 'hyper-eyes' to see in the dark
A unique 'hyper-eye' consisting of three different levels of vision has been discovered in a prehistoric animal.
6 October 2021 -
Space
From field to Vault, how the largest Winchcombe meteorite was found
Discovering the largest Winchcombe meteorite in a field of sheep poo.
-
News
Birds, bat and fish among 23 species declared extinct by USA
The US government has announced that 23 species of American animals and plants are believed to have gone extinct.
4 October 2021 -
News
Fossils of ancient eagle that ate koalas discovered in Australia
A species of eagle that may have eaten ancient koalas over 25 million years ago has been described from Australia.
3 October 2021 -
News
Ancient humans were 'farming' cassowaries 18,000 years ago
Prehistoric humans may have 'farmed' cassowaries as early as 18,000 years ago.
2 October 2021 -
Science news
Documenting one of the most abundant vertebrates in the world before it's too late
Lanternfish are one of the most abundant vertebrates on Earth. Yet despite their huge numbers, almost nothing is known about them.
1 October 2021 -
Science news
Moth predicted to exist by Darwin and Wallace becomes a new species
The moth is famous for its enormous tongue - the longest of any insect.
30 September 2021 -
News
Lionfish caught off the coast of Dorset could be a record for the UK
Scientists at the Museum urge anyone who knows more about it or its location to get in touch.
30 September 2021 -
News
Extinction of primates threatens greater diversity loss than first thought
The loss of the world's primates will lead to a greater loss of diversity than first thought, as their parasites also risk extinction.
30 September 2021 -
Science news
Two new species of spinosaur dinosaurs discovered from Isle of Wight
Two new species of carnivorous dinosaurs have been discovered from the Isle of Wight.
29 September 2021 -
News
Drugs from Glastonbury festival-goers could be impacting endangered eels
Levels of cocaine in the river are at levels potentially harmful to eels.
28 September 2021 -
News
Fossil footprints are the oldest evidence of humans in the Americas
The oldest confirmed human footprints from the Americas have been found in New Mexico, pushing back the date of our ancestors' arrival on the continent by thousands of years.
28 September 2021 -
News
Plants and pollinators use electric fields to find each other
Pollinators and flowers can attract each other with electric fields to maximise the benefits for both, researchers have found.
27 September 2021 -
News
Over half of coral reef cover across the world has been lost since 1950
Coral reefs have declined by over half since the 1950s as they suffer from the effects of climate change and overfishing.
26 September 2021 -
News
Nursery for ancient elephants uncovered in Spain
A nursery for the largest land mammals ever to have lived has been uncovered in Spain, offering rare clues to their family lives.
25 September 2021 -
News
Explosion in snake diversity after dinosaur extinction
Snakes saw an explosion in diversity after the dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid, researchers have found.
24 September 2021 -
News
Extreme heat and flooding risk in London due to climate change
Thousands of homes, schools and hospitals in London are at risk from climate change, the Mayor of London has said.
23 September 2021 -
Science news
New species of dinosaur had armour unlike anything seen before
Spicomellus afer is the oldest ankylosaur ever discovered.
23 September 2021 -
News
Bats go silent to avoid competition when looking for mates
The phrase 'blind as a bat' is looking increasingly out of date as new research suggests bats use their sight and memory after going silent when looking for mates.
22 September 2021 -
News
Endangered penguins stung to death by bee swarm in South Africa
Officials are investigating after over 60 endangered penguins were reportedly stung to death by bees.
20 September 2021 -
News
Polar bears lose genetic diversity as sea ice loss divides populations
Polar bears are becoming less diverse as sea ice declines, putting them at an increased risk of extinction.
19 September 2021 -
News
Oldest known mammal tooth cavities offer glimpse of the world 54 million years ago
Our ancient relatives had a sweet tooth, researchers have found, after uncovering the oldest-known mammalian cavities.
18 September 2021 -
News
Guillemots dying in 'unprecedented' numbers off the UK coast
Concerns have been raised after reports of 'unprecedented' deaths amongst guillemots in the north of the UK.
17 September 2021 -
What on Earth?
Mutualism: eight examples of species that work together to get ahead
In nature, species will sometimes form unexpectedly close bonds and work to their mutual benefit.
-
News
Animals 'shapeshifting' to adapt to rising temperatures
Animals are 'shapeshifting' as the planet warms, as limbs, ears and beaks change size to adapt to rising temperatures.
16 September 2021 -
News
Fabulous new rainbow fly with 'legs for days' named after drag icon RuPaul
Australian scientists are persevering in their quest to 'catch 'em all' as they name new species after pop culture icons.
16 September 2021 -
News
Wild cockatoos observed making their own tool kit for seed extraction
Wild Goffin's cockatoos have been observed to make their own 'cutlery' when setting down to eat a meal of sea mangoes.
15 September 2021 -
News
Dragonfly species are colonising the UK 'at a greater rate than ever before'
Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies have arrived in Britain since the late 1990s.
14 September 2021 -
News
Tyrannosaurs competed by biting each other's face
Tyrannosaurs competed by biting each other's faces, research suggests. The bites could have been part of competition for mates, food and dominance between some of the largest land predators to have ever lived.
13 September 2021 -
News
Entrepreneur plans to resurrect woolly mammoths
A new company has been launched to restore the woolly mammoth to the Arctic tundra.
13 September 2021 -
What on Earth?
Curious collectors and hoarders of the animal world
Because sometimes more is more.
-
News
Komodo dragon is now listed as Endangered as rising sea levels threaten its survival
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, could disappear in the next century as rising sea levels threaten to submerge its habitat.
10 September 2021 -
News
Winchcombe meteorite driveway on its way to the Museum
The driveway onto which the Winchcombe meteorite came crashing down in early 2021 has now been recovered.
9 September 2021 -
News
Mars rover Perseverance collects first Martian rock sample
This is the first rock sample ever to be collected from the red planet.
3 September 2021 -
News
First Look: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 57
Take a look at some of the Highly Commended photos from the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, opening on 15 October.
1 September 2021 -
Science news
Oldest evidence of hominins in Arabia give clues to how humans left Africa
A series of ancient lake beds discovered in Saudi Arabia is showing how the now arid deserts were once green wetlands.
1 September 2021 -
British wildlife
FAQ about creating and maintaining a garden wildlife pond
Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about garden pond set-up, maintenance and care.
-
British wildlife
How to make a small wildlife pond
A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.
-
British wildlife
Pond life: facts about pond habitats, plants and animals
Ponds are crucial habitat for a great diversity of wildlife.
-
Science news
How to collect rocks on Mars
NASA's rover is attempting to collect first rock samples for Mars 2020 mission.
13 August 2021 -
News
Global temperatures are now likely to rise by more than 1.5C
The world's largest-ever report on climate change has been published.
9 August 2021 -
What on Earth?
Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more
Discover the real sea creatures behind the lore.
-
Science news
310-million-year-old fossil shows how little horseshoe crab brains have changed
A new beautifully preserved fossil of a horseshoe crab has revealed that their brains have hardly changed since at least the Carboniferous Period.
5 August 2021 -
Nature activities for summer
25 fun activities to get you out exploring and reconnecting with nature.
-
Science news
The rise and fall of elephant ancestors
Elephant ancestors diversified widely thanks to climate change and new habitats.
28 July 2021 -
British wildlife
How to make a bird bath
Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath.
-
Science news
Reviving the cold case of the Carolina parakeet extinction
Uncovering details about how the Carolina parakeet became extinct.
27 July 2021 -
Anthropocene
Bag your next sustainable fashion haul on a budget
Eco-fashion can seem expensive and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Here are nine ways to forget fast fashion and shop sustainable instead.
-
Wildlife photography
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Is the USA on the cusp of banning tiger tourism?
Wildlife photojournalist Steve Winter explores the shocking world of tiger tourism in the USA.
-
British wildlife
Seven insect heroes of pollination
Pollination is not just the work of honeybees. Meet some of the buzzing, bold and beautiful insects carrying out this critical task.
-
Science news
Huge Jurassic seabed uncovered in Cotswolds quarry
Palaeontologists have uncovered thousands of perfectly preserved Jurassic fossils in a sleepy area of the Cotswolds.
21 July 2021 -
Anthropocene
Snarge: the gruesome result of our holiday flights and why it's important to study it
As you're taxiing to the runway, spare a thought for what the impact of your flight might be.
-
Science news
Offensive and inaccurate bird names should be changed, study says
In recent years there has a growing shift to change the common English names of birds that are offensive or inaccurate.
19 July 2021 -
Anthropocene
Why woolly mammoth ivory could spell trouble for elephants
Mammoth ivory is appearing from melting permafrost and joining international markets.
-
News
First baby beavers born on Exmoor for 400 years
The beavers were reintroduced just a year and a half ago.
13 July 2021 -
Anthropocene
Mountain chickens: how we almost lost the Caribbean's largest frogs
The mountain chicken is teetering on the brink of extinction, but we may now have a way to save them.
-
What on Earth?
Carnivorous plants: the meat-eaters of the plant world
These real-life triffids aren't picky eaters.
-
News
High-resolution 3D scanning will help scientists understand insect evolution
Understanding the extraordinary diversity and differences between insects can help us figure out how these species evolved.
1 July 2021 -
British wildlife
Stag beetle facts: The UK's largest beetle and where to see it
London is a particular stronghold of these magnificent, rare beetles. Discover why, where else they live and how you can help protect them.
-
News
Urban Nature Project receives £3.2 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund
£3.2 million will go towards revamping green space around the Museum
29 June 2021 -
Science news
Australian rodent thought to be extinct is found alive on desert island
Gould's field mouse, a small rodent native to Australia, is not extinct as previously thought. It is alive and well living under a different name.
28 June 2021 -
Anthropocene
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: finding urban wildlife
Around the world sprawling towns and cities offer homes to millions of people, and while they may look like man-made spaces, there is nature in between the cracks.